God Wants Us to Remember Him
Feb 18, 2009
It's funny how quickly people often seem to forget favors done for them. We probably have an easier time remembering the favors we do for others than the ones that they do for us. The Bible records Joseph's time in an Egyptian prison where his fellow prisoner was the Pharaoh's butler (Genesis 40). The butler had a disturbing dream and Joseph did him a favor by interpreting that dream. Joseph told the butler that his dream meant he would be restored to his place at Pharaoh's side. Joseph asked only that the butler remember him and mention him to Pharaoh so he could get out of prison. But when the butler was restored to his former position, he somehow forgot about Joseph (Genesis 40:23). It's easy to forget favors, but God does not appreciate it when people forget His favors. When He rescued the Israelites from hard bondage in Egypt, He expected them to remember it. He similarly rescues us from sin and it's our duty to never forget that.
Eventually, that butler did remember Joseph. Pharaoh had a disturbing dream and the butler remembered that he knew someone who could interpret it (Genesis 41). Pharaoh brought Joseph out of prison and had him interpret the dream. This led to Joseph's rise in power and influence and eventually he became administrator of all Egypt (Genesis 41:39-41). Soon after, there was a famine in Canaan where Joseph's family, the beginning of the Israelites, lived. There was plenty of food stored up in Egypt though, so he brought them there (Genesis 45). The Israelites thrived in Egypt long after Joseph's death. But then a new Pharaoh did not know Joseph and even saw the Israelites as a threat (Exodus 1:6-10). His solution was to put them into hard bondage and to try and have all their male babies killed (Exodus 1:11-16).
Needless to say, Israel was in a bad way. They “groaned because of the bondage and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage” (Exodus 2:23). God knew of their hard bondage and decided to rescue them. He used the Ten Plagues (Exodus 7-12) to convince the Egyptians that they were better off without the Israelites (Exodus 12:33). God chose Moses to be leader, and he brought the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt (Exodus 12:41) and to Canaan, the Promised Land (Exodus 12:25).
God rescued the Israelites from bondage and probably death, since Pharaoh was already trying to have all the male babies killed. God saved them and He expected them to remember that. They were told to “remember this day in which [they] went out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the Lord brought [them] out of [that] place” (Exodus 13:3). God even set up a yearly memorial service to help them remember the event (Exodus 13:3-10). They weren't just told this once either. They were reminded of it often. One of the other times was when Moses was repeating the Ten Commandments. He said, “remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm” (Deuteronomy 5:15).
It was very important for the Israelites to remember how God saved them from slavery in Egypt. How could it be any less important for us to remember how God saves us from slavery to sin (Romans 6:1-7)? He saves us from sin with the sacrifice made by His own Son. And He even set up a memorial service to help us remember the event (1st Corinthians 11:23-29). Hebrews 2:3 says, “how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation.” Let's learn from the example of the Israelites (Romans 15:4) and never allow ourselves to forget, or in any way neglect, the salvation from sin that God offers.
Eventually, that butler did remember Joseph. Pharaoh had a disturbing dream and the butler remembered that he knew someone who could interpret it (Genesis 41). Pharaoh brought Joseph out of prison and had him interpret the dream. This led to Joseph's rise in power and influence and eventually he became administrator of all Egypt (Genesis 41:39-41). Soon after, there was a famine in Canaan where Joseph's family, the beginning of the Israelites, lived. There was plenty of food stored up in Egypt though, so he brought them there (Genesis 45). The Israelites thrived in Egypt long after Joseph's death. But then a new Pharaoh did not know Joseph and even saw the Israelites as a threat (Exodus 1:6-10). His solution was to put them into hard bondage and to try and have all their male babies killed (Exodus 1:11-16).
Needless to say, Israel was in a bad way. They “groaned because of the bondage and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage” (Exodus 2:23). God knew of their hard bondage and decided to rescue them. He used the Ten Plagues (Exodus 7-12) to convince the Egyptians that they were better off without the Israelites (Exodus 12:33). God chose Moses to be leader, and he brought the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt (Exodus 12:41) and to Canaan, the Promised Land (Exodus 12:25).
God rescued the Israelites from bondage and probably death, since Pharaoh was already trying to have all the male babies killed. God saved them and He expected them to remember that. They were told to “remember this day in which [they] went out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the Lord brought [them] out of [that] place” (Exodus 13:3). God even set up a yearly memorial service to help them remember the event (Exodus 13:3-10). They weren't just told this once either. They were reminded of it often. One of the other times was when Moses was repeating the Ten Commandments. He said, “remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm” (Deuteronomy 5:15).
It was very important for the Israelites to remember how God saved them from slavery in Egypt. How could it be any less important for us to remember how God saves us from slavery to sin (Romans 6:1-7)? He saves us from sin with the sacrifice made by His own Son. And He even set up a memorial service to help us remember the event (1st Corinthians 11:23-29). Hebrews 2:3 says, “how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation.” Let's learn from the example of the Israelites (Romans 15:4) and never allow ourselves to forget, or in any way neglect, the salvation from sin that God offers.