Numbers 15:38-40 Speak to the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations… I. THE PRONENESS OF MAN TO FORGET THE COMMANDMENTS OF THE LORD. This tendency arises from — 1. The sinfulness of human nature. 2. The worldly spirit which so largely prevails in human society. II. THE ARRANGEMENTS WHICH GOD HAS MADE TO REMIND MAN OF HIS COMMANDMENTS. 1. The means which God employs to remind us of His commandments. (1) The Bible. In this He not only reveals His will concerning us, but illustrates and enforces it in various ways so that we might not forget it. (2) The Holy Spirit. He influences our spirits; speaks in us by means of conscience, &c. (3) Holy examples. In these the will of God is "drawn out in living characters."(4) Warning examples of the evil consequences of overlooking His commands. These witness to us that it is perilous to forget the Divine will, and admonish us against doing so. 2. The design of God in reminding us of His commandments. "That ye wander not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring; that ye may remember and do all My commandments, and be holy unto your God." Recollection of the will of God must be followed by obedience to that will, or it will be worse than useless. III. THE GROUNDS UPON WHICH GOD REQUIRES FROM US THIS RECOLLECTION OF AND OBEDIENCE TO HIS COMMANDS. 1. His personal relation to us. 2. His gracious doings for us. (W. Jones.) Parallel Verses KJV: Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue: |
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