Revelation 2:1-7, The Importance of Looking Back (1)

What would you say if I encouraged you to look back in your life to how things used to be?  Perhaps you would object, citing Phil. 3:13: forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.  Those are wonderful and powerful words.  But in that context, Paul was speaking of his failed attempt to find righteousness on his own, apart from Christ (3:1-7). 

In todays passage, and often in Scripture, God’s people are told to “remember.”  Remember from where you have fallen.  In the great “Song of Moses” Israel was told to, Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past.  Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you (Deut. 32:7).  Psalm 77 is all about remembering the past.  Then I thought, ‘To this I will appeal: the years of the right hand of the Most High.  I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago (77:10-11). 

In each of these cases, of course, God’s people are encouraged to remember the effect of God’s grace in their lives in the past.  They are in the midst of a time of doubt or of a loss of spiritual vitality.  They need to remember the way God was at work in their lives at an earlier time.  This call to “remember” is common both for Israel and the Church.  Note these four things God’s people must always remember.

·       Remember what you “were.”  Through the Feast of Unleavened Bread, God gave the people of Israel the opportunity to do just that.  And Moses said to the people: “Remember this day in which you went out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out of this place.  No unleavened bread shall be eaten” (Ex. 13:3).  Paul reminded the Ephesians Church of their spiritual origins: Remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh … having no hope and without God in the world (Eph. 2:11-12).

·       Remember how God redeemed you.  Through the Passover God gave Israel the means to do this.  Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are.  And when I see the blood, I will pass over you ... So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD throughout your generations (Ex. 12:13-14).  The Church has been given the Ordinance of the Lord’s Table, to remember the redeeming work of Christ (1 Cor. 11:23-25).

·       Remember God’s word.  For Jews, the “Tzitzit” or tassels on the corners of their garments, were that you may remember and do all My commandments, and be holy for your God (Num. 15:38-40).  Likewise, the Church is called to remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ (Jude 17).  Peter wrote (and Paul did as well) to remind the people of things they had learned in the past but needed to recall (2 Peter 1:12). 

·       Remember God’s works.  Through the Feast of Tabernacles Israel had a constant reminded of God’s works in bringing them through the wilderness wanderings and into the Promised Land (Deut. 7:8; Ps. 105:5).  Jesus challenged the faith of His disciples, that they did not trust God because they had already forgotten the work He had done (Matt. 16:8-9).  Remembering God’s words can be tricky.  We must remember them so we are encouraged to know that God can do great things today as He did yesterday.  What we must not do is look at God’s works yesterday and assume He will do the same today.  That is where we can get into trouble, when we “institutionalize” God’s ways and works, and try to create the same situation today. 

Why not do some remembering today?