Picking up in Chapter 8, verse 11, we find that we are commanded not to forget Yehovah our Elohim. The passage reads:
11″Beware lest you aforget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments and His ordinances and His statutes which I am commanding you today; (Deu 8:11 NAS)
The word “forget” actually translates in the Hebrew as “shakach.” The English term “forget,” is suggestive of a lapse in memory about Yehovah in some way. The term “shakach” to me takes us in a slightly different direction that the English term forget would naturally lead a casual Western reader of the Bible. This is one of the many great advantages of having a Hebraic Roots mindset and why we in the HRM value the Word of God so much more than others in various denominations of churchianity.
We find that “shakach” as used in this passage of Torah denotes, not a lapse in memory about Yehovah (as one my reasonably garner from a casual read of the passage through Western glasses so to speak), but to ignore Yehovah’s commandments; to follow other gods (Deut 8:19); to stand in fear of harm and danger such as one having a failure Faith that Yehovah will deliver; to live fretfully and timidly (Isa 51:13); to challenge Yehovah (Psa 106:13).
At this point in Torah, we find Yisra’el preparing to cross the Yarden (aka Jordon) to begin the process of possessing the land that Yehovah had promised His people. The land was rich in natural resources and would be a veritable paradise for the weary Children of Promise who spent a generation wandering in the Sinai wilderness. The nations that would be overcome by the power and might of Yehovah through the onslaught of the Israeli people would leave behind remnants of their culture which could potentially lead the Children of Promise astray. This is why in the previous passage (7:21-26) Yehovah commanded that Yisra’el utterly destroy the nations as He would direct. Canaan was filled to the brim with idol worship and the remnants of such evil could be picked up by the Israeli’s, destroying all that had been accomplished in the Israeli during their years of wandering and preparation. This is why Yehovah pounded into the peoples’ minds over and over that they stay focused on His Torah.
The take away for me in this passage is that it is imperative that I not “forget” Yehovah in my day-to-day interactions with the world. There are so many things throughout the day that could potentially lead me astray and cause me to “shakach” Yehovah: pointless conversations with individuals that could cause me to speak evil about someone; allow situations to upset me and lead me to react or act contrary to my chosen status; lust of the eyes, envying, anger, hatred, etc. These things, although seemingly nebulous in the whole scheme of day-to-day life, would certainly lead one (lead me) to “shakach” Yehovah. That’s why each day I seek to study Yehovah’s Word and fill my mind with His Torah; follow the example of Yeshua who lived Torah perfectly; wear tzit tzits as a visible and tactile reminder of Yehovah; and heavily rely upon the leading of the Ruach Kodesh throughout my daily journey. It’s so easy to “shakach” Yehovah and despite what our carnal mind and nature might say otherwise, we often “shakach” Yehovah. Thus I keep a mental journal about my day-to-day activities and thus identify those incidents where I “forgot” Yehovah. Upon identifying them, I repent and seek Yehovah’s forgiveness. This practice helps keep me centered on Yehovah’s Torah as I grow in grace and live in truth.
Have a non-forgetful day dear Saints. Be blessed in Yeshua Messiah.