It Will Live Unforgotten

Articles

Hugh DeLong
03/11/13 - DAILY COMMENTARY

It Will Live Unforgotten

God said to Moses: “Now therefore write this song and teach it to the people of Israel. Put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the people of Israel. For when I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, which I swore to give to their fathers, and they have eaten and are full and grown fat, they will turn to other gods and serve them, and despise me and break my covenant. And when many evils and troubles have come upon them, this song shall confront them as a witness (for it will live unforgotten in the mouths of their offspring). For I know what they are inclined to do even today, before I have brought them into the land that I swore to give.” Deuteronomy 31:19-21

I like the line that says: "it will live unforgotten in the mouths of their offspring". Singing does that. Cultures tend to have songs. The stories and events are often remembered by such singing. Generation after generation learns the songs. They learn them as children and remember them the rest of their lives. Such songs truly live unforgotten in the mouths of our children.

God's people have used such songs. This was not the first song that Moses had written - remember the song after they crossed the Red Sea (Ex. 15) ? When God gave Israel water at the well, Israel sang this song: "Spring up, O well! -- Sing to it!-- the well that the princes made, that the nobles of the people dug, with the scepter and with their staffs" (Num. 21:16-17). There was the song of Deborah (Judges 5). David later would write many psalms that were sung by the people.

When Jesus had finished instituting the Lord's supper, "they sang a hymn and went out" (Matt. 26:30). James instructs believers that are cheerful to sing praise (James 5:13). When Paul and Silas were in prison, about midnight they were singing hymns to God and the prisoners were listening to them! (Acts 16:15). Christians are to teach one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with their hearts (Eph. 5:19).

There is singing in the book of Revelation. In Rev. 5:9-10 the elders sang a new song, saying "Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth." Rev. 14:3 says they were "singing a new song before the throne…" In Rev. 15:3 those who had conquered the beast were said to sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying "Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are you ways, O king of the nations! Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed."

We need to let such lessons "live unforgotten in the mouths of our children". Let us sing.