“And you shall have the tassel, that you may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the LORD and do them, and that you may not follow the harlotry to which your own heart and your own eyes are inclined, and that you may remember and do all My commandments, and be holy for your God.”
Numbers 15:39-40
In these verses God commands that His people put blue tassels on their garments to help them remember to obey God’s commandments. This happens right after a man violates the Sabbath commandment by working on the Sabbath. God tells Moses that this man is worthy of death for what he has done. God then gives Moses the command for the tassels as a way to help the people to remember His commandments to do them and as a warning of the consequences for disobeying them. Having these tassels on their clothing meant that they would be reminded to keep the commandments of God all day, every day, everywhere they went! They needed this kind of help because their hearts were inclined to disobey the Lord and follow its own ways as Numbers 15 says.
The prophet Jeremiah tells us that the heart of man is desperately wicked. (Jeremiah 17:9) We understand that even as disciples of Jesus Christ in the New Covenant who have been given a new heart, that we still have the old nature, the “old man” that is a war with God. It’s important for us to be mindful of the truth that our fallen human nature is not inclined to love the Lord or keep His commands but rather to follow its own ways just like the example we have in Numbers of the man who broke the Sabbath. We actually have a bumper sticker on our car that says, “Don’t follow your heart” with Jeremiah 17:9 as the reference.
Even in the New Covenant keeping the commandments is extremely important to God. It’s how we show we love Him. I John 5:3 says, “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” And Jesus plainly says in John 14:15, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”
In the New Covenant era many of the commandments that were required of Old Covenant saints have changed or been done away with altogether. But we are still obligated to keep the commandments of God that are still in force. While we are not obligated to wear blue tassels on our clothing it would be a wise practice to think of ways that, even in the New Covenant era, we too can be reminded throughout the day to keep God’s commandments.
Take some time today to think of easy ways that the word of God can be brought to your mind throughout the day. We must realize that just like the Old Testament saints we too need to be reminded to obey the word of God and to refuse to follow the dictates of our own hearts; all day, every day, everywhere we go.
Glory to the Lord of hosts!
His mercy endures forever!
Pastor Flynn
