Numbers 15:37-40 — And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 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: and it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord, and do them; and that ye seek 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.

Here is (most of) the third and last part of the Shema, the Hebrew daily declaration of faith. If the first part acknowledges the unity of God, and the second part stresses obedience, this third part stresses remembrance.

The Jews were God’s special people. That did not make them naturally any less prone to sin than the people around them. There were, however, things that God did to help the Jews with sin. Earlier in the chapter in which our text is found are the instructions for atonement for sin. How much better it would be, however, if sin were avoided. So God provides the means of avoiding it.

The Jews have been given the fringes to help them remember. It is a most precious gift. To my mind Christians have been given a much more precious gift for remembrance. Jesus said:

These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. (John 14:25-26)

So, in three days we have looked at the three parts of the Shema. It is the daily Jewish prayer of dedication. Yet we have found riches in it for Christians too. The main glory is found in the verse that follows our text:

I am the Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the Lord your God. (Numbers 15:41)

Know that there is one God, obey Him, never forget it — He has chosen you. He is always with you. He is a covenant God. “if we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.” (2 Timothy 2:13)