David Koberstein
Active member
Sometimes Hebrew words can help us solve some biblical head-scratchers. For instance, in several places God says,
"I will not remember your sins." But how can God, in his infinite intellect, forget something? And what does he expect
of us, since we pray, "forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us"? Does God really expect us to forgive
and to forget the sins of others?
For some this is not just an academic question. A few years ago I heard a young woman recount nightmarish memories
of being raped by a babysitter when she was ten. Over the years she had tried to forgive and sought healing. But as a
Christian, she was plagued by the idea that God would not forgive her sins unless she forgave and forgot sins committed
against her. How on earth could she ever forget?
Understanding the Hebrew words for "remember" and "forget" can help us untangle more than one theological knot.
In English, our definition of the word remember focuses entirely on the idea of recalling memories and bringing ideas
into our thoughts. To forget is to fail to bring a certain memory to mind. Both words are concerned entirely with mental
activity---whether not information is present. But the Hebrew verb zakhar has a much wider definition than just "remember."
It includes both remembering and the actions that are taken because of remembering. It often implies that a person did a
favor for someone, helped them, or was faithful to a promise or covenant. For instance:
But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the cattle that were with him in the ark; and God caused a wind to pass
over the earth, and the water subsided. (Gen. 8:1)
It sounds like God woke up one morning and slapped himself on the forehead, suddenly realizing that he'd left Noah bobbing
around out on the waves. But the idea in this passage is that God acted upon his promise that Noah's family and the animals
would be rescued from the flood.
Later in Genesis we find another example: "Then God remembered Rachel. He listened to her and opened her womb" (30:22 HCSB),
Once again, the verb to "remember" focuses on the action, not the mental activity. God paid attention to Rachel's needs, listened
to her prayer, and answered it. Here "remember" means "to intervene" focusing on what God did, not what God was thinking about.
Shalom
"I will not remember your sins." But how can God, in his infinite intellect, forget something? And what does he expect
of us, since we pray, "forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us"? Does God really expect us to forgive
and to forget the sins of others?
For some this is not just an academic question. A few years ago I heard a young woman recount nightmarish memories
of being raped by a babysitter when she was ten. Over the years she had tried to forgive and sought healing. But as a
Christian, she was plagued by the idea that God would not forgive her sins unless she forgave and forgot sins committed
against her. How on earth could she ever forget?
Understanding the Hebrew words for "remember" and "forget" can help us untangle more than one theological knot.
In English, our definition of the word remember focuses entirely on the idea of recalling memories and bringing ideas
into our thoughts. To forget is to fail to bring a certain memory to mind. Both words are concerned entirely with mental
activity---whether not information is present. But the Hebrew verb zakhar has a much wider definition than just "remember."
It includes both remembering and the actions that are taken because of remembering. It often implies that a person did a
favor for someone, helped them, or was faithful to a promise or covenant. For instance:
But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the cattle that were with him in the ark; and God caused a wind to pass
over the earth, and the water subsided. (Gen. 8:1)
It sounds like God woke up one morning and slapped himself on the forehead, suddenly realizing that he'd left Noah bobbing
around out on the waves. But the idea in this passage is that God acted upon his promise that Noah's family and the animals
would be rescued from the flood.
Later in Genesis we find another example: "Then God remembered Rachel. He listened to her and opened her womb" (30:22 HCSB),
Once again, the verb to "remember" focuses on the action, not the mental activity. God paid attention to Rachel's needs, listened
to her prayer, and answered it. Here "remember" means "to intervene" focusing on what God did, not what God was thinking about.
Shalom
