What the Bible says about Forgetfulness
(From Forerunner Commentary)
We can safely conclude that the price of buying the Israelites' freedom was the devastation of Egypt's land, and above all, the killing of Egypt's firstborn. God designed the redemption of Israel's firstborn to remind them of the high cost of their liberty. The Egyptians slain for Israel's release belonged to God just as surely as the Israelites, but God used them to pay for Israel's freedom. That collective sacrifice became a type of Christ. The practical inference is that Israel was obligated to the One who paid the price—God. To us, that God would use virtually an entire nation to pay for another nation's freedom can be a stunning, even shocking concept. However, God is Creator. He owns everything and is certainly free to do as He pleases.
God will even things out later, though, as Isaiah 19:18-25 shows. Then, Egypt will once again be a great nation. The redeeming of Israel's firstborn was to serve as a costly and constant reminder that freedom is not free and that they were obligated to God for their redemption from Egypt. Forgetfulness produces ingratitude, which in turn produces disobedience because such people are no longer motivated by a sense of obligation to the One who worked so powerfully in their behalf (Deuteronomy 8:10-20).
John W. Ritenbaugh
The Elements of Motivation (Part Four): ObligationRelated Topics: Forgetfulness | Forgetting | Freedom | Ingratitude | Liberation from Bondage | Liberty | Liberty, Loss of | Obligation | Obligation to Christ | Obligation, Sense of | Redeemer | Redemption | Redemption Price | Unthankful
Whereas chapter 11 concentrated on exhorting us to be enthusiastically committed, the beginning of chapter 12 exhorts us not to forget God in our enthusiasm. It is easy to do.
Rejoice, he says—but do not forget God! God intends life to be good, but do not forget Him. This means, then, that if we enjoy life yet remember God, we will enjoy the things that He allows us to have, but we will never allow them to control us and will always keep our appetites in check because we fear God, want to impress Him, and want to do right and good. In this way, we will truly enjoy what God has given.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Ecclesiastes and the Feast of Tabernacles (Part 2)Related Topics: Commitment | Enthusiasm | Fear of God | Fearing God | Forgetfulness | Forgetting | Forgetting God | Remembering | Remembering God