FORGETTING GOD

 •  6 min. read  •  grade level: 7
A characteristic of the wicked
Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God. (Proverbs 2:1717Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God. (Proverbs 2:17))
But ye are they that forsake the Lord, that forget my holy mountain, that prepare a table for that troop, and that furnish the drink offering unto that number. (Isaiah 65:1111But ye are they that forsake the Lord, that forget my holy mountain, that prepare a table for that troop, and that furnish the drink offering unto that number. (Isaiah 65:11))
Backsliders guilty of
Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number. (Jeremiah 2:3232Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number. (Jeremiah 2:32))
A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping and supplications of the children of Israel: for they have perverted their way, and they have forgotten the Lord their God. (Jeremiah 3:2121A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping and supplications of the children of Israel: for they have perverted their way, and they have forgotten the Lord their God. (Jeremiah 3:21))
Is forgetting his covenant
Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, which the Lord thy God hath forbidden thee. (Deuteronomy 4:2323Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, which the Lord thy God hath forbidden thee. (Deuteronomy 4:23))
And the covenant that I have made with you ye shall not forget; neither shall ye fear other gods. (2 Kings 17:3838And the covenant that I have made with you ye shall not forget; neither shall ye fear other gods. (2 Kings 17:38))
Works
That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments: (Psalm 78:77That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments: (Psalm 78:7))
And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had showed them. (Psalm 78:1111And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had showed them. (Psalm 78:11))
They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel: (Psalm 106:1313They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel: (Psalm 106:13))
Benefits
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: (Psalm 103:22Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: (Psalm 103:2))
Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea. (Psalm 106:77Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea. (Psalm 106:7))
Word
And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: (Hebrews 12:55And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: (Hebrews 12:5))
But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. (James 1:2525But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. (James 1:25))
Law
RESH. Consider mine affliction, and deliver me: for I do not forget thy law. (Psalm 119:153153RESH. Consider mine affliction, and deliver me: for I do not forget thy law. (Psalm 119:153))
I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments. (Psalm 119:176176I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments. (Psalm 119:176))
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. (Hosea 4:66My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. (Hosea 4:6))
The people of God
If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. (Psalm 137:55If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. (Psalm 137:5))
Past deliverances
And the children of Israel remembered not the Lord their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side: (Judges 8:3434And the children of Israel remembered not the Lord their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side: (Judges 8:34))
They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy. (Psalm 78:4242They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy. (Psalm 78:42))
Power to deliver
And forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor? The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed, and that he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail. But I am the Lord thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared: The Lord of hosts is his name. (Isaiah 51:13-1513And forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor? 14The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed, and that he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail. 15But I am the Lord thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared: The Lord of hosts is his name. (Isaiah 51:13‑15))
Encouraged by false teachers
Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbor, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal. (Jeremiah 23:2727Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbor, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal. (Jeremiah 23:27))
Prosperity leads to
Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; (Deuteronomy 8:12-1412Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; 13And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; 14Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; (Deuteronomy 8:12‑14))
According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten me. (Hosea 13:66According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten me. (Hosea 13:6))
Trials should not lead to
All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant. Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way; Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death. If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god; (Psalm 44:17-2017All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant. 18Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way; 19Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death. 20If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god; (Psalm 44:17‑20))
Resolve against
I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word. (Psalm 119:1616I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word. (Psalm 119:16))
I will never forget thy precepts: for with them thou hast quickened me. (Psalm 119:9393I will never forget thy precepts: for with them thou hast quickened me. (Psalm 119:93))
Cautions against
Then beware lest thou forget the Lord, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. (Deuteronomy 6:1212Then beware lest thou forget the Lord, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. (Deuteronomy 6:12))
Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day: (Deuteronomy 8:1111Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day: (Deuteronomy 8:11))
Exhortation to those guilty of
Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver. (Psalm 50:2222Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver. (Psalm 50:22))
Punishment of
Whilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb. So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite's hope shall perish: (Job 8:12-1312Whilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb. 13So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite's hope shall perish: (Job 8:12‑13))
The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. (Psalm 9:1717The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. (Psalm 9:17))
Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with strange slips: In the day shalt thou make thy plant to grow, and in the morning shalt thou make thy seed to flourish: but the harvest shall be a heap in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow. (Isaiah 17:10-1110Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with strange slips: 11In the day shalt thou make thy plant to grow, and in the morning shalt thou make thy seed to flourish: but the harvest shall be a heap in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow. (Isaiah 17:10‑11))
Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Because thou hast forgotten me, and cast me behind thy back, therefore bear thou also thy lewdness and thy whoredoms. (Ezekiel 23:3535Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Because thou hast forgotten me, and cast me behind thy back, therefore bear thou also thy lewdness and thy whoredoms. (Ezekiel 23:35))
For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples; and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof. (Hosea 8:1414For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples; and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof. (Hosea 8:14))
Threatened
So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite's hope shall perish: (Job 8:1313So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite's hope shall perish: (Job 8:13))
The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. (Psalm 9:1717The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. (Psalm 9:17))
Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver. (Psalm 50:2222Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver. (Psalm 50:22))
Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with strange slips: (Isaiah 17:1010Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with strange slips: (Isaiah 17:10))
Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number. (Jeremiah 2:3232Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number. (Jeremiah 2:32))
For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples; and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof. (Hosea 8:1414For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples; and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof. (Hosea 8:14))
See BACKSLIDERS
See FORSAKING GOD