Exodus 34:27 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write down all these instructions, for they represent the terms of the covenant I am making with you and with Israel.”
Moses spent forty days and nights copying out all the guidelines for living God wanted the Israelites to follow. God could easily just hand Moses a copy of His laws, but He didn’t. Why did God put Moses through all that work? God knew that Moses needed to become intimately acquainted with all His commands. While Moses likely had a memory trained by Egyptian instructors so that he could remember large volumes of material, he still needed a record. By having Moses copy out the laws, God was ensuring that Moses would study and remember them as he was copying them.
When God was giving instructions for the proper behavior of kings in Deuteronomy 17, He ordered that the king should copy all God’s laws for himself so that he would become expert on them and know them thoroughly. Sadly, not a single king in Israel ever did this, not even King Solomon, who was fond of writing proverbs and other treatises. Somehow, not even Solomon found time to follow God’s orders.
Deuteronomy 17:18-20 18 “When he (the king) sits on the throne as king, he must copy for himself this body of instruction on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. 19 He must always keep that copy with him and read it daily as long as he lives. That way he will learn to fear the Lord his God by obeying all the terms of these instructions and decrees. 20 This regular reading will prevent him from becoming proud and acting as if he is above his fellow citizens. It will also prevent him from turning away from these commands in the smallest way. And it will ensure that he and his descendants will reign for many generations in Israel.
Why was God so insistent on writing out His commands by hand? Studies are in, and writing by hand still matters. An AI search reveals the following: Writing things down significantly enhances retention compared to typing. Studies indicate that handwritten notes lead to stronger brain activity and better memory recall. For instance, students using handwritten notes scored 34% higher on concept-based exams than those who typed their notes. Additionally, writing by hand engages more areas of the brain associated with memory and learning, resulting in improved retention of information.
When you write things down, you become involved in what you are writing. Recently, we cleared out a storage shed, and one LARGE container contained my class notes from my studies at Tulane when I earned my Master’s degree in Public Health and Tropical Medicine. Glancing at my notes, I could see my side comments, my high lighting, and all the ways I became involved as I studied those notes for what essentially was a board examination.
Sadly, there is little point in keeping these notes, for tropical medicine has moved on and much of what was considered fresh knowledge has now been supplanted by new discoveries. Some concepts that were considered cutting edge have been discarded entirely. This is why Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:9-10 that “Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture! But when the time of perfection comes, these partial things will become useless.”
Isaiah 40:8 tells us, “The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.” God’s Word gives us immortal unchangeable truth. God tells us in Psalm 138:2 that “I will worship toward Your holy temple, and praise Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth; for You have magnified Your word above all Your name.”
I Peter 1:22-25 repeats Isaiah, saying, “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, because “All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the word of the Lord endures forever.”
You might be entranced by videos or e-books, but how much of that material will endure forever? Even though the writings of Shakespeare and many others have been taught for centuries, there are many people who know nothing about that literature. Teachers know that some writers come in and out of vogue, depending on world events. But the Word of the Lord endures forever.
“But,” you say, “are you suggesting that I should copy out the entire Bible?” No. While such a task might be useful, you won’t do it. But you can find Bible verses that particularly speak to you and write those out on post-it notes, sticking them in places where you can read them and gain comfort from them. In an earlier age, women embroidered samplers with Scripture; however, post-it notes will still work. Psalm 119:11 says, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” We need God’s Word in our hearts for encouragement to keep going and for guidance, so that we will not sin against God. And you will find that different parts of Scripture apply to your life at different times. The verses that meant so much a few months ago may be supplanted by others that seem more relevant now. No problem. Just keep copying, posting, reading, and memorizing.
Medical workers are constantly reminded of the need for documentation. You might deliver the best care in the world, but if you don’t document it, later someone can accuse you of negligence. Only your records will save you. God has documented His Will for our lives in His Word. When we engage our brains by copying parts of His Word and studying it, we are incorporating that Word into our souls.
Want peace? Try post-it note documentation and Scripture memorization. You’ll be glad you did.PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to study Your Word and to copy those parts that speak most to us so that we will hide them in our hearts. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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