Remember, and Open Your Hands

Deuteronomy 15:15 / 16:17

"Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you. That is why I give you this command today." (Deuteronomy 15:15, NIV)

"Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the LORD your God has blessed you." (Deuteronomy 16:17, NIV)

Dear friends,

As you read through Deuteronomy chapters 13 to 16, one word keeps coming back again and again. "Remember."

When faced with the temptation of a false prophet — remember. When bringing your tithe — remember. When setting a servant free — remember. When keeping the Passover — remember.

Why does God press this word upon us so persistently? Because we are so prone to forgetting. And every time we forget, we lose our way.

If all of today's passage could be summed up in a single verse, it would be Deuteronomy 15:15.

"Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you. That is why I give you this command today."

In this one short verse, the entire logic of Deuteronomy chapters 13 to 16 is compressed.

"Remember That You Were Slaves":

Who You Once Were

"Remember that you were slaves in Egypt."

For Israel, Egypt was not simply a chapter of history. It was a reminder of their original condition. They had not freed themselves. They had not saved themselves. They were slaves.

We want to forget this. Once we have found a measure of success, a measure of stability, we begin to think: "I got here through my own effort." We want to take credit. We want to be recognised.

This is precisely why the false prophet in chapter 13 is so dangerous. When something appears impressive, powerful, or successful, we very easily lose our memory.

But "remember that you were a slave" is not a word of shame. It is the starting point of gratitude. Only when we remember how low we once were can we begin to understand how great the grace is that we have received.

When Job lost everything, he said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb." When David stood before Goliath, he declared: "The battle belongs to the LORD." These were people who never forgot who they were. And because they remembered, they were able to hold on to their faith — and to themselves.

"Remember That God Redeemed You":

What God Has Done

"The LORD your God redeemed you."

The Hebrew word for "redeemed" is pada (פָּדָה) — to buy back by paying a price. God did not simply let Israel go. He paid a proper price. The ten plagues, the blood of the Passover lamb — these were the cost of their redemption.

Here we see the shadow of the gospel. In the New Testament, Peter writes: "You were redeemed... not with perishable things such as silver or gold... but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect." (1 Peter 1:18–19, NIV)

God paid the price of his own Son's blood to redeem us. This is the heart of the grace we must never forget.

And so the food laws and the tithe regulations of chapter 14 must now be seen in a different light. These are not oppressive rules. They are an invitation: "Live as one who has been redeemed." Those who have been redeemed live in the way of the redeemed. In New Testament terms, it is a call to live a life worthy of the grace you have received.

"Therefore, Open Your Hands":

Memory Leads to Action

"Remember — that is why I give you this command today."

There is a "therefore" here. Memory does not end as a feeling. Memory produces action.

Look at chapter 15. Cancel debts every seven years. Set your servants free — and not empty-handed, but generously provided for. Open your hand to the poor. Look at the three festivals of chapter 16. Rejoice together with the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow. "Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the LORD your God has blessed you." (16:17)

Why? The logic is straightforward. When I was a slave, God set me free — therefore I set free those who are bound. When I was in debt, God cancelled what I owed — therefore I cancel the debts of others. When I had nothing, God filled my hands — therefore I fill the hands of others.

Those who remember grace pass grace on. That is why we share the gospel — to pass on the grace of salvation we ourselves have received. That is why we give generously — to share the blessings that have been given to us.

Those who have forgotten grace treat their neighbours according to the law. This connects directly to the warning of chapter 13. When we forget God, idols fill the empty space. When we forget grace, coldness and greed take over. Life becomes about filling our own desires and nothing more.

Deuteronomy 16:17 says: "Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the LORD your God has blessed you."We give in proportion to what we have been given. Those who have received much give much. Those who have received little give little. But everyone gives — because everyone has received. May we therefore be a people who are grateful for what we have, who give, share, and serve according to the grace we have been shown. To give, to share, and to be generous in accordance with God's word and command — this is itself the training of a life that fears God.

Conclusion

Dear friends,

Let us hear Deuteronomy 15:15 one more time.

"Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you. That is why I give you this command today."

Every one of us was once a slave — a slave to sin, to fear, to death. But God paid the price of Jesus Christ's suffering and life, and bought us back.

When we remember this — we are changed. We are not shaken by false teaching. We are not held captive by material things. We open our hands to those around us. We rejoice at every occasion. We give according to our means.

Memory sets us free. The memory of grace turns law into joy. The memory of redemption turns giving from an obligation into a privilege.

May you remember Egypt today. Remember the place of slavery. And remember the hand of God that reached down and lifted you out of it.

And from that place of remembrance — may you open your hands today. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Amen.