Main Thesis: “Covenantal Remembrance”
Northrup introduces a term he’s coined—covenantal remembrance—to describe how remembrance functions in the Old Testament. Since a covenant involves two parties, each has a role:
- Israel’s role: Remember God’s word and deeds, then obey them
- God’s role: “Remember his covenant”—not because He forgot, but in the practical sense of faithfully fulfilling His promises
Old Testament vs. New Testament Mindset
A key distinction underlies the whole series: Old Testament believers had body and soul but not yet the indwelling holy spirit (Christ hadn’t come). Their relationship with God was governed by a conditional, “if-then” covenant (e.g., Leviticus 26, Deuteronomy 28)—obey and be blessed, disobey and face consequences. New Testament believers, by contrast, are transformed by the renewing of the mind and given the mind of Christ, since the spirit now writes the law on hearts (as Jeremiah and Ezekiel prophesied).
Why God Gave So Many Reminders
Northrup lists the memorials God built into Israel’s life to help them remember: tassels on garments, circumcision, the weekly Sabbath, the three annual feasts, Passover, the priesthood, the temple, and sacrifices. All were meant to prompt obedience.
Walking Through the Psalms
He traces the pattern through several “historical psalms”:
- Psalm 111: God “caused his wondrous works to be remembered” → those who remember and fear Him receive provision, and God “remembers his covenant forever.”
- Psalm 105: Recounts Joseph, the Exodus, the plagues (listed out of strict chronological order), the wilderness journey, and entry into Canaan—all framed as God remembering His promise to Abraham and acting on it.
- Psalm 106: Shifts to Israel’s failures—forgetting God’s works at the Red Sea, the golden calf, craving in the wilderness, Dathan and Abiram’s rebellion, Baal-Peor, the waters of Meribah. This reveals what angers God: ingratitude and forgetting despite His abundant works. Moses’ intercession and Phinehas’ intervention are highlighted as turning points.
- Psalm 107: Shows the repeating cycle—obedience, forgetting, disobedience, consequences, crying out, deliverance.
The Pattern Identified
Throughout Israel’s history: God acts → people remember and obey → blessing. Or: people forget → disobedience → God’s anger/consequences → crying out → God’s mercy and deliverance (rooted in His covenant faithfulness, His hesed).
Application to the Church Age
Northrup closes with a contrast: despite all the Old Testament memorials, Israel still struggled to remember. Today, the church has just one memorial: communion (“Do this in remembrance of me”). Why just one? Because everything—prophecy, redemption, identity—is now wrapped up in Christ (citing Colossians 2:2–3 and 3:1–4). Communion isn’t just recalling history; it’s remembering Christ’s finished work and the believer’s new identity in Him, which should then shape how believers live—paralleling the New Testament’s call to the renewed mind.
Closing Takeaway
The series equips listeners with “covenantal remembrance” as a lens for reading the Old Testament, while pointing forward to the New Testament’s call to remember who we are in Christ and live accordingly—not from obligation under law, but from a transformed, spirit-indwelt identity.