Most subjects of the Bible are covered amply in several places. They are repeated several times through various authors. Have you ever wondered why some of the instructions in God’s word are repeated? There are possible explanations for this. Firstly, God designed that His words would have mates. “Search from the book of the Lord, and read: Not one of these shall fail; Not one shall lack her mate. For My mouth has commanded it, and His Spirit has gathered them” (Isaiah 34:16). Divine principle stipulates that every subject must be established in the mouth of two or three witnesses. Those instructions that are repeated are meant to bear witness to one another.
Secondly, there are repetitions of divine instructions because of man’s tendency to forget. The secret of making a lasting impression is to repeat an issue. Finally, instructions are repeated because man has the tendency to think that God forgets! I say this from the point of view of parenting. I remember occasions when I would draw some lines for our children on certain issues. They would comply immediately. But after a while they go back on instructions, when they think Dad isn’t looking or he has forgotten what he said. By telling Jacob to go back to Bethel where he had earlier made a covenant, God was simply saying, “I don’t forget”. Well, if you are mentoring either as a parent or a boss in some ventures, you must be prepared to say some things over and again. Repetition is a proof of importance.