Deuteronomy 6:1-13 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Deuteronomy 6:1-13. Let’s go!
Deuteronomy 6:1-3 (NIV)
1 These are the commands, decrees and laws the LORD your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess,
2 so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life.
3 Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you.
On verses 1-3: Why did God direct Moses to teach this current generation of Israelites his commands? It’s so that they and the generations after them would fear (i.e. reverence, trust, and honour) the Lord (v2) and so that they would enjoy long (i.e. a full) life. In other words, God’s purpose for teaching His Word is not for entertainment or expanding one’s knowledge. Rather, God’s purpose for teaching us His Word is to effect life change, that we would know God better and love Him more.
Why does God tell the Israelites to obey His commands? It’s not for the sake of controlling the Israelites, but “so that it may go well with you” and so “that you may increase greatly” (v3). Again, a recurring theme in Deuteronomy is that God gives us His commands for our success: so that it would go well with us and so that we would increase and grow in the most important ways.
Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (NIV)
4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.
5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
On verses 4-5: When Jesus was asked to name God’s greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37-38), Jesus quoted verse 5: “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength”. I think Moses might agree, for after reminding this current generation of Israelites of God’s 10 Commandments (Deuteronomy 5), the next command Moses mentions is this one. Indeed there is nothing more important for us to do on this earth than to love God with all that we are. As Jesus says, “for this sums up the law and the prophets” (Matthew 22:38).
Deuteronomy 6:6-9 (NIV)
6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.
7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.
9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
On verses 6-9: Moses tells the Israelites that God’s laws are “to be on their hearts” (v6). How do you get God’s Word on your heart? By giving attention to God’s Word as much as you can in as many places as you can. That’s why Moses tells the Israelites to think about and talk about God’s Word everywhere they go. For example:
– “when you sit at home and when you walk along the road” (v7). That is, in your private life when you’re on your own (“at home”) and in your public life when you’re out with other people (“the road”), think about God’s Word.
– “when you lie down and when you get up” (v7): at the end of every day and at the beginning of every day, think about God’s Word.
– “tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads” (v8): “Hands” represent the things we do; “foreheads” represent our thoughts. In all our doing and thinking, think about God’s Word.
– “Impress them on your children” (v7): The great benefit of teaching God’s Word is this: the more you teach God’s Word to those younger than you, the more God’s Word gets reinforced into your heart as well. So whether it’s in your home, in children’s ministry, sharing what you learned in a small group, sharing with someone younger in the faith than you, or teaching a crowd, when we teach God’s Word, God’s Word gets in our heart as well.
The more places, the more ways and the more you times you think about God’s Word, the more God’s Word will be on your heart and will influence your thoughts and decisions. We need to get into the Word of God until the Word of God gets into us.
Deuteronomy 6:10-11 (NIV)
10 When the LORD your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you–a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build,
11 houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant–then when you eat and are satisfied,
On verses 10-11: In addition to describing the amazing land that God promised to the Israelites, verses 10-11 remind us of the amazing grace God has shown us through Jesus Christ. Just like he rescued the Israelites from a land of slavery in Egypt (v12), so He has rescued us from our slavery to sin. But we get to enjoy more than just forgiveness and salvation from sin. Through faith in Jesus Christ, we get to enjoy…
…”large, flourishing cities you did not build” (that’s like the capital C Church, God’s universal family of Christians that transcends all cultures, countries, languages, and nations, the most diverse family that will ever exist)
…”houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide” (that’s like your local church)
…”wells you did not dig” (that’s like the Holy Spirit in us)
…”and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant” (that’s the calling, the ministry and the serving opportunities we are given as children of God).
Deuteronomy 6:12-13 (NIV)
12 be careful that you do not forget the LORD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
13 Fear the LORD your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name.
On verses 12-13: Just as Moses told this generation of Israelites never to forget the LORD who brought them out of Egypt, may we never forget or take for granted the incredible salvation and grace God has given us through Jesus Christ (v12). Rather let’s fear God and serve Him with our lives (v13)
Father, thank You for Your Word which You give for my success and for my growth. Thank You for all the ways You have been good to me. I pray that in all I do I would love You with all that I am. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
