Deuteronomy 6: 1-25 (NLT)
1 “These are the
commands, decrees, and regulations that the Lord your God commanded
me to teach you. You must obey them in the land you are about to enter and
occupy, 2 and you and your children and
grandchildren must fear the Lord your God as long as you live. If you
obey all his decrees and commands, you will enjoy a long life. 3 Listen
closely, Israel, and be careful to obey. Then all will go well with you, and
you will have many children in the land flowing with milk and honey, just as
the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you.
commands, decrees, and regulations that the Lord your God commanded
me to teach you. You must obey them in the land you are about to enter and
occupy, 2 and you and your children and
grandchildren must fear the Lord your God as long as you live. If you
obey all his decrees and commands, you will enjoy a long life. 3 Listen
closely, Israel, and be careful to obey. Then all will go well with you, and
you will have many children in the land flowing with milk and honey, just as
the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you.
4 “Listen, O
Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. 5 And
you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul,
and all your strength. 6 And you must commit
yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. 7 Repeat
them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and
when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting
up. 8 Tie them to your hands and wear them on your
forehead as reminders. 9 Write them on the
doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. 5 And
you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul,
and all your strength. 6 And you must commit
yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. 7 Repeat
them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and
when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting
up. 8 Tie them to your hands and wear them on your
forehead as reminders. 9 Write them on the
doorposts of your house and on your gates.
10 “The Lord your
God will soon bring you into the land he swore to give you when he made a vow
to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is a land with large,
prosperous cities that you did not build. 11 The
houses will be richly stocked with goods you did not produce. You will draw
water from cisterns you did not dig, and you will eat from vineyards and olive
trees you did not plant. When you have eaten your fill in this land, 12 be
careful not to forget the Lord, who rescued you from slavery in the land
of Egypt. 13 You must fear the Lord your
God and serve him. When you take an oath, you must use only his name.
God will soon bring you into the land he swore to give you when he made a vow
to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is a land with large,
prosperous cities that you did not build. 11 The
houses will be richly stocked with goods you did not produce. You will draw
water from cisterns you did not dig, and you will eat from vineyards and olive
trees you did not plant. When you have eaten your fill in this land, 12 be
careful not to forget the Lord, who rescued you from slavery in the land
of Egypt. 13 You must fear the Lord your
God and serve him. When you take an oath, you must use only his name.
14 “You must not
worship any of the gods of neighboring nations, 15 for
the Lord your God, who lives among you, is a jealous God. His anger
will flare up against you, and he will wipe you from the face of the earth. 16 You
must not test the Lord your God as you did when you complained at
Massah. 17 You must diligently obey the commands of
the Lord your God—all the laws and decrees he has given you.18 Do
what is right and good in the Lord’s sight, so all will go well with you.
Then you will enter and occupy the good land that the Lord swore to
give your ancestors. 19 You will drive out all the
enemies living in the land, just as the Lord said you would.
worship any of the gods of neighboring nations, 15 for
the Lord your God, who lives among you, is a jealous God. His anger
will flare up against you, and he will wipe you from the face of the earth. 16 You
must not test the Lord your God as you did when you complained at
Massah. 17 You must diligently obey the commands of
the Lord your God—all the laws and decrees he has given you.18 Do
what is right and good in the Lord’s sight, so all will go well with you.
Then you will enter and occupy the good land that the Lord swore to
give your ancestors. 19 You will drive out all the
enemies living in the land, just as the Lord said you would.
20 “In the
future your children will ask you, ‘What is the meaning of these laws, decrees,
and regulations that the Lord our God has commanded us to obey?’
future your children will ask you, ‘What is the meaning of these laws, decrees,
and regulations that the Lord our God has commanded us to obey?’
21 “Then you
must tell them, ‘We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt, but the Lord brought
us out of Egypt with his strong hand. 22 The Lord did
miraculous signs and wonders before our eyes, dealing terrifying blows against
Egypt and Pharaoh and all his people. 23 He brought
us out of Egypt so he could give us this land he had sworn to give our
ancestors. 24 And the Lord our God
commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear him so he can continue to
bless us and preserve our lives, as he has done to this day. 25 For
we will be counted as righteous when we obey all the commands the Lord our
God has given us.’
must tell them, ‘We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt, but the Lord brought
us out of Egypt with his strong hand. 22 The Lord did
miraculous signs and wonders before our eyes, dealing terrifying blows against
Egypt and Pharaoh and all his people. 23 He brought
us out of Egypt so he could give us this land he had sworn to give our
ancestors. 24 And the Lord our God
commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear him so he can continue to
bless us and preserve our lives, as he has done to this day. 25 For
we will be counted as righteous when we obey all the commands the Lord our
God has given us.’
God sets down his commands, decrees, and regulations and
asks his people to obey them. These are Old Testament Covenant laws, yet they
contain principles to which God calls those of us who live under the New
Covenant in Christ.
asks his people to obey them. These are Old Testament Covenant laws, yet they
contain principles to which God calls those of us who live under the New
Covenant in Christ.
The text calls us to “love the Lord your God with
all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit
yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today.” The
emphasis here is that this is not a blind obedience without understanding, nor
a rote following of rules. We are to love God and commit ourselves to following
him with our hearts, our souls, and our strength.
all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit
yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today.” The
emphasis here is that this is not a blind obedience without understanding, nor
a rote following of rules. We are to love God and commit ourselves to following
him with our hearts, our souls, and our strength.
“Wholeheartedly,” is explained further if we look at some of
the following commands. We are to “repeat them again and again to your children.”
Repeating them without living the commands, decrees and regulations will not
get either generation anywhere. There must be a wholehearted concern for these
laws. “Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write
them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Although some Jewish
followers did literally do this, this was likely not God’s intent; and
certainly, simply tying commands on our hands or writing them on our doors is
not sufficient. They must be close at hand and must guide the practices of our
homes.
the following commands. We are to “repeat them again and again to your children.”
Repeating them without living the commands, decrees and regulations will not
get either generation anywhere. There must be a wholehearted concern for these
laws. “Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write
them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Although some Jewish
followers did literally do this, this was likely not God’s intent; and
certainly, simply tying commands on our hands or writing them on our doors is
not sufficient. They must be close at hand and must guide the practices of our
homes.
The passage goes on to say, “You must not worship any of the
gods of neighboring nations.” We do not live in a time when our neighbours
worship Ba’al or Molech, but our neighbours may worship material things
(consumerism), entertainment, or sexual pleasure. How will we avoid these
distractions? By wholeheartedly loving God and committing ourselves to his
commands and practices.
gods of neighboring nations.” We do not live in a time when our neighbours
worship Ba’al or Molech, but our neighbours may worship material things
(consumerism), entertainment, or sexual pleasure. How will we avoid these
distractions? By wholeheartedly loving God and committing ourselves to his
commands and practices.
Living wholeheartedly for God is not something we do in
isolation. Many of the commands God gives his people relate to the right and just
treatment of those with whom his people live. He calls upon them to care for
the alien, the orphan, the widow. Listed below are a few of the many verses
that give us these commands.
isolation. Many of the commands God gives his people relate to the right and just
treatment of those with whom his people live. He calls upon them to care for
the alien, the orphan, the widow. Listed below are a few of the many verses
that give us these commands.
Exodus 22:21 (NRSV)
21 You shall not wrong or oppress a
resident alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.
resident alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.
Deuteronomy 24:20-21 (NRSV)
20 When you beat your olive trees, do
not strip what is left; it shall be for the alien, the orphan, and the widow.
not strip what is left; it shall be for the alien, the orphan, and the widow.
21 When you gather the grapes of your
vineyard, do not glean what is left; it shall be for the alien, the orphan, and
the widow.
vineyard, do not glean what is left; it shall be for the alien, the orphan, and
the widow.
Romans 12:13 (NRSV)
13 Contribute to the needs of the
saints; extend hospitality to strangers.
saints; extend hospitality to strangers.
The last sentence of Deuteronomy 6 says, “For we will be
counted as righteous when we obey all the commands the Lord our God
has given us.” Certainly, we who live under the New Covenant know that it is
impossible to literally “obey all the commands the Lord our God has given us.”
So, it is much more a matter of the “heart” than it is a matter of “doing.” May
I always look for the heart of God and seek to follow his heart and his Spirit
rather than blindly follow the letter of ancient laws which may no longer
relate to the culture in which I live.
counted as righteous when we obey all the commands the Lord our God
has given us.” Certainly, we who live under the New Covenant know that it is
impossible to literally “obey all the commands the Lord our God has given us.”
So, it is much more a matter of the “heart” than it is a matter of “doing.” May
I always look for the heart of God and seek to follow his heart and his Spirit
rather than blindly follow the letter of ancient laws which may no longer
relate to the culture in which I live.