Help me to understand Deuteronomy chapter 6.
Space won’t allow us to quote the chapter, so I would encourage you to read and meditate upon it. The main theme is that of OBEDIENCE. The nation of Israel was about to enter into and possess the land of Canaan, a land “flowing with milk and honey,” and they were to show their gratitude to God for this blessing by obeying His commandments. We will offer a brief outline based on the NASB.
Verses 1-3…KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS. This is made clear in verse 1 where it says, “Now this is the commandment, the statutes and the judgment which the LORD your God has commanded me to teach you, that YOU MIGHT DO THEM in the land where you are going over to possess it.” In verses 2-3 they are promised longevity of life and that they will be multiplied if they keep all His commandments.
Verses 4-5…LOVE HIM FULLY. We will quote these short, but important verses: “Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” How were they to prove their love to God? The answer is in what we have already seen in verses 1-3: by obedience to His Word. It is no different today, for listen to what Jesus said in John 14:21, “He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me.”
Verses 6-9…CONSIDER HIS WORD CONSTANTLY. They were to be “in their heart” as we see in verse 6: “These words…shall be on your heart.” They were to be “taught to their children” at all times, for verse 7 says, “You shall teach them diligently to your sons and when you lie down and when you rise up…bind them as a sign on your hand and…as frontals on your forehead…on the doorposts of your house.”
Verses 10-15…SERVE HIM ONLY. Verse 13-14 emphasizes this truth: “You shall FEAR ONLY THE LORD YOUR GOD; and you shall worship Him and swear by His name. You shall not follow other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who surround you.” God is just as jealous of our affections and worship today.
Verses 16…TRUST HIM COMPLETELY. This verse says, “You shall not put the LORD your God to the test, as you tested Him at Massah.” You can read how Israel “tested the Lord” in Exodus 17:1-7. Their faith wavered and they thought the Lord had abandoned them. The Lord quoted this verse in Matthew 4:7 and Luke 4:12 when the devil tempted him to test God by throwing Himself down from the temple.
Verses 17-19…OBEY HIM DILIGENTLY. Verse 17 declares, “You should diligently keep the commandments of the LORD you God.” There must be real spiritual conviction and determination in obeying the Lord.
Verses 20-25…TESTIFY OF HIM FAITHFULLY. They would be asked by their children, “What do the testimonies and the statutes and the judgments mean which the LORD our God commanded you?” They were to faithfully testify of God goodness in delivering them from Egypt: “We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, and the LORD brought us from Egypt with a mighty hand…So the LORD commanded us to observe all these statutes” (verses 21 & 24). They would also tell their children, “It will be righteousness for us if we are careful to observe all this commandment before the LORD our God.” We too are to testify of our blessed Lord and Savior to our children, for He has delivered us FROM SLAVERY TO SIN & SATAN. But there will be a big difference in our testimony to them, for we will not speak of or gaining righteousness “if we are careful to observe all this commandment.” Instead, we will speak of how God’s grace has provided righteousness for us through simple faith in Christ’s work on the cross. Romans 3:21-22 declares, “But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested…even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe.” (214.5) (DO)