These two chapters are loaded. The kind where I keep underlining and wonder if I should just underline the whole thing. The Ten Commandments and the Shema....kind of a big deal. A short blog post is a challenge with content like this and I'm not by any means a biblical scholar. But my heart is passionate about the truth found in these passages so I'll try to keep it concise and share share some of what I feel like the Lord has shown me.
If I could summarize these two chapters in one word it would be this: REMEMBER.
In Deuteronomy 5, Moses is repeating the Ten Commandments, reminding the Israelites of the covenant God made with them when He first gave them these commandments on Mt. Sinai. As they enter into the new land before them, Moses is encouraging them to remember.....
....that God is the one who delivered them from slavery
....that God's truth is their foundation for living
....that God is the one, true God
....that obedience to Him brings life and blessing, not only for them but for generations to come
....that He desires and deserves their wholehearted devotion and obedience
....that He is enough
In Deuteronomy 6, Moses continues to encourage the Israelites with how God wants them to live as they settle in a new land. A re-calibration of sorts. It's not new information but a reminder to stand firm on what they know. A renewed vision for their hearts, lives and families.
"Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." (Deuteronomy 6:4-5)
Verses 4-9 are known as the Shema, which is the Jewish confession of faith. It is also one of the foundational truths for equipegration at Red Door. The vision that we would love the Lord with all our hearts and all our souls and all of our might and that we would go to the greatest lengths to teach our children to do the same. That we would talk about God's truth when we sit and walk and lie down and rise up. That we would continually see it and know it. That it would be deeply inscribed on our hearts.
In verses 10-12 and 20-25, God gives the same call to remembrance. I can just hear His heart.....Don't forget! Don't forget that I am the One who brought you here. I provided all of this for you. I delivered you from slavery. In the desert, you knew your need and cried out to me when you didn't have water or food. In this new land, when you have flourishing cities and houses full of good things and and abundant food and water...when you are physically satisfied and tempted to forget your need for Me.. don't forget! Remember! I'm the one who did it. And when your children ask, tell them about Me and all of my glory and worship and obey Me only. Then you will have life.
Why such repetition? Why so many reminders of the same truth? Because I believe that one of man's greatest sins is forgetting. Forgetting God and all that He has done. Forgetting our need for Him. Forgetting His commandments. Forgetting that life is only in Him. Forgetting that He is God and we are not. Choosing our own way, as we have seen the Israelites do time and time again.
So these truths remain for us today.... the encouragement to remember. To talk about God's commandments when we sit and walk and lie down and rise up. To impress them on our children, to remind each other of truth, to daily be coming back to Him to remember.....
....that God delivered us from slavery
....that God's truth is our foundation for living
....that God is the one, true God
....that obedience to Him brings life and blessing, not only for us but for generations to come
....that He desires and deserves our wholehearted devotion and obedience
....that He is enough
May we be people who choose to remember.
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Amen! Great post.
ReplyDeleteA good post.
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