Hear, O Israel

Introduction

Read Deuteronomy 6:1-9

Deuteronomy 6:1–9 ESV

“Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, that you may fear the Lord your God, you and your son and your son’s son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long. Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey. “Hear, O Israel: The Lord 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. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Explanation

Deuteronomy 6:1–3 ESV

“Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, that you may fear the Lord your God, you and your son and your son’s son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long. Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.

Covenant: Obey me and I will protect and prosper you.

Suzerainty feudal covenant

I will protect you, and you serve me.

You obey me, and I will keep and prosper you.

God was faithful even in our faithlessness.

Generational ramifications for disobedience

What one generation believes, the next generation takes for granted.

What that generation takes for granted, the next generation turns away from.

What that generation turns away from, the next generation doesn’t know it exists.

God says to carefully observe his ways.

Deuteronomy 6:4–5 ESV

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord 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.

What does it mean to love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and might?

All means all. We always have work to do. When we come to a place that we think - nah, I’m good, we are then in a dangerous place.

The Lord is always revealing to me ways that I don’t love Him.

The Lord is always convicting me of ways that I don’t love Him.

We ask God to help us love Him.

We have to ask God to help us love Him.

We think we should just be able to do it, but we cannot.

Deuteronomy 6:6–9 ESV

And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Write the commandments of God on your heart.

I saw a politician years ago who was on a famous talk show.

He was advocating for the 10 commandments in a GA courthouse.

When the talk show host asked him for the 10 commandments, he couldn’t answer.

We must write God’s words upon our hearts!

How can we saturate our lives with the Word of God?

Application