The Keys to Fatherhood

Deuteronomy 6:4–9 NKJV

4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

I. Call

Deuteronomy 6:4 NKJV

4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!

The word Hear is shema in the Hebrew which is often what this set of scriptures is often referred as. It refers to what Jesus called the greatest commandment. Mark 12:29 “29 Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.” The beginning of this command is the singular nature of God. This is often disputed by some because of the complexity of the Trinity. Our minds often find it difficult to understand the oneness of God in the three characters. The Father, Son and Holy Ghost all exist as God and the characteristics of God are clearly manifested in all three. This is at odds with the pagan religion that practices the worship of multiple deities that rarely are in unity.

II. The Command

Deuteronomy 6:5 NKJV

5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

This is not just a command but the greatest. There is no other command that every other command could hinge than that to love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul and strength. There are three commands in one that work together in perfect harmony. God is saying here to love Him with everything! With your heart, which is your passion, your drive, your desire, your dreams, to have a great burden to love Him more. Secondly your soul, that is your existence! Where you come to the realization that you cannot exist outside of Him and not just you but everything! We exist to worship Him! Lastly with all your strength. This is not a noun in the Hebrew but instead used as an adverb that is intended to modify a verb. So this command is meant to say you should enhance everything you do with your love of God!

III. The Compartments

A. “The Keys”

Deuteronomy 6:6 NKJV

6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.

1. In Your Heart

Deuteronomy 6:7 NKJV

7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.

2. In Your Children

3. In Your Speech

4. In Your Lying Down and Rising Up

Deuteronomy 6:8 NKJV

8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.

5. In Your Work

6. In Your Sight

Deuteronomy 6:9 NKJV

9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

7. In Your House