Scripture: “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.”
Deuteronomy 6:1-9 ESV
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Observation: Recapping Yesterday’s Daily Focus, the last chapter of Numbers reviews the inheritance laws for female heirs in greater detail. Thanks to the daughters of Zelophehad, who respectfully and confidently approached Moses about their father’s inheritance (see 27:1-11 and prior Daily Focus), Moses further instructs any female heirs to marry a man from within her clan. Why? To ensure the integrity of each tribe’s land inheritance remains intact. Thus, at the book’s end, Moses tells us the daughters of Zelophehad (Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Noah) followed Moses’ command. They married the sons of their father’s brothers—preserving the land inheritance of their clan.
Today’s reading begins our journey of the fifth and last book of the Pentateuch: Deuteronomy. It comprises the last words of Moses to Israel encamped east of the Jordan at the threshold of the Promised Land. The godly leader he is, Moses seeks to inculcate in his people the saving grace of obedience to God’s law. Indeed, the Hebrew meaning of “Deuteronomy” is “second law,” a reiteration of its first presentation. Thus, in the first five chapters. Moses reminds Israel of:
- Chapter 1: The command to take possession of the Promised Land; the appointment process of tribal leaders; and Israel’s initial refusal to enter the Promised Land and the consequences.
- Chapter 2: The wilderness years and the defeat of King Sihon.
- Chapter 3: The defeat of King Og and a new bit of info regarding Moses’ failed attempt to persuade Yahweh to allow him to lead Israel into the Promised Land (3:23-29).
- Chapter 4: The importance of obeying God’s laws, the disastrous consequences of idolatry, the uniqueness of the Lord who alone is God, and the three refuge cities east of the Jordan.
- Chapter 5: The setting, recitation, confirmation, and caution to obey the Ten Commandments.
Chapter 6 presents a new approach to promoting obedience to God’s laws for this and future generations: hearing, reflecting, and teaching its core aspects. At its heart, Moses proclaims to his people that the Lord is one, love him wholeheartedly, safeguard his laws in your minds, and teach them to the next generation in all aspects of life (vv.4-9).
Takeaway: Our text, called the Shema (Hebrew for “hear”), begins with the command to “hear.” However, the depth of its meaning to a Jew goes beyond simply listening to the word; it connotes comprehension and apprehension of meaning. To “hear” the law of God is to understand and apply it to one’s life.
Our takeaway? Jesus introduced some of his most abstract teachings with the phrase, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Matthew 11:15, Mark 4:9, Luke 8:8 and 14:35 ESV). And Jesus considered the Shema the greatest of God’s laws. When questioned as such by a scribe, he quoted the opening verses of this passage (vv.4-5) and added that the second greatest is like it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31 ESV). Thus, as disciples of Christ, he calls us to hear with understanding, which leads to our love for and obedience to him.
Our part? How can we best apply the schema to our lives? Start with nurturing our love for the Father and Son. Love fosters a desire to obey, and love motivates us to tell our families and friends about the one Triune God who loves us so much that he incarnated, dwelled among us, and died for us. When we hear these words, when they sink to the core of our being and transform our lives, we will desire to tell others about our amazing God—starting with family. And as parents, if we teach our children about the Father and Son and their commands in our coming and going of everyday life, and they see that what we teach, we practice, we will afford them the best opportunity to comprehend and apprehend the Good News.
Prayer: Father God, we join Moses and your Son in proclaiming you are one, our Triune God. And your extravagant love for us is incomparable. Indeed, we marvel that you invite us to love you, but sadly, we struggle to express our love for you and consistently follow your commands. So, through your Holy Spirit’s guidance, please help us hear with understanding, wholeheartedly love and obey you, and regularly tell our families and friends about you and your good and gracious laws of life. Amen.
Rev. Gordon Green, M.Div., M.A. Counseling
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