Deuteronomy 6:1-81Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the Lord your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it: 2That thou mightest fear the Lord thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged. 3Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey. 4Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: 5And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 6And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 8And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. (Deuteronomy 6:1‑8)
God foreknew that the children of Israel could not get blessing through keeping the law, but now, since the Lord Jesus has borne its curse, He would. have us enter into the full liberty of Christian position. We who are saved are not under law, but under grace—blessed deliverance! We now have a new life from God, through new birth, and this life, which is the very life of Christ, delights in obedience; (Romans 7:2222For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: (Romans 7:22).) The Lord Jesus said to His own, "If ye love Me, keep My commandments," John 14:15,15If ye love me, keep my commandments. (John 14:15) but here God demanded that the people love Him. with all their heart, with all their soul, and with all their might—a thing they could not do unless they were born again. How impossible for the natural man to get blessing under law, but how lovely to be delivered from the principle of law altogether, and to know God revealed in Christ as "the God of all grace." 1 Peter 5:1010But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. (1 Peter 5:10). We do, however, learn in these chapters that the path of obedience is always the path of blessing; only, as we have remarked, we need new birth to have the power to obey—or the heart to delight in it.
The Israelites were specially charged to have these words in their own hearts, and to teach them diligently to their children. Our children know where our hearts are, for they see where we really find our enjoyment, and so the example comes first, before our teaching. This is most important. We notice. too that this teaching was not to he only one day a week, or in a place of meeting, but when sitting at home, when walking on the road or street, at bedtime, and in the morning. Do we not often neglect this as parents, and fail to show our children that the Word of God not only tells us the way of salvation, but that it should govern our whole pathway, at home, at work, and in everything we do?
Again the practical side of things is brought before us here, for the children of Israel were reminded, not only to leach the Word of God, but to walk in it. It was to be bound to their hands, so that they would not do anything contrary to it. It was to be as frontlets between their eyes, so that they would not look at things which God had forbidden. How careful we have to be about the pictures we have in our homes, as well as the magazines and other publications that come in, for too often these things put had ideas into our minds, and our children's too to say nothing of television and the movies with all their demoralizing effects.
The Word of God was also to be written on the posts of the Israelite's home. Using this passage, some have put texts outside their homes for others to see, and one can rejoice at their faithfulness in this. At least it is nice to have Scripture texts hanging on our walls for our own encouragement, and also that others coming in may see them. However I think the important lesson for us is that we are to be known in the community as those who walk according to the Word. Children even can learn to play as Christians, always being fair in what they do, and considerate of others. The Bible says "be courteous," 1 Peter 3:8,8Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: (1 Peter 3:8) and yet sometimes this Christian grace is forgotten. Let us learn to speak to our friends about the Lord too, and not mix freely with those who do not want to hear of Him. Boys and girls who want to please the Lord have to be very careful who they have for companions—certainly it should not be those who use bad language or say naughty things.
Messages of the Love of God 4/6/1952