Daily Devotions
It Is Written
"Hear, O Israel..."
Text: Deuteronomy 6:4
THE GREAT “SHEMA”
The following text is famously known as the “Shema” of the Children of Israel (Deuteronomy 6:4-5).
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!
You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart,
with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these
words which I command you today shall be in your heart.
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.
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 6:4-9
1. A succinct summary of the faith of the children of Israel
a) A declaration of faith in the LORD as the Only God.
b) A call to fully love the Lord, in the heart, in the mind and with all their strength.
c) The word “Shema” is translated as “Hear!”
2. The word of God in application
a) It must first reside in the heart.
b) The word of God is to be taught to all the children.
c) The word of God was to be spoken of: –
i) While sitting in the house.
ii) While walking about.
iii) When people lie down to rest for the day.
iv) When people get up in the morning.
v) They shall be like frontlets to the eyes.
vi) Even the doorposts and the gates should have portions of the word of God.
3. Love for the LORD God
These things would not be difficult to practise if there was a genuine and deep love for the Lord!
a) God is to be loved with both heart and mind.
b) God must be honoured and worshipped with all our strength.