“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 6:4-9
In our last post, we focused on the fact that earthly fathers have a covenantal responsibility to teach their children about the heavenly Father. Moses’ instruction is Deuteronomy 6:4-9 summarizes this responsibility as he lays a clear course of action before God’s people. Fathers must first commit God’s Word to their own hearts and then diligently teach those truths to their children (v. 6-7). Father’s must know and truly believe God’s Word in order to teach it effectively. The godly education of children requires more than simply being told what to do. They need to see their fathers striving to live by God’s commands.
As parents, we often say to our children, “I’m telling you this or that for your own good.” Contrary to what our children may think, we do not set rules to ensure that their lives are dull, miserable and devoid of fun. We only want to protect them from the many dangers and heartaches that threaten our lives in a corrupt world of sin. In so doing, we are simply mirroring our heavenly Father. As Moses reminded the children of Israel of God’s Ten Commandments, he says:
And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good?
Deuteronomy 10:12-13
The commandments of the Lord are for our good because they reveal the way we were intended to live. There is much talk today about one’s “authentic self.” Most people think their “authentic self” is conforming to the inward primal voice of their nature and living by their feelings. However, Scripture tells us that our human nature has been corrupted by sin (Psalm 51:5). Discovering our true “authentic self” (who we were created to be) requires redemption and transformation through the renewing of our minds (Colossians 3:10). Our minds are renewed by the Word of God (Deuteronomy 8:3; Ephesians 5:26). God’s Word directs our path and develops godly character in us. His commandments are necessary to help us chart our course with wisdom. Therefore, the most important wisdom we can impart to our children is the wisdom of God’s Word.
Returning to Deuteronomy 6:4-9, this is what God instructs His people to teach their children. I am not suggesting that reading, writing, history, science, and arithmetic are not important subjects that need to be learned. But the most important knowledge we can impart is the knowledge of God’s commands.
…the most important knowledge we can impart is the knowledge of God’s commands.
Since it is God’s Word and His commands, the particular words themselves are significant. Doctrinal accuracy is also important. Therefore, parents should pursue an understanding of sound doctrine. But our responsibility is greater still. Our obligation runs much deeper. We are to teach God’s Word to our children, not just in propositional form, but in the way we live. This is how His commands are genuinely impressed upon our children. God’s Word makes the greatest impact when it affects our conduct, our way of life, and our engagement with the world. In other words, God’s revelation is to be the reference point in all we do. Whether we’re sitting at home, traveling down the road, retiring for the day, or getting ready for the day ahead, God’s Word must be our guide. His Word must reign supreme over every aspect of our lives.
How pervasively should God’s Word impact our lives? Moses says to “bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.” What is the point of tying them as symbols on our hands? The Pharisees interpreted this literally and created phylacteries. Phylacteries are small leather boxes holding little slips of paper upon which the commandments are written. The Pharisees would tie the boxes to their hands and foreheads. While there is nothing innately wrong with this practice, there is far more involved. We do not learn the Word of God by osmosis. Moses is pointing out how God’s Word should inform our thoughts and our actions. The Word of God must enlighten our minds, direct our activity, and instruct our behavior. The Lord’s commands are given to alter the way we live for the better that all might go well with us (Ephesians 6:3) and God might be glorified.
In our next post, we will continue exploring how Moses describes the daily routine of fatherly covenantal instruction.
