The Greatest Command (Deuteronomy 6)

Which is the greatest command of all? What was the purpose of God’s commands? What were people to teach their children? Let’s look at Deuteronomy 6.

What was God’s purpose for giving Israel His old covenant law?

This is the command—the statutes and ordinances—the Lord your God has instructed me to teach you, so that you may follow them in the land you are about to enter and possess. Do this so that you may fear the Lord your God all the days of your life by keeping all His statutes and commands I am giving you, your son, and your grandson, and so that you may have a long life. Listen, Israel, and be careful to follow them, so that you may prosper and multiply greatly, because Yahweh, the God of your fathers, has promised you a land flowing with milk and honey. (Deuteronomy 6:1-3 HCSB)

What is the greatest command of all? How often should we teach our children?

Listen, Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You are to love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. Let these words that I’m commanding you today be always on your heart. Teach them repeatedly to your children. Talk about them while sitting in your house or walking on the road, and as you lie down or get up. Tie them as reminders on your forearm, bind them on your forehead, and write them on the door frames of your house and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:4-9 ISV)

What warning did God give to Israel at that time in their history?

And it shall be, when the Lord thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not, And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full; Then beware lest thou forget the Lord, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name. Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you; (For the Lord thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the Lord thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth. (Deuteronomy 6:10-15 KJV)

Should they test God like their parents did or be obedient to Him? Why?

You shall not put Yahweh your God to the test, as you tested Him at Massah. You should diligently keep the commandments of Yahweh your God and His testimonies and His statutes which He has commanded you. And you shall do what is right and good in the sight of Yahweh, that it may be well with you and that you may go in and possess the good land which Yahweh swore to give your fathers, by driving out all your enemies from before you, as Yahweh has spoken. (Deuteronomy 6:16-19 LSB)

What is one of the things that they ought to teach their children?

When your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What do the provisions and the statutes and the judgments mean which the Lord our God commanded you?’ then you shall say to your son, ‘We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, and the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Moreover, the Lord provided great and terrible signs and wonders before our eyes against Egypt, Pharaoh, and all his household; He brought us out of there in order to bring us in, to give us the land which He had sworn to our fathers.’ So the Lord commanded us to follow all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God for our own good always and for our survival, as it is today. And it will be righteousness for us if we are careful to follow all this commandment before the Lord our God, just as He commanded us. (Deuteronomy 6:20-25 NASB)

Did Jesus confirm what the greatest commandment was?

One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ (Matthew 22:35-37 NIV)

Which is the greatest command of all? What was the purpose of God’s commands? What were people to teach their children? You decide!