Deuteronomy 6:17 (ESV) … “You shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and his testimonies and his statutes, which he has commanded you.”
Anytime we read from the book of Deuteronomy; we need to remember that Moses was preaching the Law to Israel to impress God’s Word on their hearts. His goal was to get the people to renew the covenant made at Sinai, that is, to make a fresh commitment to the Lord.
Moses understood as they would come into this prosperity of God’s blessings that the Israelites would have to be all the more careful to fear God and to continue to serve God.
For example, in this chapter, we see that the command to swear or take oaths by the name of the Lord reinforces the instruction to fear Him, for one swears by the God he fears. In other words, if we swear by an oath, then we are held by God under as responsible for fulfilling that oath. Moses worry was, if they would so quickly forget God in the little things such as an oath, they would almost certainly fail in the big area of following other gods.
We must remember that God created people not only with the capacity to worship but with the need to worship. Therefore, we are prone to wander away from God. Moses knew that this act of unfaithfulness would result in judgment since the Lord … is a jealous God. That the Lord our God, He is zealous to protect what belongs to Him alone. Jealousy in this sense is ethically right. Jealousy in the sense of envy for another’s possessions or privileges is, of course, wrong.
With privilege always comes responsibility, and Israel’s responsibility and ours is to live in reverence our Lord God Jehovah and obey Him (Deut. 6:13). Deuteronomy 6:13, is the verse that Jesus quoted when He replied to Satan’s third temptation in Matthew 4:10.
Finally, we must understand that when we cultivate a reverent and submissive heart, we will have an obedient will and life that brings honor to the Lord God Almighty.
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