Therefore you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God, walking in His ways and fearing Him. ObserveThe Hebrew word used here is "shamar," which means to keep, guard, or give heed. In the context of Deuteronomy, it emphasizes the importance of vigilance and careful attention to God's commandments. This is not a passive act but an active, intentional commitment to live according to God's will. Historically, the Israelites were called to be distinct from the surrounding nations by adhering to God's laws, which required constant mindfulness and dedication. the commandments
The term "commandments" refers to the divine laws given by God to the Israelites. In Hebrew, "mitzvot" encompasses not just rules but a covenantal relationship between God and His people. These commandments were meant to guide the Israelites in their daily lives, ensuring that their actions reflected their faith and devotion. The commandments were a means of sanctification, setting the Israelites apart as God's chosen people. of the LORD
The name "LORD" in all capital letters is a translation of the Hebrew "YHWH," the sacred and personal name of God. This name signifies God's eternal presence and covenantal faithfulness. It is a reminder of the personal relationship between God and Israel, highlighting that the commandments are not arbitrary rules but are given by a loving and sovereign God who desires a relationship with His people. your God
This phrase personalizes the relationship between the Israelites and God. "Your God" indicates possession and intimacy, suggesting that God is not a distant deity but one who is personally involved in the lives of His people. It underscores the covenant relationship, where God has chosen Israel as His own, and they, in turn, are to acknowledge Him as their sole deity. by walking
The Hebrew word "halak" means to walk or to go. In a biblical sense, it often refers to one's conduct or way of life. Walking in God's ways implies a continuous, daily journey of faith and obedience. It is an active process, suggesting that faith is not static but dynamic, requiring movement and progress in spiritual growth. in His ways
"His ways" refers to the path or manner of life that God has set forth for His people. It encompasses the moral and ethical standards that reflect God's character. Walking in His ways means aligning one's life with God's principles, demonstrating righteousness, justice, and love. It is a call to live in a manner that reflects God's holiness and goodness. and fearing Him
The Hebrew word for fear, "yare," can mean to be afraid, but in this context, it refers to reverence and awe. Fearing God is about recognizing His majesty, power, and authority, leading to a life of worship and obedience. It is a foundational aspect of the believer's relationship with God, acknowledging His rightful place as Lord and King. This fear is not about terror but about respect and honor, motivating the believer to live in a way that pleases God. Persons / Places / Events 1. MosesThe author of Deuteronomy, delivering God's laws and commandments to the Israelites. 2. IsraelitesThe chosen people of God, who are being prepared to enter the Promised Land. 3. The LORD (Yahweh)The covenant God of Israel, who has delivered them from Egypt and is guiding them to the Promised Land. 4. The Promised LandThe land of Canaan, which God promised to Abraham and his descendants. 5. Wilderness JourneyThe 40-year period of testing and preparation for the Israelites before entering the Promised Land. Teaching Points Obedience to God’s CommandmentsThe call to "keep the commandments" emphasizes the importance of obedience as a response to God's covenant love and faithfulness. Walking in God’s Ways"Walking in His ways" suggests a lifestyle of consistent faithfulness and alignment with God's character and purposes. The Fear of the LORD"Fearing Him" involves a reverent awe and respect for God, recognizing His holiness and authority over our lives. Covenant RelationshipThe verse underscores the covenant relationship between God and His people, where obedience is a sign of faithfulness and trust. Preparation for BlessingJust as the Israelites were being prepared to enter the Promised Land, believers are called to live in obedience as preparation for receiving God's blessings. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the command to "keep the commandments" in Deuteronomy 8:6 relate to the Ten Commandments given in Exodus 20? 2. In what ways can we "walk in His ways" in our daily lives, and how does this reflect our relationship with God? 3. What does it mean to "fear" the LORD in a practical sense, and how can this fear influence our decisions and actions? 4. How does the concept of a covenant relationship with God, as seen in Deuteronomy 8:6, apply to Christians today? 5. Reflect on a time when obedience to God's commandments led to a blessing in your life. How can this encourage you to continue walking in His ways? Connections to Other Scriptures Exodus 20The giving of the Ten Commandments, which are part of the commandments the Israelites are to keep. Psalm 128Describes the blessings of those who fear the LORD and walk in His ways, echoing the themes of obedience and reverence. Proverbs 3:5-6Encourages trust in the LORD and acknowledges Him in all ways, similar to walking in His ways. Matthew 22:37-40Jesus summarizes the law as loving God and neighbor, which aligns with keeping God's commandments. John 14:15Jesus states that love for Him is demonstrated by keeping His commandments, reflecting the call to obedience in Deuteronomy. People MosesPlaces Beth-baal-peor, EgyptTopics Commandments, Commands, Fear, Fearing, Hast, Kept, Orders, Revering, Walk, WalkingDictionary of Bible Themes Deuteronomy 8:6 5197 walking Deuteronomy 8:6-9 4492 olive Library God's Training
DEUTERONOMY viii. 2-5. And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments or no. And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the …
Charles Kingsley—Discipline and Other SermonsThe Lesson of Memory
'Thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these lofty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep His commandments, or no.'--DEUT. viii.2. The strand of our lives usually slips away smoothly enough, but days such as this, the last Sunday in a year, are like the knots on a sailor's log, which, as they pass through his fingers, tell him how fast it is being paid out from the reel, and how far it has …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture National Wealth
(Fifth Sunday after Easter.) Deut. viii. 11-18. Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day: lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; and when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth …
Charles Kingsley—The Gospel of the Pentateuch Subterraneous Places. Mines. Caves.
Thus having taken some notice of the superficies of the land, let us a little search into its bowels. You may divide the subterraneous country into three parts: the metal mines, the caves, and the places of burial. This land was eminently noted for metal mines, so that "its stones," in very many places, "were iron, and out of its hills was digged brass," Deuteronomy 8:9. From these gain accrued to the Jews: but to the Christians, not seldom slavery and misery; being frequently condemned hither by …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica Emmanuel's Land
P. G. Deut. viii. 7-10 The land! the glory of all lands, Beyond the Jordan's wave; Beyond the weary desert sands-- The land beyond the grave! Now safe witin that glorious land, We prove His faithful Word; 'Midst Canaan's golden fields we stand, The ransomed of the Lord. Amidst the burning desert drought We learnt His watchful love; Streams from the flinty rocks He brought, Sent bread from Heaven above. Our God in weariness and need, His love was measured there By hunger which His hand would feed, …
Frances Bevan—Hymns of Ter Steegen, Suso, and Others Palestine Eighteen Centuries Ago
Eighteen and a half centuries ago, and the land which now lies desolate--its bare, grey hills looking into ill-tilled or neglected valleys, its timber cut down, its olive- and vine-clad terraces crumbled into dust, its villages stricken with poverty and squalor, its thoroughfares insecure and deserted, its native population well-nigh gone, and with them its industry, wealth, and strength--presented a scene of beauty, richness, and busy life almost unsurpassed in the then known world. The Rabbis never …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life The Temptation of Christ
Matthew 4:1-11 -- "Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a …
George Whitefield—Selected Sermons of George Whitefield Why all Things Work for Good
1. The grand reason why all things work for good, is the near and dear interest which God has in His people. The Lord has made a covenant with them. "They shall be my people, and I will be their God" (Jer. xxxii. 38). By virtue of this compact, all things do, and must work, for good to them. "I am God, even thy God" (Psalm l. 7). This word, Thy God,' is the sweetest word in the Bible, it implies the best relations; and it is impossible there should be these relations between God and His people, and …
Thomas Watson—A Divine Cordial Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners:
A BRIEF AND FAITHFUL RELATION OF THE EXCEEDING MERCY OF GOD IN CHRIST TO HIS POOR SERVANT, JOHN BUNYAN; WHEREIN IS PARTICULARLY SHOWED THE MANNER OF HIS CONVERSION, HIS SIGHT AND TROUBLE FOR SIN, HIS DREADFUL TEMPTATIONS, ALSO HOW HE DESPAIRED OF GOD'S MERCY, AND HOW THE LORD AT LENGTH THROUGH CHRIST DID DELIVER HIM FROM ALL THE GUILT AND TERROR THAT LAY UPON HIM. Whereunto is added a brief relation of his call to the work of the ministry, of his temptations therein, as also what he hath met with …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 In Death and after Death
A sadder picture could scarcely be drawn than that of the dying Rabbi Jochanan ben Saccai, that "light of Israel" immediately before and after the destruction of the Temple, and for two years the president of the Sanhedrim. We read in the Talmud (Ber. 28 b) that, when his disciples came to see him on his death-bed, he burst into tears. To their astonished inquiry why he, "the light of Israel, the right pillar of the Temple, and its mighty hammer," betrayed such signs of fear, he replied: "If I were …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life Meditations Before Dinner and Supper.
Meditate that hunger is like the sickness called a wolf; which, if thou dost not feed, will devour thee, and eat thee up; and that meat and drink are but as physic, or means which God hath ordained, to relieve and cure this natural infirmity and necessity of man. Use, therefore, to eat and to drink, rather to sustain and refresh the weakness of nature, than to satisfy the sensuality and delights of the flesh. Eat, therefore, to live, but live not to eat. There is no service so base, as for a man …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety Third Sunday Before Lent
Text: First Corinthians 9, 24-27; 10, 1-5. 24 Know ye not that they that run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run; that ye may attain. 25 And every man that striveth in the games exerciseth self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 26 I therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so fight I, as not beating the air: 27 but I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, …
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. II Deuteronomy
Owing to the comparatively loose nature of the connection between consecutive passages in the legislative section, it is difficult to present an adequate summary of the book of Deuteronomy. In the first section, i.-iv. 40, Moses, after reviewing the recent history of the people, and showing how it reveals Jehovah's love for Israel, earnestly urges upon them the duty of keeping His laws, reminding them of His spirituality and absoluteness. Then follows the appointment, iv. 41-43--here irrelevant (cf. …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Deuteronomy 8:6 NIVDeuteronomy 8:6 NLTDeuteronomy 8:6 ESVDeuteronomy 8:6 NASBDeuteronomy 8:6 KJV
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