Sabbath: To Love the Lord Your God
Image © Pacific Press
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Deuteronomy 6.4-5; Deuteronomy 10:12; Ephesians 2:1-10; Revelation 14.6-7; Deuteronomy 4:37; Deuteronomy 11:1; Mark 12:28-30.
Memory Text: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5).
In the Jewish religion, one of the most important prayers is taken from Deuteronomy 6. It is known as “The Shema,” based on the first Hebrew word of the prayer, from the root, shama‘, which means “to listen,” or even “to obey” — a word that appears over and over, not just in Deuteronomy but all through the Old Testament.
The first line of The Shema reads like this:
Shema Yisrael Adonai Elohenu Adonai echad.
It means: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!” (Deuteronomy 6:4). Many times when Jews pray it, they cover their eyes, the idea being to let nothing distract them from thinking about God. This first line of The Shema is deemed an affirmation of the monotheistic nature of Adonai Elohenu, “the Lord our God,” and Israel’s loyalty to Him alone and to no other “god.” In fact, it could also be read as “the Lord is our God.”
This one line is part of the first speech that Moses gave to the children of Israel as they were about to enter the Promised Land. What follows that opening line, however, is a powerful expression of truth that remains as crucial now as it was then.
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, October 23.
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The author of the lessons is of Jewish descent so it is not surprising he gives us a bit of detail of the Shema,
The word "echad" is translated as one, but like a lot of words, it has a nuanced meaning. It also signifies unity. It is the same word that is used in:
It is perhaps an idea worth thinking about a lot more. We spend a lot of time and effort justifying the one/three (I am purposely not using the word "Trinity") notion, trying to tease out the different roles of the Godhead, sometimes to the detriment of the idea of a unified Godhead. The understanding of the unified Godhead, is just as important as our one/three notion.
Just a little side-bar Maurice
"Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh". I came across an article suggesting that the quote above was somehow placed there by scribes who came along later. This would also indicate that kind of language of did not exist at that time. I stand corrected. I welcome your thought Maurice.
I don't think I am the right person to answer that question Ronald. I am not a theologian or a biblical scholar. I will check though and see if I can find some discussion on the issue.
Ok Ronald, I have read some of the discussion on the issue. The problem is that the comment does not fit the narrative. Given that in the narrative, there was no father or mother to leave. (we are talking about Adam and Eve here) It did not make sense at that time.
We do not have a lot of evidence to tell us when the story was actually written. The writings comprising the Torah were certainly collected together and even written by Moses. And at the time of writing the narrative, such an instruction made sense. That does not bother me. I guess it depends on the view of inspiration that we hold.
Allow me to suggest that God would have been giving instructions for mankind, not just Adam and Eve, who would have been the only man and woman without human parents.
Had they remained faithful/sinless, the restriction of the tree would have also included their children for whatever duration the test would have been needed by God.
Why is it so important that we 'love' God with absolutely every aspect of our being: all our heart, all our soul and all our strength? Why 100% and not 99%?
And what is this 'love'? Is it just talking about having strong feelings towards God?
Perhaps these questions might guide your searching this week...
In everything you buy, and everything you own, you are to live as through the focus of loving God. This is why you think of your doorposts and your gates as being emblazoned with God’s word. In this way, loving the Lord becomes your whole life, beginning with that heart relationship with Yahweh.
Would it help settle our minds about Lord and God if we knew deep within our heart that they are one? I think so! I think people in history and even into our days can relate to 'Lord' with a more ready understanding than to 'God'.
The meaning of 'Lord' as an experience can be more easily related to 'Authority' than the meaning of 'God'. Somehow God is too elusive, too big to wrap one's mind around. It could be this is why the ancient religions broke it down into more manageable 'gods' they could form a practical relationship with.
Though, God's Authority ultimately reflects the complete Authority contained in the Trinity and responsible for all that relates to the Creation of earth and the universe. So, yes, I agree with the lesson writer - "the Lord is our God."
I am excited to discover more of the depths and breadth of our relationship with 'the Lord who is our God'.
Many years later the Isrealites were plagued by the Philistines and the Philistines took the Ark of the Covenent and placed it next to their god of wood and stone. The next morning their graven image of their god had fallen on the ground with head rolled off and hands broken off. 1Samuel 5:1-4. The Lord our God was showing the Philistines that He is serious when He said there are to be no other gods before Me.
Love is mysterious and beyond our understanding (see Ephesians 3:17). And in addition to that, it is unfortunate that the book of Deuteronomy does does not contain a clear definition of "love".
However, love appears associating with God, fear and the law.
I'll settle for the New Testament definition: "For God so loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son...." John 3:16
Fredrick, I believe that "love" is defined throughout the old Testament, beginning with Genesis 1. In Genesis 3 we see Adam and Eve clothed and alive due to the Love of God expressed in an innocent life offered in the place of theirs, though it was required by THEIR sin/guilt. We see an ark that provided safe keeping while God "reset" the world by a flood, and every living soul had a personal invitation for safe passage offered to them. We cannot overlook Genesis 22.
These are just a few highlights, and I could go on, but I believe you get the point. Deuteronomy does define love, though we might not see it at first glance. Our perspective is affected by our understanding and personal knowledge/experience, which may be advancing continually(Prov 4:18).
I would also suggest that if Love(the fulfilling of the law) was truly beyond our understanding, then we could excuse sin. Our understanding may be limited at first, but it will increase with our "fear of the Lord" which is how/where wisdom begins(Prov 9:10). We also have the promises of Ps 32:8 and Dan 2:21 to claim. I suggest reading Eph 3:14-19.
SSQ: “Shema Yisrael Adonai Elohenu Adonai echad”.
KJV: “Sama Yisrael Yhovah elohim Yhovah echad”. (Also NASB, YLT, HCSB)
Literal: “Hear Israel, Jehovah (is) exalted, Jehovah (is) one”.
Important to note that in the KJV(and others) that the proper name “Yhovah” is used, and that both “elohim” and “echad” are plural forms. Yhovah is a plural, exalted being(s) who are “united, equal, alike, first(foremost), etc. Is this how we personally consider God in our daily living? Do we “hear” Him ourselves? Whether we do or don't will determine what we bring from this quarter's study, and make all the difference in our eternal outcome.
Thanks Robert. Contextually l understand this to be The LORD your GOD is the united One.