It forbids having, following, serving or worshiping any god besides the Lord and requires exclusive allegiance, loyalty, worship and obedience to Him alone, standing among the first four commandments that define duty to God. It was spoken as part of the statutes and judgments of the covenant made at Horeb with all Israel alive that day, face to face from the midst of the fire, immediately after the declaration of the Lord who brought them out of bondage, to be learned, kept and done. It was repeated by Moses to the new generation gathered at the Jordan before entering Canaan, because their fathers had died in the wilderness and many of them were small children or born afterward with no remembrance of its first giving. It must be kept without adding to or diminishing from it, from the greatest duty to the least, kept constantly in mind, taught to children, and obeyed with full surrender and daily sanctification of mind, soul and body, with no excuse accepted for disobedience. Keeping it is the condition for God to cooperate with and prosper His people in the promised land, while transgression forfeits that blessing and brings destruction as seen with those who followed Baal-peor, and studying it with Deuteronomy 4-8 teaches how to be ready for the final review when every character is investigated before the Judge of all the earth.
Setting and Meaning
The command stands among the statutes and judgments spoken to all Israel to be learned, kept, and done as the covenant made at Horeb with those alive that day. It was spoken face to face from the midst of the fire. It is placed immediately after the declaration of the Lord who brought them out of Egypt from the house of bondage, commanding exclusive loyalty to Him alone.
The law was first spoken at Sinai and was repeated by Moses to Israel gathered together in solemn assembly at the Jordan just before his death by God's command and before taking possession of Canaan. The commandments are the terms of God's covenant with Israel, which the people had pledged to make govern their words and actions, to listen attentively and bind themselves to obey. They were set before the people again so they would understand the need to obey them and realize the necessity of obeying the Ten Commandments and all the laws and judgments given through Moses. They are recorded for people in every age to study and put into practice in principle, making the right path plain and guarding against temptation.
The repetition was for the new generation to whom the promise of possessing Canaan was to be fulfilled. Their fathers had died in the wilderness under judgments for great transgressions and had been told they would not enter the promised land. Many of the new generation were small children when the law was first given with no remembrance of its grandeur and others were born in the wilderness, and few were old enough to grasp its solemnity. Moses set it before them again with the story of the journeyings since leaving Egypt and all the circumstances of the giving of the law so they would realize the necessity of obeying it, and God set it before them as His claim with obedience as the condition of prosperity in the promised land.
The verse forbids having, following, serving, or worshiping any god besides the Lord. It requires exclusive allegiance, loyalty, worship, and obedience to Him alone. It belongs among the first four commandments that define humanity's obligations to God.
Obedience and Blessing
The command is to be learned, kept, and done without adding to it or diminishing from it. It is to be carefully observed from the greatest duty to what may seem least, kept constantly in mind, taught to children, and guarded by turning from false ways and from following and serving the gods of the surrounding peoples. Those entrusted with sacred responsibilities are to serve with wholehearted consecration and honor God above all.
Full surrender at the beginning and continuing simplicity of obedience to all the commandments according to special directions are required, with none of the important things specified neglected. The command is to be read to the people, carefully regarded as a charge, and made a special interest to do. Every soul is to search the Scriptures for himself, make the Word the study book, and sanctify himself daily according to the Word lest he be found in rebellion, so that the Lord will be glorified through His people.
Obedience to this exclusive allegiance is part of becoming a holy people belonging to God and part of the sanctification of mind, soul, and body that God requires, for which no excuse for disobedience is accepted. Keeping it is necessary for God to cooperate with and bless His people, with obedience as the condition of prosperity in the promised land, while disobedience forfeits that cooperation and blessing. Transgression brings destruction, as seen when those who followed Baal-peor were destroyed while those who remained faithful lived, and transgression of God's law brings consequences including the curse upon the earth and suffering among people and animals.
Breaking any commandment is breaking God's law, and violating the laws governing human physical nature is likewise sin because those laws are also God's law. The command requires personal examination of whether it has been kept, for breaking it comes from unbelief and a clouded mind that does not reverence God, shown by many who profess to serve the Lord yet refuse to obey the precepts of His law. Studying it with Deuteronomy 4-8 teaches people now how to be ready for God's great final review, when all must stand before the Judge of all the earth to answer for deeds, because the present is the time of investigation when every character will be investigated and every case decided for eternity.
It forbids having, following, serving or worshiping any god besides the Lord and requires exclusive allegiance, loyalty, worship and obedience to Him alone, standing among the first four commandments that define duty to God. It was spoken as part of the statutes and judgments of the covenant made at Horeb with all Israel alive that day, face to face from the midst of the fire, immediately after the declaration of the Lord who brought them out of bondage, to be learned, kept and done. It was repeated by Moses to the new generation gathered at the Jordan before entering Canaan, because their fathers had died in the wilderness and many of them were small children or born afterward with no remembrance of its first giving. It must be kept without adding to or diminishing from it, from the greatest duty to the least, kept constantly in mind, taught to children, and obeyed with full surrender and daily sanctification of mind, soul and body, with no excuse accepted for disobedience. Keeping it is the condition for God to cooperate with and prosper His people in the promised land, while transgression forfeits that blessing and brings destruction as seen with those who followed Baal-peor, and studying it with Deuteronomy 4-8 teaches how to be ready for the final review when every character is investigated before the Judge of all the earth.
Setting and Meaning
The command stands among the statutes and judgments spoken to all Israel to be learned, kept, and done as the covenant made at Horeb with those alive that day. It was spoken face to face from the midst of the fire. It is placed immediately after the declaration of the Lord who brought them out of Egypt from the house of bondage, commanding exclusive loyalty to Him alone.
The law was first spoken at Sinai and was repeated by Moses to Israel gathered together in solemn assembly at the Jordan just before his death by God's command and before taking possession of Canaan. The commandments are the terms of God's covenant with Israel, which the people had pledged to make govern their words and actions, to listen attentively and bind themselves to obey. They were set before the people again so they would understand the need to obey them and realize the necessity of obeying the Ten Commandments and all the laws and judgments given through Moses. They are recorded for people in every age to study and put into practice in principle, making the right path plain and guarding against temptation.
The repetition was for the new generation to whom the promise of possessing Canaan was to be fulfilled. Their fathers had died in the wilderness under judgments for great transgressions and had been told they would not enter the promised land. Many of the new generation were small children when the law was first given with no remembrance of its grandeur and others were born in the wilderness, and few were old enough to grasp its solemnity. Moses set it before them again with the story of the journeyings since leaving Egypt and all the circumstances of the giving of the law so they would realize the necessity of obeying it, and God set it before them as His claim with obedience as the condition of prosperity in the promised land.
The verse forbids having, following, serving, or worshiping any god besides the Lord. It requires exclusive allegiance, loyalty, worship, and obedience to Him alone. It belongs among the first four commandments that define humanity's obligations to God.
Obedience and Blessing
The command is to be learned, kept, and done without adding to it or diminishing from it. It is to be carefully observed from the greatest duty to what may seem least, kept constantly in mind, taught to children, and guarded by turning from false ways and from following and serving the gods of the surrounding peoples. Those entrusted with sacred responsibilities are to serve with wholehearted consecration and honor God above all.
Full surrender at the beginning and continuing simplicity of obedience to all the commandments according to special directions are required, with none of the important things specified neglected. The command is to be read to the people, carefully regarded as a charge, and made a special interest to do. Every soul is to search the Scriptures for himself, make the Word the study book, and sanctify himself daily according to the Word lest he be found in rebellion, so that the Lord will be glorified through His people.
Obedience to this exclusive allegiance is part of becoming a holy people belonging to God and part of the sanctification of mind, soul, and body that God requires, for which no excuse for disobedience is accepted. Keeping it is necessary for God to cooperate with and bless His people, with obedience as the condition of prosperity in the promised land, while disobedience forfeits that cooperation and blessing. Transgression brings destruction, as seen when those who followed Baal-peor were destroyed while those who remained faithful lived, and transgression of God's law brings consequences including the curse upon the earth and suffering among people and animals.
Breaking any commandment is breaking God's law, and violating the laws governing human physical nature is likewise sin because those laws are also God's law. The command requires personal examination of whether it has been kept, for breaking it comes from unbelief and a clouded mind that does not reverence God, shown by many who profess to serve the Lord yet refuse to obey the precepts of His law. Studying it with Deuteronomy 4-8 teaches people now how to be ready for God's great final review, when all must stand before the Judge of all the earth to answer for deeds, because the present is the time of investigation when every character will be investigated and every case decided for eternity.