Deuteronomy 6:20, commentary and pictures

Deuteronomy 6:20 looks forward to the time when a son or child will ask his parents what the testimonies and statutes and judgments the Lord commanded mean. The answer he is to be given recounts that Israel were bondmen to Pharaoh in Egypt and the Lord brought them out with a mighty hand with great signs and wonders to give them the land sworn to their fathers. It further explains that the Lord commanded all these statutes that they might fear Him for their own good always and be kept alive, and that keeping them would be their righteousness, for they include principles of physical as well as moral health whose obedience brings blessing and prosperity. The verse therefore lays on parents the duty to teach God's commandments to the next generation from their earliest years, expecting the child's question and being ready to explain God's dealings and law simply and in ways suited to growing understanding. Its setting in Deuteronomy 4-8 is to be carefully studied and put into practice now in full surrender and simple obedience to all the Lord directs, great and small, because the day of final review before the Judge of all the earth is near.

Question and Its Answer

The verse looks forward to a time to come when a son or child asks his parents what the testimonies and statutes and judgments which the Lord their God has commanded mean. The question is expected to arise in the family, with children inquiring of father and mother concerning the meaning of these divine requirements.

The appointed answer begins by declaring that they were Pharaoh's bondmen in Egypt and that the Lord brought them out of Egypt with a mighty hand. He showed signs and wonders, great and sore, upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh and upon all his household before their eyes, and He brought them out from thence to bring them in to give them the land which He sware unto their fathers. In this way the meaning of the commandments is tied to God's saving acts, explained through the history of deliverance from slavery and entrance toward the promised inheritance.

The answer then declares that the Lord commanded all these statutes, to fear the Lord for their good always, that He might preserve them alive. It shall be their righteousness if they observe to do all these commandments before the Lord as He commanded them. The commandments were thus given for the people's good and preservation and continued life, and obedience to them was called their righteousness.

Those testimonies, statutes and judgments commanded for good and preservation include principles for physical as well as moral health. Obedience to these specified statutes brings blessing and prosperity in the life in the land to which deliverance led.

The history was to be repeated as a rehearsal of God's gracious dealings and of how the Lord had wrought for their deliverance that they might obey His law. Keeping that deliverance and the mighty acts that brought it about before the children was to show God's love and to remind them that He had placed them in favorable circumstances to love and serve Him. Parents and children repeated this instruction as a song while traveling through the wilderness, and angels impressed it upon their minds.

Parents Teaching Children

The verse lays on parents the duty to teach God's statutes and commandments and instruction to the next generation, beginning from their earliest years. Parents are to expect the time when the child asks what the testimonies and statutes and judgments which the Lord commanded mean, and to be prepared to answer with words that give correct impressions of the Lord's dealings with His chosen people. That readiness includes explaining God's law to the next generation and teaching children the reasons for their faith.

The answer to be given recounts that they were bondmen to Pharaoh in Egypt and the Lord brought them out with a mighty hand, showing great and sore signs and wonders upon Egypt and Pharaoh and his household, in order to bring them in to give them the land sworn to their fathers. It is to set forth the foundations that distinguish God's people, given simply and in ways suited to children's growing understanding. This explaining belongs to training children to love and obey God and to yield themselves to the molding power of His Word.

When the counsels of the sixth chapter of Deuteronomy are faithfully followed in this training, the saving grace of Christ is brought to youth. Children so trained to love and obey God and yield to the molding power of His Word are the objects of God's special care and blessing. The knowledge of God's laws set before children in this way is meant to teach people His will so that they can obey Him.

Study and Obedience Today

Deuteronomy 6:20 belongs to Deuteronomy 4 through 8, which set forth what God required of His ancient people in order that they might be a holy people unto Himself by keeping the commandments and the statutes and the judgments. Those chapters are to be studied now and read with profit, and the sixth chapter in particular is to be studied carefully. Its instruction is a lesson in full surrender and simple obedience to all the Lord's commandments, and what is studied there is to be put into practice.

All the Lord's directions contained in those chapters are to be carefully observed, from the greatest down to what may seem least. The urgency is that the day of God's great final review is near, when the people of this world must stand before the Judge of all the earth to answer for their deeds. The present is the time of investigation before that day, when every character will have been investigated and every case decided for eternity.