And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
The binding on the hand stands for what people do and the frontlets between the eyes stand for what people think, calling for God's words to dwell continually in mind and heart until they are inwrought in character and woven into daily life. It was not a command merely to wear Scripture on the body. It commands that His commandments, statutes and judgments be kept constantly before His people to shape thought and action and guide conduct. It lays on parents the sacred duty to teach those words diligently to their children by example and in everyday home life, talking of them continually when sitting and walking and lying down and rising up. The Jews turned it outward by binding portions of the law on forehead and wrist and broadening their phylacteries as conspicuous badges of piety, while having God's words truly bound as a sign means obeying all He commands, especially by observing the Sabbath of the fourth commandment as the stamped sign of His government.
Language and Historical Setting
The hand stands for what people do and the frontlets between the eyes stand for what people think, so the command is figurative for keeping God's words continually dwelling in the mind and heart as the constant guide of thought and action. The words revealing His will are to be kept in the heart, inwrought in mind and character and woven into life and character. As the word is meditated on and practiced, the hands display its principles in honest, righteous, merciful and compassionate deeds, and the eyes stay clear and directed toward a noble purpose in testimony to a blameless character that loves and honors the word.
It was not a command merely to wear Scripture on the body. Treating it as direction to wear written precepts on cloth or parchment bound about the head and wrists turned inward religion into outward exhibition, and that outward display did not cause the law to take hold of mind and heart, purify life, or prompt righteous deeds, kindness and mercy as intended.
The instruction was given by Christ through Moses before His incarnation, spoken by Jesus to Moses for more than a million people who had come out of Egypt, and through them to their children and children's children. He was the invisible Leader enshrouded in the pillar of cloud and fire, the same voice that afterward spoke again clothed in humanity on earth. It laid on parents the duty to teach the commandments diligently, talking of them at home and on the way and at night and in the morning, so that truth from God's Word is transmitted from one generation to another.
The verse continues the definite commandments given in Deuteronomy 5, including the Sabbath day, with keeping the words in the heart, teaching them diligently to children when sitting in the house and walking by the way and lying down and rising up, and writing them on the posts of the house and on the gates. It belongs to Deuteronomy 4-8 showing what God required that Israel might be a holy people unto Himself in the land promised to them, instruction given to observe and do there that it might be well and bring increase. The same requirements given at Sinai remain in force in the gospel and are stated in the terms of eternal life.
Continual Remembrance and Obedience
God's words, commandments, statutes and judgments are to remain constantly before His people, bound as a sign upon the hand and as frontlets between the eyes, kept continually in mind and made part of daily life. They are to shape what is done and what is kept in mind, guiding conduct and experience through diligent teaching in daily life, speaking of them when sitting in the house and walking by the way and lying down and rising up, keeping them in the heart, and writing them on the house and gate. In the family this means parents faithfully teach God's instruction to children so children learn to love and obey God and receive His care and blessing, with the principles becoming part of their experience. In Israel's education this instruction belonged with presenting God's laws and principles in ways that showed their beauty and worth, often through lessons drawn from nature.
So kept, they take the whole person into covenant relation with God, with the commandments ever present in deed and thought. As God's word is meditated on and practiced, the hands show its principles through honest, righteous, merciful and compassionate actions, and the eyes remain clear and directed toward a noble purpose, testifying to a blameless character that loves and honors God's word. Studied and obeyed, every chapter and every verse as God's communication leads His people just as the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night led Israel.
These instructions concern principles essential to both physical and moral health. Keeping God's commandments close by diligently studying and practicing them distinguishes truth from error and keeps people from every false way. Binding them as frontlets means keeping God's word and will expressed in Scripture constantly before the mind and following its precepts in daily life, which leads to safe conduct and safety. Humble, earnest study impresses its teachings on the soul and leaves skepticism powerless.
The lesson of the chapter's special directions is to obey all the Lord commands and not neglect or set aside anything important in His Word. The call is to walk in the light God has given rather than neglecting it for personal preference, with His commands kept continually before the people to shape their conduct.
Teaching Children at Home
The verse lays on parents the sacred duty to teach God's words, statutes and commandments diligently to their children, through example and everyday home life, with religion woven into every part of home life. It was Christ's direction given through Moses to Israel before He became human, commanding that God's words remain constantly before His people to shape what they do and what they keep in mind, kept continually present in action and thought and daily life so children learn to love and obey God and receive His care and blessing. In Israel's education this keeping belonged with diligent teaching in daily life, and Christ fulfilled its purpose by presenting God's laws and principles in ways that showed their beauty and worth, often through lessons drawn from nature.
The teaching is to be done with the words kept in the heart in love to the Lord with all heart, soul and might, talked of continually when sitting in the house and walking by the way and lying down and rising up, written on the posts of the house and on the gates, repeated daily in every home, set to music and chanted by young and old, taught with reminders of God's acts of deliverance and power, and transmitted from one generation to another. This instruction given to Israel to observe and do in the land promised to them is important for all to follow now, that it may be well and bring increase, with diligent keeping of the commandments, testimonies and statutes in the fear of God for continual good and preservation of life bringing the richest blessings as righteousness when all is observed as commanded. It expresses supreme love to God, one of the two great principles of the law with love to neighbor as self, upon which hang all the law and the prophets, so that those who keep the first four commandments in supreme love to God will not transgress the other six.
The training is to begin from very infancy and the earliest years, line upon line and precept upon precept, patiently, carefully, mercifully and diligently, with physical, mental and moral training, keeping the claims of God ever before children and never neglecting religious training, so that children learn what it means to honor father and mother in obedience to the commandment. Parents are to control themselves for Christ's sake as Creator and Redeemer and first consecrate their own souls, cleansing the soul-temple, trimming the inner lamp, and revealing piety, virtue and godliness at home, taking every precaution to prevent objectionable traits from growing up in order to form characters that will meet God's approval. For God will not accept the most splendid service unless the one who offers it is first consecrated by entire surrender of soul, and unless the root be holy there can be no acceptable fruit, and the same responsibility to keep God's precepts central in daily life rests on parents in this time.
Israel repeated this instruction as a song while journeying through the wilderness, with angels impressing it on parents' and children's minds out of God's abundant provision in the wandering to keep the words of His law in remembrance. After settlement in Canaan the divine precepts were to be repeated daily in every home, written plainly upon doorposts and gates and spread upon memorial tablets, set to music and chanted by young and old, taught by priests in public assemblies and made the daily study of the rulers of the land. This constant keeping and teaching is the preparation parents and children must receive before they can be admitted into the heavenly family and the city of God, for the present and the future life. Parents are to obey and respect God's Word and teach its commandments throughout daily life so their children remain distinct from the world and do not imitate those who break God's law, and this fruit of following His way stands against pride, self-esteem, boldness, and displaying the ability and proficiency of children.
Neglecting this duty allows false teaching to pass from one generation to the next, educating children in the home and peoples by ministers as transgressors, with children and children's children coming up confirmed in transgression until contempt for God's law is almost worldwide. Had fathers and mothers followed the direction to transmit Christ's instruction from parents to children from generation to generation, training and educating them to respect and honor every holy and just and good precept and not passing it by indifferently, the sins and crimes now committed by adults and by youth and children would not be read and heard of. The evil condition of society becoming like the days of Noah and Lot exists because parents have disregarded this instruction and religious teachers have ceased to respect every precept and have erected their own standard dishonoring the law of Jehovah, a wicked apostasy like the transgression of Adam and Eve bringing deterioration of character, departure to Satan's side, strengthening of the synagogue of Satan, and less and less of God's blessing and power.
Jewish Outward Misuse
The words were taken as a literal direction to bind portions of the law on the forehead and wrist and to carry the words of the law in the ribbon of blue in the border of the garment, embroidered in short as the Ten Commandments, as visible reminders of duty to love God supremely and to love neighbor as self. The parchment strips were bound on head and wrists and the scriptural precepts were worn on cloth, on heads and wrists, as signs meant to keep duty continually before the mind.
Instead of serving that purpose they made broad their phylacteries, enlarged the outward sign, and added to the words God had specified for the ribbon of blue, going beyond what was commanded. The farther they departed from purity and simplicity the more particular they became about this outward enlargement.
The strips became conspicuous badges of piety worn to attract notice and gain reverence, expressing exalted devotion and sanctity in appearance. Having lost sight of genuine religion and disregarded the principles of the law, especially love to God and neighbor, the lack was covered with pretentious piety and strictness for the law while transgressing it, with works directly contrary to the law. This outward display did not make the law take hold of mind and heart, did not secure it in the heart, and did not purify life or prompt righteous deeds, kindness and mercy as intended.
Sabbath Loyalty and Judgment
To have God's words in the heart and to bind them for a sign upon the hand and as frontlets between the eyes is to obey all that He commands, and above all to observe the Sabbath of the fourth commandment instead of repudiating His Word and accepting a day He has not sanctified and set apart for observance. The bound words hold up His commandments as a sign to be kept continually before the people, with the Sabbath borne as the stamped sign of His government and the King's mark showing that a person has been chosen and set apart to honor God. Closely examining the Word reveals whether one bears that mark, for it is seen in obedient, compassionate Sabbathkeeping and must not be dishonored by any dishonest transaction.
The figurative language teaches that minds are to dwell continually on God's words which reveal His will, with those words kept in the heart and taught diligently to children. Obedience to His law in this keeping includes refraining from unnecessary labor on the Lord's holy day, and every member of the family is to know the law's requirements and restrictions. Diligent remembrance shapes actions and thoughts and lays on parents the duty to guide children in obedience, so that parents who send children to school for ordinary study or to work on the Sabbath act contrary to the command to teach His statutes faithfully. Faithful Sabbathkeeping kept constantly in view in this way is a public sign of loyalty to God and a testimony to the truth of the Sabbath.
The verse is God's great test and sign of loyalty, and in the day when every case is decided these charges of His Word will be brought forth and men will be judged by them. Those who did not search the Scriptures to know what God commanded, and who observed a day He has not blessed, will not be excused for ignorance. Belonging with this instruction given at the deliverance from Egypt, and still timely now, is the charge not to make the working of miracles the test of faith, with God's words instead in the heart, taught diligently when sitting in the house and walking by the way and lying down and rising up, and written on the posts of the house and on the gates. Satan by deception can perform wonders that appear to be genuine miracles, and he sought to make miracle-working a test question for Israel then as now.
Blessings Warnings and Connections
Deuteronomy 4 through 8 set out what was required that the people might be holy to God, and reading those chapters brings profit now because the world is nearing God's great final review when all must stand before the Judge of all the earth to answer for deeds. The present is the time of investigation when every character will have been investigated and every case decided for eternity.
Binding the commandments, statutes and judgments as a sign upon the hand and as frontlets between the eyes means keeping them in the heart, loving the Lord with all heart and soul and might, teaching them diligently to children when sitting in the house and walking by the way and lying down and rising up, and writing them on the posts of the house and on the gates. That instruction given to Israel to observe and do in the promised land is to be followed now, that it may be well and bring increase. Diligently keeping the commandments and testimonies and statutes in the fear of God brings continual good and preservation of life, and obedience to all the commandments as commanded is righteousness and brings the richest blessings.
God's design was that if the people heeded His word He would establish them in Canaan as a pure, happy and healthful people with not one feeble one in all their tribes, kept in His favor and love and built up in righteousness and truth so He could safely bless them. Keeping these directions maintains right relation to God and brings promised blessing when rising up and sitting down and when going out and coming in, with preservation from sickness, sure bread and water, enemies not prevailing, and prosperity through obedience because obedience works in harmony with God in a course of action of the same character as the mind of God so His purposes are carried out. To the obedient belong promises and blessings, but to the disobedient belong no promises and no blessings, only the threatenings of the Lord, and God cannot take the disobedient to His kingdom and the City of God. Keeping the commandments spoken from Sinai is a life-or-death question, with obedience meaning life and disobedience meaning death, to be decided by a plain Thus saith the Lord rather than by ministers who say the commandments are not obligatory.
Departing from loyalty and transgressing the laws of His kingdom makes one's own course of unrighteousness react upon oneself in lawlessness, discord, hatred, strife and violence. Neglect is wicked apostasy from the law of God of the same character as the transgression of Adam and Eve, bringing deterioration of character from continual transgression, throwing influence on Satan's side and strengthening the synagogue of Satan, with less and less of God's blessing and power. The verse expresses supreme love to God, one of the two great principles of the law with love to neighbor as self, upon which hang all the law and the prophets, so that those who keep the first four commandments in supreme love to God will not transgress the other six. The same instruction Christ gave about inheriting eternal life was given through Moses to Israel, with the outward portions bound on forehead and wrist and carried in the ribbon of blue in the border of the garment, embroidered in short as the Ten Commandments, meant to mark that inward duty of supreme love to God and love to neighbor as self.
Every chapter and every verse of the Bible is God's communication to people and its precepts are to be kept constantly in action and thought. Studied and obeyed, those precepts lead God's people just as the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night led Israel. Keeping God's word and will expressed in Scripture constantly before the mind and walking according to its precepts leads to safe conduct. Humble earnest study impresses its teachings on the soul and leaves skepticism powerless. The command to bind His words with loving the Lord with all heart and soul and might, keeping them in the heart, teaching them diligently and talking of them continually means all are to hear the words of truth even in spite of opposition faced in voicing the message of the third angel.
The binding on the hand stands for what people do and the frontlets between the eyes stand for what people think, calling for God's words to dwell continually in mind and heart until they are inwrought in character and woven into daily life. It was not a command merely to wear Scripture on the body. It commands that His commandments, statutes and judgments be kept constantly before His people to shape thought and action and guide conduct. It lays on parents the sacred duty to teach those words diligently to their children by example and in everyday home life, talking of them continually when sitting and walking and lying down and rising up. The Jews turned it outward by binding portions of the law on forehead and wrist and broadening their phylacteries as conspicuous badges of piety, while having God's words truly bound as a sign means obeying all He commands, especially by observing the Sabbath of the fourth commandment as the stamped sign of His government.
Language and Historical Setting
The hand stands for what people do and the frontlets between the eyes stand for what people think, so the command is figurative for keeping God's words continually dwelling in the mind and heart as the constant guide of thought and action. The words revealing His will are to be kept in the heart, inwrought in mind and character and woven into life and character. As the word is meditated on and practiced, the hands display its principles in honest, righteous, merciful and compassionate deeds, and the eyes stay clear and directed toward a noble purpose in testimony to a blameless character that loves and honors the word.
It was not a command merely to wear Scripture on the body. Treating it as direction to wear written precepts on cloth or parchment bound about the head and wrists turned inward religion into outward exhibition, and that outward display did not cause the law to take hold of mind and heart, purify life, or prompt righteous deeds, kindness and mercy as intended.
The instruction was given by Christ through Moses before His incarnation, spoken by Jesus to Moses for more than a million people who had come out of Egypt, and through them to their children and children's children. He was the invisible Leader enshrouded in the pillar of cloud and fire, the same voice that afterward spoke again clothed in humanity on earth. It laid on parents the duty to teach the commandments diligently, talking of them at home and on the way and at night and in the morning, so that truth from God's Word is transmitted from one generation to another.
The verse continues the definite commandments given in Deuteronomy 5, including the Sabbath day, with keeping the words in the heart, teaching them diligently to children when sitting in the house and walking by the way and lying down and rising up, and writing them on the posts of the house and on the gates. It belongs to Deuteronomy 4-8 showing what God required that Israel might be a holy people unto Himself in the land promised to them, instruction given to observe and do there that it might be well and bring increase. The same requirements given at Sinai remain in force in the gospel and are stated in the terms of eternal life.
Continual Remembrance and Obedience
God's words, commandments, statutes and judgments are to remain constantly before His people, bound as a sign upon the hand and as frontlets between the eyes, kept continually in mind and made part of daily life. They are to shape what is done and what is kept in mind, guiding conduct and experience through diligent teaching in daily life, speaking of them when sitting in the house and walking by the way and lying down and rising up, keeping them in the heart, and writing them on the house and gate. In the family this means parents faithfully teach God's instruction to children so children learn to love and obey God and receive His care and blessing, with the principles becoming part of their experience. In Israel's education this instruction belonged with presenting God's laws and principles in ways that showed their beauty and worth, often through lessons drawn from nature.
So kept, they take the whole person into covenant relation with God, with the commandments ever present in deed and thought. As God's word is meditated on and practiced, the hands show its principles through honest, righteous, merciful and compassionate actions, and the eyes remain clear and directed toward a noble purpose, testifying to a blameless character that loves and honors God's word. Studied and obeyed, every chapter and every verse as God's communication leads His people just as the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night led Israel.
These instructions concern principles essential to both physical and moral health. Keeping God's commandments close by diligently studying and practicing them distinguishes truth from error and keeps people from every false way. Binding them as frontlets means keeping God's word and will expressed in Scripture constantly before the mind and following its precepts in daily life, which leads to safe conduct and safety. Humble, earnest study impresses its teachings on the soul and leaves skepticism powerless.
The lesson of the chapter's special directions is to obey all the Lord commands and not neglect or set aside anything important in His Word. The call is to walk in the light God has given rather than neglecting it for personal preference, with His commands kept continually before the people to shape their conduct.
Teaching Children at Home
The verse lays on parents the sacred duty to teach God's words, statutes and commandments diligently to their children, through example and everyday home life, with religion woven into every part of home life. It was Christ's direction given through Moses to Israel before He became human, commanding that God's words remain constantly before His people to shape what they do and what they keep in mind, kept continually present in action and thought and daily life so children learn to love and obey God and receive His care and blessing. In Israel's education this keeping belonged with diligent teaching in daily life, and Christ fulfilled its purpose by presenting God's laws and principles in ways that showed their beauty and worth, often through lessons drawn from nature.
The teaching is to be done with the words kept in the heart in love to the Lord with all heart, soul and might, talked of continually when sitting in the house and walking by the way and lying down and rising up, written on the posts of the house and on the gates, repeated daily in every home, set to music and chanted by young and old, taught with reminders of God's acts of deliverance and power, and transmitted from one generation to another. This instruction given to Israel to observe and do in the land promised to them is important for all to follow now, that it may be well and bring increase, with diligent keeping of the commandments, testimonies and statutes in the fear of God for continual good and preservation of life bringing the richest blessings as righteousness when all is observed as commanded. It expresses supreme love to God, one of the two great principles of the law with love to neighbor as self, upon which hang all the law and the prophets, so that those who keep the first four commandments in supreme love to God will not transgress the other six.
The training is to begin from very infancy and the earliest years, line upon line and precept upon precept, patiently, carefully, mercifully and diligently, with physical, mental and moral training, keeping the claims of God ever before children and never neglecting religious training, so that children learn what it means to honor father and mother in obedience to the commandment. Parents are to control themselves for Christ's sake as Creator and Redeemer and first consecrate their own souls, cleansing the soul-temple, trimming the inner lamp, and revealing piety, virtue and godliness at home, taking every precaution to prevent objectionable traits from growing up in order to form characters that will meet God's approval. For God will not accept the most splendid service unless the one who offers it is first consecrated by entire surrender of soul, and unless the root be holy there can be no acceptable fruit, and the same responsibility to keep God's precepts central in daily life rests on parents in this time.
Israel repeated this instruction as a song while journeying through the wilderness, with angels impressing it on parents' and children's minds out of God's abundant provision in the wandering to keep the words of His law in remembrance. After settlement in Canaan the divine precepts were to be repeated daily in every home, written plainly upon doorposts and gates and spread upon memorial tablets, set to music and chanted by young and old, taught by priests in public assemblies and made the daily study of the rulers of the land. This constant keeping and teaching is the preparation parents and children must receive before they can be admitted into the heavenly family and the city of God, for the present and the future life. Parents are to obey and respect God's Word and teach its commandments throughout daily life so their children remain distinct from the world and do not imitate those who break God's law, and this fruit of following His way stands against pride, self-esteem, boldness, and displaying the ability and proficiency of children.
Neglecting this duty allows false teaching to pass from one generation to the next, educating children in the home and peoples by ministers as transgressors, with children and children's children coming up confirmed in transgression until contempt for God's law is almost worldwide. Had fathers and mothers followed the direction to transmit Christ's instruction from parents to children from generation to generation, training and educating them to respect and honor every holy and just and good precept and not passing it by indifferently, the sins and crimes now committed by adults and by youth and children would not be read and heard of. The evil condition of society becoming like the days of Noah and Lot exists because parents have disregarded this instruction and religious teachers have ceased to respect every precept and have erected their own standard dishonoring the law of Jehovah, a wicked apostasy like the transgression of Adam and Eve bringing deterioration of character, departure to Satan's side, strengthening of the synagogue of Satan, and less and less of God's blessing and power.
Jewish Outward Misuse
The words were taken as a literal direction to bind portions of the law on the forehead and wrist and to carry the words of the law in the ribbon of blue in the border of the garment, embroidered in short as the Ten Commandments, as visible reminders of duty to love God supremely and to love neighbor as self. The parchment strips were bound on head and wrists and the scriptural precepts were worn on cloth, on heads and wrists, as signs meant to keep duty continually before the mind.
Instead of serving that purpose they made broad their phylacteries, enlarged the outward sign, and added to the words God had specified for the ribbon of blue, going beyond what was commanded. The farther they departed from purity and simplicity the more particular they became about this outward enlargement.
The strips became conspicuous badges of piety worn to attract notice and gain reverence, expressing exalted devotion and sanctity in appearance. Having lost sight of genuine religion and disregarded the principles of the law, especially love to God and neighbor, the lack was covered with pretentious piety and strictness for the law while transgressing it, with works directly contrary to the law. This outward display did not make the law take hold of mind and heart, did not secure it in the heart, and did not purify life or prompt righteous deeds, kindness and mercy as intended.
Sabbath Loyalty and Judgment
To have God's words in the heart and to bind them for a sign upon the hand and as frontlets between the eyes is to obey all that He commands, and above all to observe the Sabbath of the fourth commandment instead of repudiating His Word and accepting a day He has not sanctified and set apart for observance. The bound words hold up His commandments as a sign to be kept continually before the people, with the Sabbath borne as the stamped sign of His government and the King's mark showing that a person has been chosen and set apart to honor God. Closely examining the Word reveals whether one bears that mark, for it is seen in obedient, compassionate Sabbathkeeping and must not be dishonored by any dishonest transaction.
The figurative language teaches that minds are to dwell continually on God's words which reveal His will, with those words kept in the heart and taught diligently to children. Obedience to His law in this keeping includes refraining from unnecessary labor on the Lord's holy day, and every member of the family is to know the law's requirements and restrictions. Diligent remembrance shapes actions and thoughts and lays on parents the duty to guide children in obedience, so that parents who send children to school for ordinary study or to work on the Sabbath act contrary to the command to teach His statutes faithfully. Faithful Sabbathkeeping kept constantly in view in this way is a public sign of loyalty to God and a testimony to the truth of the Sabbath.
The verse is God's great test and sign of loyalty, and in the day when every case is decided these charges of His Word will be brought forth and men will be judged by them. Those who did not search the Scriptures to know what God commanded, and who observed a day He has not blessed, will not be excused for ignorance. Belonging with this instruction given at the deliverance from Egypt, and still timely now, is the charge not to make the working of miracles the test of faith, with God's words instead in the heart, taught diligently when sitting in the house and walking by the way and lying down and rising up, and written on the posts of the house and on the gates. Satan by deception can perform wonders that appear to be genuine miracles, and he sought to make miracle-working a test question for Israel then as now.
Blessings Warnings and Connections
Deuteronomy 4 through 8 set out what was required that the people might be holy to God, and reading those chapters brings profit now because the world is nearing God's great final review when all must stand before the Judge of all the earth to answer for deeds. The present is the time of investigation when every character will have been investigated and every case decided for eternity.
Binding the commandments, statutes and judgments as a sign upon the hand and as frontlets between the eyes means keeping them in the heart, loving the Lord with all heart and soul and might, teaching them diligently to children when sitting in the house and walking by the way and lying down and rising up, and writing them on the posts of the house and on the gates. That instruction given to Israel to observe and do in the promised land is to be followed now, that it may be well and bring increase. Diligently keeping the commandments and testimonies and statutes in the fear of God brings continual good and preservation of life, and obedience to all the commandments as commanded is righteousness and brings the richest blessings.
God's design was that if the people heeded His word He would establish them in Canaan as a pure, happy and healthful people with not one feeble one in all their tribes, kept in His favor and love and built up in righteousness and truth so He could safely bless them. Keeping these directions maintains right relation to God and brings promised blessing when rising up and sitting down and when going out and coming in, with preservation from sickness, sure bread and water, enemies not prevailing, and prosperity through obedience because obedience works in harmony with God in a course of action of the same character as the mind of God so His purposes are carried out. To the obedient belong promises and blessings, but to the disobedient belong no promises and no blessings, only the threatenings of the Lord, and God cannot take the disobedient to His kingdom and the City of God. Keeping the commandments spoken from Sinai is a life-or-death question, with obedience meaning life and disobedience meaning death, to be decided by a plain Thus saith the Lord rather than by ministers who say the commandments are not obligatory.
Departing from loyalty and transgressing the laws of His kingdom makes one's own course of unrighteousness react upon oneself in lawlessness, discord, hatred, strife and violence. Neglect is wicked apostasy from the law of God of the same character as the transgression of Adam and Eve, bringing deterioration of character from continual transgression, throwing influence on Satan's side and strengthening the synagogue of Satan, with less and less of God's blessing and power. The verse expresses supreme love to God, one of the two great principles of the law with love to neighbor as self, upon which hang all the law and the prophets, so that those who keep the first four commandments in supreme love to God will not transgress the other six. The same instruction Christ gave about inheriting eternal life was given through Moses to Israel, with the outward portions bound on forehead and wrist and carried in the ribbon of blue in the border of the garment, embroidered in short as the Ten Commandments, meant to mark that inward duty of supreme love to God and love to neighbor as self.
Every chapter and every verse of the Bible is God's communication to people and its precepts are to be kept constantly in action and thought. Studied and obeyed, those precepts lead God's people just as the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night led Israel. Keeping God's word and will expressed in Scripture constantly before the mind and walking according to its precepts leads to safe conduct. Humble earnest study impresses its teachings on the soul and leaves skepticism powerless. The command to bind His words with loving the Lord with all heart and soul and might, keeping them in the heart, teaching them diligently and talking of them continually means all are to hear the words of truth even in spite of opposition faced in voicing the message of the third angel.