Deuteronomy 6:4 – Condensed Teaching
"The Shama‘ of Israel" - to hear, listen to, hearken, respond, & obey – "Hearken, Yisrael, Yahweh our God [is] One Yahweh – or – Yahweh [is] our God, One [is] Yahweh – or – Yahweh [is] our God, Yahweh alone." God wanted the people of Israel to notice and obey Yahweh who is their very God, the One and Only Yahweh.
The Hebrew word for "one" here [’echad] is a composite oneness [as in Gen.2:24], unity oneness, a unified one, one in essence [that would include a Triune understanding of God] in contrast to another word for one [yahid] that means a single oneness [such as, Isaac being Abraham’s single, only-begotten (by promise) son].
The Future of the Family Promised (Deut. 6:1-3).
The Foundation of the Family Provided (Deut. 6:4-6).
The Formula of the Family Prescribed (Deut. 6:7-9).
Heart is that it is seat of the mind and will.
Soul is that it is all that makes us human.
Might is that it is the strength, determination, fortitude, and commitment of life.
6:7 –Conversational Teaching
"And you will by repetition inculcate them (in)to your sons and talk in them in your resting in your house and in your walking in your way and in your reclining and in your arising." So then we are to indoctrinate our children with these very words of God. Discuss them whenever we are just sitting around the house and whenever we are traveling and whenever we go to bed and whenever we get up in the morning.
The term, "teach them diligently" actually means to indoctrinate, inculcate, commit to memory and conviction (as issues [laws] of life and death and eternity), to sharpen, whet, repeat, say again and again, induce; drill them (NAB). The "them" refers to these words which God commanded in vv.4-5 and 1-3 and The 10 Commandments in Deut. 5.
Through the day in teachable moments, diligently teach your children: Convincingly, Creatively, Consistently, Conversationally, and Conspicuously.
A son or daughter is to be taught in a way that: Commences in Childhood, Convinces with Creativity, and Consummates in Conversion.
Further, such teaching must be intentional – a parent cannot wait for it to just happen. One needs to take opportunity and make opportunity for teaching and training children. Plan for and prepare ahead for such times formally and informally – a daily family devotional time together and conversations through the days.
6:8 – Creative Teaching
"And you will tie them for a sign on your hand and they will be for a band [or phylactery] between your eyes." These words of God will become a part of everything that we do daily and will become a part of everything that we think about daily.
Connect the Bible with what you do and what you think.
6:9 – Conspicuous Teaching
"And you will write them on the door-frames of your house and in your gates." We should further have copies of them at the front of (and all around) our house. Put the Bible around the house for your children to see.
A Mezzuah [from the Hebrew word for doorpost] would usually contain Deut.10:12-11:21 and/or Num.15:37-41 written in Hebrew.
2 Samuel 14:23-24 – David started out well, but after his devastating sins in 2 Sam. 11-12, consequences are seen in his family. Things must have changed. His intentional teaching and training of his children was not consistent. Consequences are found in 2 Sam. 13 concerning Ammon’s rape of his half-sister, Tamar, whose full brother, Absolam, murders Ammon for this and flees to Geshur.
28 – In time Absolam returns to Jerusalem but David spurns him for two years.
29-32 – Joab was Absolam’s only go-between with David. Absolam got Joab’s attention by burning his wheat field.
33 – David went to extremes in his ignoring and receiving of his son, Absolam. This was very testy and sad. Further negative consequences are recorded in 2 Sam. 15 about Absolam and his treason against David, his king and father.
Proverbs 4:3 – Solomon wrote, "Because I was my father’s son, pampered, as the only son in the sight of my mother," who was Bathsheba. Even though Bathsheba also had three other sons, Shimea, Shobab, and Nathan, (1 Chron. 3:5 compared to 2 Sam. 3:5), she pampered Solomon.
4-5 – "He also taught me and said to me, ‘Let your heart grasp my words. Keep my commands and live [to get the most out of life]. Get wisdom! Acquire insight! You shall not forget nor turn away form the words of my mouth."
6 – Then Solomon personifies this "Wisdom" calling it "her." "You shall not abandon her, and she will keep you."
7 – This verse is the key verse to Proverbs – "Wisdom is the starting point; get wisdom. And in all you acquiring of it, acquire insight." It is, as though, this personification of Wisdom can be identified with Jesus Christ in our salvation.
