The Shema
“Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one!
And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your might.
And these words, which I am commanding you today,
shall be in your heart;
and you shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk
of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the
way and when you lie down and when you rise up.”
Deut.6:4-9
The Law – Three Categories:
1) The Testimonies
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Moral Code
10 Commandments (5:6-21)
Expansion on the 10 (5-11)
2) The Statutes
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Ceremonial Code
Sacrifices, tithes, feasts, etc. (12-16:17)
3) The Ordinances
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Civil Code (16:18-20:20)
Social Code (21-26)
System of justice, criminal laws, laws of warfare, social justice,
Rules of property, family morality
The Requirement of the Lord – Deut. 10:12-13
“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but …
• to fear the Lord your God
• to walk in all His ways
• to love Him
• to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul
• to keep the Lord’s commandments and His statutes
(which I am commanding you today for your good?)
Why are God’s laws for our good?
1) Because God will bless or curse
2) They are fitting to our nature
The Origin of God’s Moral Laws:
1) PURPOSE
2) DESIGN
3) LAW
The 10 Commandments:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
You shall have no other gods
You shall not make for yourself an idol
(shall not worship or serve them)
You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain
Observe the sabbath day to keep it holy
Honor your father and mother
You shall not murder
You shall not commit adultery
You shall not steal
You shall not bear false witness
You shall not covet
“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require from
you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and
love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul, and to keep the Lord’s commandments
and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good?”
Deut.10:12-13
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His commandments are for our good!
1) PURPOSE
2) DESIGN
3) LAW
The Shema:
1) Hear, O Israel – Listen & Obey
2) The Lord (YHWH) is our God (elohim), the Lord is one (echod)!
3) You shall love YHWH (Adoni) your God …
4) These words/commands shall be on your heart
5) you shall teach them diligently to your sons
6) you shall talk of them … sit … walk … lie down … rise up
7) you shall bind them …
8) you shall write them …