In this video listen to Deuteronomy 6 read by David Alley, followed by comments and prayer.
In Deuteronomy 6 we have a chapter devoted to the first law of the ten commandments. In it we see a major theme of Deuteronomy, obedience. Blind obedience is to be commended, but in reality, God seeks to impart understanding, hence a speech such as this. If we do not care for God, and put his law to the side thinking we understand it, our lack of understanding results in lack of obedience.
But if we seek to understand why, it results in such clarity of heart and mind, that it changes us, and it becomes our delight to obey. Chapter 6 is where we start to see more clearly the theme, although it has been there all along in the book. Jesus quotes from Deuteronomy 6 a number of times in his later gospel ministry. Here are the words that Christ used in Matt 22:34-40 when debating with the Pharisees.
They asked what was the greatest commandment and he quoted verse 5. The heart is the seat of desire, it is what you care about. These are not laws to be kept out of obligation, or fear of punishment, but out of it mattering to you.
Many believers follow the Lord more legalistically, but it is supposed to be something that we want to keep, not feel the need to keep. Later in Jeremiah the new covenant was prophesied to be “written on your heart.” So when one is truly saved by Christ, they now desire to keep the Lord’s ways.
This is where the love of God in the heart begins. In his testing in the desert with Satan, Jesus also quoted from verses 13 and 16. His second quote “do not test the Lord your God” is a clear bible statement about the divinity of Jesus.
We also consider monotheism in this chapter in light of the verse 4 saying, “the Lord is one.” Why would you have to say that the Lord is one, if there is only one God, but it makes sense later when we see God is three persons.