“Imprint these words of Mine on your hearts and minds, bind them as a sign on your hands, and let them be a symbol on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down, and when you get up. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your city gates.” Deuteronomy 11:18-20
We live in a world of inundation. Especially when it comes to advertising. Did you know it’s estimated that the average individual today will encounter between 4,000 to 10,000 ads daily. Yes, you read that right, daily. This includes all forms of advertising, from traditional media like TV and radio, to digital platforms such as social media, search engines, and websites. And with the invent of the good ol’ smartphone, those thousands of ads can bombard any eyes that are willing to simply hold their phone. There is no doubt, the world has a message to sell and it is very good at doing so. But the truly alarming fact is that many times, during our daily ad deluge, we are completely unaware that we are even being spoken to. A message is constantly reaching our ears, many times subconsciously, that we have no control over. And so, the dilemma posits, what are you hearing more of, the message of God or the message of this world?
Moses, in the book of Deuteronomy, is retelling the laws, commandments, and statutes of God. (Dueteronomy means “repeated law”) And considering that the entire last generation dropped dead in the wilderness because of their belligerent refusal to enter the promised land God has guaranteed them, it is time for the new generation to be thoroughly reminded of the commandments of God. Yet as Moses teaches the law all over again, it seems to come out different. I hear a tone to Moses’ teaching in the book of Deuteronomy that seems to cut through the noise of the human condition and gets straight to the gut punch. And folks, we need that same gut punch today from God’s Word. In fact, we need it even more thanks to us being relentlessly pelted with the message of seemingly everything but the Word of God.
In our study verse above Moses elegantly moves from teaching to exhortation in one single declaration. The difference between the two being that teaching is, well, teaching. Teaching the Word of God is reading, explaining, examining cultural and historical context, and applying differences in historical grammar and wording. But exhortation is the “how to.” Exhortation is not studying the making of the tire, but putting it to pavement. You see, we are all clearly called in James 1:22 to not simply “hear” the Word of God but to “do” it. And in our verse above, Moses never gets clearer in how to “do” the Word of God.
God calls us to not just acknowledge, affirm, or even superficially read His Word, but to imprint it upon our hearts. Folks, if you imagine an old printing press hammering the plate of God’s Word onto your heart, you get the idea of this verse. It’s one of intentionality and permanence. And just how do you do that? Two words…constant exposure. You see, at the foundational core level of this life, you will surround yourself with what you love. And as a result, that love drives you to yet additional exposure. And what you love, you grow to love more. Hard question…where does the Word of God fit in your top five things loved in this world? Be honest with yourself. For it is within your answer that you will truly discover the rest of this verse.
The beginning of this verse (”bind them as a sign on your hands, and let them be a symbol on your foreheads”) was responsible for many Jews taking it literally and creating small leather pouches called phylacteries with scripture inside which they would tie around their arms and foreheads. And it’s still observed today. In fact, the other day I saw an observant Jew on one of my flights and he had a phylactery tied around his arm. But even this practice was polluted by prideful human sin as certain Pharisees would make their phylacteries bigger and more ornately decorated to symbolize their importance over others. (And Jesus called them out on it in Matthew 23:5.) But the idea of this practice remains in its symbolism, the Word of God should be a part of who you are, constantly attached to your being.
The part of this verse that truly speaks to me is what God is asking of us in our daily walk in relation to Him and His Word. We are to first teach it to our children. After all, if God’s Word is in your top 5 loved things in the world, how could you not teach and share it with your beloved children? And secondly, it is to rule our days. We are to speak of the truth of God’s Word in our homes and in public, and do it from the time rise until we retire our day with sleep. We are to be so saturated with the Word of God that we are eager to paint it above our doorframe (a reference to Passover, Exodus 12:7) and etch it into the gates of the entrance to our cities for all to see. The Word of God is to surround us on every side, at all times, everywhere we look, proclaiming a message to the world…this heart belongs to God and loves God. And because of that love, this heart is willing to walk in obedience to what He has asked. It brings to mind possibly one of the clearest, simplest sentences Jesus ever uttered as He walked this planet:
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Jesus Christ speaking in John 14:15
Friends, if you love Jesus, you will love His Words and keep His Words. And to do that you must know those Words better than you know anything else on this planet. And to do that you should have constant never-ending exposure to them over everything else in this world. Imprint the Word of God on your heart and have scripture ready in mind to quote from memory as God requires it of you. In fact, did you know that when Jesus combatted satan’s temptation in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11) that all three times He thwarted the attack by quoting the Word of God from the very book of Deuteronomy? You should teach it to your children so that when they grow up they will not stray from its truth. (Proverbs 22:6) And you should freely let your day be dominated by it. Speak it in your house, while at work, while in the car, and while waiting for the doctor. Speak it silently into your own heart and speak it verbally to others that God places in your path. Write it upon the doorframe of your house so all that enter will know whom you love and serve. And as an ambassador of Christ, claim your city for Him and declare His Words over the gates of your land.
Folks, there is only way to combat the dark, evil message that satan’s world is so readily selling you…with the truth and light of the very Words of Almighty God. Keep them close, keep them in hand…keep them everywhere you look.
May you abide in His Words today as never before ~ blessings to you, Dan
“If you abide in Me, and My Words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you.” Jesus Christ speaking in John 15:7
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