Hear, O Israel:
The LORD our God,
the LORD is one
Bible Rank: 51
It's funny how scripture connects. Yesterday we sighted Deuteronomy 6:5 and asked how we can love God -- heart, soul, strength, and mind?
That's the "Shema." It's one of Israel's most important verses. God's people are commanded to ...
· "7 Recite them to your children ..."
· "7 to ... talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise."
· "8 [To] bind them as a sign on your hand"
· "8 [To] fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and ...
· "9 [To] write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."
If you've ever been to a Jewish home, you'll see a little casing attached to their door frame. In it is a little piece of paper with the command to love God with our all -- all our heart, soul, strength, and mind.
Today's verse is the lead-in to this command.
What is it saying?
We'd be incorrect to think it's a Trinitarian reference. (Although our God is one.)
Rather, it is a reminder that the ancient world (and a billion people still today, largely Hindus) believe that there are many gods. When this is saying is that there is one God and one God alone. We are warned to not chase after the philosophies and priorities and pagan practices of this world. Rather, we are called to love the one true God with our all.
In Christ's Love,
a guy who doesn't have
a mizzuzah on his doorpost
(but does have Christ in his heart)
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