You
shall fear Yahweh your God; and you shall serve him, and shall swear by his name. You shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the peoples who are around you; for Yahweh your God among you is a jealous God; lest the anger of Yahweh your God be kindled against you, and he destroy you from off the face of the earth.
Deuteronomy 6:13-15
Deuteronomy 6 [10.] It shall be, when Yahweh your God brings you into the land which he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you, great and goodly cities, which you didn’t build, and houses full of all good things, which you didn’t fill, and cisterns dug out, which you didn’t dig, vineyards and olive trees, which you didn’t plant, and you shall eat and be full; then beware lest you forget Yahweh, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall fear Yahweh your God; and you shall serve him, and shall swear by his name. You shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the peoples who are around you;
Deuteronomy 6 [15.] for Yahweh your God among you is a jealous God; lest the anger of Yahweh your God be kindled against you, and he destroy you from off the face of the earth. You shall not tempt Yahweh your God, as you tempted him in Massah.
Meaning:
- A Threefold Call:
You shall fear Yahweh your God, and you shall serve him and swear by his name: The passage opens with a threefold call—to fear, serve, and swear by the name of Yahweh. This isn't a mere checklist; it's an invitation into a comprehensive relationship with God.
- Rejecting Other gods:
You shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the peoples who are around you: This command is not merely a prohibition against polytheism; it's a call to reject anything that vies for the central place in our hearts—be it tangible or intangible gods.
- Divine Jealousy:
For Yahweh your God among you is a jealous God: The term "jealous" here doesn't imply human pettiness. It's a divine jealousy born out of a profound love and desire for an exclusive relationship with His people.
- Consequences of Straying:
Lest the anger of Yahweh your God be kindled against you, and he destroy you from off the face of the earth: The passage concludes with a solemn warning, highlighting the potential consequences of straying from this exclusive covenant relationship.
- Significance:
Holistic Devotion: Deuteronomy 6:13-15 calls for a holistic devotion. It's not about compartmentalizing our faith; it's an invitation to integrate our reverence, service, and commitment to God into every facet of our lives.
Exclusive Loyalty: The rejection of other gods emphasizes the exclusive loyalty owed to Yahweh. In a world full of distractions and competing ideologies, this command stands as a compass directing us back to our primary allegiance.
Divine Jealousy as Love: The mention of God's jealousy isn't a flaw but a testament to His passionate love. It's a jealousy that desires an intimate, exclusive connection with us, akin to the exclusivity expected in a sacred covenant.
Relevance for Today:
Integration of Faith: In a world that often compartmentalizes faith, these verses call us to integrate our reverence for God into our daily lives, allowing it to influence our actions, decisions, and relationships.
Identifying Modern gods: We're prompted to identify the modern gods that subtly compete for our devotion—be it materialism, societal approval, or ideologies that challenge the supremacy of God in our lives.
Cross-References:
Exodus 20:2-5: "I am Yahweh your God... You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath..." A parallel passage from the Ten Commandments emphasizing the exclusive worship of Yahweh.
Joshua 24:15: "But as for me and my house, we will serve Yahweh." Joshua's declaration echoes the sentiment of serving Yahweh exclusively, emphasizing a conscious choice to remain faithful.
James 4:4: "You adulterers and adulteresses, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." A New Testament perspective on the dangers of divided loyalty, resonating with the theme of exclusive devotion.
In Our Daily Lives: Deuteronomy 6:13-15 serves as a constant reminder in our journey of faith. It prompts us to assess the sincerity of our devotion, guiding us back to the core principles of fear, service, and commitment to the one true God.
idolatry
PIB Scriptures are derived from the World English Bible