“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” (Deuteronomy 6: 4-5, NKJV)

This part of the book of Deuteronomy is referred to as the “Shema” or “Hear” in the Jewish daily morning and evening public worship services. These words may also be called “the creed of the Jews.”

Image courtesy of Olive Tree Bible Software.

This a strong statement against polytheism. It asserts that the God of Israel is absolutely God, and no one else! He and He alone, is Yahweh the absolute, God, who made Himself known to Israel.

Since there is One God, he deserved to be loved unreservedly and entirely. “Heart” here refers to the seat of the understanding; the “soul” as the center of will and personality; and “might” as representing the outgoings and energies of all the vital powers.

The truth is, no matter how hard we try to do what is right, we would be unable to keep God’s law unless we first have a strong and genuine love for God. Love for him for would give us the inner power to live in his ways. The essence of this is to love out of a pure heart as stated by Paul in his letter to Titus (Titus 1:5) and explained by Jesus in Matthew 22:36-40.

References:

MySword for Android. Riversoft Ministry, 2011-2019.

Olive Tree Bible Software, 1998-2019.

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