July 25, 2026

Torah: Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11

Prophets: Isaiah 40:1-26

Gospel: Luke 3:2-15*

Quick Recap:

This weeks’ portion begins with the division of the land on the east side of the Jordan to the Reubenites, Gadites and half tribe of Manasseh. Although they were given the land they must still cross over ahead of the other Israelites until the other tribes have been given rest. Moses was forbidden to cross the Jordan with them but tells them not to be afraid that God would go with them and fight for them. Moses tells the Israelites repeatedly to be sure they follow the decrees and laws in the land they are entering and to remember all their eyes have seen. He forbade Idolatry by reminded them that the LORD is their God. In chapter five we are given the ten commandments in their entirety followed by the Shema in chapter six. The portion ends with the reminder that God is a faithful covenant keeping God!

Key Verses:

Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.Deuteronomy 4:9

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.” Deuteronomy 6:4-6

Reflection:

Throughout today’s scriptures the Israelites are told to remember and obey. The Jews have done an amazing Job of remembering. But much like us they haven’t done the best job of obeying and the consequences of that are seen throughout the scriptures. God is a faithful God keeping his covenants to a thousand generations. We know this to be true because he has kept his promises to the Jewish people to this very day.  Thankfully his faithfulness does not depend on our obedience. 

 Moses continually called the Israelites to remember because when we remember God’s faithfulness, we can trust him to be faithful again. When we are going through trials, we often forget all that God has done for us and begin to rely on ourselves or other things. Just like the Israelites we want what the nations around us have and seek security in the wrong places. This is the age-old sin of Idolatry. Anytime we put anything before God or trust in anything or anyone outside of the LORD we are committing Idolatry.  God knew we need a constant reminder to the faithfulness of God. The Jewish people have that reminder in the beautiful prayer they pray every morning and evening called the Shema. 

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. Deuteronomy 6:4-5 

shmah yee-sׂrah-ayl ah-doh-noi eh-loh-hay-noo ah-doh-noi eh-khahd.

bah-rookh shem ki-vohd mahl-khoo-toh li-oh-lahm vah-ehd.

Listen the LORD is one, we are to love him with all our heart, soul and strength. This prayer is a call to LISTEN and to LOVE the LORD. Because when we love God and obey his commands as described in the Shema then his love and commands are central in our lives. That love calls us to obedience. Jesus was a devout Jew he would have regularly recited the Shema. When the pharisees tried to trap Jesus by asking him what is the greatest commandment in the law? Jesus’ reply was

 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Mathew 22:37-40  A very Jewish answer from our Jewish Savior.

When we love God and keep him first, we will follow his commands out of that love for him. The Jewish people have written this prayer on tiny scrolls and placed them in leather boxes bond on their foreheads and tied on their left arm. These practices show how extremely significant the role the Shema plays in daily Jewish life. It stems from a desire to remember and to constantly be reminded of what God has done. When we listen and love the LORD there is a desire for obedience to him.

Life Application:

The love for God is essential in both the Jew and Christian life. As Christians we can gain wisdom from the words of the Shema. Our life should be characterized by our love for God, and it should be seen in our obedience and in loving our neighbor as ourselves. Loving God should call us to obey to his commands not out of obligation but out of our love for him. What he desires from us is our hearts. 

Both Jews and Christians have gotten this wrong. We tend to follow tradition and law out of obligation. But that means nothing to God, in fact he hates it. He told the prophet Hosea “For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” Hosea 6:6 To truly love someone is to know them and to desire what they desire. The Shema calls us to keep God central in our lives by obeying his commands out of love.

Takeaway: We should pursue obedience out of love for the Lord not out of obligation.