THE COMMANDMENT AND THE NEW LAND The relationship of the people with God is set upon the foundation of accepting the covenant, in which God proclaims His perfect and exalted love for humanity; who, on its side, is committed to obedience to His voice, and to longing to His commandment, from the whole heart; and not just from the lips. That is why He clarified to them the necessity of preoccupation with the commandment, when they come to enjoy the new land. By that, the commandment would become a cause for remembering the work of God with them; instead of being preoccupied with the good things, and forgetting the commandment of God. 1. The commandment and the land flowing with milk and honey 1-3. 2. The commandment as a companion of the believer wherever he goes 4-9. 3. The commandment and the enjoyment of the blessings 10-19. 4. The commandment and remembering the liberation from servitude 20-25. 1. THE COMMANDMENT AND THE LAND FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY As the people were about to enter into the land flowing with milk and honey, the prophet Moses feared lest they would become preoccupied with the land, away from the commandment, and with the temporal blessings of the Lord, away from His Person. That is why he intended to confirm, in any possible way, the following points: (1) The commandments and judgments he is presenting to them, are not his own but are from the Lord Himself. “Now this is the commandment, and these are the statutes and judgments which the Lord has commanded to teach you, that you may observe them in the land which you are crossing over to possess” (Deut. 6:1). They are the Lord’s commandments, and not Moses’. So it is fitting for the ministers of Christ to present His commandments, through which He transfigures to His listeners, and becomes present in the midst of His people. That is why the evangelist Matthew ends his gospel by the words of the Lord Christ: “Teach them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of age” (Matthew 28:20). The book of Deuteronomy came to clarify the role of man, and that of God in the covenant made between them. The prophet Moses often repeats the words: “Hear,” “look,” “keep,” and “observe,” as the roles of the believer; whereas those of God is are: to “grant,” to “increase,’ and to “bless.” (2) To receive the commandment in our practical daily life: “to observe,” namely, to cross over the River Jordan with it, and to bring it into the new land, as a constitution for their practical life. “That you may fear the Lord your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, you and your son and your grandson, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged” (Deut. 6:2). Coming to possess the new land, they are committed to practice a new life, 7 with a new mind, and a new divine law. (3) The believer receiving the commandment as a treasure to keep and to deliver to his children and grandchildren, it is fitting for him to turn the commandment into a “fear of the Lord” (2); and to keep” all His statutes and judgments.” As teaching by the tongue, and not by the heart and behavior, would be like writing on water. I already likened ‘fearing God’ in our study of the book of Proverbs, to the fear of the son, lest he may hurt the feelings of his father. This is the kind of fear that we should deliver to the coming generations, through the living practical tradition; in order to have prolongation of our days; on account of the fact that the holy days of our grandchildren are to be counted as though our own. As the corrupt son so kills the heart of his parents, that they count their days as lost and shortened. So the pious son or grandson brings joy to the heart of his parents and grandparents, and prolongs their life in the Lord. (4) If the people are going to possess a land full of good things as a divine gift; there would be greater goodness and better sweetness, for the believers to find in the commandment; saying: “Therefore hear, O Israel, and be careful to observe it, that it may be well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the Lord God of your fathers has promised you – ‘a land flowing with milk and honey’” (Deut. 6:3). As they enter into the land of Canaan, it is fitting for us to enter into the land of the commandment through the obedience to God, in order that our souls would be fulfilled with goodness, and would be in need of nothing more. By it, we would enter into heaven itself, and through it, the Creator of heaven Himself, would transfigure in us. 2. THE COMMANDMENT AS A COMPANION OF THE BELIEVER WHEREVER HE GOES “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 might” (Deut. 6:4-5). The pious Jews consider the two verses 4 and 5, as the most wonderful in the Holy Scripture. Reciting them, together with Deut. 11:13-21; Numbers 15:37-41, at least three times per day, would bless him who utter them, and who practically consummates them. The two verses are known as ‘Shima,’ the first Hebrew word in them. The Lord Christ has quoted these two verses, as being the foremost and greatest commandments; with the addition of the words: “and with all your mind” (Mark 12:30). The Hebrew word used here and translated as “one,” is (ahad); which does not contradict the dogma of the ‘Holy Trinity’ in Christianity; namely, ‘Trinity in Oneness.’ There is another Hebrew word that can be translated as ‘one’ – (Yaheed), designating absolute oneness, to which certain other religions hold fast; meaning the oneness of the one essence; namely the atomic oneness that is unbreakable; a word that is not the one used here. Here, we have the faith in the oneness of God, mixed with love, something not required by any other religion. The Jews used to write down the last letter of the first and last word, in order to draw the attention of the reader to this phrase; being the greatest and most important of the commandments. He did not say “speak,” but he said “hear” (4). 8 ‘Eve’ fell because she spoke to her man with what she did not hear from her God. The first word said to you by God is “Hear.;” If you do hear, you get aware of your way; And if you fall, you can quickly mend it. As “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to the word of the Lord” (Psalm 119:9). That is why, and before anything else, keep quiet and hear, lest you fall by your tongue. It is such a great evil for man to be judged by his own mouth1. St. Ambrose What does he mean by saying: “Jehovah, our God (Eloheemnuw); Jehovah is one” (4)? a. The believer treasures the name “Jehovah,” because it is the name designated to God, (who dwells among His people); “Eloheem” the “Almighty” and the “Creator.” But we treasure it more so, because of His dwelling among His people, in their hearts. b. If He is the Almighty “Eloheem,” He is our Lord; whose might or exalted possibilities are all on our account. We acquire Him to work in and with us. c. The prophet Moses presented the dogma of the oneness of God, together with a hint to the ‘Trinity,’ in a way appropriate to the Jews as infants in the spiritual and theological knowledge at that time. Together with confirming the oneness of God, in saying “The Lord our God is one God” (4), he repeats the name of the Lord three times; being a “Trinity.” The prophet Moses presents to us the One God, the spring which floods with what fulfills all the earthly and the heavenly creatures; instead of the belief in several gods, the dry springs, that are unable to go deep into the depths of the soul to quench its thirst. There is One God in One God; and not two gods. As it is written, there is One God; One Lord (Jehovah); and not two Lords2. The Law confirms the oneness of the Godhead, speaking of One God. If, as the apostle Paul says about Christ: “In Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9), we are committed to confess that the Father and the Son are one Godhead3. St. Ambrose “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might” (Deut. 6:5). These same words, were said by the Lord Christ, confirming that God will accept nothing but the whole heart, seeking all our love in exchange of all the love He is giving us. By entering into our depths, He makes the heart more straight, the soul more sweet, the love more pure, more giving, and undivided; and turns the inner being into a spring of living water that flows over everyone. Love would not be confined in the prison of the ‘self,’ but would always fly high in heaven to give generously and without measure, would fly with its two wings as though to heaven, to gain from it its pure and holy features, and then to return to earth to work with a new spirit. In the last chapter he spoke of the pious man who fears God, the way a son fears his father. Here we see the Philanthropic God, presenting to us the commandment to love Him! We have no knowledge of a king, a ruler, or a leader, 1 St. Ambrose: Duties of the Clergy, Book 1, ch. 2 (7). 2 St. Ambrose: The Christian Fait, Book.1,3 (23). 3 St. Ambrose: The Christian Fait, Book 3, 12 (102). 9 who makes a law, and asks his subjects to love him in exchange of his love for them. He asks us to love Him, being the Lord of all, and being God who makes a covenant with us. He seeks a love that comes from the whole heart, seeing our depths as His heavenly kingdom. He asks us to love Him with all our souls, namely to love Him, not just through the emotions and feelings of the heart, but through true understanding and comprehension. He asks us also to love Him with all our might, namely to use all our energies and talents to express this love. It always seems fitting to give God your mind, the greatest thing you have1. St. Ambrose We should incite the love of the bridegroom, namely the soul, according to the Scripture: “You shall love the Lord your God2.” St. Ambrose The expression “from all…” we may add that there should not be any division within3. St. Basil the Great St. Gregory of Nyssa, in his talk ‘On the Making of Man,’ says: [Human life constitutes a unit with three sides. Something similar is also taught by the apostle Paul in his epistle to the Ephesians, that he prays for them to have the complete grace for the body, the soul, and the Spirit, until the coming of the Lord. We use the term ‘the body’ to refer to the process of physical fulfillment; ‘the soul’ to refer to the biological aspect; and the ‘spirit’ to the mental dimension. In the same way, the Lord instructs the author of the gospel to write before each of the commandment, that the love for God has to be practiced from all the heart, the soul, and the mind (Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27), an expression that embraces the whole human being4.] Origen, St. Augustine and others, often spoke of the mystery of the figure 3 (from all your heart, from all your soul, and from all your might), as referring to the resurrection together with Christ on the third day. Worshipping God with all the risen heart, with all the soul, and with the entire mind, we proclaim the resurrection of Christ in us; and practice the new life in Him5. St. Basil the Great believes that man bears energy of love, either to edify, or to destroy him. That is why, when we love God, we are committed to translate this love into a power of work for edification6. “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart” (Deut. 6:6). If the commandment is not in the heart, it does not exist. But if it occupies the heart, it sets forth to the mind to direct through it man’s thoughts and concepts. From another aspect, he who loves God will love His words and commandments. When the commandment occupies the heart, this is a sign of God’s possession of it. The greatest memory is in the heart. When the commandment is stored in the heart, man will never forget it, but will always remember it. All his being will conform according to what is kept in his heart. God asks us to carry the commandment wherever we go. By keeping it in his heart, man will do just that. “You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them 1 St. Ambrose: Duties of the Clergy, Book 2, 50 (262). 2 St. Ambrose: Concerning Virginity, Book 2:6 (40). 3 Exegetic homilies, hom. 17. 4 On the Making of Man, 8:5. 5 St. Augustine: On Ps. 6. 6 Exegetic Homilies, hom. 17. 10 when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up” (Deut. 6:7). When the commandment enters into the heart, the believer becomes able to teach his children and his grandchildren by the language of love and simplicity, together with a flaring zeal and faithfulness. Man, and in particular the children, love to be talked to through the heart; their hearts joyfully accepts what emerges from their parents’ hearts. He says, “You shall teach them to your children, and shall talk of them” (7). He asks us not just to recite the commandments, but also to diligently teach them to our children. A father should not take the role of a teacher who gives sermons and orders, but should speak with the language of love; “to teach and talk.” Entering into the heart, the word of God becomes an integral part of our life, of which we talk by the spirit of love and the language of life. When the heart of a true believer becomes spacious with love, he would bear a shadow of God’s fatherhood. He would feel that all those around him are, as though, his own children. His teaching the commandment will not stop at his children according to the flesh, but will go further to every man, to bring everybody over to glory. “You shall talk of them when you sit in your house” (7). When the believer sits in his house, with the spouse, the children, the servants, or the friends, he feels as though he is in the house of the Lord. His talk with his household will be in the Lord; what he utters will be what the Lord Himself does; namely, he will joyfully bear the words of the Lord to them; He will talk of nothing but the words of the Lord. When you get back from the house of the Lord to your house, discuss what you heard there with your household. Do like when you return from a garden with a rose or any kind of flower or fruit in your hand; or when you return from a banquet with some delicious food for those at home. What you bring back from the house of the Lord is of much greater and longer benefit, and will never wither or get corrupt1. St. John Chrysostom “And when you walk by the way” (7): The believer will not be ashamed of talking about the commandment of the Lord even on the way, to strangers. “When you lie down, and when you rise up” (7): The commandment preoccupies the believer’s whole being all day long, until it is time for him to lie down to sleep, when it gets even to his dreams. “You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes” (Deut. 6:8). It was the custom in the old world, to bind the hand or the finger with a thread to remind one of something urgent and important. If the word is to be stored in the heart, yet it should also be written on the hand, namely, to turn it into action. We should testify to the word both by our hearts and by our mouth and deeds; in order to let others feel, hear, and see them. “They shall be as frontlets between your eyes” (8): so that the believer would meditate on it; and his mind would be preoccupied by it all the time. “You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates” (Deut. 6:9). It should reign on the heart, the tongue, the hands, the eyes, and the house; so 1 Concerning the Statues, hom. 6:18. 11 as not to leave an opening through which the enemy can enter to occupy a place in man; whose senses and behavior should all be sanctified; to become a readable message of Christ to everyone. Some consider the word “write” to be wrongly chosen, claiming that writing was not known at that time. But modern excavations proved that writing was known in the days of Moses,’ in the cuneiforms (a language its alphabet is in the shape of nails) and Hebrew alphabets. Moses, and probably others, including Joshua, learned how to write in Egypt (Acts 7:22). Yet, as the majority were illiterate, it was common to use scribes to do the job. The early Christians used to have certain verses of the Bible, written on the walls and gates of their churches as well as of their houses, to keep them all the time displayed before their eyes, God has previously commanded the children of Israel to put blood of the Passover lamb on the two doorposts and on the lintel of their houses (Exodus 12:7). And now He commands them to write the commandment on the doorposts and the gates of their houses (Deut 6:9). Thus the blood of the Passover, which grants salvation, would be connected to the commandment. The blood saves us saved from death, to receive, through the commandment, the enjoyment of the union with the word of God, in the worthiness of His blood. In other words, faith in the blood is not to be isolated from the enjoyment of receiving the Holy Bible, and of entering into its depths, to encounter the slain Christ as a personal friend. Union between the blood and the commandment also means union between faith and the practical obedience to God through His commandment. St. Athanasius the Apostolic believes that the faithful and righteous ministers of the Lord, have become disciples of the Kingdom of heaven, from which they deliver new and old products, and who contemplate on the word of God, while sitting in their houses, lying down, waking up, or walking by the way1. Through their enjoyment of the commandment, wherever they go, and under any circumstances, they realize that they are the children of the Kingdom of heaven. Having talked to us about the commandment and its connection to setting a covenant with God, here, he reveals to us our commitment to enjoying the commandment in our inner life, as a living experience, together with testifying to it at home, among coworkers, and among strangers. This text conforms to the words of the Lord Christ to His disciples, concerning the preaching (Acts 19:8). The commandment is actually a union with the word of God; who, alone, can take away from man his feeling of isolation; through dwelling in his heart (6); becoming the subject of his preoccupation in his family relationship (7); keeping him company on his way (7), when he lies down, when he rises up (7); during his daily work (8), and filling his whole mind and his inner insight (8). With the same spirit, the Lord Christ commands His disciple to preach, first in Jerusalem, then in Judea, Samaria, and to the end of the world. * These words, which I command, you today shall be in your heart… to witness to me in Jerusalem. * You shall teach them diligently to your children… and in Judea. * And shall talk of them when you sit in your house…and in Samaria. * When you walk by the way… and to the end of the world. The call is for a continuous testimony to the Lord and His commandment, but with the spirit of wisdom; in the right time, and in the fitting way. 1 Paschal Epistles, 11:6 12 Although I confirm that it is fitting for us to think of God, even more often than we breathe, yet I hope you will do it prudently and within reason. Eating too much honey can cause vomiting, and according to the wise Solomon, there is time for everything. What is good can lose its goodness if not practiced in the right way1. St. Gregory of Nyssa 3. THE COMMANDMENT AND THE ENJOYMENT OF BLESSINGS Having talked about the necessity for man to be bound to the divine commandment with his whole being, wherever he may be, and under all circumstances, the prophet Moses gave a special warning against disregarding the commandment when man enjoys the blessings and the good fortune. Those, although are gifts from God, yet if they occupy the place of the divine commandment in the heart, they will lose their goodness. “And it shall be, when the Lord your God brings you into the land which he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give you large and beautiful cities which you did not build, houses full of good things, which you did not fill, hewn out wells, which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees, which you did not plant – when you have eaten and are full – then beware, lest you forget the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage” (Deut. 6:10-12). It is God who got His people out of the house of bondage; granted them a flood of blessings, and brought them into the land, which He promised their fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Yet He warns them against diverting from Him, once they get fulfilled and lead a life of pleasure. They should never forget the Lord, but should rather seek him, to join Him in a new heaven and a new land. If He gave them great cities, which they did not build; instead of wandering in the wilderness carrying their tents like nomads, it is fitting for them to anticipate settling down in the bosom of God the Father, in the higher Jerusalem, with its exalted walls, and buildings which are not built by man. Given houses full of good things, they should seek Him, the Giver of these good things. Having come to the Promised Land to find wells they did not labor to dig; they should seek the inexhaustible fountain of life. Having been brought into a land with vineyards and olive trees, which they did not plant, to eat and be fulfilled, they should seek the food of angels, the heavenly food that fulfills the heart. As I enjoy the free gifts of the Lord, it is fitting for me to seek the Giver of these gifts; and not to become preoccupied by the gifts and forget their Giver “lest I be full and deny you, and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’”(Proverbs 30:6). When Hezekiah was afflicted, he put on sackcloth and humbled himself before the Lord to save him. But once he was relieved of affliction, he fell through the haughtiness of his heart (2 Kings 30:9). The children of Israel, when they were afflicted in bondage, they increased greatly in number. Yet once they were left to themselves, they were doomed to destruction2. St. John Chrysostom When you start to sink deep in the pleasures of abundance, remember the potential loss that is sure to follow; as man often spends much on things that would cause 1 A Preliminary Discourse Against the Eunomians, 5. 2 In Acts, hom. 16. 13 him much harm. Remember those who brought evil on themselves because of them: ‘Noah,’ who got drunk and was disgracefully exposed; beside the evil things that came as a result of his act! (Genesis 9:20) ‘Esau,’ who lost his firstborn rights because of his greed; and ended up thinking of killing his own brother. “The children of Israel sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play”(Exodus 32:6). That is why the Holy Bible says: “When you have eaten and are full – then beware lest you forget the Lord your God” (See Deut. 6:11, 12), as the people were on the verge of falling into the risks of abundance. It was said: “But she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives” (1 Timothy 5:6)1. St. John Chrysostom Antioch once faced eminent destruction when its people rebelled against Emperor Theodosius, and defaced his statues and those of the empress in the public place. When he sent his deputies to discipline the rebels, everyone cried out to the Lord seeking His mercy. Once the royal decree of amnesty came, St. John Chrysostom fearing that the people might forget their God through the ecstasy of their joy, said to them: As the catastrophe was eminent, I said it was not the time for preaching, but for praying. Now I say the same thing, even after the fire of fury was extinguished. Now, and more than ever, it is time for praying, for the alert and cautious soul, it is the time for tears and regret. When we were under the pressure of temptation, we were motivated to become more wise and religious. But now, when the cloud was lifted up, and scattered, and the judgment was (postponed), I fear that you may fell again in slothfulness, to hear the voice saying: “When He slew them… they returned and sought diligently for God” (Psalm 78:34). Your goodness will be proclaimed, if you continue practicing the same degree of piety2. St. John Chrysostom “You shall fear the Lord your God and serve Him, and shall take oaths in His name” (Deut. 6:13). He asks them to fear the Lord as a Law-Maker and a judge, to serve Him as a Creator, and to take oaths in His name as their only God. Taking oaths in the name of God have been a sign of trust, reverence, and close bond with Him, He went on to say: “You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are all around you” (Deut. 6:14). “Taking oaths” in Hebrew (Tishaabeea), derived from ‘shaaba,’ refers to the soul appealing to God to be a witness, and as a guarantee that a certain pledge uttered by somebody is going to be fully honored and realized. Therefore, he who takes oath is actually proclaiming his complete faith in God, who is capable of realizing what the believer promises his brethren3. “For the Lord your God is a jealous God among you; lest the anger of the Lord your God be aroused against you and destroy you from the face of the earth” (Deut. 6:15). 1 In Acts. hom. 27. 2 Concerning the Statues, hom. 17:2. 3 See Adam Clarke Commentary. 14 Having betrothed your souls as a heavenly Groom, it is fitting for you as a betrothed bride, to be faithful to Him, lest His love, would transform into a fiery jealousy that would consume the betraying soul. “You shall not tempt the Lord your God as you tempted Him in Massah” (Deut. 6:16). ‘Massah’ is a Hebrew word meaning “temptation,” the name of a location in the wilderness called ’Meribah’ or ‘Rephidim;’ where the people contended with the prophet Moses, and intended to stone him to death because of thirst (Exodus 17). The Lord Christ quoted that same expression in His response to one of Satan’s temptations (Matthew 4:7). And this principle was followed by St. Athanasius the Apostolic, when he fled from the face of the Arians; by the prophet Moses when he fled from Egypt to Median; by David when he hid himself in a cave from the face of Saul; and by Elijah and the prophets hid in their caves from the face of king Ahab1. The children of Israel tempted the Lord, saying: “Is the Lord among us or not?” (Exodus 17:7). They doubted God’s compassion, love, care, and power; and even His presence among them, after all the exalted gifts He granted them; and the infinite love, which He proved by several ways. I wish we never tempt the Lord, and say: ‘If we belong to You, grant us to perform a Miracle2.’ St. Augustine “You shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, His testimonies, and His statutes which He commanded you” (Deut. 6:17). He warns us against slothfulness; provoking us to diligently strive to keep the commandment, as the free gift of God does not work in the slothful and the lazy. 4- THE COMMANDMENT AND REMEMBERING THE LIBERATION FROM BONDAGE “And when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is the meaning of the testimonies, the statutes, and the judgments which the Lord our God has commanded you?’ Then you shall say to your son: ‘We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, and the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand’” (Deut. 6:20, 21). Here, the prophet Moses confirms two connected points: (1) Remembering God’s salvation working with us; to thank Him and obey Him without murmur; To remember how He gave us good and great cities we did not build (10); namely, sanctifying the soul, body, mind, feelings, and emotions; as though cities that we got into possession through the divine grace; How He granted us free fulfillment (houses full of good things, which we did not fill); a flood of the springs of the work of the inner Spirit of God (wells we did not dig), and the abundant fruits of the Spirit (vineyards and olive-trees which we did not plant, of which we ate and got fulfilled). (2) Testifying to God’s works, especially among the family (6:20-21); testifying that we were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt; and the Lord brought us out with a mighty hand. This testimony is tasted by the suckling infant, the little kid, the husband, the wife, and everyone we encounter; who gets in touch with the flaring of our inner heart with love, gratitude, and obedience; and not with the outer appearances of spiritless worship. Here, the Holy Bible gives the new generation the right to enquire about the 1 Apologia De Fuga, 25. 2 St. Augustine: On Ps. 91 (90). 15 meanings of the testimonies, the statutes, and the judgments, namely, what is behind the divine commandment, the laws, and the religious rites. The believer receives everything divine, through tradition from previous generations, yet tradition does not imply vagueness and lack of knowledge. It is fitting for us to enter into the depths of the divine word, and to understand every evangelic law, and every worshipping rite, in order to hand it over to the next generation, to worship by both the spirit and the mind, according to the words of the apostle Paul: “I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing also with the understanding”(1 Corinthians 14:15). It is fitting for the believer to dedicate all his energies, including his mind, and understanding, on the account of the kingdom of God. When you cross over the Red Sea, when you are led away from your transgressions by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, you will understand secrets you did not know. That is what happened to ‘Joseph,’ when he came to Egypt and heard a language he did not know… You will realize where your heart should be (Matthew 6:21); something that, so far, when I speak, many understand and marvel; while others stand like idiots; hearing a strange language they do not understand; to hasten to cross over and learn1. St. Augustine The prophet presents to us the secret behind every commandment, a statute, and a rite; which is the realization of God’s exalted love, and His salvation work for man; in order to carry us over from bondage, and to bring us over to the freedom of the glory of the children of God; saying: “Then you shall say to your son: ‘we were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, and the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. And the Lord showed signs and wonders before our eyes, great and severe against Egypt, Pharaoh, and his entire household. Then He brought us out from there, that He might bring us in, to give us the land of which He swore to our fathers. And the Lord commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is this day. Then it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to observe all these commandments before the Lord our God, as He has commanded us” (Deut. 6:21-25). It is the right of the son to enquire, and to get the convincing and satisfactory answer, that comes from a practical experience; as is clear in the words of the prophet Moses. Let us tell our children how we lived for some time in bondage; and how the Lord set us free from its burden. Let us not justify ourselves, as though we are angels, who carry a different nature from that of the new generation. Let us in weakness, confirm to them that we have been captivated in the darkness of the devil, before the grace of God lifted us up and set us free. This way, we shall provide our children with the spirit of hope, and give ourselves true dignity in their eyes. We should be prepared to answer those who ask us about the secret of the hope we have. Our faith is not provided to irrational beings. God, who created the reason and granted it to us, would never ask us to disregard our reason, but to sanctify it and make it grow. This way, our children would realize the secret of the strength in us, that it is not from us, but from God, who works in all generations, who wishes for all to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 1 St. Augustine: On Ps. 81. 16 It is therefore fitting for us to realize what is behind our faith dogmas and our worship practices, which are: 1. We have been slaves to the devil; and the Lord set us free of his bondage to be counted as the children of God (21). 2. Our philanthropic God performs great signs and wonders on account of those believing in Him, and presents His possibilities on account of our salvation. 3. His desire is to grant us the new land; namely, to bring us over to the new high heavenly Jerusalem. 4. That He might preserve us alive forever; that death would have no authority over us (24). The commandment and the worship are an encounter with the Lord, the Life and Grantor of life. 5. To bear His righteousness in us; to be justified before God the Father; hiding in His Holy and righteous Son (25). Thus we may realize what is behind the words of the Lord our God; that they are for our benefit, our life, our glory, and our eternal sanctification. On another aspect, the concepts that we present to our children or to others should emerge from a practical taste of God’s work with us. The book of Deuteronomy often refers to “swearing” to their fathers to give them the Promised Land (23). God swears by His divine self to confirm the truth of His promises; as He did to Abraham after his consent to sacrifice his own son Isaac, saying: “By Myself I have sworn; says the Lord” (Genesis 24:2). When Abraham asked his servant, who ruled over all that he had, to swear, he instructed him to put his hand under his thigh (Genesis 24:2), as a reference to the source of life. The Hindus swear by the water of the River Ganges; the Hebrews by the five books of the prophet Moses; the Christian makes the sign of the cross on himself, and kiss the Holy Bible, to confirm the truth of a promise1. 1 Adam Clarke Comm. 17 AN INSPIRATION FROM THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY (Chapter 6) YOUR COMMANDMENT IS MY RICH COMPANION By Your love, You brought me over to the storehouses of Your goods You care for me, to be in need of nothing. To acquire You, and to hold fast to Your commandment, is better than anything. It is my rich companion, who fulfills my whole being. Yes; Let Your commandment enter into my heart. Let me keep it in my depths; to be my companion wherever I go. Let me set forth with it together with my children and grandchildren. As, from what is in the heart, the tongue speaks. I have no inheritance to offer my beloved, but Your commandment. Let me utter it on my way. In both appropriate and inappropriate times; yet with fitting prudence. Let me be preoccupied by it alone. Your commandment brings me over into the heavenly Canaan. To enjoy a city that is not built by man. And to quench my thirst by the water of living springs, those of Your Holy Spirit. And to pluck the fruits of the Spirit; to bear Your features in myself. Your commandment sets me free from the bondage of the devil. And brings me over to Your heavenly sanctuaries. Great and rich is Your commandment. Let it always be my companion while awake, and during my sleep.
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