A Resolution to Love God and God Alone (Deuteronomy 6:4-5)

Children's Lesson (click here)

I. Heart and Soul

About 3000 years ago, when Saul was king over Israel, there was regular conflict with a people group called the Philistines. In 1 Samuel 14, during one of these times of conflict, Saul's son Jonathan, felt compelled to spy out a nearby garrison of the enemy army. Listen to the following exchange between him and his armor-bearer. This is 1 Samuel 14:6–7...

Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the LORD will work for us, for nothing can hinder the LORD from saving by many or by few.” [7] And his armor-bearer said to him, “Do all that is in your heart. Do as you wish. Behold, I am with you heart and soul.”

Even though Jonathan's expression and example of faith here is worth further consideration, as we begin our study this morning, I want you to think with me about the final words from... his assistant: “Behold, I am with you heart and soul.” What might this young man be saying? I believe the language and context here point to these words as an expression of a deeply sincere and singular devotion. He is not wavering. He isn't unsure about Jonathan. Regardless of where his master leads him, he is willing to risk even his life. “I am with you heart and soul.”

II. The Passage: “You Shall Love Yahweh” (6:4-5)

Keep that Hebrew expression in mind and look with me at Deuteronomy 6. After reviewing both God's saving works among them and God's covenant commandments to them, listen to how Moses encourages the people toward heartfelt obedience in verses 4 and 5.

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. [5] You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”

As many of you might know, both of these verses are incredibly famous. The first, verse 4, is known in Judaism as the Shema, and remains, to this day, a regular part of daily, Jewish prayers and the central expression of Jewish belief. The second verse here, verse 5, is well-known because of what Jesus himself taught during his earthly ministry. We encountered this teaching in our readings last week. This is Mark 12:28–30...

And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” [29] Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. [30] And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’

But even though these verses are incredibly well-known and treasured, one of the things we might miss here is the relationship between these two verses, especially in light of the original context of Deuteronomy 6. Jesus understood the connection. That's why, when asked about the “most important” commandment, he began by quoting Deuteronomy 6:4 as the introduction to the commandment of Deuteronomy 6:5. So how are verses 4 and 5 connected?

Well, to understand that connection, the first thing we need to do is make sure we understand what 6:4 is actually saying. In terms of the context, I think an extremely helpful passage in making sense of 6:4 is found less than two chapters earlier, in Deuteronomy 4:34–35.

[Moses declares to the people...] Or has any god ever attempted to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, and by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great deeds of terror, all of which the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? [35] To you it was shown, that you might know that the LORD is God; there is no other besides him.

I believe it's that language and that emphasis, evident throughout Deuteronomy, that points us to a better translation of Deuteronomy 6:4. “Hear, O Israel: Yahweh is our God, Yahweh alone.” Your Bible translation may in fact include that translation in the footnotes, and as you can see, it's simply rewording what was already expressed in 4:35, “...that you might know that the LORD is God; there is no other besides him.”

Okay. But how does that prepare us for the command in 6:5? This is where I think a parallel might be helpful. Now the key idea to this parallel is marital love; the love between a husband and wife. So, borrowing the language of 6:4-5, God's command to me is this: “Hear, O Bryce: Anita is your wife, Anita alone. You shall [therefore] love Anita with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” As I think you know, when it comes to marital love, my love cannot be divided or splintered. The covenant relationship God has graciously given me with my wife calls me to a love like Jonathan's armor-bearer: deeply sincere and singular.

Therefore, it makes perfect sense that God would go on to say, with an implied therefore, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” It should not be divided or splintered.

Now like that armor-bearer in 1 Samuel 14, Deuteronomy in every other place uses just that two-term expression: “heart” and “soul”. We find it first in 4:29 (“...seek the LORD your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.”), but then it also appears in 10:12, 11:13, 11:18, 13:3, 26:16, 30:2, 30:6, and 30:10. “Heart” and “soul”. So why add the word “might” here in 6:5 (a formula only found in one other Old Testament verse, 2 Kings 23:25)? What's interesting is that the word “might” is not a Hebrew noun. It's an adverb/ adjective, one usually translated “very” or “diligently” or “greatly” (as it in 6:3). So I think it's added here simply to say, “Love Yahweh with all your heart and soul, to every extent possible.”

But remember that parallel I suggested earlier, the one involving marital love. Even though God uses marital love as a picture of his covenant love with his people, in both the Old and New Testaments, we know this passage isn't actually about marital love. So to what kind of love is Moses calling the people of God? There are many different kinds of love in the world, aren't there? Love between friends, between parents and children, love for strangers in need, even love for pets. So what kind of love is the love for God prescribed in Deuteronomy 6:5?

Based on the language here, and what Scripture goes on to reveal about the incomparably glorious and exalted object of this love, I think we might call this our foundational or ultimate love. It is that love at the very core of who you are. Here's how you can see it: it's that love that defines your identity, informs your purpose, orders your priorities, fuels your affections, establishes your morals, and anchors your very soul. That is the love Moses is describing here. And that love should be, must be, a deeply sincere and singular devotion to God and God alone.

Let me share one more passage from Deuteronomy, one that I believe confirms and adds to what we've already learned this morning. This is Deuteronomy 13:1–3...

“If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, [2] and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us serve them,’ [3] you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the LORD your God is testing you, to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.”

III. Your Heart, Your Soul

 Brothers and sisters, how is God testing you? How is He testing the quality of your love, that foundational or ultimate love? You may in all sincerity confess that “Yahweh is our God”, but in your practice is it “Yahweh alone”? How is God testing... you? Think about, not your confession, but your practice. When push comes to shove, what defines your identity? Is it your vocation? Your achievements? Your looks? Your wounds? Your failures? When you feel lost and aimless, what informs your purpose? Is it work? Politics? Hobbies? Interests? Worldly success? Ministry? Your children? When busyness bogs you down, what orders your priorities? Is it gaining respect? Making money? Having fun? Family demands? Feeling safe? What fuels your affections? Earthly joys? Worldly lusts? What establishes your morals? What's easy? What works? What everyone else is doing? When the storms of life beat down on you, what is it that anchors your very soul? In who or what do you find refuge? Work? Alcohol? Your spouse? Your TV or social media feed? Gaming? Playing the victim? Shopping? Eating? Isolating? Any and all of these things indicate the activity of a heart idol; a controlling lie; a false ultimate.

How is God testing you? Remember, the test is to show you something, not God.

Whether you have or have not made any New Year's resolutions, there is one resolution that, according to Jesus, must always take first place. It's the most important resolution any human being can make, and I want to encourage you (as I've encouraged myself) to make or renew this resolution for the new year. I'm talking about a resolution to love God and God alone. There is only one thing worthy of your ultimate love: God. But we are constantly struggling with the “alone” part, aren't we? As Paul expressed it in Romans 1:2, the very heart of sin is “they did not honor [God] as God”. Yes, my idols, your idols can be subtle, or you may know them well and fight them regularly. But one thing is sure: we all have them.

So what can we do? The first thing we can do, as the layout of this book demonstrates for us, is meditate on all the ways God's love for us can inspire our love for God. Deuteronomy isn't simply a book that calls us to love God. It's also a book that testifies to all the ways God loves and has loved his people. Take time today and this week to think about how His Story of Life and your life story testify of his amazing love for and to you. There is every good reason to love God with our ultimate love. In stark contrast, there is no good reason to direct that love toward earthy things, including ourselves. Please consider that.

And as you meditate on God's love, let it drive you to Jesus Christ. Not only did Jesus teach us that the command of Deuteronomy 6:5 is the most important command in all Scripture, but he also suffered, died, was buried, and was raised to life in order to do two things: first, that our splintered love might be forgiven, and second, that our splintered hearts might be mended, empowered, and regularly shaped to become like his own.

And what is His heart like? At all times, and in every way, it is a heart of perfect love for God. The love story of this book, that story of redemption in Deuteronomy, has been gloriously fulfilled in the gospel, the Good News about Jesus. What a Redeemer! But also, what a Teacher! Brothers and sisters, let us hunger deeply and pray regularly that we might love God more deeply. And may God be glorified in 2025 as we look to Jesus, as we follow Jesus, learning from him as his disciples, that our saving faith might express itself in a deepening love for God and God alone.