"The Greatest Command: Love the LORD (Be Devotional, Daily)"

Introduction
Context
Commentary
Crossword Puzzle (✞-word)
Crossword Puzzle Answers
Conclusion
Bibliography

Introduction

(forthcoming)

Context

(forthcoming)

Commentary

(forthcoming)

Crossword Puzzle (✞-word)

Crossword Puzzle Answers

Shema Deuteronomy 6:4-9, also called The ____, is still repeated by devout Jews daily. It is essentially a pledge of allegiance to the LORD.
Important In the New Testament, Jesus says that this passage is the greatest (Mt 22:35-37) and most ____ commandment (Mk 12:28-30).
Adhering In Scripture, truly listening to the LORD is not merely about hearing, but ____ (cf. Dt 6:3).
Alone Upon entering the Promised Land, Israel is not to worship any foreign gods or idols, but to be exclusively faithful to the LORD, and the LORD ___ (Dt. 6:4).
Devotion Loving God entails grateful, single-minded, whole-hearted allegiance, loyalty and obedience (cf. Dt 10:12-13; 1 Jn 5:3; Jn 14:15). Love for God is not mere emotion, but ____.
Heart In Scripture, the ___ is not merely the seat of one’s feelings, but one’s thoughts, desires, and will. The ___, referring to the totality of our inner self, is where we distinguish between right and wrong (Dt 6:5; cf. 1 Ki 3:9).
Soul Loving the LORD with all our ___ (נֶפֶשׁ | nepeš) entails loving Him not only with our inner self (heart), but with our entire body – our entire being (Dt 6:5; cf. Gen 2:7; 2:19).
Might To the LORD we are to devote all of our ___ (including physical strengths, economic strengths, social strengths, and any area of life in which we have strengths or resources).
Memorize We are to ___ the LORD’s commandments, knowing them by heart (Dt 6:6; cf. Pr 3:1; Ps 119:11).
Repeat We are to ___ the LORD’s commandments to our children, impressing them onto the next generation over and over again (Dt 6:7; cf. Dt 4:25-26, 4:40).
Talk We are to ___ about the LORD’s commandments all the time, everywhere (Dt 6:7).
Reminders It’s wise to have reminders that our heads (attitudes) and our hands (actions) should be governed by God’s guidelines (Dt 6:8; cf. Pr 3:3; Pr 7:3; Ex 13:9).
Writing ___ the LORD’s commandments on our houses and gates should remind us that the LORD is the head of the house, and that the LORD’s law governs our financial and legal dealings.
Convey We are to listen to the LORD, love the LORD, and ___ the words of the LORD – personal commitment and public confession.
LLC Let’s be about the LORD’s business (___): Listen, Love, Convey!

Conclusion

In conclusion, we have a Great Commission; let’s not make a great omission. Let’s remember to pledge our allegiance to the God everyday.

According to what Jesus calls the greatest commandment, and what we could call the biblical pledge of allegiance, we must listen, love, and convey.

Let’s truly listen to and obey the LORD, the LORD alone.

Take it from me, when you don’t listen, it can cost you. When you don’t listen, your life can spin out of control. When you don’t listen, you’ll make your bed and have to lie in it.

We must listen to the LORD, so we can love the LORD on His terms. For there is no one like Him, and He deserves our exclusive devotion.

And He deserves our total devotion. Let’s love Him with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our might. If we love God more than anything, let’s love the LORD with everything. For God first loved us (cf. 1 Jn 4:19),¹ and He gave us everything.

In our hearts, in our homes, and throughout our whole communities, we must be about the LORD’s business, the LORD’s LLC

We must listen to the LORD. We must love the LORD. We must convey the words of the LORD. Listen, Love, Convey: the LORD’s LLC. Let’s be about the LORD’s business!

And let’s not just read a daily devotional; let’s be devotional, daily.

Bibliography

Bratcher, Robert G., and Howard A. Hatton. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. UBS Handbook Series. New York: United Bible Societies, 2000.
Block, Daniel I. The NIV Application Commentary: Deuteronomy. Edited by Terry Muck. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2012.
Brown, Francis, Samuel Rolles Driver, and Charles Augustus Briggs. Enhanced Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1977.
Brown, Raymond. The Message of Deuteronomy: Not by Bread Alone. Edited by J. A. Motyer and Derek Tidball. The Bible Speaks Today. England: Inter-Varsity Press, 1993.
Carpenter, Eugene in Walton, John H. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary (Old Testament): Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. Vol. 1. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2009.
Christensen, Duane L. Deuteronomy 1–21:9, Revised. Vol. 6A. Word Biblical Commentary. Dallas: Thomas Nelson, 2001.
Clines, David J. A., ed. The Dictionary of Classical Hebrew. Sheffield, England: Sheffield Academic Press; Sheffield Phoenix Press, 1993–2011.
Craigie, Peter C. The Book of Deuteronomy. The New International Commentary on the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1976.
Grisanti, Michael A. “Deuteronomy.” In The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Numbers–Ruth (Revised Edition), edited by Tremper Longman III and David E. Garland, Vol. 2. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2012.
Futato, Mark D. OT101 Introducing the Old Testament: Its Structure and Story. Logos Mobile Education. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2013.
Hamilton, Victor P. The Book of Genesis, Chapters 18–50. The New International Commentary on the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1995.
Harris, R. Laird, Gleason L. Archer Jr., and Bruce K. Waltke, eds. Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament. Chicago: Moody Press, 1999.
Kaiser Jr., Walter in Burge, Gary M., and Andrew E. Hill, eds. The Baker Illustrated Bible Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2012.
Koehler, Ludwig, Walter Baumgartner, M. E. J. Richardson, and Johann Jakob Stamm. The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament. Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1994–2000.
Matthews, Victor Harold, Mark W. Chavalas, and John H. Walton. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament. Electronic ed. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000.
McConville, J. Gordon. “Deuteronomy.” In New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition, edited by D. A. Carson, R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, and G. J. Wenham, 4th ed., 198–232. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994.
McConville, J. G. Deuteronomy. Edited by David W. Baker and Gordon J. Wenham. Vol. 5. Apollos Old Testament Commentary. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Apollos; InterVarsity Press, 2002.
McIntosh, Doug. Deuteronomy. Holman Old Testament Commentary, edited by Max Anders. Nashville, TN: Broadman and Holman Publishers, 2002.
Merrill, Eugene H. “Deuteronomy.” In Cornerstone Biblical Commentary: Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, edited by Philip W. Comfort, Vol. 2. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1996.
Merrill, Eugene H. Deuteronomy. Vol. 4. The New American Commentary. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1994. [Merrill NAC]
Ryken, Leland, Jim Wilhoit, Tremper Longman, Colin Duriez, Douglas Penney, and Daniel G. Reid. Dictionary of Biblical Imagery. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000.
Sarna, Nahum M. Genesis. The JPS Torah Commentary. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1989.
Thompson, J. A. Deuteronomy: An Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 5. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1974.
Tigay, Jeffrey H. Deuteronomy. The JPS Torah Commentary. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1996.
VanGemeren, Willem, ed. New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology & Exegesis. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1997.
Wiersbe, Warren. Be Equipped: Acquiring the Tools for Spiritual Success – An Old Testament Study — Deuteronomy. Colorado Springs, CO: Chariot Victor Publishing, 1999.
Woods, Edward J. Deuteronomy: An Introduction and Commentary. Edited by David G. Firth. Vol. 5. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries. Nottingham, England: Inter-Varsity Press, 2011.
Wright, Christopher J. H. Deuteronomy. Edited by W. Ward Gasque, Robert L. Hubbard Jr., and Robert K. Johnston. Understanding the Bible Commentary Series. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2012.