Notes
I. The Shema: Deut 6:4-9; 11:13-21 (Num. 15:37-41)
Deut. 6:4-9
- (4)The first and last Hebrew letters (Ayin and Dalet) are enlarged and mean witness. This passage is Israel’s witness that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is the only God.
- (5)We are to love God in our thoughts, spiritual lives (prayer and study), and giving.
- (6) This is the New Covenant and the New Birth
- Jer. 31:31-34 (see also Ezek. 36:22-38)
- Ezek. (vv. 22, 32) says God acts for Himself, which connects with sec. III of the outline).
- (7) The most important topic of conversation is the Word of God.
- (8-9) Tefillin and the Mezuzah are commandments that keep us walking in the commandments—also the command of tassels in Num. 15).
- The nations will be drawn to Tefillin, the Sages explain according to Deut. 28:10 (Isa. 42:6; Zeph. 3:9).
Deut. 11:13-21
- Notice the preamble to the repeated Shema.
- The command is given so that things will go well with Israel.
II. Remove the Stumbling Blocks
Deut. 7:14, 26; 8:6-20
I encourage you to outline 7:12-8:20 and study what grabs your attention.
- (7:14, 26) How will they be blessed? No miscarriages and no sickness.
- Blessings are further enumerated in ch. 28
- Hannah and Elizabeth petitioned God for a child.
- Hannah gave her child back to God.
- We cannot afford evil in our lives because it will harm us. (Saul’s foreign wives caused him to allow the worship of false gods.)
Deut. 8:6-20
- The blessed land of Israel
- brooks of water, fountains, and springs.
- The seven species
- Israel must not forget God
- V.19 – He warned them not to go after other gods or worship them.
- “serve” means to do their work. (Strongs H#5647)
- You can serve the devil yet not officially worship him.
- Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.
III. The Basis of Our Receiving
Deut. 9:1-12
- Neither the Hebrew Bible (which includes the New Covenant) nor the New Testament teaches works-based righteousness.
- The works we do are in response to grace and empowered by grace.
- Jesus said we will give account for our works (Matt. 16:27)
- The commands of God are good; they are a blessing that enables our blessing, and they keep us from falling into the snare of the enemy.
Resources
Unrolling the Scroll, Book 5, by First Fruits of Zion
Give to Israel
Friends of the IDF (Israel Defense Forces)
American Friends of Magen David Adom (Israel’s Ambulance Service)
Help the Church replace antisemitism and antiJudaism with a love for the Jewish people and the Torah
Casey D. Bell 
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