Today’s torah reading is in many ways “The” evangelical message of the Torah.  It is a prophecy, it’s about choices and revelation. It sets before us for all time, two ways from which to choose; one of life and prosperity and one of death and cursing.  Choose Life! says Moses.

Further, we read that there are things that are hidden and that these things belong to God, but the things that are revealed, namely to do all the words of this Torah, belong to us and to our children.

Also in this week’s lesson, we read of the most dominant theme in all the Hebrew bible - the return of Israel….ALL of Israel. There are at least 40 separate sections of the prophets that deal specifically with this subject.

Deuteronomy 30 also speaks of this topic.

Ross points out that the book of Deuteronomy contains 9 references to things that we are to do with all of our heart and soul.  The only books that contains this exact phrase is Deuteronomy.

Here are the 9 references to what we are to do with all of our heart and all of our soul:

  • Deuteronomy 4:25-31
  • Deuteronomy 6:4-9
  • Deuteronomy 10:12-22
  • Deuteronomy 11:13-21
  • Deuteronomy 26:16-19
  • Deuteronomy 30:1-10

The prophet Jeremiah speaks of one thing that God will do with all his heart and all his soul - bring the children of Israel back to the land and plant them in the land that he swore to their ancestors. See Jeremiah 32:37-44.

Choose life! The commandments are a door to life.  See the words of Jesus on this very subject (Matthew 19:16ff)!

The audio files for this lesson are not yet available. Check back later.