---

I. THE COMMAND.

1. It emanated from the highest authority, the Lord Jehovah.

2. Fraught with the utmost importance; extending both to the cultivation of personal religion and to the furtherance of youthful piety by the special inculcation of Scripture truth.

3. Demands implicit obedience.

II. TO WHOM GIVEN. To Moses, as the temporal head, legislator, and judge of Israel, was confided the solemn and important charge of carrying into execution the commands of Jehovah. Thus, as a wise and faithful legislator, he "spake unto the people all that the Lord God had spoken unto him" (ver. 27, etc.); to the intent "that they should make them known to their children, that they might set their hopes in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments" (Psalm 78:5-7).

III. HOW FAR THE CONDUCT OF MOSES IS WORTHY OF OUR IMITATION. Although the Divine command delivered to Moses was intended for the Israel of God collectively, he regarded it as having reference to them also individually; and consequently, as obligatory upon himself, and intended, like every other Divine command, for the real happiness of man. Oh, ever let us receive the Word and command of God first for our own individual instruction; for it behoveth us, amid all our anxiety to impart, by personal exertions or by pecuniary supplies, the Word of God to others, to take good heed that we ourselves have "received that Word with pure affection" into our own hearts. Thus received, it will be the grand stimulus to personal holiness and to individual activity in the service of God. And besides, being brought through grace to "hope in God's Word," it is also a source of unspeakable comfort; and it furnishes the believer's plea with God — "Remember the Word unto Thy servant, upon which Thou hast caused me to hope." And when his hope is beclouded, or his faith is "faint and sickly" in the hour of languishing and depression, the believer can say, "This is my comfort in my affliction: Thy Word hath quickened me; Thy statutes have been my song in the house of my pilgrimage." Nay, more, he can say, with the written Word of God in his heart — with Christ, the Eternal Word, formed therein "the hope of glory," "Whom have I in heaven but Thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee" (Psalm 73:25). This gracious and happy state of mind, we shall do well to imitate the conduct of Moses, in regarding the command as specially obligatory upon ourselves. But is not the conduct of Moses in his social or domestic character also highly worthy of our imitation? Parents, do you love your children? I know that you do. Availing himself, therefore, of the period of childhood and youth (when the mind is most impressible, and impressions, good or bad, most permanent), the Christian parent seizes upon every opportunity for the inculcation of those principles which will best regulate the affections of the heart and guard against temptations to outward sin; nay, more — "which are able to make wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." But what was worthy of imitation in the judicial and legislative conduct of Moses? All should respect the authority of God as revealed in His Word — the one grand standing statute book of the King of heaven, which ought to be the basis of every law enacted by the kings of the earth. The perfection of human law is the measure of the approximation of its principle to the Divine. The real prosperity and happiness of a nation will, therefore, always be in exact ratio with its practical knowledge of the Word of God. Lawgivers, and all who are entrusted with the administration of the law — magistrates, and all who bear office under them — would do well to imitate the zeal and fidelity of Moses, in enforcing by precept and example the inculcation of the Word of God as a national concern.

(M. Seaman, D. D.)

---

---

KJV: And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

WEB: These words, which I command you this day, shall be on your heart;