What is the meaning of Deuteronomy 17:19? It is to remain with him “It is to remain with him” highlights the permanence of God’s Word in the life of Israel’s king and, by extension, every believer. • In Deuteronomy 17:18 the king must write his own copy of the Law; verse 19 insists he keep it close—never relegated to a shelf. • Deuteronomy 6:6-8 shows the same pattern for every household: God’s commands are to be “on your heart… as frontlets between your eyes.” • Psalm 119:11 models this intimacy—“I have hidden Your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” • Jesus frames abiding similarly: “If you remain in Me and My words remain in you” (John 15:7). Keeping Scripture “with” us today means open Bibles, memorized passages, phone apps—whatever keeps the text constantly within reach. and he is to read from it all the days of his life The command moves from proximity to practice. • Reading is not seasonal but lifelong. Joshua 1:8 echoes, “This Book of the Law must not depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night.” • Psalm 1:2 describes the blessed person whose “delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night.” • The New Testament parallels: “Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture” (1 Timothy 4:13). Practical outworking: – Set daily rhythms (morning, midday, evening). – Incorporate family or small-group reading. – Use varied genres—Law, Prophets, Gospels, Epistles—to keep diet balanced. so that he may learn to fear the LORD his God The goal of constant reading is not mere information but transformation—cultivating holy reverence. • Proverbs 1:7: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.” • Psalm 34:11: “Come, children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.” • Acts 9:31 shows the early church “walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.” Healthy fear involves: – Awe at God’s majesty. – Humble submission to His authority. – Alertness to the consequences of disobedience. Daily exposure to Scripture continually recalibrates our hearts toward that posture. by carefully observing all the words of this instruction and these statutes Reading that breeds fear must culminate in obedience. • James 1:22 warns, “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only.” • Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). • The Great Commission ends with “teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20). “Carefully observing” implies: – Precision: not selective but “all the words.” – Diligence: intentional planning and accountability. – Consistency: obedience becomes lifestyle, not occasional act. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 affirms Scripture equips us “for every good work,” leaving no area of life untouched. summary Deuteronomy 17:19 paints a four-step pattern: keep the Word close, read it continually, let it foster reverent fear, and translate that fear into comprehensive obedience. When the Word remains with us, is read daily, shapes our attitude toward God, and directs our actions, we fulfill His design for true, covenant-faithful living. |
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