I ended yesterday with Sailhammer’s quote on Deuteronomy (the 2nd recitation of the Law). He says, “What the man and woman lost in the Garden is now restored to them in the Torah, namely, God’s plan for their good.” You see, God’s “Torah” is instructive and should have a positive connotation. God wants the best for us. He always has. He always will. God loves us and has our best interest foremost in mind regardless of our situations, temptations, or testings. By the way, I’m convinced that God’s love for man is the subject of the entire Bible, from the creation account of Genesis 1:1 to the return of Christ at the end of Revelation. Every where you look you see God’s love for man.
You may have noticed that all of Chapter 5 is a commentary on the 10 commandments. They are instructions from God who loves us deeply, on how to enjoy our lives “In the land.” Then in Deuteronomy chapter six, we are called to return God’s love. Jesus quotes this passage in what He calles the Great Commandment: You shall love the Lord your God (I’ll add “in return”) with your whole heart, your whole soul, your whole mind and your whole strength.
God’s love for us and our love for him are two foundation principles in the entire bible. The other foundational instruction for a healthy and happy life involves our love for each other. Thus, Jesus adds to the Great Commandment the instruction to “love your neighbor as yourself.”
It’s all about love!