Deuteronomy 5:21 What does the law against greed teach us? (w19.02 22 par. 11)
It teaches us that we must learn to identify bad thoughts, if we do, we will have control over them and in this way we will avoid carrying out bad actions. Jehovah sees beyond our appearances, he sees our hearts, and we cannot hide any thoughts, feelings or actions from him. So we identify our bad thoughts in time, we will be able to protect our hearts.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
If an Israelite allowed bad desires to grow within him, he was likely to show no love to others. That is what happened to King David, when he desired a married woman, and that desire led him to sin (James 1:14, 15). She committed adultery with her, and although she tried to deceive her husband and ensured that he was killed in battle, it was something that was not hidden from Jehovah's eyes, and she suffered the consequences of her wrong actions.
Jehovah can read our hearts, he sees what we really are inside, so when an Israelite violated the law on greed, he knew it (1 Chron. 28: 9). However, it is important that we remember that Jehovah seeks the good in us and helps us to develop it in the best way.
Jesus Christ taught that greed defiles man (Mark 7: 20-23) and that it should be avoided. He even reinforced this teaching with the illustration mentioned in Luke 12: 15-21 of a rich and greedy man who, when he died, had no more benefit or control of his wealth and, furthermore, found himself in the unfortunate situation of not being “ rich with God ”.
As we read in Deuteronomy 5:21, we are taught to cultivate good feelings and uproot harmful feelings from our hearts that can put our spirituality at risk.
Jehovah sees our hearts and sees all the good that we have inside even with our imperfections. Of course, although Jehovah sees the good and gives more importance to this, he also sees feelings that may not be so good. Given our imperfection, it is normal to have them, and that is why we must fight against these feelings to prevent them from turning into bad actions and to have a clean and sincere heart.
What spiritual pearls have you found about Jehovah, the ministry, and other topics in this week's Bible reading?
Deuteronomy 6: 8 we find Jehovah's indication that the laws that He had given the Israelites were to be in their hands and on their foreheads. Although this indication is figuratively what I wanted to convey in the past and even today, it is that through our actions - represented by our hands - we must demonstrate that we are obedient to Jehovah and that like a “headband”, our obedience must be evident to all.
Deuteronomy 6:16 we read the reminder to the Israelites that they were not to put Jehovah to the test as they had already done in a certain place called Massah. This Massah event is recorded in Exodus 17: 2, where the people argued with Moses due to the lack of water. And it seems that it was a very remembered event since in the Psalms and in the letter to the Hebrews this event is also referred to. It would be good then for each of us to also take care of our attitude towards what Jehovah gives us and never show a defiant attitude.
Deuteronomy 5: 7 we find Jehovah's command to the people of Israel: "Never have other gods apart from Him." And it is that Jehovah was for the people of Israel both their God and their king, their spiritual and governmental head. Therefore, when an Israelite broke this commandment, bowing down to other gods, he incurred a sin of lese majesty or treason, the gravest of all sins and for which the severest penalty was prescribed. Similarly, in our day we must be very careful not to give honor or worship to anything or anyone other than Jehovah God.
Deuteronomy 5:11 is one of the verses that has unfortunately been misinterpreted and has caused many people to defend the fact that the name of God should not be used. Some defend the fact that this verse mentions that the name of God should not be used in vain or in an unworthy way, however a certain Hebrew lexicon translates the expression “in vain” as: “Saying a name without reason [... ] misusing a name. ”Therefore, the commandment does not prohibit using the divine name, rather it prohibits misusing it.
Deuteronomy 6: 5 we find the expression “you must love Jehovah with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength”. Since we know that the soul basically encompasses the whole person, the question may arise why are the heart and the soul mentioned separately? This can be answered by thinking of a slave, who sells his soul to someone else. However, it may happen that he does not serve his master wholeheartedly, that is to say that he does not use all his strength or mental faculties in favor of his master's interests. That is why in this verse and others we are required to serve Jehovah with all our hearts and souls, without excluding any part of our body, functions, capacities or desires.
Deuteronomy 6:11 we see how once Israel entered the promised land they would inherit 'houses full of all sorts of good things, plowed cisterns, vineyards and olive groves already planted bearing fruit'. The fact that they inherited a land that was already being cultivated was very convenient, since the vast majority of the Hebrews who had known agriculture in Egypt had perished in the desert, so there would be few if any competent farmers with practical experience. , capable of beginning the cultivation of a new and strange land for them.
Deuteronomy 5: 7. A very clear text where it tells us that we have no other gods apart from me. And this extends to large fields today. Money is a god for many people, sports for others, work for many. Anything that comes before our service to God can become a god. We must be very careful about this, and always put Jehovah first.
Deuteronomy 5: 9. This leaning and slavish can be extrapolated to how we spend our time. If we are doing more and more hours at work at the expense of our preaching, family worship or even a meeting. What we would really be doing is bowing down and serving our boss, our job. And this is very dangerous, most of our energies must be directed to Jehovah, everything else is secondary.
Deuteronomy 5:10. There is no doubt that if we love Jehovah, He will show us the same love or as the text says “for a thousand”. The happiness of Christian families is based on this, that everyone loves Jehovah and obeys him, so much so, that Jehovah loves us equally and cares for us. We do not want to lose this beautiful love relationship for nothing that this system offers.
Deuteronomy 5:13. Jehovah knows the need to work, in fact, when Adam and Eve sinned, he already said that it would cost a lot to earn our livelihood. He allowed to work 6 days a week and one day exclusively for him. We are not forbidden to work, far from it, but we are forbidden only to think about work. We must also spend time with Jehovah, which is much more important than work.
Deuteronomy 5: 16-21. We know all these commandments and we see that God's people are free from these sins unlike what happens in this system. And what does it cause? Many social and economic problems. And what about God's people? May it be a happy and wise people without these problems. How happy Jehovah's wisdom and the gift he has given us by giving us his Word!
Deuteronomy 5:29. Usually fear is associated with fear. But Jehovah does not want us to be afraid of him, he does want us to be afraid. Fear in the sense of a sign of respect, admiration and submission to his will and his Word. That is the fear that these men had, and that we must have in order to truly love him and draw close to Jehovah.
Deuteronomy 6: 5. This verse leaves no doubt what our love for Jehovah should be like, with all our heart and soul, with all our might. Of course, for this to be possible, especially when it begins in the truth, one must learn from him, his qualities, his Word ... only then can we get closer to a person, knowing him ... only then can we get closer to God and love him more and more.
Deuteronomy 6: 7. Regardless of whether when our children grow up and are of legal age they make their own decisions. The duty of a father to fulfill the biblical mandate of God is to instill in them the same love that we feel for Him. In this way we will also be making sure that they themselves create their own relationship with God by knowing how good and just He is.
Deuteronomy 6: 9. For our children to learn of the importance of love for Jehovah, the love that parents feel must permeate the entire house, all the doors. If parents do not set an example of pure worship and love for Jehovah in every way, it is very difficult for children, who struggle with the pressures of this system, to do so.
Deuteronomy 6:20. "In the future when your son asks you (...)". Our children who are born in the truth may ask us why we are Jehovah's Witnesses. Possibly this question is asked by other classmates. Jehovah instructed that this question be answered accurately in ancient times. We must do the same, and not take these things for granted, make it clear to our children why we serve God when most people and their classmates do not.
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