“Beware Lest Thou Forget”

Study the following scriptures:

1. Deuteronomy 6:1–9; 11:18–21. Moses gives instructions to the Israelites to help them remember their covenants. He instructs parents to teach their children his words.

2. Deuteronomy 6:10–12; 8:1–20. Moses reminds the Israelites of God’s blessings to them. He warns them that they will perish if they do not obey God’s commandments and remember Him.

3. Deuteronomy 32:1–4, 15–18, 30–40, 45–47. Moses counsels the Israelites to be mindful of the Rock of their salvation (Jesus Christ).

After testing, chastening, and teaching the Israelites in the wilderness for 40 years, the Lord said they were ready to enter the promised land. But first he had some important instructions for them. Moses delivered these instructions in three sermons that are recorded in Deuteronomy.

• Why do you think Moses told the people to place passages of scripture between their eyes, on their hands, on the posts of their houses, and on their gates? How would such constant reminders affect our actions? What can we do in our homes to remind us of the Lord, his words, and our covenants with him? Do the pictures on our walls, the books we read, and the movies and television shows we watch remind us of the Lord, or do they suggest a longing for the world?

• What are Moses’ main messages in Deuteronomy 6:10–12 and 8:1–20? What does it mean to forget the Lord? (See Deuteronomy 8:11.) What are the consequences of forgetting him? (See Deuteronomy 8:19.)

• Who is the Rock spoken of in Deuteronomy 32:3–4? (Jesus Christ.) Why do you think Jesus Christ is sometimes called the Rock? (See Helaman 5:12.) What does it mean to build upon the Rock? (See Deuteronomy 32:46–47; Matthew 7:24–27; D&C 50:44.)

Additional reading: Deuteronomy 4; 7:1–4; 13:1–8; 34.