“May 16–22. Deuteronomy 6–8; 15; 18; 29–30; 34: ‘Beware Lest Thou Forget the Lord,’” Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: Old Testament 2022 (2021)
“May 16–22. Deuteronomy 6–8; 15; 18; 29–30; 34,” Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: 2022
Illustration of Moses on Mount Nebo, © Providence Collection/licensed from goodsalt.com
May 16–22
Deuteronomy 6–8; 15; 18; 29–30; 34
“Beware Lest Thou Forget the Lord”
Moses commanded the children of Israel to teach the words of the Lord to their children (see Deuteronomy 6:7). As you study Deuteronomy this week, find ways to share what you learn with members of your family.
Record Your Impressions
Moses’s earthly ministry began on a mountain, when God spoke to him from a burning bush (see Exodus 3:1–10). It also ended on a mountain, more than 40 years later, when God gave Moses a glimpse of the promised land from the top of Mount Nebo (see Deuteronomy 34:1–4). Moses had spent his life preparing the children of Israel to enter that promised land, and the book of Deuteronomy records his final instructions, reminders, exhortations, and pleadings with the Israelites. Reading his words makes it clear that the real object of Moses’s ministry—the preparation the people needed—wasn’t about wilderness survival, conquering nations, or building a community. It was about learning to love God, obey Him, and remain loyal to Him. That’s the preparation we all need in order to enter the promised land of eternal life. So while Moses never set foot in the “land flowing with milk and honey” (Exodus 3:8), because of his faith and faithfulness, he did enter the promised land that God has prepared for all those who follow Him.
For an overview of Deuteronomy, see “Deuteronomy” in the Bible Dictionary.
Ideas for Personal Scripture Study
Deuteronomy 6:4–7; 8:2–5, 11–17; 29:18–20; 30:6–10, 15–20
The Lord wants me to love Him with all my heart.
In his final teachings, Moses reminded the children of Israel, “These forty years the Lord thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing,” even while in the wilderness (Deuteronomy 2:7). Now that the Israelites were entering the promised land, with “cities, which [they] buildedst not, and houses full of all good things, which [they] filledst not” (Deuteronomy 6:10–11), Moses feared that they would harden their hearts and forget the Lord.
Consider the condition of your own heart as you read Moses’s counsel. You may want to focus on the following verses and write down your impressions:
What can you do to keep your heart from hardening and to love the Lord with all your heart? What connection do you see between Deuteronomy 6:5–6 and Matthew 22:35–40? (see also Leviticus 19:18).
See also Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “A Yearning for Home,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2017, 21–24.
“Beware lest thou forget the Lord.”
Much of the generation of Israelites who would enter the promised land had not witnessed the plagues in Egypt or crossed the Red Sea. Moses knew that they—and future generations—would need to remember God’s miracles and God’s laws if they were to remain God’s people.
What counsel does Moses give in Deuteronomy 6:4–12, 20–25 that could help you remember the great things God has done for you? What are you inspired to do so that the word of the Lord will daily “be in thine heart”? (verse 6).
How will you pass your faith on to future generations?
See also Deuteronomy 11:18–21; Gerrit W. Gong, “Always Remember Him,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2016, 108–11; Bible Dictionary, “Frontlets or phylacteries.”
Helping the needy involves generous hands and willing hearts.
Deuteronomy 15:1–15 gives counsel about helping the poor and the needy, including some specific practices that aren’t followed today. But notice what these verses teach about why we should help the poor and how our attitudes about helping them matter to the Lord. What do you feel the Lord wants you to learn from these verses about serving others?
See also Russell M. Nelson, “The Second Great Commandment,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2019, 96–100.
Jesus Christ is the Prophet who would be raised up like unto Moses.
Peter, Nephi, Moroni, and the Savior Himself all commented on the prophecy in Deuteronomy 18:15–19 (see Acts 3:20–23; 1 Nephi 22:20–21; Joseph Smith—History 1:40; 3 Nephi 20:23). What do you learn about the Savior from these verses? How is the Savior “like unto” Moses? (Deuteronomy 18:15).
Jesus Christ is the prophet like unto Moses.
What happened to Moses?
Even though Deuteronomy 34:5–8 says that Moses died, latter-day understanding clarifies that he was translated, or changed so that he would not suffer pain or death until being resurrected (see Alma 45:18–19; Bible Dictionary, “Moses”; Guide to the Scriptures, “Translated Beings,” scriptures.ChurchofJesusChrist.org). It was necessary for Moses to be translated because he needed to have a physical body in order to give priesthood keys to Peter, James, and John on the Mount of Transfiguration (see Matthew 17:1–13).
Ideas for Family Scripture Study and Home Evening
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Deuteronomy 6:10–15.These verses might prompt your family members to think of ways your family has been blessed. How can we follow the counsel to “beware lest thou forget the Lord”? (Deuteronomy 6:12). You may want to record your feelings about your blessings, perhaps in a journal or on FamilySearch.
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Deuteronomy 6:13, 16; 8:3.These verses helped the Savior during an important moment in His life; to see how, read together Matthew 4:1–10. What scripture passages have helped us in times of need?
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Deuteronomy 7:6–9.Do something to help your family members feel special, such as preparing a favorite food. Then you could read Deuteronomy 7:6–9 and discuss what you feel it means to be “a special people” (verse 6) to the Lord.
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Deuteronomy 29:12–13.Talking about Deuteronomy 29:12–13 provides an opportunity for your family members to discuss covenants they will make or have made with Heavenly Father. What does it mean to be God’s people? How do our covenants “establish [us] … for a people unto [God]”? (verse 13).
For more ideas for teaching children, see this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Primary.
Suggested song: “I Want to Live the Gospel,” Children’s Songbook, 148.
Improving Personal Study
Seek your own spiritual insights. This outline suggests passages and principles to focus on, but don’t let that limit your study. As you study, you might learn about a principle that is not mentioned here. Let the Spirit guide you to what you need to learn.
The Lord Shewed Him All the Land, by Walter Rane