Deuteronomy 6–8 · Deuteronomy 15 · Deuteronomy 18 · Deuteronomy 29–30 · Deuteronomy 34
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 him 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 enemies, or building a nation. It was about learning to love God, obey Him, and remain loyal to Him. That’s the preparation we all need to enter the promised land of eternal life. So although 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.
The law of Moses included many outward ceremonies and rituals. As you’ll see in Moses’s counsel in Deuteronomy, the Lord was also concerned about His people’s inward state—the spiritual condition of their hearts.
In the passages below, look for the word heart, and ponder what it might symbolize. You might think of these passages as a kind of spiritual checkup on your heart. What diagnosis would you give yourself? What treatments would you prescribe to improve the spiritual health of your heart? Write down your impressions:
One way to organize your thoughts could be to draw a heart and write inside it things that the Lord says you should have in your heart. Then you could write outside it things that you should keep out of your heart.
How do you show that you love God with all your heart? For ideas, see “Love God, love your neighbor” in For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices, 10–12.
See also M. Russell Ballard, “Lovest Thou Me More Than These?,” Liahona, Nov. 2021, 51–53.
Most of the Israelites who would enter the promised land had not seen 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 to remain God’s people.
What counsel do you find 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).
You might also study Brother Jan E. Newman’s message “Preserving the Voice of the Covenant People in the Rising Generation” (Liahona, Nov. 2023, 36–38) and consider how you will pass your faith in Christ to future generations.
See also Deuteronomy 11:18–21; Dale G. Renlund, “Consider the Goodness and Greatness of God,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2020, 41–44; Bible Dictionary, “Frontlets or phylacteries.”
We haven’t yet arrived at the day “when there shall be no poor among you” (Deuteronomy 15:4), so the principles about helping the poor in Deuteronomy 15 are still valuable, even if the particular practices have changed. Notice what verses 1–15 teach about why we help people in need and what our attitude should be about it.
What does it mean to “open thine hand wide” to people in need? (verses 8, 11). What do you learn from the Lord’s example about helping people in need? (see verse 15).
See also “Have I Done Any Good?,” Hymns, no. 223.
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? Think about what you’ve read about Moses over the past few weeks. How is Moses “like unto” Jesus Christ?
It might be interesting to compare Moses’s words in Deuteronomy 29:9; 30:15–20 with some of Lehi’s final teachings to his family in 2 Nephi 2:26–29; 4:4. How did Lehi expand on what Moses taught? What do you find in these passages that inspires you to “choose life”? (Deuteronomy 30:19).
How did the Israelites follow Moses’s instructions to remember the Lord?
Why did the Lord command Israel to destroy the Canaanites?
What happened to Moses at the end of his life?
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To help your children understand Deuteronomy 6:5, you could draw a heart, an outline of a body, and a strong arm. Your children could point to the pictures as you read the words “heart,” “soul,” and “might” in the verse. How do we show the Lord that we love Him with all our heart, soul, and might?
Read with your children the Lord’s counsel to the Israelites to put scripture passages where they would see them every day (see Deuteronomy 6:6–9). This might inspire you and your children to think of ways to make sure you don’t “forget the Lord” (verse 12) and to remember what He has done for you.
You might point out that Deuteronomy 6:13, 16 and 8:3 helped the Savior during an important moment in His life. To see how, read together Matthew 4:1–10. Then you could share with each other some scripture passages that have helped you in times of need.
As you read Deuteronomy 18:18 together, help your children understand that the Prophet like Moses in this verse is Jesus Christ. Maybe you could look at pictures of things Moses did and things Jesus Christ did, and let your children match them (see Gospel Art Book, nos. 15, 16, 38, 39). What has our prophet today taught us about the Savior?
Talking about Deuteronomy 29:12–13 provides an opportunity for you and your children to talk about covenants they will make or have made with Heavenly Father. What does it mean to be God’s people? How do our promises make us God’s people? (see verse 13; see also Mosiah 18:8–10).
If your children need help understanding what a covenant is, suggest that they find a definition in “Covenant” in the Guide to the Scriptures (Gospel Library). What promises did God and the Israelites make with each other in Deuteronomy 30:8–10? What promises have we made with God? (see Doctrine and Covenants 20:37, 77). How do these promises connect us with Him? Consider singing together a song about covenants, such as “Standing on the Promises” (Gospel Library).