How is your home?

Many see the Word of God. . .few observe!

Deuteronomy 6:7–9 (NIV)

7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

Are you reminded of your faith in Christ when you enter your home? Do you carry your faith home? The Hebrew people would place a box with scripture inside to remind themselves. Following are two Bible Dictionary entries to give some background on this practice.

MEZUZAH* A Hebrew word, used about 20 times in the OT, that means the upright framework of a door or gate. The blood of the Passover lamb was smeared on the “mezuzah” of the house (Ex 12:7, 22–23).

In Deuteronomy 6:9 and 11:20, the Hebrews were instructed to write the commandments on the doors of the houses and on the city gates. This practice is still followed by the Jewish community. Every Jewish home has a small metal or wooden container mounted about shoulder-height on the doorpost of the house. This container, which itself became known as a mezuzah, has inside a small piece of parchment inscribed on one side with the words of Deuteronomy 6:4–9 and 11:13–21, and on the other side with the word Shaddai, the Hebrew name for God Almighty. On the outside the mezuzah has embossed the Hebrew letter shin, the first letter of the nameShaddai. Every time a pious Jew enters or leaves the house, he or she will touch the mezuzah and then kiss the fingers as he repeats to himself the words of Psalm 121:8: “The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever” (nlt).[1]

MEZUZAH (Mĕ zūʹ zȧ) Hebrew term for “doorpost.” Ancient doors pivoted on posts set in sockets. The blood of the Passover lamb was to be applied to doorposts (Exod. 12:7, 22–23). At the beginning of the new year, blood was to be applied to the doorposts of the temple to make atonement for it (Ezek. 45:19). The command to write the words of the Shema (Deut. 6:4–9; 11:13–21) on the doorposts of one’s home, like the command to write them on one’s heart (Deut. 6:6), is a challenge to remember always that love of God is central to faith. At a later time these commands were understood literally. Today mezuzah refers to small scrolls inscribed with Deut. 6:4–9; 11:13–21 placed in a container attached to the doorjambs of some Jewish homes.[2]

Does the Word of God affect how you live in your home? Would the members of your family see your faith each day? What reminders are present to influence your behavior? We pray that the Word of God changes how you think, feel and most importantly how you live at home.

Cathy and Danny Sartin

Deeper Still Missions

Copyright © Danny Sartin and Deeper Still Missions. All Rights Reserved.

Bible Nuggets are written for pastors and missionaries who desire to go deeper still in God’s Word. 

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nlt New Living Translation

[1] Elwell, W. A., & Comfort, P. W. (2001). In Tyndale Bible dictionary. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

[2] Brand, C., Draper, C., England, A., Bond, S., Clendenen, E. R., & Butler, T. C. (Eds.). (2003). Mezuzah. In Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.