Moses begins by reminding the people that the Lord had made a covenant with them personally and that they had heard His voice out of the midst of fire.
the Lord had given them the commandments (vs. 7-21) and the people were afraid because they heard the Lords' voice and knew that this did not happen to very many people. instead of being grateful and amazed at this great mercy and miracle, they were afraid that because they had heard the Lord's voice he would destroy them. the Lord of course is disappointed in the people and laments that if they would only listen they would be well, as would their children and generations forever (vs. 29).
Moses entreats the people to teach their children diligently (ch. 6 vs. 2) and to remember the commandments and the gospel as they make it a constant part of their lives. "And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes, And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on they gates" (vs. 8 and 9).
the people actually did write gospel doctrines and commandments on smaller pieces of paper that were then rolled or folded up and put in a locket of sorts (frontlet) and then worn around their foreheads, symbolic of constantly remembering what the Lord has given us and taught us and being foremost on our minds. God meant this to be symbolic, but the people took it literally after their return from Babylon (after the time of Moses and these children of Isreal) and created new laws to wear frontlets or phylacteries (small boxes containing selected verses of the law). today many Jews still take part in this custom.
the Lord would continue to cause miracles for those who continued to follow Him; but for those who did not and forgot Him, He would cause to perish, just as He would cause to perish other nations and people that stood before the Israelites. Moses reminds the people that it is not because of their righteousness that the Lord has blessed them; they have angered the Lord through their rebellion and stiffneckedness. they turned from Him when He gave them the commandments and other miracles. when Moses received the written tablets of the 10 commandments upon the mount he had previously prayed 40 days and 40 nights while fasting with no bread and no water for the people that God would spare them and not destroy them, remembering his covenants to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. (ch. 9)
i can't help but compare us today to the children of Israel again. God has covenanted with us and we have covenanted with Him to keep His commandments and always remember Him; yet we falter, and forget and sometimes rebel. this is why we have His atonement, to turn His anger from us when we are willing to humble ourselves and follow Him again.
it is easy to read the bible and the overview of the children of Israel and question why they couldn't just believe, and have faith and follow. yet we have a prophet living today that guides and leads us and we struggle to follow as well. it is human nature, the carnal man. there is a saying by Alexander Pope (1688-1744), that "to err is human, to forgive is divine." i say, "to err is human, to repent {and change} is divine."
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