"The abstract nature of God in the Israelite religion, and the absence of any physical representation of him, imposed great difficulties for a people living in a world where all other men represented their gods in visual, physical form. To counter this difficulty would require great care and so Moses urged such care, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen[v. 9]. They had never literally seen their God, but they had seen what God had done."51
The emphasis in this section is on the supernatural character of the revelation of God's law. Human beings did not invent Israel's law. A holy God had revealed it. It was special revelation. Consequently the Israelites were to fear (i.e., have an awesome reverence for) God (v. 10). In Deuteronomy Moses often reminded the parents that they, not the priests or other religious leaders, were responsible to educate their children spiritually (vv. 9-10; cf. 6:7, 20; 11:19; 31:13; 32:46).
"The basic lesson for Israel to learn at Horeb was to fear and reverence God."52
"In the Old Testament the fear of God is more than awe or reverence though it includes both. Fearing God is becoming so acutely aware of His moral purity and omnipotence that one is genuinely afraid to disobey Him. Fearing God also includes responding to Him in worship, service, trust, obedience, and commitment."53
