"God gives Moses the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai. Moses delivers the commandments to the people and tells them: "Do not be afraid for God has come to test you, so that you will fear him and will not sin." Moses also receives additional laws from God."
Exodus 20 Amplified Bible (AMP)
https://www.biblegateway.com
Then God spoke all these words:https://www.biblegateway.com
2 “I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.
4 “You shall not make for yourself any idol, or any likeness (form, manifestation) of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth [as an object to worship]. 5 You shall not worship them nor serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous (impassioned) God [[a]demanding what is rightfully and uniquely mine], visiting (avenging) the iniquity (sin, guilt) of the fathers on the children [that is, calling the children to account for the sins of their fathers], to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing graciousness and steadfast lovingkindness to thousands [of generations] of those who love Me and keep My commandments.
- GOD'S LOVE. After Moses delivered the warning to the Israelites not to break through the barriers going up to Mt. Sinai again and again, so that no one will get destroyed-- God spoke and gave out the Ten Commandments. It's about how to live well and pleasing before God-- it's guidelines and boundaries to know and follow, so that the Israelites can do the will of God in their lives, and avoid sin and temptations as much as possible. For me, it speaks about God's love. No father/mother would want their children to get harmed because of ignorance or lack of knowledge or discipline. For someone who does not know God, or does not fear God, the Ten Commandments seems like a restriction or limitation, but it's actually God's protection and love towards the Israelites, and all of us. Even though God knows that we cannot perfectly follow them, He still gave it, knowing that one day He will send His one and only Son Jesus to fulfill the law and save us all. Despite our failures, God is there to help us, guide us and rescue us.
For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”
It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it." Hebrews 12:5-11
- THERE IS NONE LIKE GOD. The Lord began by REMINDING the Israelites that He is the God who has redeemed them from Egypt's (enemy's) oppression and slavery. And because of that, the people shall have no other gods/idols before Him. He is the one and only omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent God. The Israelites were also forbidden to hand-made any idols to worship or even represent God, because God is spirit, and I believe it is not right to contain Him in any wooden or carven images. The pagans bow down and trust in golden calves or any physical idols, and the children of God must not do the same.
“Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them." Jonah 2:8
"The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. They have ears, but cannot hear, nor is there breath in their mouths. Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them." Psalm 135:15-18
"God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:24
What a wonderful promise ❤️
Footnotes: Exodus 20:5 God does not tolerate the transfer of the honor and worship that is due Him to any other being or object.
- WORTHY OF RESPECT. As a human being, we want our name to be honored and highly regarded, how much more God, who is our CREATOR, the MAKER of heaven and earth, seen and unseen? We are nothing apart from Him, we can do nothing apart from Him, literally-- He alone deserves all the glory, praises and reverence, from all creations.
8 “Remember the Sabbath (seventh) day to keep it holy (set apart, dedicated to God). 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath [a day of rest dedicated] to the Lord your God; on that day you shall not do any work, you or your son, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock or the temporary resident (foreigner) who stays within your [city] gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and everything that is in them, and He rested (ceased) on the seventh day. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy [that is, set it apart for His purposes].
- 7th DAY. God is the author of life, of all creation. Here, God was establishing the "Sabbath", the day of rest, to be observed and kept holy by all the people. Sabbath was for the people, as much as it was for God. Today, people who don't know this tends to drown themselves in busyness and workaholism or doing other stuffs. God designed us for rest in His presence.
- HONOR GOD, HONOR YOUR PARENTS. Someone I met in church (or maybe it was a Pastor who preached) pointed out to me that the command God said about honoring our parents, did not include "if they are honorable." We are to honor our parents, no matter what, despite how unhonorable they may be sometimes. We are all sinful, and we are all imperfect. When we obey God and honor our parents, it is God who will reward us. Obedience, no matter how hard it is, is pleasing to God.
- GIVER OF LIFE. Life comes from God, and He is the only one who can take it away. In our anger or selfishness or sinfulness, we must not sin to the point of 'taking the life' of other people. Instead, we must trust God and forgive, as God forgave us.
"Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” Romans 12:19
14 “You shall not commit [c]adultery.
- SANCTITY OF MARRIAGE. Genesis 2:22-24 says, "The LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. The man said, "This is now bone of my bones, And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man." For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh." God is also the author of marriage, and sex within marriage, between two people (male and female) that He joined together. It is sacred before God, so the Israelites should also value and make it sacred. And it should be sacred for us, if we are children of God through Lord Jesus. God was against pagan practices of having multiple wives or partners. Not only was it unhealthy physically, it's also not good and beneficial spiritually.
Footnotes: Exodus 20:14 Jesus amplified this commandment in Matt 5:27, 28. Not only is adultery forbidden, but also any act of sexual impurity or unchastity, and any form of pornography or other obscenity.
15 “You shall not steal [secretly, openly, fraudulently, or through carelessness].
- GOD IS OUR PROVIDER. From the bread from heaven, water from the rock, etc.-- the Israelites have witnessed that God was their provider in the wilderness. Thus, they shall not steal from other people, because they can ask God who gives generously. All in all, God's desire is for all His children to be more and more like the image of His Son, Lord Jesus.
"If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" Matthew 7:11
"And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19
16 “You shall not testify falsely [that is, lie, withhold, or manipulate the truth] against your neighbor (any person).
17 “You shall not covet [that is, selfishly desire and attempt to acquire] your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
18 Now all the people witnessed the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the smoking mountain; and as they looked, the people were afraid, and they trembled [and moved backward] and stood at a [safe] distance. 19 Then they said to Moses, “You speak to us and we will listen, but do not let God speak to us or we will die.” 20 Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid; for God has come in order to test you, and in order that the fear of Him [that is, a profound reverence for Him] will remain with you, so that you do not sin.” 21 So the people stood at a [safe] distance, but Moses approached the thick cloud where God was.
22 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven. 23 You shall not make other gods [to worship] besides Me; gods of silver or gods of gold, you shall not make [these lifeless idols] for yourselves. 24 You shall make an altar of earth for Me, and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen. In every place where I cause My Name to be recorded and remembered [through revelation of My divine nature] I will come to you and bless you. 25 If you make an altar of stone for Me, you shall not build it of cut stones, for if you use a chisel on it, you will [d]profane it. 26 Nor shall you go up to My altar on steps, so that your nakedness will not be [e]exposed on it.’
Footnotes: Exodus 20:25 I.e. make it common and unholy.
Exodus 20:26 How the “nakedness” (private parts) would be exposed is not clear. Even the rabbis were puzzled because the regulation in 28:42 about linen undergarments would appear to solve any problem (according to the Talmud).
* Study Guide Commentary from David Guzik:
A. Four commandments regarding our conduct before God.
B. Six commandments regarding our conduct before God and man.
e. God spoke all these words: The Bible tells us that the law is holy, just, and good (Romans 7:12). It tells us that every good and perfect gift comes from God (James 1:17). These commandments are good gifts that came to Israel and humanity at Mount Sinai. The Ten Commandments are good because:
· They show the wise moral guidance and government of God.
· They answer the need of mankind for moral guidance and government.
· They give us a way to teach morality.
· They would make the world so much better if obeyed.
· They are good for all humanity; some of the Law of Moses is specific unto Israel, but the Ten Commandments are universal.
· They are good when they are promoted and held as ideals, even when they are not perfectly obeyed.
iii. More importantly, we know that Jesus Himself was the only one to ever keep the law perfectly – either in the ten or the two. He never needed to sacrifice for His own sin, so could be the perfect sacrifice for our sin. Wonderfully, His obedience is credited to those who put their love and trust in Him. Romans 8:2-3 puts it this way: For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. This is God’s amazing promise to those who repent and believe on Jesus.
v. From the perspective of the entire Bible, we can say that the law of God has three great purposes and uses:
· It is a guardrail, keeping humanity on a moral path.
· It is a mirror, showing us our moral failure and need for a savior.
· It is a guide, showing us the heart and desire of God for His people.
a. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain: There are at least three ways this command is commonly disobeyed.
· Profanity: Using the name of God in blasphemy and cursing.
· Frivolity: Using the name of God in a superficial, stupid way.
· Hypocrisy: Claiming the name of God but acting in a way that disgraces Him.
a. Let not God speak with us: One might think that Israel loved the dramatic experience at Mount Sinai, and especially the honor of hearing God’s voice like a loudspeaker from heaven. Instead, because of the great awe and dread they felt, they wanted God to stop speaking to them directly.
i. Biblically speaking, an up-close encounter with God could just as often be troubling as it might be comforting. Israel could not see, feel, and hear this much from God and not at the same time be acutely aware that He is perfect and holy and they were not.
c. Let not God speak with us, lest we die: In drawing back from direct dealing with God, Israel wanted Moses to be their mediator, fearing death if they did not have a mediator.
i. Man’s desire for a mediator – someone to act as a go-between with us a God – is only good if it is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, for there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5).
a. So the people stood afar off, but Moses drew near: Israel dreaded the powerful presence of God, but Moses longed for it. Moses would later more directly and eloquently show this desire (Exodus 33).
i. Moses had a relationship with God the common man in Israel did not have. Through the circumstances of his life and the direct revelation of God, Moses was aware of both God’s holy power and also of God’s glorious grace.
b. Moses drew near the thick darkness where God was: It wasn’t that Moses was a flawless saint. Moses was a murderer who had been forgiven and restored by God. Moses knew what it meant to connect with God on the ground of grace, not what one deserved.
Reference and credits to https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/guzik_david/StudyGuide2017-Exd/Exd-20.cfm ©2013 David Guzik
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