Ten Holy Commands

If you were to ask the average person on the street today "what does God want you to do?" what kind of response would you get? The answers in our varied cultures today would be many. But if you asked people what things are right or wrong, they would begin to elicit some familiar responses -- murder is wrong, lying is wrong, stealing is wrong, love is right. These are familiar because they have their basis in God's righteous standard. Since every human being bears the image of God (Gen. 1:26-27), however tarnished it may be because of sin, every person has this awareness of certain basic things being either right or wrong (Rom. 2:14-15). When God called out from Mt. Sinai to the Israelites the Ten Commandments, He was not giving them information that was brand new. Rather, He codified -- or put into a written, systematic form -- His law for them:

to make it easy to remember

to make it something they would think about often, and

to keep it before them that they would not sin.

Our schools and county courthouses, not to mention many homes and businesses, used to have the Ten Commandments posted in a prominent place. In so doing, they kept these basic standards of our LORD before us that we would be reminded of them daily. This has the effect of lifting our hearts to the holy God who loves us and encouraging us to be obedient to His holy standard. When the Ten Commandments are removed from this prominent position, is there any doubt what the outcome will be? People will not be reminded of even the most basic righteous standards and will go their own way. Because the sinful nature in us leads us astray, we need to be reminded daily of God's righteous standard.

Scripture: Exodus 19:1-20:21

Main Thought: The ten commandments embody the holy standard of our God for daily living; while given specifically to the Israelites as part of the Mosaic covenant, they provide us today a clear picture of God's righteous standard.

The covenant with the Israelites.

The consecration of the Israelites.

The commandment to the Israelites.

3 And Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: 4 'You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself. 5 'Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. 6 'And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel." 7 So Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before them all these words which the LORD commanded him. 8 Then all the people answered together and said, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do." So Moses brought back the words of the people to the LORD. (Exod 19:3-8, NKJV)

1. The Covenant with the Israelites.

Grace came first: God dealt with the Israelites just as He deals with everyone -- by grace. They could not deliver themselves from Egypt and cried for mercy. God delivered them in a miraculous way which could not be explained away.

"I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself" (Exo. 19:4, NKJV)

God reached down from Heaven into a pagan land and brought them from a kingdom darkness to His glorious kingdom of light. He punished the Egyptians and brought the Israelites to Himself. This is a clear picture of God's way of dealing with all human beings. Egypt is a symbol of sin, the Israelites in Egypt represent lost humanity, and the deliverance from Egypt crossing over the Red Sea is a picture of God's salvation to all people through the death of Christ on the cross for our sins. Through the cross of Jesus Christ, each one of us is brought into a personal relationship with God. He brings us to Himself. This is the grace God has afforded you -- are you still living in Egypt (sin) or have you cried out for God's mercy and received the grace of our LORD Jesus Christ? Ask for this grace today, while it is still day.

The covenant came second: "Now...if" (Exo. 19:5) is what begins the covenant with the Israelites. It was a conditional covenant. A covenant is sort of like a contract but with an important distinction -- a contract is an agreement between two parties in which the two parties come to an agreement of the terms and conditions. A covenant, on the other hand, is an agreement in which the terms and conditions are given by God. In fact, the terms are guaranteed by a holy and righteous God who is always faithful.

Can a contract be broken? Yes, by either party.

Can a covenant be broken? Yes, by whatever human party is involved.

God is faithful to fulfill His part of the covenant. Some covenants He makes with mankind are unconditional. The covenant with Noah after the flood was His promise never to destroy the world by water again. He sealed it with a rainbow in the clouds lest we see rain and live in fear that the whole world will be flooded again. This covenant had no conditional provisions for mankind. It was unconditional, without conditions. Therefore, it will never be broken. This covenant with the Israelites was conditional -- "if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then..." (Exo. 19:5, NKJV). It was conditioned on listening to God and obediently doing what He commanded. As the Israelites responded to these conditions, they would be blessed by our faithful God:

As "a special treasure to Me above all people"

As "a kingdom of priests"

As "a holy nation"

The conditions were clear: Who wants a priest who refuses to listen to God's voice and disobeys His commandments? How can a rebellious nation be holy to God? So the covenant brought blessings based on their obedience or rejection of its terms. It was a glorious offer to the Israelites of God's special favor toward them to which they heartily accepted: "Then all the people answered together and said, 'All that the LORD has spoken we will do'" (Exo. 19:8, NKJV).

Remember, God's grace came to them first -- the covenant came second. The Mosaic covenant was not a basis for the Israelites to become righteous before God but to reflect His righteousness on this earth. That was the nature of this convenant. God had long ago revealed that righteousness comes by faith as demonstrated in Abraham's life (Genesis 15:6).

10 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes. 11 "And let them be ready for the third day. For on the third day the LORD will come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. 12 "You shall set bounds for the people all around, saying, 'Take heed to yourselves that you do not go up to the mountain or touch its base. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death. 13 'Not a hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot with an arrow; whether man or beast, he shall not live.' When the trumpet sounds long, they shall come near the mountain." (Exod 19:10-13, NKJV)

2. The Consecration of the Israelites.

To consecrate: In preparation for entering into this covenant, God commanded that they consecrate themselves. This simply means that they prepared themselves for a meeting with God. The word translated "consecrate" is also translated "sanctify". It indicates something or someone being set apart for God's use -- holy, hallowed, clean (in a moral or ceremonial sense).

As a sign of this consecration, they were to: wash their clothes (v10); avoid the mountain where God was to speak (v12); and abstain from sexual relations (v15). Moreover, their hearts were to be consecrated as Moses told them: "Be ready for the third day" (Exo. 19:15).

To Manifest: God was giving them something very few people throughout time have experienced -- a personal, visible manifestation of His presence. Meeting God in this way demands consecration because He is holy. Human beings need "consecration" or to be made holy because of sin. The washing with water in the ceremony of the Israelites points forward to the washing of rebirth and renewal performed by the Holy Spirit when you trust in the LORD Jesus Christ:

4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:4-7, NKJV)

Thank God, He has delivered on His promise to deal with sin through Christ so that in Christ we are forever "consecrated" -- made holy -- before our holy God.

17 And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. 19 And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by voice. (Exod 19:17-19, NKJV)

3. The Commandment to the Israelites.

The Israelites knew to expect something awesome since they had seen the mighty hand of the LORD destroy Egypt. But they did not know exactly how God would meet them. In this description, we see an ominous, fear-evoking image of God -- a mountain covered in smoke, the ground shaking greatly as though it was ready to collapse under the weight of the glory of God. When the trumpet sounded forth, louder and louder it got, they people must have been on the verge of scattering. Then they heard the "voice ... like the sound of rushing waters" (Rev 1:15, NIV).

Number	Exodus 20 Commandment (NKJV)	Notes
I	1 And God spoke all these words, saying: 2 "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 "You shall have no other gods before Me.	God must be first in our lives because He is eternal (I AM) and preeminent (before all and over all of creation).
II	4 "You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.	God cannot be confined to a piece of wood or metal. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and everywhere-present. To create an image of such an awesome God and worship it is absurd, to say the least.
III	7 "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.	God is holy. His name reflects all of His nature and character -- so use it with respect.
IV	8 "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.	If God thought rest was a good idea for Him, then who are you to reject the notion? Work six days and rest for one is a wonderful pattern for life. God designated this because it is good for our bodies to recuperate physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
V	12 "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.	The first commandment with a promise (Eph. 6:2) as the Apostle Paul notes. This commandment does not cease when you get married.
VI	13 "You shall not murder.	In KJV it is rendered "kill" but the context is in regard to murder. Jesus clarifies this in Mark 10:19.
VII	14 "You shall not commit adultery.	Remember, lust in your heart toward another is counted as adultery (Matthew 5:27-28).
VIII	15 "You shall not steal.	If it is more blessed to give than to receive, how much more so than to steal?
IX	16 "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.	Does this depend on your definition of "false", "witness" or "you"?
X	17 "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's."	Rather, be content with what you have -- the presence of the LORD Jesus Christ (Heb. 13:5).

Positive negatives: Although most are stated in the negative sense, there are obvious positive ways to state each one of them such as "Respect human life as sacred and a gift from God" as the positive statement of the sixth commandment which prohibits murder. The first four commandments involve the love of God and the last six involve the love of one another. These commandments obviously refer to holy principles for right living since there is no specific penalty to be enforced should one be broken (as is seen in the next few chapters where case laws are revealed -- "if someone does X then Y is the punishment").

The desire for obedience: no one who is born again of the Spirit of God (John 3:5) will have any problem with any of these commandments. They will be pleasant to the soul. They will ring true in our innermost being because God initiated this standard. They are God's precious commands which are "more to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb" (Psalm 19:8-10, NKJV). The child of God will desire to obey these commandments from way down deep inside. Even though they are given as part of God's covenant with the Israelites, they still are desirable commands for every Christian -- because they reflect what is good and decent in God's sight.

Law versus grace: Some make the point that Christians are not under law but under grace as though the Ten Commandments were not important today. Others insist we must obey the Ten Commandment. What is the correct view of the Ten Commandments?

Those who say we must obey the Ten Commandments because it is God's law need to do a little more Bible study -- they are forgetting the other 600 commandments that are part of God's law for Israel. If you have to obey the ten, you'd better get the other 600 right also!

Those who say we are under grace not law are quoting the Apostle Paul from Romans 6:14: "For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace" (NKJV). As you can see, it refers to the fact that sin need not overpower the believer because the believer has been freed from the penalty of sin by God's grace. Rather than negating the law, it shows that the believer -- by God's grace -- has the power to obey God's law.

So here are some specific observations which help us put the law (including the Ten Commandments) in a biblical perspective:

The Law is holy and, therefore, good (Rom. 7:12).

The Law, however, was not given to the Gentiles (Rom. 2:14; 9:4) but to Israel (Exodus 19:5).

The Law is not made for a righteous man but for a sinful man (1 Tim. 1:9).

The Law was given to define sin (Rom. 5:20; Gal. 3:19).

The Law was given until the Seed (Messiah) came (Gal. 3:16) -- the end of the Law occurred when the veil in the Temple was torn (Matt. 27:51) because the penalty for ALL sin had been paid by Christ.

The purpose of the Law was to reveal the sinfulness of our hearts that we might repentantly seek the mercy of God in Christ -- it was a schoolmaster (Gal. 3:23).

The Law never invalidated salvation by grace (Gal. 3:17) -- the Law was given 400 years AFTER the promise to Abraham.

Trying to live under the Law to attain salvation brings a curse (Gal. 3:10).

If you are following the Holy Spirit, you will fulfill the Law (Gal. 5:18).

The Spirit of God leads you to do those things that are holy and pleasing to Him. If there is any summary of God's law for the Christian, it is in the following statement by Paul:

8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear false witness," "You shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. (Romans 13:8-10, NKJV)

Reflect on YOUR life: The Ten Commandments reveal what is good and holy in God's sight. A person or family or nation that emphasizes these commands as a basis for living and relating to one another will do well. If you follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, you will not worry about the Ten Commandments or any other part of God's law -- it will be a natural part of your life. If, on the other hand, you disobey the leading of God's Spirit, you will naturally feel guilty because you will have broken God's law.

So what happens if you miss the mark (and we will all miss the mark at some point)? Then confess it to God, forsake it, and move on -- for the blood of Jesus, God's Son, cleanses you from all sin (1 John 1:9).