The Ten Commandments Exodus 20

 

Exodus 20 – The Ten Commandments (please read Exodus 20)

 

Under the Old Covenant, God’s law was written on tablets of stone, but under the New Covenant, God writes His word on our hearts. The first part of the law was the Ten Commandments, a moral code. They are divided into two different divisions.  One-part deals with man’s relationship to God, and the other part deals with man’s relationship to man. In the first commandment, God is condemning the belief in that there is more than one God. In that day it was popular to worship many gods.  Today it is popular not to worship any god.  In Romans 1:21-25, it states: “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools…..Who changed the truth of God into a lie and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever.  Amen.”

1-3. Anything you give yourself to, anything to which you give your time, heart, and soul, becomes your god.  God says we are not to have any gods before Him.

4. It is wrong to use God’s name in vain because He is God, and He is Holy!  It reveals a lack of vocabulary.  Many people cannot express themselves without using profanity.

5. The Sabbath Day was given to the nation Israel in a very unusual way.  It was a covenant between God and the children of Israel.

6. A father and mother should be worthy of the honor of their children.

7.  The commandment “Thou shalt not kill.” Was not given to a nation; it was given to the individual.  One man should not kill another. It has nothing to do with soldier service or with the execution of a criminal.  It is speaking of murder, which our Lord said comes from anger – and we are not even to be angry with our brother.

8. Sex is certainly not new, but it is still adultery when it is committed outside of marraige.

9. Bearing false witness against your neighbor is lying.

10. Covetousness, according to the apostle Paul is idolatry.

Along with the commandments God gives instruction for an altar.  An altar is used for sacrifice. The peace offering reveals that man needs a sacrifice that will reconcile him to God, and that Christ made peace by the blood of His Cross.  The burnt offering speaks of who Christ is; it speaks of His worthiness and ability to save. God instructed them to build a plain altar of stone with no engraving.  The moment a tool was put to stones, it was polluted.  God rejected it. In that day a man would have to lift a skirt and his nakedness would be revealed.  God says, “I do not want to see your nakedness.” Therefore, steps were not permitted to the altar.