Day 10: Giving of the Law (Exodus 19:1-20:20)
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Ten divine expectations. That’s all! And really, are they so much to ask?
Four commands show us how to relate to God so that we might love him with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. Six more keep and protect our relationships with others.
These are the Ten Commandments…
One God. No false ones.
The Israelites were first and foremost commanded to worship the One True God alone. Surrounded by so many false gods this could prove difficult, but standing in the thundering presence of YAHWEH, after 10 plagues devastated false god after false god, it only made sense to tremble at HIS feet forever. Was it too much to ask of them? Is it too much to ask of us? No false gods? No graven images? No mute gold animals? No trusting in power, or money, or placing personal freedom and choice above commitment to God and his laws for creation?
Respect for YAHWEH’s name.
Was it too much to ask that they represent YAHWEH’s name in a way that reflects his truth and glory, and didn’t twist it to their own ends? To use it in a way that didn’t use his name with emptiness, falsehood, or worthlessness, but called upon his name with deep reverence and intimacy.
“Oh YAHWEH, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” (Psalm 9).
It was in his name that Moses went to Pharaoh, to represent him before this foreign nation. But what if one claimed to represent YAHWEH, and spoke in his name, but was actually speaking his own thoughts, and what he wanted? What if someone threw his name around carelessly? Without reverence?
Today most people don’t call on the name of our God. You may not have heard his name, YAHWEH, before. Many years ago, for fear of misusing the name of YAHWEH people stopped calling on his name. We see this fear reflected in our Bible translations, where God’s personal name, YAHWEH, is translated instead with the words “The LORD.” I wonder if we haven’t missed the point of this command, which is to represent him, spread his glory with truth and reverence for who he is! But God is clear about this. Those who misrepresent his name (and I think those of us who avoid the use of his name are not off the hook), would do well to heed the warning: He “will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.” They WILL be found guilty.
Keep the Sabbath day holy.
The Israelites were commanded to keep the Sabbath day holy. The author of Hebrews reminds us that “from the beginning humans were to rest on the Sabbath day… The seventh day is made holy [set apart] – the first thing of God’s creation to be made so.” (2)
“Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to YAHWEH your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 Here is the reason: For in six days YAHWEH made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore YAHWEH blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” (Exodus 20:8-11)
As God walked his people across dry land, and defeated all their enemies, he gave even more meaning to the Sabbath day. New meaning that Moses would remind them of as they prepared to enter the land that was promised first to Abraham and his family – to them! The Sabbath was to be a string around their finger, rousing the memory of God’s redemptive work. God told them: “Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that YAHWEH your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore YAHWEH your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.”
At the center of its observance: creation and redemption, as they relaxed into the mighty arms of their God and could think of nothing more satisfying.
With the fifth command God moved from laws meant to define and protect one’s relationship with God to defining and protecting one’s relationship with others. How we care for others is one of the ways we honor God!
Honor Parents.
Honor thy father and mother is a command to all, regardless of one’s age. The first and most basic relationship that one encounters in life is that of parent and child. Indeed, we already experience this relationship in the womb, cuddled inside mom, hearing the comforting voice of daddy for the first time.
The honor one owes to God and the honor we are to show our parents are similar. God promises us that if we honor our parents “it may go well with you in the land YAHWEH your God is giving you.” That we “may enjoy long life on the earth!” (Eph 6:1). (3)
This command is at the top of the list of commands for how people should treat each other, in a similar way to how honoring God alone sits at the top of lists regulating how we should treat God. In this command God is showing us that his design for the family is most important, and is needed to keep all other human relationships healthy.
Throughout life, such honor takes on variations in flavor, but it is honor nevertheless. As a child it means obedience. God also wants us to show respect to elders and value them. Baby Jesus grew to gives us this example of how he loved Mary, HIS mother.
Mary birthed Jesus, she held in her arms the Savior, and Jesus grew up treasuring her, obeying her, honoring her with his every breath. Even his last breath. Hanging from the cross, as the Soldiers divided his clothes among themselves, Jesus looked upon his mother and felt great concern for her. Who would take care of her when he was gone?
John, whom he knew and loved, was also standing nearby, and he said to his mother ‘Take John to be your son.’ And to John he said, ‘She will be your mother now.’ And from that time on John cared for her as if she were his own mother.
Do not murder.
Then we come to “Do not murder.” This one seems like a piece of cake. Really, do we need to mention it? Who doesn’t know that it’s wrong to murder another human being? You might chuckle if I were to ask you “Have you murdered anyone today?” It seems a pretty ridiculous idea! And yet there is a trend in the world today to think some people are worth less than others. Some people think it is okay to kill children, as long as they are still in their mother’s tummy. Some people think it is okay to kill old people or sick people. But who are we to decide who has the right to live or die? God, as creator of life, rightly has that place. We do not. The God of life and death commands that we leave this in his hands.
No adultery.
Do not commit adultery. This means we are to search for only one person to marry and offer them the covenant commitment that God offers us! It is a call to reflect God’s glory by imaging him in our male-female relationships, and by filling the earth with his image as together we bring to life more children that are made in the Image of God, and by raising our children to be like him.
Do not steal.
This really is a simple one. If its not yours – if it doesn’t belong to you – don’t take it.
Do not lie.
Don’t represent others in a dishonest way to make yourself seem better than you are, or to bring about your selfish desires. Be a witness to truth. I find most people are okay with a white lie to save face. There are times when people tell little lies because they want something to happen. They may be convinced that what they believe should happen needs to happen, no matter the cost. So long as “God’s will” comes about in the end, they may think its okay to misrpresent the trutgh. Anytime we say something that isn’t fully true it is a lie and it breaks God’s commandments. Sometimes, remaining silent, when God wants us to speak, misrepresents the truth, too. How can you speak truth in all you say and do?
No being jealous.
Do not covet – you’re neighbor’s house or wife… and how guilty are we in this current day and age of coveting? It’s hard to see another person with something we want. We may think that we deserve it more than them. But God calls us to be thankful for what we have. When we remember that we deserve nothing (we are all law breakers) we can begin to see that everything we have is a blessing from God, and we have more than we deserve.
What a wonderful challenge for this season! Ten simple rules. Not too much to ask. But God knows our hearts. Since Eden sin's infectious desires pump through our hearts, through our veins, infecting us body and soul. And if we break even one of the commandments, even once, we are a law-breaker.
“For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.” (James 2:10)
God knows that we have, that we will, fail to keep them. Still he gave them to us. Why?
The law was not given to be a burden, but a gift! Undiluted holiness that opens our eyes to our desperation for the birth of our Savior. We need him! We need the law-keeper to come, live, grow, love, and then to die to cleanse us from our sins.
Let’s not forget these two greatest commandments.
They sum up the law and the prophets.
LOVE GOD.
You shall love YAHWEH your God with all your heart and soul and mind and strength.
You shall love YAHWEH your God with all your heart and soul and mind and strength.
And LOVE OTHERS.
Love your neighbor as yourself.
Love your neighbor as yourself.
When we meet Christ, let’s watch him expectantly, that we might learn his ways and walk in them.
We must remember Jesus when he encountered the woman caught breaking number 7. She had called the curse of death upon herself, but who of us can throw stones from a heart of innocence?
She had broken the law. She was guilty. But Jesus recognized that she was not the only one, and if they, any of them repented, forgiveness was waiting. It waits for us, too. We, too, can choose to go and sin no more, because our Savior is coming. To show us the way. To be the way.
Prayer:
YAHWEH, may your law bring us to Christ. If there is only law what hope have we? But you are coming and we wait in faith for you - OUR HOPE - to come and save us!
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice goes out into all the earth; their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth.
Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice goes out into all the earth; their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth.
The law of YAHWEH is perfect, refreshing the soul.
The statutes of YAHWEH are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
The precepts of YAHWEH are right, giving joy to the heart.
The commands of YAHWEH are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
The fear of YAHWEH is pure, enduring forever.
The decrees of YAHWEH are firm, and all of them are righteous.
The statutes of YAHWEH are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
The precepts of YAHWEH are right, giving joy to the heart.
The commands of YAHWEH are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
The fear of YAHWEH is pure, enduring forever.
The decrees of YAHWEH are firm, and all of them are righteous.
They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold;
They are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.
By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults.
Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me.
Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression.
They are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.
By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults.
Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me.
Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression.
May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight,
YAHWEH, my Rock and my Redeemer. (Psalm 19)
YAHWEH, my Rock and my Redeemer. (Psalm 19)
Psalm 19 (Tune: The Ash Grove) (Seedbed Psalter)
Psalm 19 (Jason Silver)
Psalm 119 Playlist (Jason Silver)
Take My Life (youtube)
NOTES:
(2) New Testament Commentary on the Old Testament (p. 957)
(3) New Testament Commentary on the Old Testament (p. 829)
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