GOD DECLARES HIS COMMANDMENTS
Our text:
Exodus chapters 19-20
When Jacob, his sons, and their families descended into Egypt, it was a large family. What we have seen in God's Word is that this family has grown into a nation. The Nation that is called Israel. The Word of God shows us how He used this nation to reveal Himself to all the world.
We must remember God will not allow any excuses for not knowing Him:
Rom 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
Rom 1:20 [For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse]:
But Our Lord God has also given us His Word:
Heb 10:7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
The Apostle Peter said this Word is sure:
2Pe 1:19 [We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place], until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
2Pe 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
2Pe 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: [but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost].
The nation of Israel will be the key instrument of God's revelation to all humanity. If we want to know why Israel is hated so much in this world, [then we should know that this is the reason]. In "type" this shows us why the Church, The Bride of Christ is also so hated.
This great act of deliverance foreshadowed an even greater act of redemption that God would accomplish through a descendant of Jacob, that the Bible calls the Messiah.
We will see in this passage that God will enter into another covenant with His people. This covenant will not take the place of the covenant made to Abraham:
Gen 12:1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
Gen 12:2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
Gen 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
This covenant to Abraham had no conditions to be met by Abraham, except to believe. We call this "faith". This is the only work required of the believer, TO BELIEVE, HAVE FAITH in the Word of God.
We will now see a covenant of "Works". This covenant will have some conditions to be met on the part of the Nation of Israel.
When Israel accepts this covenant they are then required to obey!
Bible scholars call this the Mosaic Covenant. What will be learned from Moses in what is called the Pentateuch is that there were not only 10 moral laws but there were also 603 more laws of all sort making a total of 613 laws in the Word of God listed by Moses to Israel.
*****Our Text:
Exo. 19:1-15
Exo 19:5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
Exo 19:6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
Exo 19:7 And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him.
Exo 19:8 And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD.
Verse 19:1 tells us that Israel arrived at the Mount of God in the third month. I fully believe that this was the 50th day from the day they had hurriedly left Egypt. That may be another study later but it would coincide with Pentecost after the resurrection of Our Lord Jesus.
God had delivered Israel from Egypt on the ground of His covenant with Abraham:
Exo 2:24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.
The last thing recorded before we find Israel at Sinai is that God had opened the "Rock":
Psa 105:41 He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places like a river.
Psa 105:42 For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham his servant.
We will see now at Sinai, Jehovah God's relationship to Israel, the nation, was placed on a different basis.
Verse 19:5 Is not referring to His covenant with Abraham and He is not mentioned in this chapter. There were no conditions attached to the covenant with Abraham. That covenant was "Unconditional" on the part of Abraham and his descendants are concerned, at least those through Jacob. This covenant at Sinai would be a covenant between two parties both meeting certain conditions to make the covenant binding.
This will be a covenant of works!
What are the conditions of this covenant?
Exo 34:27 And the LORD said unto Moses, Write thou these words: for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel.
Exo 34:28 And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.
Some forty years later Moses would remind Israel of this:
Deu 4:13 And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone.
Deu 4:14 And the LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it.
So we have the ten commandments and then the 603 statutes and ordinances.
What do we see in verse 8?
"And all the people answered together, and said, [All that the LORD hath spoken we will do]. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD"
We know that this true because it is repeated:
Exo 24:4 And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel.
Exo 24:5 And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the LORD.
Exo 24:6 And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.
Exo 24:7 And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: [and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient].
Exo 24:8 And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words.
They knew exactly what commandments they were responding to.
It is the Mosaic covenant and not the Abramic covenant that Israel will later enter into the land of Canaan.
It is on the grounds of this Mosaic covenant that God will deal with His people while they were in the land of Canaan!
What we see once Joshua had led them into Canaan is how God responds to His covenant:
Jos 7:10 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?
Jos 7:11 Israel hath sinned, and [they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them]: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff.
Jos 7:15 And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: [because he hath transgressed the covenant of the LORD], and because he hath wrought folly in Israel.
They had lost a battle:
Jos 7:5 And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.
What had God said?
Exo 20:17 [Thou shalt not covet] thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.
Later we see:
Jdg 2:19 And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way.
Jdg 2:20 And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and he said, [Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers], and have not hearkened unto my voice;
God added:
Jdg 2:21 I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died:
When Solomon failed to keep this covenant:
1Ki 11:11 Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and [thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee], I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.
Throughout Israel's occupation of Canaan God dealt with them under this Mosaic covenant:
Jer 11:2 [Hear ye the words of this covenant], and speak unto the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem;
Jer 11:3 And say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant,
Jer 11:4 [Which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt], from the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God:
God does not change as time passes by!
*****Verse 10-11:
It is said that this took place in the third month from what was the beginning of the Nation of Israel:
Exo 12:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying,
Exo 12:2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.
It is now the third month since the Lord Jehovah spake these words of Exo12:1-2.
If Israel left Egypt on the 15th day of the first month then this would be about the 45th day since they had departed.
God said be ready for the third day.
Moses would later remind Israel that this was the day that God came down to talk with them from Heaven:
Deu 5:22 These words the LORD spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and he added no more. And he wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me.
Deu 5:23 And it came to pass, when ye heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, (for the mountain did burn with fire,) that ye came near unto me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders;
Deu 5:24 And ye said, Behold, the LORD our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth.
Deu 5:25 Now therefore why should we die? for this great fire will consume us: if we hear the voice of the LORD our God any more, then we shall die.
Deu 5:26 For who is there of all flesh, that hath heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived?
Deu 5:27 Go thou near, and hear all that the LORD our God shall say: and speak thou unto us all that the LORD our God shall speak unto thee; and we will hear it, and do it.
Deu 5:28 And the LORD heard the voice of your words, when ye spake unto me; and the LORD said unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee: they have well said all that they have spoken.
Deu 5:29 O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!
*****Our Text:
Exodus 19:16-25
Exo 19:16 And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.
Exo 19:17 And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.
Exo 19:18 And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.
"Behold, The Lord God hath shown us His Glory"
Before this could happen the people were to "sanctify" themselves even to the point of washing their clothes.
Sanctify means: To separate, set apart or appoint to a holy, sacred or religious use.
They were to do the very best they knew how to do and God was coming down to tell them how they could be sanctified before all the world. We can say what we will but we can see that in 'Type" God will only draw nigh to people "who are clean".(from sin)
It is "Sin" which separates us from God. The nation of Israel did not know what God considered to be "Sin" so God came down in His "mercy" to teach them.
Even today the intent of these Laws of God are intended to teach us what God considers to be "Sin".
Paul Wrote:
Gal 3:24 Wherefore [the law was our schoolmaster] to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Gal 3:25 [But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster].
It's a shame that we live in a world that does not want to live by these simple laws. No one wants to see these 10 moral laws because they are convicted by them, especially our own politicians and our own lawmakers.
God is coming back in a cloud to get His Church. I am positive that on that day there will be much thunderings and much light lightning as God will again show His "Majesty". Yes, He is coming as a thief but I believe the world will know that He came.
A great and dreadful God will return one day soon.
Dan 9:4 And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, [O Lord, the great and dreadful God], keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;
No one will dictate to God what His actions will be, though this world is trying:
Isa 40:13 Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?
Isa 40:14 With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?
Isa 40:15 Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing.
Isa 40:17 All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.
It is God's people that are important to Him not anything else of this world.
We need to have some of this fear in our own selves:
We should have enough of the "Fear of the Lord" in us to live the way He commands us to live:
Php 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Php 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
We must not forget that the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament, ARE ONE AND THE SAME GOD!
He is the One to be obeyed and to be worshipped!
*****Our text:
Exodus 20
Exo 20:1 And God spake all these words, saying,
Exo 20:2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
Exo 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Exo 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Exo 20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
Exo 20:6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
Exo 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exo 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Exo 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
Exo 20:13 Thou shalt not kill.
Exo 20:14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Exo 20:15 Thou shalt not steal.
Exo 20:16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
Exo 20:17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.
God gave us these rules to live by some 4000 years ago. While Jesus Christ was on this earth some almost 2000 years age He said these words:
Mat 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
We live in a world where we know that this true! Lawlessness is not only in our own communities but world wide.
The men of this world that have obtained power from many ways, most of their ways not God's ways, and are bent on pleasing themselves with no regard for the people of this world or the world itself.
There is only one test of "Love". That is to have the desire and put forth the effort to please the one that is loved. We show God we love Him by being obedient to "His Will"!
Psa 40:8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.
Jesus Himself said:
Joh 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, [he it is that loveth me]: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and [I will love him, and will manifest myself to him].
There are many so called scholars of God's Word that say that the Laws of God are not binding on anyone else but Israel and the Bible itself said that this is not true. Paul wrote that these laws are our "schoolmaster" until we meet Jesus.
Jesus said when we meet Him. "or invite Him into our heart", we will know that those same schoolmaster laws are fulfilled in "love". In other words if we have the "Love of Jesus" in us we will not have to remember those laws because we will love each other enough to not need them.
We must realize Our Lord said these laws were special to Him:
Psa 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
Psa 1:2 [But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night].
Psa 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
Psa 1:4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
Psa 1:5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
Psa 1:6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
And in the New Testament:
Rom 7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
Rom 7:22 [For I delight in the law of God after the inward man]:
Rom 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
It was with Divine love that God provided these commandments. To obey them would show it is by God's Authority that we live.
Israel as a new nation had to realize they could survive only under the government of God.
God had created this nation of Israel and He had also purchased them with the "blood". Israel belongs to God!
God begins with the first four commandments. These will dictate man's relationship with God. Then the last six will dictate man's relationship with other men.
When God redeems us from sin it does not release us from God's claim on us as His creatures but He creates a new relationship with added responsibilities. God wants a righteous people and He has given us the guidelines.
God gave Israel three classes of laws.
1.) The Moral Laws
2.) The Ceremonial Laws
3.) The Civil Laws
These were the guidelines of the government of Israel:
Jdg 8:23 And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: [the LORD shall rule over you].
Just so we are clear these are still the Laws that Israel is bound to, until they meet Jesus Christ.
These moral commandments are binding on all people no matter where they live, especially on Christians.
Why?
1.) They proclaim the authority of God Himself.
2.) They were written by the finger of God and have never yet been repealed.
3.) We still need them in the days we now live in.
Paul said:
Rom 7:6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
Rom 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? [God forbid]. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: [for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet].
4.) Our own Lord Jesus obeyed the laws and He is our example.
Gal 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, [made under the law],
Gal 4:5 [To redeem them that were under the law], that we might receive the adoption of sons.
God said we should delight in His law:
Psa 40:8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, [thy law is within my heart].
Jesus maintained the the authority of God's law:
Mat 22:36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
5.) Jesus said He did not come to destroy the law:
Mat 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Mat 5:18 For verily I say unto you, [Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled].
Mat 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
6.) Paul said:
Rom 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? [God forbid]: yea, [we establish the law].
1Co 9:19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
1Co 9:20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
1Co 9:21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
1Co 9:23 And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
7.) God will chastise those that do not obey His law:
Psa 89:27 [Also I will make him my firstborn], higher than the kings of the earth.
Psa 89:28 My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and [my covenant shall stand fast with him].
Psa 89:29 His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven.
But:
Psa 89:30 If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments;
Psa 89:31 If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments;
Psa 89:32 Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.
Psa 89:33 Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.
This not to say that we should not rightly divide the Bible:
2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, [rightly dividing the word of truth].
Through God's mercy He gives us His Grace because He knew that through obeying these laws we could not be saved but He indeed says we are to obey these laws. They are still our guide while we are still in this sinful flesh.
Remember what Paul said:
Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Rom 7:19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Rom 7:20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
Rom 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Rom 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
It is the battle with our own flesh that these laws teach us right from wrong in the eyes of a Holy God!
When the Bible mentions the phase "The Law" we then need to rightly divide what is said. In the New Testament there are three expressions that need to be distinguished:
1.) The Law of God:
Rom 7:22 For I delight in [the law of God] after the inward man:
Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind [I myself serve the law of God]; but with the flesh the law of sin.
2.) The Law of Moses:
Joh 7:15 And the Jews marvelled, saying, [How knoweth this man letters, having never learned]?
Joh 7:16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.
Joh 7:17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
Joh 7:18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.
Joh 7:19 [Did not Moses give you the law], and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?
Act 13:39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, [from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses].
Act 15:5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, [and to command them to keep the law of Moses].
3.) The Law of Christ:
Gal 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
a.) The Law of God comes from the mind of our creator and is binding on all that live on this earth. This is the entire will of God but is referred to as the "Ten Commandments".
These laws were expressed on man's "moral" behavior since the fall of Adam. Most every man from every location knows the "Moral" law without having read them. They are written in man's heart.
This is the reason that the Ten Commandments were the first of the written laws God gave to Israel.
This is why Jesus said these words:
Mat 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: [I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil].
This why the Holy Spirit teaches us of the law in the New Testament: In the Book of Romans the word "law" is seen 75 times.
This is why sinners and saints are judged by these laws:
Rom 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
Jas 2:12 So speak ye, and so do, [as they that shall be judged] by the law of liberty.
These laws will not be repealed until the New Heaven and the New Earth.
b.) The Law of Moses: Is the entire written law given to Israel in the wilderness. The Moral laws, The Ceremonial laws, The Judgment and the Ordinances. (613 laws at the time of Moses) [The Pharisees later added many more to these.]
These laws have not been repealed even in our day.
c.) The Law of Christ are the laws in the hands of our Mediator, Jesus Christ!
Gal 4:3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
Gal 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
Gal 4:5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
Gal 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
This is the Law that is in the heart of Jesus: The "law of God" is now the "Law of Christ" as it pertains to all believers!
As creatures we serve the "Law of God" and as the redeemed we serve the "Law of Christ".
Eph 6:5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;
Eph 6:6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; [but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;
Eph 6:7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men]:
Eph 6:8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.
Col 3:2 Set your affection on things above, [not on things on the earth].
Col 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Paul explains this in his way:
1Co 9:21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
The "flesh" must still obey the laws of the creator, the moral laws.
The "saved soul" belongs to the redeemer, Jesus Christ and obedience to Him.
1.) What we will see is that God came down to this earth and verbally, with His voice gave the Ten Commandments:
2.) The Ten Commandments were the only laws written with the finger of God.
3.) The Ten Commandments were the only laws stored in the Ark of the Covenant.
God did not make His abode in the Tabernacle until The Ten Commandments were properly stored in the Ark and the Tabernacle was completed. This is when Our Lord came down to sit on the Mercy Seat.
*****The Moral Laws:
I.) No other gods:
God is saying that He will not tolerate any other object of worship. Flesh, Material, or make believe, fantasy.
This would include Idols of metal, wood, or stone, or any other material but also, Money, Pleasure, Fashion, Fame, Food, and any other thing we put in a place before our worship of the "Living God".
Isa 45:20 Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.
Isa 45:21 Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.
Isa 45:22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.
1Jn 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
II.) Graven Images:
We can see that man is forbidden to attempt any visible representation of God. The first commandment forbids objects of worship. Now we see more of how to worship. We must not have carnal conceptions of God. Notice God adds that those that break this commandment shall bring down the judgment of God on their own children.
This means as parents we are to teach the truth about the Being and the Character of God!
Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
III.) Take God's name in vain:
God's Holy name must be sacred to us!
When we pray: "Hallowed be thy name"
Anytime we speak, in any of our religious devotions, nothing must said to lower the High Holiness of God's Name!
There is only one time the word "reverend" is used in the Bible:
Psa 111:9 He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: [holy and reverend is his name].
It should be ashame for men to call themselves "Reverend" when not one person can meet the qualifications as Our Lord!
IV.) Remember the Sabbath:
The seventh day is a "sabbath" unto the Lord!
1.) This says, man should work six days a week:
1Th 4:11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;
1Th 4:12 That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.
2Th 3:10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
2.) We see that this term "Sabbath" is not said to be the seventh day of the week as in our own man made calendar!
Six days of work call for one day of rest!
So far as the Old Testament is concerned this could be any day of the week!
IT IS NOT CORRECT THEN TO SAY THAT THE SABBATH CAN BE OBSERVED ONLY ON A SATURDAY!
THE BIBLE DOES NOT MAKE SATURDAY ANY SPECIAL DAY! TO DO SO GOES AGAINST THE WORD OF JESUS HIMSELF!
Mat 5:19 [Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so], he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
The Bible says:
Heb 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
The Lord says of a "Sabbath":
Mar 2:27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:
Mar 2:28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
*****A little history of the names of the days of the week:
We have 7 days in the week mainly because the ancients were aware of seven "heavenly bodies": Sun, Moon, and the five (of the 9) planets which they could see: Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn.
The Romans were the first to name the days after mythological Gods which had planetary connections, such as Jupiter (chief God), Mars (God of War), and Venus (Goddess of Love).
Along the way, and much later, the Teutonic peoples (Germans/Angles/ Saxons/Nordics/etc) replaced some of them with a few from their own pantheon and so the days became a mix of planetary objects and Norse Gods.
For English, that would be 3 heavenly objects (Sun, Moon, Saturn) and 4 Teutonic gods. In other Romance (derived from Latin) languages and not Teutonic the original (Roman) planetary names are often retained.
Thus we have:
Sunday From Sun's Day.
Monday From Moon's Day. (Fr:"Lundi" Ital:"Lundei" Sp:"Lunes"; (all derived from luna/lunar)
Tuesday From Tewe's Day, a Norse/Germanic female deity. Was: Mar's Day (Fr: "Mardi" ; Sp: "Martes") (You knew that "Mardi Gras" is Fat Tuesday!)
Wednesday From Woden's Day, (aka: Odin's Day), the chief god in Teutonic mythology. Was: Mercury's Day. (Fr:"Mercredi" Ital:"Mercoledi")
Thursday From Thor's Day. (He's the one that sends bolts into your surge protector and computer.) Was: Jupiter's Day: "Jove" (Fr: "Jeudi" Sp: "Jeuves")
Friday From Frigg's Day, a rotund Germanic female deity. Was: Venus' Day. (Fr: "Vendredi" Ital: "Venerdi")
Saturday From Saturn's Day.
It was not so many years ago that the Jewish people chose themselves to make Saturday their "Sabbath" It was not God's Word that dictated this.
The Church is told to worship everyday and are not given any specific day. It was in the days of the beginning of the New Church that the "Lord's Day" was chosen. It is accepted that the Lord rose from that tomb on a Sunday.
1Th 5:17 Pray without ceasing.
God does say to not to forsake assembling in His name and more often as we get nearer to the end:
Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and [so much the more, as ye see the day approaching].
In fact the Word of God says to assemble more often and not less often!
But we should also consider some rest time, and some time with our own families.
V.) Honor our fathers and mothers:
The word "honor" means much more than to just obey:
A child must learn that the parent is in authority and should be held in high esteem.
Luk 2:48 And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.
Luk 2:49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?
Luk 2:50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.
Luk 2:51 And [he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them]: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
Luk 2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.
Even Jesus obeyed His earthly parents just as he kept all the commandments.
We know that this is to be taught in the Church:
Eph 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
Eph 6:2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)
Eph 6:3 [That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth].
And God is serious about obeying this commandment as the length of one's life itself is dependant on it.
VI.) Thou shalt not kill:
Thou shalt not murder! God has attached the death penalty to this commandment and gives us His reason!
Gen 9:5 And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man.
Gen 9:6 Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: [for in the image of God made he man].
Jesus explains this for us that believe His Word:
Mat 5:21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
Mat 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
Jesus says that murder is not limited just to the act but also to the state of mind and the passion that causes the act of murder. In our day we say "premeditated".
All human life is precious to God!
VII.) Not commit adultery:
God says that there must be respect for the marriage. The marriage relationship must be paramount over every other human obligation.
We should not be unfaithful in marriage!
Jesus gives us the deeper meaning:
Mat 5:27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
Mat 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Adultery includes the lustful passions behind the act of adultery.
We must remember when Jesus taught on divorce it was the unfaithfulness of a partner that could dissolve a marriage.
Mat 19:9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.
Paul wrote to the church:
1Co 7:15 [But if the unbelieving depart], let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.
Still it is unfaithfulness!
VIII.) Not to steal:
God insist that we are honest with all mankind.
2Co 8:21 Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.
The trap of making it a habit to take things that do not belong to us is real.
IX.) Not to bear false witness:
To be a slanderer and/or a talebearer will bring the wrath of God. Even to falsely brag on someone would be included in this sin.
X.) Thou shalt no covet:
This commandment differs from the others because they forbade the act and [this commandment condemns the desire to act]!
Covet means "to desire". You can look at all the laws of any land you will not see that this commandment is not written into any of them. Only God can look into the heart and know whether we have broken this commandment. This desire reveals the evil that is in our sinful flesh.
Luk 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
There is only one exception to this law:
1Co 12:28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
1Co 12:29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
1Co 12:30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
1Co 12:31 [But covet earnestly the best gifts]: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.
What do we see of Israel after receiving these commandments of God?
They knew they needed a "mediator"! They want Moses to deal with God on their behalf!
This met a need from their side but not from God's side!
The next thing we see is an "Altar"!
The altar shows us God's "Grace"!
We should realize that the Ten Commandments were never given to man as a means of salvation.
God does not authorize any salvation by works!
The only work we have to do, IS TO BELIEVE THE WORD OF GOD!
These "Laws" are not a way of life but they are the rules of our conduct!
God provided an "altar" for the times we have failed in obeying His Commandments. "We need to pray for His forgiveness".
*****This "Altar":
This altar was not to be made from man-made materials. No skill of man was needed to build this altar. The intent being that no man to take credit as a stone mason or in any other skill.
1Co 1:29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
By no works of our own righteousness can we be forgiven!
Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Tit 3:6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
Tit 3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
A sinful man cannot go before God with anything that his own labors has produced!
God will reject all efforts of the natural man to redeem himself!
Man cannot climb up to Heaven by any steps that he thinks he has built!
It is a fact that Our bridge to Heaven is The Lord Jesus Christ. It is Jesus Christ that took all the steps to come to us.
1.) He made Himself of no reputation.
2.) He took upon Himself the form of a servant.
3.) He was made in the likeness of man.
4.) He, being found in fashion as a man He humbled Himself.
5.) He became obedient unto the death of the cross.
There are no steps for man to climb! When man tries to climb his own steps he shames the work of God!
The Cross is the one true "Altar" of God!
Let's Pray!
Our text:
Exodus chapters 19-20
When Jacob, his sons, and their families descended into Egypt, it was a large family. What we have seen in God's Word is that this family has grown into a nation. The Nation that is called Israel. The Word of God shows us how He used this nation to reveal Himself to all the world.
We must remember God will not allow any excuses for not knowing Him:
Rom 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
Rom 1:20 [For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse]:
But Our Lord God has also given us His Word:
Heb 10:7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
The Apostle Peter said this Word is sure:
2Pe 1:19 [We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place], until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
2Pe 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
2Pe 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: [but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost].
The nation of Israel will be the key instrument of God's revelation to all humanity. If we want to know why Israel is hated so much in this world, [then we should know that this is the reason]. In "type" this shows us why the Church, The Bride of Christ is also so hated.
This great act of deliverance foreshadowed an even greater act of redemption that God would accomplish through a descendant of Jacob, that the Bible calls the Messiah.
We will see in this passage that God will enter into another covenant with His people. This covenant will not take the place of the covenant made to Abraham:
Gen 12:1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
Gen 12:2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
Gen 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
This covenant to Abraham had no conditions to be met by Abraham, except to believe. We call this "faith". This is the only work required of the believer, TO BELIEVE, HAVE FAITH in the Word of God.
We will now see a covenant of "Works". This covenant will have some conditions to be met on the part of the Nation of Israel.
When Israel accepts this covenant they are then required to obey!
Bible scholars call this the Mosaic Covenant. What will be learned from Moses in what is called the Pentateuch is that there were not only 10 moral laws but there were also 603 more laws of all sort making a total of 613 laws in the Word of God listed by Moses to Israel.
*****Our Text:
Exo. 19:1-15
Exo 19:5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
Exo 19:6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
Exo 19:7 And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him.
Exo 19:8 And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD.
Verse 19:1 tells us that Israel arrived at the Mount of God in the third month. I fully believe that this was the 50th day from the day they had hurriedly left Egypt. That may be another study later but it would coincide with Pentecost after the resurrection of Our Lord Jesus.
God had delivered Israel from Egypt on the ground of His covenant with Abraham:
Exo 2:24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.
The last thing recorded before we find Israel at Sinai is that God had opened the "Rock":
Psa 105:41 He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places like a river.
Psa 105:42 For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham his servant.
We will see now at Sinai, Jehovah God's relationship to Israel, the nation, was placed on a different basis.
Verse 19:5 Is not referring to His covenant with Abraham and He is not mentioned in this chapter. There were no conditions attached to the covenant with Abraham. That covenant was "Unconditional" on the part of Abraham and his descendants are concerned, at least those through Jacob. This covenant at Sinai would be a covenant between two parties both meeting certain conditions to make the covenant binding.
This will be a covenant of works!
What are the conditions of this covenant?
Exo 34:27 And the LORD said unto Moses, Write thou these words: for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel.
Exo 34:28 And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.
Some forty years later Moses would remind Israel of this:
Deu 4:13 And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone.
Deu 4:14 And the LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it.
So we have the ten commandments and then the 603 statutes and ordinances.
What do we see in verse 8?
"And all the people answered together, and said, [All that the LORD hath spoken we will do]. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD"
We know that this true because it is repeated:
Exo 24:4 And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel.
Exo 24:5 And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the LORD.
Exo 24:6 And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.
Exo 24:7 And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: [and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient].
Exo 24:8 And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words.
They knew exactly what commandments they were responding to.
It is the Mosaic covenant and not the Abramic covenant that Israel will later enter into the land of Canaan.
It is on the grounds of this Mosaic covenant that God will deal with His people while they were in the land of Canaan!
What we see once Joshua had led them into Canaan is how God responds to His covenant:
Jos 7:10 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?
Jos 7:11 Israel hath sinned, and [they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them]: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff.
Jos 7:15 And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: [because he hath transgressed the covenant of the LORD], and because he hath wrought folly in Israel.
They had lost a battle:
Jos 7:5 And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.
What had God said?
Exo 20:17 [Thou shalt not covet] thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.
Later we see:
Jdg 2:19 And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way.
Jdg 2:20 And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and he said, [Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers], and have not hearkened unto my voice;
God added:
Jdg 2:21 I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died:
When Solomon failed to keep this covenant:
1Ki 11:11 Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and [thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee], I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.
Throughout Israel's occupation of Canaan God dealt with them under this Mosaic covenant:
Jer 11:2 [Hear ye the words of this covenant], and speak unto the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem;
Jer 11:3 And say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant,
Jer 11:4 [Which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt], from the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God:
God does not change as time passes by!
*****Verse 10-11:
It is said that this took place in the third month from what was the beginning of the Nation of Israel:
Exo 12:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying,
Exo 12:2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.
It is now the third month since the Lord Jehovah spake these words of Exo12:1-2.
If Israel left Egypt on the 15th day of the first month then this would be about the 45th day since they had departed.
God said be ready for the third day.
Moses would later remind Israel that this was the day that God came down to talk with them from Heaven:
Deu 5:22 These words the LORD spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and he added no more. And he wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me.
Deu 5:23 And it came to pass, when ye heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, (for the mountain did burn with fire,) that ye came near unto me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders;
Deu 5:24 And ye said, Behold, the LORD our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth.
Deu 5:25 Now therefore why should we die? for this great fire will consume us: if we hear the voice of the LORD our God any more, then we shall die.
Deu 5:26 For who is there of all flesh, that hath heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived?
Deu 5:27 Go thou near, and hear all that the LORD our God shall say: and speak thou unto us all that the LORD our God shall speak unto thee; and we will hear it, and do it.
Deu 5:28 And the LORD heard the voice of your words, when ye spake unto me; and the LORD said unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee: they have well said all that they have spoken.
Deu 5:29 O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!
*****Our Text:
Exodus 19:16-25
Exo 19:16 And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.
Exo 19:17 And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.
Exo 19:18 And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.
"Behold, The Lord God hath shown us His Glory"
Before this could happen the people were to "sanctify" themselves even to the point of washing their clothes.
Sanctify means: To separate, set apart or appoint to a holy, sacred or religious use.
They were to do the very best they knew how to do and God was coming down to tell them how they could be sanctified before all the world. We can say what we will but we can see that in 'Type" God will only draw nigh to people "who are clean".(from sin)
It is "Sin" which separates us from God. The nation of Israel did not know what God considered to be "Sin" so God came down in His "mercy" to teach them.
Even today the intent of these Laws of God are intended to teach us what God considers to be "Sin".
Paul Wrote:
Gal 3:24 Wherefore [the law was our schoolmaster] to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Gal 3:25 [But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster].
It's a shame that we live in a world that does not want to live by these simple laws. No one wants to see these 10 moral laws because they are convicted by them, especially our own politicians and our own lawmakers.
God is coming back in a cloud to get His Church. I am positive that on that day there will be much thunderings and much light lightning as God will again show His "Majesty". Yes, He is coming as a thief but I believe the world will know that He came.
A great and dreadful God will return one day soon.
Dan 9:4 And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, [O Lord, the great and dreadful God], keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;
No one will dictate to God what His actions will be, though this world is trying:
Isa 40:13 Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?
Isa 40:14 With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?
Isa 40:15 Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing.
Isa 40:17 All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.
It is God's people that are important to Him not anything else of this world.
We need to have some of this fear in our own selves:
We should have enough of the "Fear of the Lord" in us to live the way He commands us to live:
Php 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Php 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
We must not forget that the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament, ARE ONE AND THE SAME GOD!
He is the One to be obeyed and to be worshipped!
*****Our text:
Exodus 20
Exo 20:1 And God spake all these words, saying,
Exo 20:2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
Exo 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Exo 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Exo 20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
Exo 20:6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
Exo 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exo 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Exo 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
Exo 20:13 Thou shalt not kill.
Exo 20:14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Exo 20:15 Thou shalt not steal.
Exo 20:16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
Exo 20:17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.
God gave us these rules to live by some 4000 years ago. While Jesus Christ was on this earth some almost 2000 years age He said these words:
Mat 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
We live in a world where we know that this true! Lawlessness is not only in our own communities but world wide.
The men of this world that have obtained power from many ways, most of their ways not God's ways, and are bent on pleasing themselves with no regard for the people of this world or the world itself.
There is only one test of "Love". That is to have the desire and put forth the effort to please the one that is loved. We show God we love Him by being obedient to "His Will"!
Psa 40:8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.
Jesus Himself said:
Joh 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, [he it is that loveth me]: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and [I will love him, and will manifest myself to him].
There are many so called scholars of God's Word that say that the Laws of God are not binding on anyone else but Israel and the Bible itself said that this is not true. Paul wrote that these laws are our "schoolmaster" until we meet Jesus.
Jesus said when we meet Him. "or invite Him into our heart", we will know that those same schoolmaster laws are fulfilled in "love". In other words if we have the "Love of Jesus" in us we will not have to remember those laws because we will love each other enough to not need them.
We must realize Our Lord said these laws were special to Him:
Psa 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
Psa 1:2 [But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night].
Psa 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
Psa 1:4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
Psa 1:5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
Psa 1:6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
And in the New Testament:
Rom 7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
Rom 7:22 [For I delight in the law of God after the inward man]:
Rom 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
It was with Divine love that God provided these commandments. To obey them would show it is by God's Authority that we live.
Israel as a new nation had to realize they could survive only under the government of God.
God had created this nation of Israel and He had also purchased them with the "blood". Israel belongs to God!
God begins with the first four commandments. These will dictate man's relationship with God. Then the last six will dictate man's relationship with other men.
When God redeems us from sin it does not release us from God's claim on us as His creatures but He creates a new relationship with added responsibilities. God wants a righteous people and He has given us the guidelines.
God gave Israel three classes of laws.
1.) The Moral Laws
2.) The Ceremonial Laws
3.) The Civil Laws
These were the guidelines of the government of Israel:
Jdg 8:23 And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: [the LORD shall rule over you].
Just so we are clear these are still the Laws that Israel is bound to, until they meet Jesus Christ.
These moral commandments are binding on all people no matter where they live, especially on Christians.
Why?
1.) They proclaim the authority of God Himself.
2.) They were written by the finger of God and have never yet been repealed.
3.) We still need them in the days we now live in.
Paul said:
Rom 7:6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
Rom 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? [God forbid]. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: [for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet].
4.) Our own Lord Jesus obeyed the laws and He is our example.
Gal 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, [made under the law],
Gal 4:5 [To redeem them that were under the law], that we might receive the adoption of sons.
God said we should delight in His law:
Psa 40:8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, [thy law is within my heart].
Jesus maintained the the authority of God's law:
Mat 22:36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
5.) Jesus said He did not come to destroy the law:
Mat 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Mat 5:18 For verily I say unto you, [Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled].
Mat 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
6.) Paul said:
Rom 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? [God forbid]: yea, [we establish the law].
1Co 9:19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
1Co 9:20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
1Co 9:21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
1Co 9:23 And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
7.) God will chastise those that do not obey His law:
Psa 89:27 [Also I will make him my firstborn], higher than the kings of the earth.
Psa 89:28 My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and [my covenant shall stand fast with him].
Psa 89:29 His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven.
But:
Psa 89:30 If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments;
Psa 89:31 If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments;
Psa 89:32 Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.
Psa 89:33 Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.
This not to say that we should not rightly divide the Bible:
2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, [rightly dividing the word of truth].
Through God's mercy He gives us His Grace because He knew that through obeying these laws we could not be saved but He indeed says we are to obey these laws. They are still our guide while we are still in this sinful flesh.
Remember what Paul said:
Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Rom 7:19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Rom 7:20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
Rom 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Rom 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
It is the battle with our own flesh that these laws teach us right from wrong in the eyes of a Holy God!
When the Bible mentions the phase "The Law" we then need to rightly divide what is said. In the New Testament there are three expressions that need to be distinguished:
1.) The Law of God:
Rom 7:22 For I delight in [the law of God] after the inward man:
Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind [I myself serve the law of God]; but with the flesh the law of sin.
2.) The Law of Moses:
Joh 7:15 And the Jews marvelled, saying, [How knoweth this man letters, having never learned]?
Joh 7:16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.
Joh 7:17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
Joh 7:18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.
Joh 7:19 [Did not Moses give you the law], and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?
Act 13:39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, [from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses].
Act 15:5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, [and to command them to keep the law of Moses].
3.) The Law of Christ:
Gal 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
a.) The Law of God comes from the mind of our creator and is binding on all that live on this earth. This is the entire will of God but is referred to as the "Ten Commandments".
These laws were expressed on man's "moral" behavior since the fall of Adam. Most every man from every location knows the "Moral" law without having read them. They are written in man's heart.
This is the reason that the Ten Commandments were the first of the written laws God gave to Israel.
This is why Jesus said these words:
Mat 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: [I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil].
This why the Holy Spirit teaches us of the law in the New Testament: In the Book of Romans the word "law" is seen 75 times.
This is why sinners and saints are judged by these laws:
Rom 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
Jas 2:12 So speak ye, and so do, [as they that shall be judged] by the law of liberty.
These laws will not be repealed until the New Heaven and the New Earth.
b.) The Law of Moses: Is the entire written law given to Israel in the wilderness. The Moral laws, The Ceremonial laws, The Judgment and the Ordinances. (613 laws at the time of Moses) [The Pharisees later added many more to these.]
These laws have not been repealed even in our day.
c.) The Law of Christ are the laws in the hands of our Mediator, Jesus Christ!
Gal 4:3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
Gal 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
Gal 4:5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
Gal 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
This is the Law that is in the heart of Jesus: The "law of God" is now the "Law of Christ" as it pertains to all believers!
As creatures we serve the "Law of God" and as the redeemed we serve the "Law of Christ".
Eph 6:5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;
Eph 6:6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; [but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;
Eph 6:7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men]:
Eph 6:8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.
Col 3:2 Set your affection on things above, [not on things on the earth].
Col 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Paul explains this in his way:
1Co 9:21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
The "flesh" must still obey the laws of the creator, the moral laws.
The "saved soul" belongs to the redeemer, Jesus Christ and obedience to Him.
1.) What we will see is that God came down to this earth and verbally, with His voice gave the Ten Commandments:
2.) The Ten Commandments were the only laws written with the finger of God.
3.) The Ten Commandments were the only laws stored in the Ark of the Covenant.
God did not make His abode in the Tabernacle until The Ten Commandments were properly stored in the Ark and the Tabernacle was completed. This is when Our Lord came down to sit on the Mercy Seat.
*****The Moral Laws:
I.) No other gods:
God is saying that He will not tolerate any other object of worship. Flesh, Material, or make believe, fantasy.
This would include Idols of metal, wood, or stone, or any other material but also, Money, Pleasure, Fashion, Fame, Food, and any other thing we put in a place before our worship of the "Living God".
Isa 45:20 Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.
Isa 45:21 Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.
Isa 45:22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.
1Jn 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
II.) Graven Images:
We can see that man is forbidden to attempt any visible representation of God. The first commandment forbids objects of worship. Now we see more of how to worship. We must not have carnal conceptions of God. Notice God adds that those that break this commandment shall bring down the judgment of God on their own children.
This means as parents we are to teach the truth about the Being and the Character of God!
Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
III.) Take God's name in vain:
God's Holy name must be sacred to us!
When we pray: "Hallowed be thy name"
Anytime we speak, in any of our religious devotions, nothing must said to lower the High Holiness of God's Name!
There is only one time the word "reverend" is used in the Bible:
Psa 111:9 He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: [holy and reverend is his name].
It should be ashame for men to call themselves "Reverend" when not one person can meet the qualifications as Our Lord!
IV.) Remember the Sabbath:
The seventh day is a "sabbath" unto the Lord!
1.) This says, man should work six days a week:
1Th 4:11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;
1Th 4:12 That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.
2Th 3:10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
2.) We see that this term "Sabbath" is not said to be the seventh day of the week as in our own man made calendar!
Six days of work call for one day of rest!
So far as the Old Testament is concerned this could be any day of the week!
IT IS NOT CORRECT THEN TO SAY THAT THE SABBATH CAN BE OBSERVED ONLY ON A SATURDAY!
THE BIBLE DOES NOT MAKE SATURDAY ANY SPECIAL DAY! TO DO SO GOES AGAINST THE WORD OF JESUS HIMSELF!
Mat 5:19 [Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so], he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
The Bible says:
Heb 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
The Lord says of a "Sabbath":
Mar 2:27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:
Mar 2:28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
*****A little history of the names of the days of the week:
We have 7 days in the week mainly because the ancients were aware of seven "heavenly bodies": Sun, Moon, and the five (of the 9) planets which they could see: Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn.
The Romans were the first to name the days after mythological Gods which had planetary connections, such as Jupiter (chief God), Mars (God of War), and Venus (Goddess of Love).
Along the way, and much later, the Teutonic peoples (Germans/Angles/ Saxons/Nordics/etc) replaced some of them with a few from their own pantheon and so the days became a mix of planetary objects and Norse Gods.
For English, that would be 3 heavenly objects (Sun, Moon, Saturn) and 4 Teutonic gods. In other Romance (derived from Latin) languages and not Teutonic the original (Roman) planetary names are often retained.
Thus we have:
Sunday From Sun's Day.
Monday From Moon's Day. (Fr:"Lundi" Ital:"Lundei" Sp:"Lunes"; (all derived from luna/lunar)
Tuesday From Tewe's Day, a Norse/Germanic female deity. Was: Mar's Day (Fr: "Mardi" ; Sp: "Martes") (You knew that "Mardi Gras" is Fat Tuesday!)
Wednesday From Woden's Day, (aka: Odin's Day), the chief god in Teutonic mythology. Was: Mercury's Day. (Fr:"Mercredi" Ital:"Mercoledi")
Thursday From Thor's Day. (He's the one that sends bolts into your surge protector and computer.) Was: Jupiter's Day: "Jove" (Fr: "Jeudi" Sp: "Jeuves")
Friday From Frigg's Day, a rotund Germanic female deity. Was: Venus' Day. (Fr: "Vendredi" Ital: "Venerdi")
Saturday From Saturn's Day.
It was not so many years ago that the Jewish people chose themselves to make Saturday their "Sabbath" It was not God's Word that dictated this.
The Church is told to worship everyday and are not given any specific day. It was in the days of the beginning of the New Church that the "Lord's Day" was chosen. It is accepted that the Lord rose from that tomb on a Sunday.
1Th 5:17 Pray without ceasing.
God does say to not to forsake assembling in His name and more often as we get nearer to the end:
Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and [so much the more, as ye see the day approaching].
In fact the Word of God says to assemble more often and not less often!
But we should also consider some rest time, and some time with our own families.
V.) Honor our fathers and mothers:
The word "honor" means much more than to just obey:
A child must learn that the parent is in authority and should be held in high esteem.
Luk 2:48 And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.
Luk 2:49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?
Luk 2:50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.
Luk 2:51 And [he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them]: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
Luk 2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.
Even Jesus obeyed His earthly parents just as he kept all the commandments.
We know that this is to be taught in the Church:
Eph 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
Eph 6:2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)
Eph 6:3 [That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth].
And God is serious about obeying this commandment as the length of one's life itself is dependant on it.
VI.) Thou shalt not kill:
Thou shalt not murder! God has attached the death penalty to this commandment and gives us His reason!
Gen 9:5 And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man.
Gen 9:6 Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: [for in the image of God made he man].
Jesus explains this for us that believe His Word:
Mat 5:21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
Mat 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
Jesus says that murder is not limited just to the act but also to the state of mind and the passion that causes the act of murder. In our day we say "premeditated".
All human life is precious to God!
VII.) Not commit adultery:
God says that there must be respect for the marriage. The marriage relationship must be paramount over every other human obligation.
We should not be unfaithful in marriage!
Jesus gives us the deeper meaning:
Mat 5:27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
Mat 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Adultery includes the lustful passions behind the act of adultery.
We must remember when Jesus taught on divorce it was the unfaithfulness of a partner that could dissolve a marriage.
Mat 19:9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.
Paul wrote to the church:
1Co 7:15 [But if the unbelieving depart], let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.
Still it is unfaithfulness!
VIII.) Not to steal:
God insist that we are honest with all mankind.
2Co 8:21 Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.
The trap of making it a habit to take things that do not belong to us is real.
IX.) Not to bear false witness:
To be a slanderer and/or a talebearer will bring the wrath of God. Even to falsely brag on someone would be included in this sin.
X.) Thou shalt no covet:
This commandment differs from the others because they forbade the act and [this commandment condemns the desire to act]!
Covet means "to desire". You can look at all the laws of any land you will not see that this commandment is not written into any of them. Only God can look into the heart and know whether we have broken this commandment. This desire reveals the evil that is in our sinful flesh.
Luk 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
There is only one exception to this law:
1Co 12:28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
1Co 12:29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
1Co 12:30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
1Co 12:31 [But covet earnestly the best gifts]: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.
What do we see of Israel after receiving these commandments of God?
They knew they needed a "mediator"! They want Moses to deal with God on their behalf!
This met a need from their side but not from God's side!
The next thing we see is an "Altar"!
The altar shows us God's "Grace"!
We should realize that the Ten Commandments were never given to man as a means of salvation.
God does not authorize any salvation by works!
The only work we have to do, IS TO BELIEVE THE WORD OF GOD!
These "Laws" are not a way of life but they are the rules of our conduct!
God provided an "altar" for the times we have failed in obeying His Commandments. "We need to pray for His forgiveness".
*****This "Altar":
This altar was not to be made from man-made materials. No skill of man was needed to build this altar. The intent being that no man to take credit as a stone mason or in any other skill.
1Co 1:29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
By no works of our own righteousness can we be forgiven!
Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Tit 3:6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
Tit 3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
A sinful man cannot go before God with anything that his own labors has produced!
God will reject all efforts of the natural man to redeem himself!
Man cannot climb up to Heaven by any steps that he thinks he has built!
It is a fact that Our bridge to Heaven is The Lord Jesus Christ. It is Jesus Christ that took all the steps to come to us.
1.) He made Himself of no reputation.
2.) He took upon Himself the form of a servant.
3.) He was made in the likeness of man.
4.) He, being found in fashion as a man He humbled Himself.
5.) He became obedient unto the death of the cross.
There are no steps for man to climb! When man tries to climb his own steps he shames the work of God!
The Cross is the one true "Altar" of God!
Let's Pray!
