Ten Commandments

I. Introduction

Today we hear the very words of God as He spoke from heaven to the children of Israel at Mt. Sinai.

Again, it is a climactic theophany or appearance of God to His people in a way that unmistakably conveyed His majesty, power, and presence.

The children of Israel heard the voice of God for themselves. They heard His ten commandments which He gave to them as their constitution in obeying and keeping His covenant.

II. The Basis of God’s Covenant Commands (Ex. 20:1-2)

A. I am the LORD your God

B. I freed you from slavery in Egypt

III. The Decalogue: Responsibilities to God (Ex. 20:3-11)

GKC Quote on the grammar of the commands: To express the definite expectation that something will not happen. The imperfect with לֹא represents a more emphatic form of prohibition than the jussive1 with אַל־ (cf. § 109 c), and corresponds to our thou shalt not do it! with the strongest expectation of obedience.

Exodus 20:3 ESV

3 “You shall have no other gods before me.

#1 – You shall have no other gods before Yahweh! (v. 3)

Exodus 20:4–6 ESV

4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

#2 – You shall not make any carved images, nor bow to any of them! (vs. 4-6)

Exodus 20:7 ESV

7 “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

#3 – You shall not take Yahweh’s name in vain (v. 7)

Exodus 20:8–11 ESV

8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

#4 – Remember the Sabbath day (vs. 8–11)

A. Keep the Sabbath day holy; no normal working for anyone in the country

Leviticus 23:3 ESV

3 “Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work. It is a Sabbath to the Lord in all your dwelling places.

Exodus 12:16 ESV

16 On the first day you shall hold a holy assembly, and on the seventh day a holy assembly. No work shall be done on those days. But what everyone needs to eat, that alone may be prepared by you.

B. Based on God’s creation week

IV. The Decalogue: Responsibilities to the Community (Ex. 20:12-18)

#5 – Honor your father and your mother

#6 – You shall not murder

#7 – You shall not commit adultery

#8 – You shall not steal

#9 – You shall not falsely witness against your neighbor

#10 –You shall not covet anything of your neighbor’s including his house, wife, servants, and animals.