Ten Words

Most people do not like rules.

If you put up a sign that says “Do not touch,” suddenly people want to touch it. If there is a rule that says “Stay off the grass,” someone will eventually walk across it. Something in us resists being told what to do.

My wife and I were actually talking about this recently. She joked that I have ADD. Not attention deficit disorder, but authoritative defiance disorder. She said that if there were a button sitting somewhere that said, “Do not push,” I might be tempted to push it. Not necessarily because I want to break the rule, but because I want to know why I should not push it. And if no one gives me an answer, part of me wants to find out for myself.

If we are honest, there is something in all of us like that.

And that is often how people think about the Ten Commandments. They see them as a list of restrictions. A set of rules God gave to control human behavior.

But when we open Exodus 20, something surprising happens.

Before God gives a single command, He reminds His people of something very important.

“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.”

God does not begin with rules.

He begins with redemption.

The God who gives the law is the God who has already rescued His people. Grace comes before obedience.

And yet, when we look closely at these commandments, we discover something else. The law does not only reveal the holiness of God. It also reveals our own sinfulness and our need for a Savior.

MP:God’s law reveals His holiness, exposes our sin, and leads us to the Savior who fulfilled it for us.

1. The God Who Redeems His People (20:1–2) As we looked at last week, God and the people of Israel are communicating through Moses. The people are standing at the foot of Mount Sinai, and Moses is serving as the mediator between God and the nation. God is now issuing His covenant to the people of Israel.

In verses 1–2 we see God speaking directly to the nation. Notice how He begins:

“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.”

Before a single command is given, God reminds His people who He is. He identifies Himself as Yahweh, the great “I AM.”

Often when we hear language like this, we think the point is simply authority. We think God is saying, “Do what I tell you because I am the Lord.” There certainly is authority here. God is the sovereign Lord, and His people are called to obey Him.

But there is something deeper happening in this introduction. It is almost as if God is saying, “I want you to live this way because of who I am.” God is calling His people to reflect His character. The law that God is about to give will reflect His own holiness and righteousness.

Remember last week we talked about the structure of covenants in the ancient world. In those covenants, the ruler or covenant lord would first identify himself and then lay out the stipulations of the covenant. God’s covenant follows a similar pattern. These “ten words” are the stipulations of the covenant.

But unlike the covenants of earthly kings, God’s covenant begins with grace.

Look again at the rest of the verse:

“who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.”

God reminds His people that He is the one who redeemed them. He is the one who delivered them from Egypt and rescued them from slavery. Israel did not earn that deliverance. God acted in grace.

And that shows us an important truth about the law:

Grace precedes obedience.

God does not say, “Obey these commands so that I will rescue you.” Instead, He says, “I have rescued you. Now live as My people.”

Grace comes first. Obedience follows.

Because God has shown grace, He now gives these stipulations to show His people how they should live. Their lives are meant to reflect who He is. The way they relate to Him and the way they treat others should display His holiness and set them apart from the nations around them. These commandments are not simply rules to follow. They reveal the character of the God who gave them.

2. The Law That Reveals God's Holiness (20:3–17)

Grace and law go hand in hand. As the God of salvation rescues His people by grace, He then gives them His law. The law is not given so that they might be redeemed. They have already been redeemed. God places His law before the very people He has saved. Those whom He rescues are the ones who now live in a way that reflects love and gratitude toward their God.

This is important because many people misunderstand the law of God. Some think the law is a way to earn salvation, as if obedience is the price we must pay to be accepted by God. But that is not how God deals with His people here.

The law comes after redemption, not before it.

That means the law is not a ladder by which people climb their way up to God. Instead, it is a guide for those whom God has already brought to Himself. God is teaching His redeemed people how to live as His people.

In this way, the law shows what a life shaped by grace should look like. The commandments reveal the kind of life that reflects the character of the God who saved them. If God is holy, His people are called to be holy. If God is truthful, His people are called to be truthful. If God is faithful, His people are called to be faithful.

So obedience becomes a response to grace. God’s saving love produces a grateful love in His people, and that grateful love is expressed through obedience. His people do not obey in order to earn His favor. They obey because they already belong to Him.

This is why grace and law belong together. Grace redeems a people, and the law shapes how that redeemed people lives.

f we are honest, many of us can feel a sense of fear when we come to the law of God, even as redeemed people. When we walk through the commandments, they remind us of our sinful condition. They expose where we fall short. In that sense, the law humbles us, and we do need that reminder of our need for grace.

But when we approach these Ten Words, we should not approach them as people living under constant threat. Instead, we should learn to respond as the psalmist does in Psalm 119:

“I love your law.”

Why would someone love the law of God? Because in the law we see something about God Himself. The law reveals His holiness, His goodness, and His character. These commandments show us what God is like and what a life shaped by His grace should look like.

God has not brought His people out of slavery only to abandon them and say, “Now you are on your own. Good luck.” Instead, He has redeemed them and then given them a way to live as His people. The law becomes a gracious guide that directs their lives.

In a sense, God is resetting the direction of their lives. Grace has brought them out of bondage in Egypt, and now grace teaches them how to walk in the way of the Lord. The God who rescued them now leads them in the path of holiness.

Grace does not leave God’s people wandering. Grace gives them a new way to walk.

The character of God displayed in His commands.

First, God shows that He alone is to be worshiped and that He is supreme over all. God says, “You shall have no other gods before me.”

This command does not mean that there are many real gods in the universe and that the Lord should simply be the one we choose to worship above the others. That is not what God is saying here. Instead, speaking to a people who had lived in Egypt, surrounded by a culture of polytheism, God is declaring that He alone is the true God.

The Egyptians believed in many gods. Their world was filled with idols and deities connected to the sun, the Nile, animals, and the land. But the Lord makes it clear to His people that there are no rivals to Him. There are no other true gods beside Him.

Throughout Scripture, God repeatedly exposes the so called gods of the nations as man made idols. They are the work of human hands, powerless and lifeless. But the Lord is different. He alone is the living God, the Creator of heaven and earth.

So when God commands His people to have no other gods before Him, He is calling them to exclusive worship. Their loyalty, devotion, and trust belong to Him alone.

The first commandment shows us that God is supreme, jealous for His glory, personal with His people, and worthy of exclusive worship.

This first command sets up a natural transition because everything else flows from who he is.

Second, in verse 4 God says that if there are no other gods, then His people must not make carved images or likenesses and worship them. God forbids His people from creating any physical representation to be used in worship.

This one is a bit of a favorite of mine, especially around Christmas. We sometimes joke about second commandment violations when we see little baby Jesus figures in nativity scenes. I have even been known to hide them when I see them. While we may laugh about it, the truth is that God takes idolatry very seriously.

Nothing that is made by human hands should ever become an object of worship or veneration. True worship is not directed toward created things. It is directed toward the invisible God who is Spirit.

The problem with idols is that they always reduce God to something smaller than He really is. When people try to represent God with images, they end up worshiping something shaped by human imagination rather than the true and living God.

We actually see how quickly this command is broken in the story of Israel. While Moses is still on the mountain receiving the law, Aaron forms a golden calf for the people. The intention may have been to represent the Lord as powerful or strong, but that was never what God commanded. Instead of worshiping the invisible God who delivered them, they turned to something made by their own hands.

This command reminds us that God determines how He is to be worshiped. His people are not free to invent their own ways of approaching Him. True worship must be directed to the true God and offered in the way He has revealed.

Third, in verse 7 we come to the commandment concerning the name of the Lord.

“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.”

Many people immediately think this commandment is only about using God’s name as a curse word or speaking it carelessly. That certainly is included. The name of the Lord should never be used in a flippant or irreverent way.

But this commandment goes deeper than that.

The word “vain” carries the idea of emptiness or misuse. It refers to treating the name of God in a way that is empty, careless, or dishonest.

This can happen when someone uses the name of God as mere lip service. A person may claim that something is God’s will or say they are acting in the name of the Lord, while in reality they are pursuing their own desires. When God’s name is attached to things that are sinful or self serving, His name is being taken in vain.

We also see this when someone claims to belong to Christ but their life does not reflect Him. When people profess the name of the Lord but live in a way that contradicts His character, they dishonor that name.

This commandment reminds us that God’s name represents who He is. His holiness, authority, and reputation are bound up in His name. To misuse His name is to treat God Himself lightly.

What does this reveal about God?

It shows us that God is holy and worthy of reverence. His name is not ordinary or common. It also shows that God is a God of truth. His name must never be used to support lies or deception. God cares deeply about His glory and the way His name is represented in the world.

Because of that, His people are called to honor His name with both their words and their lives.

Fourth, we come to the commandment concerning the Sabbath.

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.”

This command shows that God desires the worship of His people. God knows how easily our lives can become consumed with work, responsibilities, and the busyness of everyday life. Left to ourselves, our lives can become rooted in labor rather than worship.

Because of this, God sets apart a day for His people. The Sabbath is meant to be a holy day, a day that is distinct from the rest of the week, devoted to rest and worship before the Lord.

This command is rooted in creation itself. In the creation account God worked for six days and then rested on the seventh. God was not tired, but He established a pattern for human life. Work and rest were built into the rhythm of creation from the very beginning.

For the people of Israel, the Sabbath was observed on the seventh day, which is Saturday. That was the day set aside for rest and worship under the old covenant.

But as we come into the life of the church, we see a shift in the day of worship. Christians gather on Sunday because this is the day that Christ rose from the dead. The resurrection became the defining moment of the new creation, and the early church regularly gathered on the first day of the week to worship.

What does this command reveal about God?

It shows us that God is not only a God who commands work but a God who graciously gives rest. He cares for the spiritual and physical well being of His people. He calls them to step away from their labor and remember that their lives are centered not on their work but on their worship of Him.

The Sabbath reminds us that we are not defined by what we produce but by the God we worship.

The first four commandments show us how we are to relate to God. The remaining six commandments show us how we are to relate to one another. If the first table teaches us to love God, the second table teaches us how to love our neighbor.

These commandments protect the things that God values in human life. They guard the structures that allow people to live together in a way that reflects God’s order and goodness.

First, we are told to honor our father and mother. This command protects the authority and stability of the family. The family is the first place where people learn about obedience, respect, and responsibility. God designed the home to be the foundation of society. When children honor their parents, they learn to respect authority and to live within the order that God has established. This command also reminds parents of the weight of their calling, because they are responsible for guiding their children in the ways of the Lord. When the family is honored and respected, it strengthens the entire community.

Second, the command “You shall not murder” protects the value of human life. Human life is sacred because people are made in the image of God. To take innocent life is to attack something that reflects the Creator Himself. This command reminds us that life is not ours to treat lightly or destroy. It calls us to value, protect, and respect the lives of others. Jesus later shows that this command reaches even deeper than the physical act of murder. Anger, hatred, and bitterness in the heart are also contrary to God’s design for how we should treat one another.

Third, the command “You shall not commit adultery” protects marriage. God established marriage as a covenant between a man and a woman, a relationship built on faithfulness and trust. Adultery destroys that covenant. It damages families and wounds relationships that were meant to reflect commitment and love. By giving this command, God shows that faithfulness in marriage matters deeply to Him. Marriage is meant to be a place of security and devotion, and this command guards that sacred bond.

Fourth, the command “You shall not steal” protects the property and livelihood of others. Stealing takes what does not belong to us and violates the trust that holds a community together. God calls His people to respect what belongs to their neighbor and to live with honesty and integrity. Instead of taking from others, God’s people are called to work faithfully and to provide for themselves and their families. This command encourages a society marked by fairness, responsibility, and generosity.

Fifth, the command “You shall not bear false witness” protects truth and justice. Words have great power. Lies can destroy reputations, divide communities, and lead to injustice. In ancient Israel this command was especially connected to legal testimony, where false accusations could harm or even cost someone their life. God values truth, and He calls His people to be truthful in what they say. A community that honors truth reflects the character of the God who is Himself perfectly truthful.

Finally, the command “You shall not covet” goes even deeper by addressing the desires of the heart. Coveting is the longing for something that belongs to someone else. While the other commandments deal with outward actions, this one exposes inward motives. It reminds us that sin does not begin only with behavior. It often begins with the desires and attitudes within us. God calls His people not only to righteous actions but also to hearts that are content and grateful for what He has provided.

Together, these commandments show that loving our neighbor means respecting the life, relationships, possessions, reputation, and even the inner peace of the people around us. They reveal that God cares not only about how we worship Him but also about how we treat one another.

When we read through these commandments, something interesting happens. At first, many people feel fairly confident.

We might think, “I have not murdered anyone. I have not committed adultery. I have not stolen anything.”

But the longer we sit with the law, the more uncomfortable it becomes.

It is a bit like looking into a mirror in a well-lit room. When the light is dim, everything seems fine. But when the light gets brighter, the mirror begins to show things we did not notice before. Suddenly we see every mark, every flaw, every imperfection.

The mirror did not create the problem. It simply revealed what was already there.

That is what the law of God does.

The law does not make us sinners. The law reveals that we already are.

And when we begin to see ourselves clearly in the light of God’s holiness, we realize something very important. The problem is not just that we break God’s law from time to time.

The problem is that our hearts are broken.

3. The Law That Reveals Our Sinfulness This is where the issue comes in when we reflect on these commandments as a whole. When we look honestly at the law of God, we are forced to recognize that we have broken it. These commands flow from grace, but they also reveal our sinfulness and our inability. None of us has kept any part of God’s law perfectly.

And that is the real issue. The problem is not merely that we fail in outward obedience from time to time. The problem is deeper than that. The problem is a heart problem.

When we walk through these commandments, we begin to see that sin is not only found in what we do. It is found in who we are apart from the grace of God. We do not simply commit sinful acts. We have sinful hearts. We do not just fail to obey occasionally. Left to ourselves, we are bent away from God.

That is why the law is so searching. It presses past the outward life and exposes the inner man. We may look at the command not to murder and think we are innocent, but then we remember our anger. We may look at the command not to commit adultery and think we are clean, but then we remember our lust. We may look at the command not to steal and think we are guiltless, but then we remember our selfishness and covetousness. The law keeps pressing until it shows us that the issue is not only our hands, our lips, or our actions. The issue is our hearts.

The law, then, does not simply tell us what righteousness looks like. It also reveals how far short we fall. It exposes our need for something more than self improvement. It shows us our need for a new heart.

If the law only reveals our sin, then we are left condemned. But the gospel tells us the story does not end there.

4. The Christ Who Fulfilled the Law

If the story stopped there, the law would only leave us condemned.

If the law only revealed our sin, then every one of us would stand guilty before a holy God with no hope of rescue. The commandments would simply be a reminder of how far we fall short.

But the story of Scripture does not end with the law.

The law shows us our need, but God in His mercy provides the answer.

Where we have failed, Christ succeeded.

Where we have broken the law, Christ fulfilled it.

Where we deserve judgment, Christ offers grace.

Because the law of God reveals the character of God, it also reveals our own sinfulness before Him. When we see the holiness of God reflected in His law, we begin to recognize how far short we fall. The commandments show us what righteousness looks like, but they also expose our inability to live up to that standard.

But the story does not end there.

God, in His great mercy, sent Jesus for this very reason. Christ came for those who could not fulfill the law, for those who could not obey perfectly. He came for sinners like us.

Where we fail, Jesus succeeded. He lived a life of perfect obedience. Every command of God was fulfilled in Him. He honored the Father perfectly, loved His neighbor perfectly, and never once sinned in word, thought, or action. Jesus was completely righteous and without sin.

Jesus Himself said that He did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. Not even the smallest part of the law, not a single jot or tittle, would pass away until it was accomplished. In His life, Christ perfectly kept the law that we have broken.

This is the good news of the gospel. The law exposes our need, but Christ provides the righteousness we could never achieve on our own. Through His perfect obedience and His sacrifice on the cross, Jesus accomplishes what we could never accomplish for ourselves.

The One who fulfilled the law now offers forgiveness and righteousness to all who trust in Him. Now there is grace for us who are lawbreakers. Because of Christ, the story does not end with condemnation. Through Him, God extends mercy to those who have failed to keep His law.

In Christ we are not only forgiven, but we are changed. God gives His people a new heart and a new desire to walk in His ways. The law that once exposed our sin now becomes something we delight in because our hearts have been renewed by His grace.

Instead of running from God’s law in fear, we begin to see it as the good and holy instruction of a loving Father. The same commandments that once showed us our guilt now guide us in how to live as God’s redeemed people.

Grace does not remove the law. Grace transforms our relationship to it. We no longer try to obey in order to earn God’s favor. We obey because we have already received His mercy through Christ.

God saves lawbreakers, gives them new hearts, and teaches them to walk in His ways.