Covenant & Commandments II
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God gave the commandments…The “ten words” in Hebrew
Before the Commandments he gave the Covenant, “The Promise” “I will make you a Great Nation”
The Commandments were given as a response to the Covenant. It is like...
God says...In order to make you a “Great Nation” I give you these Ten Laws to
Know how to relate to me, Elohim.
Know how to relate to each other.
As a way of providing some consistency let look back at the commands that we have already covered
(NIV)
“You shall have no other gods before me.
3“You shall have no other gods before me.
(NIV)
4“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.
(NIV)
7“You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
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Today we are picking the “Ten Words” at the Fourth Suggestion…Now the first three suggestions that we just read were...
No other God’s before me
No other images; keep your worship pure
Revere His Holy Name; Don’t misuse the name of God
These are not His suggestions… These are commands. I cannot find any alternate reading, other nuance, over-riding language or a miss interpretation of the original text.
Our God is the Lord of Time…He is originator of the Universe, He is the Lord/Creator over ALL DAYS!
(NIV)
(NIV)
8“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
God commands “A Rest.”
Sabbath -
Cease
Desist
Rest
(Now Listen to these definitions)
Hear
Silence
Observe
Stop
The hallowing of the seventh day—even the use of a seven-day week—was unique in Israel within the broader ancient Near Eastern world. Calendars and most measurements of time were based on the lunar or the solar cycle; the seven-day week is based on neither. Still, a period of seven days seems to have had special significance.
People from the time of Exodus through the Prophets, like Amos have been commenting about those trying to find ways around the command…here is one result of that “trying” to get around the Sabbath.
“Hear this, you who trample the needy and do away with the poor of the land, saying, “When will the New Moon be over that we may sell grain, and the Sabbath be ended that we may market wheat?”— skimping on the measure, boosting the price and cheating with dishonest scales, buying the poor with silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, selling even the sweepings with the wheat. The Lord has sworn by himself, the Pride of Jacob: “I will never forget anything they have done.” (, NIV)
Hear this, you who trample the needy and do away with the poor of the land,
saying, “When will the New Moon be over that we may sell grain, and the Sabbath be ended that we may market wheat?”— skimping on the measure, boosting the price and cheating with dishonest scales,
buying the poor with silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, selling even the sweepings with the wheat.
The Lord has sworn by himself, the Pride of Jacob: “I will never forget anything they have done.
No other commandment has received as much reapplication and as many defining and justifying clauses as this one. The probable reason for its expansion is the difficulty the people of Israel had keeping it, a difficulty attested by the attack of Amos (8:4–8) on the greedy merchants fidgeting for the sabbath to pass.
It can be said...”Well, I’m a fire fighter, nurse, doctor, police officer or any of the other people from professions and services that we DEMAND to have available 24/7, 365. I am a farmer, cows need to be milked, fields watered, people managed, crops picked. They may say I cannot take a Sabbath.
The intent here is a time of focused rest, a time of hearing from God.
The intent here is a time of focused rest, a time of hearing from God, a time of silence.
You do not, nor should you focus on the day of the week, be instead focus on the activity of the day.
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
A time to observe
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them.
For the director of music. A psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun. It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth. The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward. But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression. May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
The Israelite practice, as a recognition of God’s rest and therefore his control and rule of the ordered cosmos
Back to the Commandment
“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
Keeping it Holy… Set aside, marked differently, observed in any way.
“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
Exodus 20
And in the New Testament
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise—“so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”
Eph 6
Honoring Authority… we turn to the topic of human relationships. In these relationships we see and feel a great connection to God.
Honoring Authority… we turn to the topic of human relationships. In these relationships we see and feel a great connection to God.
The most central to the Covenant promise of “I will make you a great nation.” is the parent child relationship. How we treat our children should/must be a reflection of how our God treats us. We must practice
Love,
Grace,
Mercy,
Forgiveness,
Understanding,
Obedience and
occasionally some punishment and re-leraning
Lastly, know that we, all of us, everyone of us have fell short of the Glory of God. There is a way back into relationship with God
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
I
The next four commandments: commandments six through nine, instruct Israel regarding how they should treat one another.
Murder (Sixth Commandment),
Adultery (Seventh Commandment),
Theft (Eighth Commandment), and
False testimony (Ninth Commandment) were all prohibited by God. With these commandments God reminded his people that loving their neighbors is as important as loving him because each human being is made in the image of God.
The final commandment prohibited the people of Israel from coveting:
The final commandment prohibited the people of Israel from coveting goods, spouses, servants, animals, or any other items which belonged to their neighbors. Of all of the commandments, this is the one that penetrates most deeply into the thought and heart life of the Israelite. Though Jesus would ultimately apply all ten commandments to the area of the heart in his Sermon on the Mount
goods,
spouses,
servants,
animals, or any other items which belonged to their neighbors.
Of all of the commandments, this is the one that penetrates most deeply into the thought and heart life of the Israelite.
Though Jesus would ultimately apply all ten commandments to the area of the heart in his Sermon on the Mount.
These commandments delivered by God to Moses…twice laid out the terms of the relationship between God and Man and Man and fellow man.
Jesus and the New Testament writers went the next step by giving example to the command. Listen to these
“You shall not murder.
“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister, will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.
“You shall not commit adultery.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
“You shall not steal.
Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.
I love Paul’s heart here. No longer stealing and working with one’s own hands and giving to those in need.
Paul is addressing the immediate offense of stealing but going a step further and calling the person who violates the command to work, to do something useful why… not to be selfish with and keep all of it but to share with those in need.
“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
Ex 20
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
ex 20.17
For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.
Finally...
Jesus met the conditions of all of these commandments… and he summarized them all by saying...
Mt 22
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”