The Purpose of the Commandments

Establishing Divine Government

Before we can live for God

++We must follow His way

Exodus 19:1–2 KJV 1900

1 In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai. 2 For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount.

For 3 months Israel traveled, following God to arrive at a known location.

Even when we know

++Where to Go

++How to get there

++We must still follow God

Following God is a matter of

++Faith

Hebrews 11:6 KJV 1900

6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Following God is a matter of

Faith

++Confidence

Hebrews 10:35 KJV 1900

35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.

Following God is a matter of

Faith

Confidence

++Trust

Proverbs 3:5 KJV 1900

5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding.

Before we can live for God

We must follow His way

++We must Trust Him

Exodus 20:1–6 KJV 1900

1 And God spake all these words, saying, 2 I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 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: 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; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

Before we can live for God

We must follow His way

We must Trust Him

++We must love God

Matthew 22:37–38 KJV 1900

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. 38 This is the first and great commandment.

Read: Exodus 19:1–2; 20:1–6; Matthew 22:37–38

We may not literally worship false gods or idols like the people in the Bible and in other cultures. However, that doesn’t mean we aren’t making gods or idols out of other things and people in our lives. We have to look at our priorities and how we spend our time to see who or what is really first in our lives. If loving God is the most important commandment, we need to take that seriously and show Him that through our thoughts and actions.

Think about It

*Question 1. On what mountain did God give Moses the Ten Commandments?

Answer 1. Mount. Sinai (Exodus 19:1–2)

Question 2. Which is the first of the Ten Commandments?

Answer 2. “You must not have any other god but me.” (Exodus 20:3)

Question 3. Which of the Ten Commandments prohibits the worshipping of idols?

Answer 3. “You shall not make for yourself an idol of any kind.” (Exodus 20:4)

Question 4. In which book and chapter of the Bible do we find the first record of the Ten Commandments?

Answer 4. Exodus 20

Question 5. What is the greatest commandment?

Answer 5. To love God with “all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37–38)

Talk about It

What did today’s devotion make you think about?

What do you do first thing in the morning? What is the first thing you think about?

What is the last thing you do before going to sleep?

How do you spend your time? Do your actions and thoughts put God first in your life?

Pray about It

God, thank You for loving me. Help me to prioritize my time with You and fix my thoughts on You every day. Amen.