"Ten Words"

All Israel heard these words, not only Moses, but because Yahweh’s thunderous voice terrified the people they entreated Moses to mediate the remaining words of Yahweh to them (Exod 20:19). The Ten Words are placed first in this section because they were spoken first; they were spoken first because of their theological significance; they are the foundation of what follows.

These words spoken by the God of Israel clearly echo Gen 1–3, as Yahweh now instructs his newly created people concerning himself and his will for them (for how they were written see Exod 31:18; Deut 9:10).

Genesis 1-3 records the LORD God’s instructions to Adam concerning Adam’s responsibilities toward his Creator and the consequences for disobedience.

The words are reported in direct speech, which indicates their centrality and authority (from God, not Moses). God’s commands had called the universe into existence; now he issues the words that call the moral order of righteousness, holiness, wisdom, and love for the people of God into focus.

The purpose of these Ten Words is to enable Israel to love her God supremely through an ethical and religious expression of life that honored Yahweh and his purposes (Deut 6:4–5; Lev 19:18).

Deuteronomy 6:4–5 NASB95

“Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

Leviticus 19:18 NASB95

‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord.

The Ten Words establish what is right in the eyes of Israel’s Lord as the foundation on which Israel finds her self-identity (cf. Deut 12:8).

Deuteronomy 12:8 NASB95

“You shall not do at all what we are doing here today, every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes;

God shares these words; their ultimate origin is in Him and in His will.

Their human element lies in God’s preparation of them for humans, for persons in his image. They were prepared for persons in their historical contexts, but also for humans who bear the universal transcultural image of their creator.

Paul recognized the law of God written in human hearts, in humankind’s nature (Rom 2:14).

Romans 2:14 NASB95

For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves,

God, as the creator of persons in His image, presents at Sinai a law that rings true to the moral, ethical, and spiritual structure of humans. Appropriately, that law reflects Yahweh’s mind, His heart, His character. Its home is the hearts of God’s people.

These laws address every human, all humanity, not just Israel. A non-Israelite, in order to become a part of the community of Israel, adopted Israel’s laws and Israel’s God. Indeed the thing that would draw others to Israel’s God and her community was not Israel herself, but her Torah (Deut 4:6–8).

Deuteronomy 4:6–8 NASB95

“So keep and do them, for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ “For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as is the Lord our God whenever we call on Him? “Or what great nation is there that has statutes and judgments as righteous as this whole law which I am setting before you today?

I. The Originator of the “Ten Words”, 20:1-2.

It is important that this sentence lacks an indirect obj. to indicate specifically to whom these words were spoken—they were and are for humanity.

God’s spoken words are personal, intimate, guiding communication, instructions that give content, meaning, and personal knowledge to the covenant (בְּרִית) that Israel has bound herself to.

In Heb. the same word, דָּבָר, describes both “words” and “deeds”; Yahweh’s words and deeds are inseparable, as they were at creation. This powerful, integrating concept ties Sinai and the exodus together. God’s great deeds were followed by his great words.

It is not a mere historical prologue; it is more, a theological confession that Israel’s existence depends on Yahweh, the God who is above history and who willingly broke into history to rescue his people, for his mercy/faithfulness endures forever (כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ, Psa 136:1–26, twenty-five times)

Yahweh’s creation and rescue of Israel became the basis for his right to enter into a covenant with them and to dictate the situation, demands, and features of the covenant. His demands go beyond mere external behavior; they seek the willing service and worship of these people inwardly (20:17). If Yahweh does not have this, failure will follow (cf. Gen 3:6, חָמַד).

Yahweh as suzerain of all creation delivered the first humans from nothingness to life. It was Yahweh’s creation and preservation of humankind in the beginning that gave him the right to delineate the moral, ethical, and religious boundaries within which humans were to exist and be his people, in his image. He is doing no less for Israel now. This recalls, however, Adam and Eve’s basic failure. They did not maintain their relationship of trust with God, their acceptance of his goodness, in the beginning. Their first and foremost failure was to listen to another “god,” to whom they attributed more wisdom, integrity, and potential than to the one who created them.

Israel would benefit from this relationship, but Yahweh needed to gain nothing from it.

II. The Words Regarding Right Relations With God, 20:3-7.

A. Have reverence for the LORD, 20:3

Negative is emphatic, standing at the beginning of the verse in Hebrew.

Assertion ‘you’ in Hebrew points to relationship and ownership at the same time; they were to be God’s special possession.

‘no other gods’ would set the Israelites apart in a polytheistic setting from which they came from. Every other nation recognized many gods, not just one.

‘before Me’ emphasizes that no recognition or reference to any other so-called God was permitted; Israel was to recognize the LORD alone and worship Him alone. Otherwise the covenant could not work.

B. Have respect for the LORD’s holy essence, 20:4-6.

Verse 4 logically follows the first commandment.

How does one conceive of Israel’s God? The LORD is spirit, not flesh; therefore He could not be represented by any physical representation, and He could not be manipulated.

The LORD has demonstrated that He is LORD over nature, but He now makes it clear that He is not a part of nature and should not be conceived as if He were.

His presence would not be with those who used images to misrepresent Him. They could never adequately reflect His makeup and essence. He declares that He must be approached only as He directs and worshipped in ways only He designates. The LORD has not allowed Himself to be seen in any form that could be copied; however, His religious, moral and ethical words of instruction define him sufficiently. He will eventually define Himself as to His character (Ex. 34:6-7).

The prohibition is against attempting to represent the LORD, not against images per se or primitive art in general in any way.

The many images of cherubim in the tabernacle’s holy of holies (and later in the temple) were understood to point away from themselves to the LORD “on the ark” where there was no image (Ex. 25:17-20).

The LORD “appeared”above the ark once a year at the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:2).

Verse 5 expands on verse 4.

They shall not serve any other god (v. 3), nor any representation of those gods or of the LORD Himself.

They shall not serve them for the LORD’s people have been brought forth to serve the LORD alone in truth.

‘a jealous God” indicates both His zealousness for His own person and name and jealous hatred toward Israel’s desire to worship any other gods, who had no part in Israel’s creation and deliverance.

To disobey is described immediately as iniquity, resulting in God’s visitation of judgment/punishment on the guilty ones and would extend to the children until the iniquity was fully dealt with, indicated by the reference to the third/fourth generations.

God, however, forgives even this type of sin (Exodus 34:7).

‘those who hate Me’ occurs here and in Deut. 5:9 in OT; if Israel doesn’t commit to the LORD alone, then they have rejected Him and in so doing are hating Him and despising His goodness. The iniquity mentioned in these verses is that specifically related to the rebellious activities and attitude concerning the sculpted images and other gods.

Verse 6 continues with a contrast with the LORD’s attitude toward those ones who love Him and demonstrate it by keeping His commandments. His love for them is unending, never-failing love is the basis of His care for His faithful covenant people. He is indeed just, but even His justice is engendered by His holy love, the characteristic that creates and controls all of His character. His calling of Israel and even the fathers was because He loves them (Deut. 7:8).

C. Have respect for the LORD’s Name, 20:7.

Verse 7

To take the LORD’s name in vain is to misrepresent Him before the very people Israel was to bear His name before.

His name, the Tetragrammaton (“four letters”) was considered holy; in Israel’s later history its utterance was avoided.

The profaning of His name by behavior that did not reflect His holiness.

The formal misuse (swearing or oath taking) or some vain employment of His name (mere repetition as if it were a magic formula to be used to grant one favor with God).

This actual includes the broad range of behavioral possibilities, including speaking and living.

The one who does bear the LORD’s name in any scandalous or frivolous way will be considered guilty of iniquity; i.e. not innocent.

Related Media

Related Sermons