The Ten Covenantal Commandments

Introduction

Today, we are going to be looking at one of the most famous passages in all the Bible…The Ten Commandments.

But as we look at the passage before us today, my goal is to help you understand them more deeply, more clearly, in a way that maybe you’ve never seen them before and most importantly, I hope to help you understand the “why” behind them.

Often times, when we think of The Ten Commandments, we think of them as specific laws but when you really begin to understand the “why” behind them, they are much more than mere laws and used in a much broader sense than you would normally find when it comes to a single law.

In the Old Testament, there were 613 Mosaic Laws but these 10 before us today were the first and most important!

What was it that made these 10 more important than all the rest?

What made these so important was the fact that these 10 principles before us today were God breathed and delivered unto the people by God Himself!

These commands, these laws, these general principles were instituted by God and were to become the foundation and framework for the covenant relationship between God and the Children of Israel.

Every other law was either man made or delivered by God to a mediator, who then delivered the message to the people but these 10 before us this morning, came straight from the lips of God and were delivered directly to the Children of Israel!

Now that we understand why these 10 commandments are so special, let’s dig into the why a little deeper.

I want to begin this morning by looking at The Covenantal Agreement. And then, we will look at the Covenantal Assembly and finally the Covenantal Application where we will begin to get into the 10 commandments.

The goal is to split this up into a two part message seeing as I didn’t figure anyone would want to stay here until 2 o’clock this afternoon.

With that being said, today, when we get to The Covenantal Application, we will begin by looking at just the first four commandments.

The first four deal with our relationship to God and the last six deal with our relationship to mankind.

This is why when Jesus was asked which was the greatest commandment He replied by saying, “Thou shalt love thy God with all thy heart, soul and mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

If we get the first commandment right, the rest will follow but alternatively if we get the first commandment wrong, none will follow rightly.

So, today we will work our way through the why behind the commandments and the first four and then, next week, we will look at our relationship with mankind and the people’s response to finish it out.

The Covenantal Agreement — (Chapter 19 Vs. 1-9)

Alright, so here we are, exactly 3 months to the day since God has delivered the Children of Israel from the bondage of the Egyptians.

And the Bible tells us that they have made their way to the wilderness of Sinai and that they have camped before the mount.

Now, this region they are in here, the wilderness of Sinai, has a few different mountain ranges but the one that is believed to be Mount Sinai stands 7,497 ft tall and today has a mosque and a Greek Orthodox Chapel located at it’s summit.

And the Bible tells us here that Moses makes his way up the mountain to God and God speaks to him out of the mountain and says, “Moses, this is the message you are to deliver to the Children of Israel.”

Read Vs. 4-6

This is the Covenant that God makes with the Children of Israel.

Now, before we go any further I want you to understand what exactly the word “covenant” means.

It is the Hebrew word (berît) and it means “a bond, an oath, a contract, a liability, or an obligation.”

It’s not merely just an agreement between men, but the word speaks more of an obligation of responsibility with consequences for not fulfilling.

Now, God is the one who institutes the covenant here.

He says, “I am the God who brought you out of bondage and slavery to the Egyptians. I have initiated this covenant between us by showing what I will do for you and if you are to be a party to this covenant then this is what YOU must do.”

Then, He lays out the terms and conditions of the contract.

How many of you have ever bought a house? When you bought that house, more than likely, especially if you received financing to help you purchase it, you had to sign a contract, right?

You probably had to sign one with the real estate company and if financed, one with the bank as well.

Now, in those contracts, the framework was laid out as to what you would do and also what they would do, right? The terms & conditions if you will.

Essentially you entered into a binding agreement with each to purchase your home. The stipulations of the deal were laid out and in order for it to work as planned, each party had to fulfill their end of the deal, right?

Well, this was exactly the same thing that God was putting forth to the Children of Israel here.

He said, “if you will obey my voice, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine! Ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests and a Holy nation!”

Do you see the obligations from both parties? The language of a bond, an oath, a contract?

“If”, “and,” “then,” “shall.”

God was saying, “I have initiated the bond, the oath, the contract between us and if you will uphold your end of the covenant then these are the rewards you shall reap because of it!”

So, God lays out the framework of the covenant and then, if you will look on down in Verses 7-9 you will see the acceptance of the agreement by the Children of Israel.

“All that the Lord has spoken, we will do.”

The covenant has been adhered to by both parties and now God says, “alright Moses, tell them now I want to meet with them in person to seal the deal.”

God tells Moses to go and sanctify the people and that in three days He will come down and meet with them in person so that they know who it is they’re entering into an agreement with!

So, first off, we have The Covenantal Agreement. Next, we will see the Covenantal Assembly.

The Covenantal Assembly — (Chapter 19 Vs. 16-25)

The Covenantal Application — (Chapter 20 Vs. 1-17)

Vs. 1

Up to this point, God has always spoke to the people through Moses but now He speaks directly to them from the top of Mount Sinai!

Why is this important?

Listen, when Brother Bobby speaks, you may or may not listen.

Sometimes when I look out at the crowd I see people hanging onto every word I say and at other times, I see people who look like those little cartoons in comic books where you can almost see their thoughts in little bubbles above their heads.

This one is thinking about fried chicken, green beans and some cornbread over here and how they just can’t wait for me to hush and then you got this one over here who’s thinking about what they are going to do this afternoon after service, and then you got this one over here that’s already thinking about their work week ahead!

Sometimes folks are thinking about everything but what they need to be thinking about when the preacher is preaching!

So, sometimes when I speak, people may or may not listen. When Moses spake, the people may or may not have been listening.

But praise be to God, when the voice of Jehovah thundered from the mountain top, friend the Children of Israel had no other option but to listen!

Oh, how I’d of loved to have been there that day to hear the voice of God almighty! Wouldn’t you?

Can you imagine the power with which these ten commandments came? The voice of God, thundering in such a way that you could feel it in your bones!

So deep and powerful that your chest vibrated with every word that came forth!

Talk about the word getting into you! Vibrating it’s way to your very core! Man, what an amazing, exhilarating experience that must have been!

So, God begins to address the people and says...

Vs. 2

Once again, God introduces Himself just in case someone in the crowd doesn’t know who He is.

He wants to make sure they all know exactly who it is that’s speaking with them! Their deliverer, Amen!

Now, I want to take just a second here and say to you this morning, that if you don’t know the God we’re speaking of here, you can come to know Him today!

Right here, right now, He can become your God as well!

Maybe He’s introducing Himself to you right now!

Maybe you feel something drawing you, calling you to something more! Friend, that’s God!

He’s trying to get your attention!

He’s trying to make Himself known unto you!

He’s trying to let you know this morning that He can be your deliverer too if you will let Him!

Well how do I do that, you ask?

By simply trusting in Him and His dear Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, whom He sent to this world to be a substitute for your sins!

John 3:16 — For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

And the Bible says...

Romans 10:9–13 — 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

All you have to do this morning friend to come to know the God we’re speaking about is to simply believe!

So we see God’s introduction to the people here in Verse 2. Now, as we move into Verse 3, we’re going to begin to get into the commandments.

As we work our way through these commandments, I want you to keep an open mind, a broad sense of imagination when it comes to God’s commands because many times these commandments reach further into one’s life than we often think.

We begin by looking at Verses 3-6 at the first two commandments.

Vs. 3-6 — Commandments # 1 & 2

God tells the Children of Israel, “there shall be no other gods before me.”

In a world where polytheism (which is the belief in more than one god) reigned supreme, God counteracts that train of thought by telling them there shouldn’t be any other god put ahead of Him!

The word “before” used here, speaks more of place than priority but in all actuality, when it comes to God, I believe they are one in the same for whatever you put in front of God physically, you are putting in front of God when it comes to priority, Amen!

The Children of Israel had just been brought out of bondage from the Egyptian regime who worshiped many different false gods and so God lets it be known real quick that in this covenant, there will be but one God and it is He, the one they’re speaking with!

I love how the Bible puts “gods” in there with a little “g”.

What is a god with a “little g” you ask?

It’s anything you are trying to put in front of the “BIG G” God, Amen!

Some of us today have all kinds of “little g” gods in our lives.

For some it’s work, for some it’s money, for some it’s fame & fortune, for some it’s power, for some it’s drugs or alcohol, for some it’s sports, for some it’s the lake, for some it’s material possessions, for some it’s your wife or children!

Whatever it is, that’s in your life, and is taking precedence over your relationship with the “BIG G” God, has become a “little g” god!

And I’m here to tell you this morning friend, if you are prioritizing and placing anything else in front of God, you are breaking the covenant of God and your relationship with Him will be strained!

Well preacher, we’re not under the law anymore, we’re under grace now!

Yes, you are correct but it was never the law that could save!

Paul said in...

Galatians 3:24 — Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

It is by faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ alone that one comes unto salvation but if the law is our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, doesn’t it stand to reason that by breaking those laws it will drive a wedge between us?

Listen, I’m not saying anyone can be saved by the law but merely that if you want to be as close to God as possible, then you will allow the law to be your schoolmaster, your guiding light when it comes to your walk with Him.

The Psalmist said in...

Psalm 119:105 — Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

The law is what teaches us right from wrong and since we know that God is righteous and Holy, then we can conclude that He wants us to do what’s right, right?

If we want to be as near to God as possible, if we want our relationship with Him to flourish, then we will try our best to follow the commandments “He” has set before us, for it is they that form the basis of the covenant relationship we have with Him!

Jesus said in...

John 14:15 — If you love Me, keep My commandments.

And the first commandment is “thou shalt have no other gods before me.”

What is it this morning that is straining your relationship with God?

What is it in your life that you are prioritizing over Him?

What is it, in your life, that you have elevated to the status of a “little g” god?

Listen, God is a jealous God! He will not share His glory, His honor, His worth with anyone or anything else so whatever it is that you are prioritizing over Him this morning, remove it!

Put it in it’s proper place!

So, we’ve looked at Commandments 1 & 2. Now, let’s move on to the third covenant commandment.

Look with me in Verse 7.

Vs. 7 — Commandment # 3

What does it mean to take the name of the Lord our God in vain?

Well to begin with you need to know what the word vain means.

It is the Hebrew word (shāwʾ) and it speaks of “desolating, destructive, ruin, false, empty.”

When we desolate or tear down the name of God, we take His name in vain.

When we ruin the name of God, we take His name in vain.

When we use His name falsely or emptily, we take His name in vain.

Listen, if you use the name of God in a curse word, you’re taking the name of God in vain.

If you use the name of God flippantly and without context or in the right context might I add, you are taking the name of God in vain!

And it goes much further than just speaking!

If you call yourself a Christian but you’re running around town living like the devil, dear friend you are taking the name of God in vain!

The Bible says that the name of God is a “glorious & fearful name” in Deuteronomy 28:58.

And then in...

Titus 1:16 — They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.

Listen friend, it isn’t just about your talk but also about your walk!

If your walk isn’t matching your talk, and you call yourself a Christian, then you are taking the name of God in vain!

And the Bible says that God will not hold him guiltless who taketh His name in vain!

Friend, there’s coming a day when every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord and on that great and terrible day, we will all give an account of ourselves and our actions to Him!

If you have taken or are taking the name of the Lord thy God in vain friend, you’re going to have to give an account for that!

Does your walk match your talk?

If not, come get things right this morning!

Do you flippantly use the name of the Lord thy God?

Are you taking the name of the Lord thy God in vain this morning?

If so, come and ask God for forgiveness now and stop doing it moving forward!

Now, that we’ve made it through the first three commandments, lets move on to the last one we’ll be looking at today....Commandment # 4.

The Bible says starting in Verse 8...

Vs. 8-11 — Commandment # 4

Why are we to remember the Sabbath day to keep it Holy?

For a memorial unto God!

God created the heaven and the earth and all that in them is and on the seventh day He rested.

Now, listen to me real plain and clear here for a moment.

God didn’t rest on the sabbath because He was tired. The God we serve has no limitations therefore He couldn’t have needed rest as we know it.

When it says He rested it simply means He ceased from creating because He was finished.

And the reason we are to remember the Sabbath is to remember Him, the wonders He created and give Him the praise, honor and glory He is justly due!

Ok preacher, so if we are to remember the Sabbath then why do we worship God on Sunday instead of Saturday?

Because the Lord Jesus, the one and only Son of God rose from the grave on Sunday!

God’s redemptive plan for mankind was fulfilled on that 3rd and glorious morning when His Son Jesus rose from the grave!

The work was now complete and the Bible tells us that it pleased the Father that in Him (that is The Son) should all the fullness dwell!

Paul goes on to say in...

Colossians 2:16–17 — 16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

The original Sabbath was but a shadow of things to come! It was set aside to worship God, to stand in awe of His accomplishments in creation and now we worship on Sunday to continue that praise, not only of His amazing creation but also the completion of reconciliation!

The motive for the day hasn’t changed and neither has the message or the man, Amen!

John the beloved disciple said in...

John 1:1–3 — 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

And then Bro. Paul reiterated this same thought in...

Colossians 1:12–17 — 12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: 15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

The Lord Jesus has always been the motive for our praise and it was ordained by the Father to be so!

And that’s the most important aspect of remembering the Sabbath! Making sure you are setting aside a day where all your attention goes to God!

Are you doing that today?

Are you setting aside a day that is fully devoted to God?

Are you remembering the Sabbath day to keep it Holy?

If not, what’s keeping you from doing so?

Whatever it is that’s keeping you from remembering the Sabbath day to keep it Holy is probably the same thing that’s causing you to not fulfill the first 3 commandments as well and the reason is because that thing has become a “little g” god in your life!

You see, they all tie together. If # 1 isn’t right, then more than likely none of the other 3 will be right either thus greatly affecting your relationship with God.

Closing

As we come to a close this morning, I want to ask each of you to do a spiritual check-up on your relationship with God.

Is He # 1 in your life?

Does He hold the prime spot in your day to day activities or is there something else that has taken that position?

If He’s not, whatever it is that has taken that position needs to be relinquished to His authority here this morning!

During the invitation I’m gonna ask you to come and lay that “little g” god at the altar and put the “BIG G” God back in first place where He belongs!

Maybe this morning you’re one of these folks who have been taking the name of God in vain.

Maybe you’ve been using the name of God out of context or using His name flippantly or maybe your walk just hasn’t been lining up with your talk.

If that’s you, I’d ask you during the invitation this morning to come and ask God for forgiveness and vow to try and never use His name in vain again!

And lastly this morning, are you remembering the Sabbath day to keep it Holy?

Well Preacher, I’m here aren’t I?

I don’t know are you here? Or you already at the kitchen table thinking of how good that meal is gonna be? Or maybe you’re already thinking about what you’re going to do this evening or your work schedule next week.

Listen, today is the Lord’s day and I want to encourage you to treat it as such.

Devote this entire day fully to God!

Try focusing every thought of your imagination towards God today!

If you’ve not been doing so, come this morning during the invitation and ask God to help you become more dedicated to Him.

The Congregation’s Atrocious Appeal — (Chapter 20 Vs. 18-21)