Ten Holy Words...Ten Commandments pt 1

And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. ( Exodus 20:1-3)

God spake all of these Words saying… Moses didn’t originate the Ten Commandments, God spoke these Words. He also wrote them with his finger on tablets of stone, and re-iterated every single one of them, save one, in the New Testament. We are not saved by the Law, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have much to say to us and to teach us.

I want to take you on a journey through the Ten Commandments, although I already anticipate objections to such a study, such as “Why would we have to think about the Law? We live under grace? ” and other similar, (misguided) objections.

But the Law of the LORD is perfect, we are told in the 19th Psalm, converting the soul. There is much to be gained by a consideration of these ten Holy Words given to us by the Creator, and which lie at the very foundation of our faith.

First note, that the commandments of God speak directly to us, in “I and Thou” terms. God is speaking directly to you and I as individuals. ” You shall have…no other God’s before ME”… . God is the “Me” who he is referring to.

In the Ten Commandments, He (God) speaks in personal terms to us, such as in Hosea, when He announces, ” I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.” ( Hosea 5:14) and even more stunningly, in Zechariah 12, when God says, “…they shall look on ME, whom they hav pierced…”(Zechariah 12:10).

He is talking to you and I, directly, as though there is no one else that he is speaking to, for ours is a personal God, and He deals with us, not as a “mass of humanity’ but as individuals, responsible for our actions.

Secondly notice that there are two tables of the Law of God. The first four (or possibly five) speak to how we are to relate to God himself. The second table speaks to how we are to treat each other. “Thou shalt Love the LORD Your God with all of your Heart, Soul , mind and strength, and Love thy neighbor as thyself”.

But How are we to Love God ? In the sparest of language, the teaching comes forth, ‘how to Love the Lord your God…’. Love him exclusively (1st), and Love him as he has revealed himself to be, not as you like to imagine him to be (2nd). Regard him, and his name as Holy, fear him, (3rd), And take at least one day out of seven to worship Him, (4th)… This is essential godliness.

How to Love our neighbor? Love his Life, his marriage, respect his property, Be truthful about his name, and be happy for what God has given Him, and content with what God has given you.

Thirdly, the Ten commandments are really a revelation of Love, and they are impossible to keep without receiving the gift of Love, Salvation, which deposits the “Love of God in our Hearts by the Holy Sprit”, Love for God and for man, are the only way to be able to keep the commandments of God. Our deepest problem is that we haven’t Loved God, and that we don’ love our fellows. Instead we have loved ourselves supremely. The Ten Commandments reveal this to us.

The Ten Commandments are a revelation of the Character of God, and of the Messiah. Jesus shows us the true model and meaning of what it means to Love the LORD our God… and to love all men.

The Ten Commandments are also a revelation of what inner freedom is like. In fact , true freedom is the theme of the Exodus . The Preamble teaches us something important, ” I am the LORD thy God that brought you out of the land of Egypt… the house of Bondage”. Our natural state is one which is in bondage to various lusts and sins.

God set Israel free from slavery first, by sheer grace, then he gave them the gift of the Ten Commandments. This is the pattern of salvation by grace…Freedom is given as a gift first, then comes instruction calculated to keep you free. It is as if the LORD was saying, “If you think Pharoah’s lash was harsh, what about having split loyalties between many gods? what about not having a Holy God above you to fear? What about adultery? That is an even worse bondage than Egyptian slavery !” .

The Ten Commandments are an unflattering mirror also. Why are they mostly put negatively? What is God saying about us that he has to tell us, “You shall do no murder.. You shall not lie…You shall not commit adultery”? He is telling us that we are murderers at heart, as well as adulterers, and liars, blasphemers, etc, when left unrestrained by His gracious touch.

It is the use of the Ten Commandments in evangelism in the New Testament which converts many souls. When men are confronted with their own murderous, lustful, proud and blasphemous nature, The Holy Spirit is able to penetrate the pride and self sufficiency by which they imagine themselves to be righteous in and of themselves, and to convict them of Sin, Righteousness and judgment.

The Ten Commandments shatter self righteousness. Many are not saved and never will be saved unless they are confronted with the power and influence of these Ten Holy Words. They need to see themselves as God sees hem, not as they feel themselves to be according to the humanistic, therapeutic, man centered, psychologized ‘Righteousness of our day’.

There are so many in our churches who have bought into the “antinomian ” error, and who think that Law is evil, unnecessary, and completely useless, now that we have the new covenant. We are not saved by Law indeed, and furthermore, the things the law has exposed about us , were dealt with at the Cross, our sins are forgiven and we are not under condemnation.

But that doesn’t mean we Christians are Lawless now, and have no relationship with God’s law whatsoever. Sin is lawlessness. Because iniquity (Lawlessness) shall abound, the love of many has grown cold. Jesus said himself, “If you love me, keep my commandments”, and John tells us that “His commandments are not burdensome…” now that we have been born again. We want to do what is right and just now.

Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.(I John 5:1-3)

What nonsense! The ten commandments were never addressed to Christians. Where were Christians ever commanded to keep the sabbath?

A fundamental principle of interpretation is that God’s covenants apply only to whom they’re given. Most of us have probably heard the story of the man impressed with his need to obey God’s word. So he determined that he would close his eyes, open his Bible, flip through the pages, and at some random point, he would stick his finger on the page. Then he would open his eyes, and do what the Bible said at that particular verse. On the first try, he opened his eyes and read, “And Judas went away and hanged himself.” Not to be outdone, he determined that he would try this approach one more time, and see if he didn’t get better results. On the second time, he turned to the passage that said, “Go thou and do likewise.” Deciding that he would give the procedure one more trial before quitting entirely, he again closed his eyes, flipped the pages, and put his finger on a verse. When he opened his eyes, he read, “What thou doest, do quickly.”

This humorous story illustrates the principle that God’s instructions and covenants apply only to whom they’re given.

What nonsense! John 14:15 “If ye love ME keep My commandments”. If you don’t love Jesus (who died for your sins) you may have a hard time explaining your position at The Judgement Throne. Mark 2:27,28 “And He said unto them, The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the sabbath; therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath”. Did you catch that? The Sabbath for mankind ,not just the Jews. Luke 4:16 Jesus had a custom and it was to go up to the synagogue. Nothing indicates that Jesus came to destroy the law or the prophets. Also heaven and earth haven’t passed. (Matt. 5;17,18)

Don’t throw out the baby with the bath water. Perhaps you should prayerfully consider the following statement by Jesus:

17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:17-19

Jesus’ Atonement for the Believer’s sin, does not exempt one from honoring YahWeh’s Eternal Law. The Law of Sinai is a reflection of God’s Character and thereby, immutable.

Jesus died on the cross because the Law of God demanded it. If the this Law could be annulled or changed, Jesus didn’t need to die for our Atonement.

Only the Holy Spirit can show one this awesome Truth. In God’s Manifold Wisdom there is always a purpose and His Truth never lies in the majority of man’s opinion—not then, not now. God is not seeking man’s approval of His Law. On the contrary, man’s rejection of God’s Law is the most vehement proof of His approval.

I agree that we should keep the commandments of God, but not those addressed to someone else! You don’t keep the command to build an ark, do you? It wasn’t given to you.

You don’t even obey the commands relative to the sabbath. In Dt. 5.15, at the second giving of the law, God commanded:

15 And thou shalt remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and Jehovah thy God brought thee out thence by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm: therefore Jehovah thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.

The sabbath was a memorial of Israel’s deliverance from Egypt. You’ve never obeyed this command. What about the command to stone sabbath breakers to death? Ever kept that one?

Yes, the sabbath was made for the benefit of man, but Jesus, a Jew, born under the law, Gal. 4.4, was teaching that to Jews who were under the law. You never were.

On Mt. 5.17-18, which did Jesus teach? (1) That none of the law would pass until all of it had been fulfilled, or (2) that all of it would pass before all of it was fulfilled? But he did teach that it would pass.

It was (1), wasn’t it. If it hasn’t all been fulfilled, then every jot and tittle of it is still in effect, including stoning sabbath breakers, right? When you think enough of this argument to obey it consistently, I’ll take you more seriously.

Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God:

The Jesus of the Bible is the maverick, anti-establishment solution to business. The system had become so corrupted that he went directly to the people to heal them and teach them love and compassion by example.

He was *not* the Messiah that the religious experts (and their personality cult, consensus-loving disciples) were expecting. History is prophecy because people don't learn from history, so it repeats.

There is a difference between The Decalogue, more commonly referred to as the Ten Commandments, The Moral Law and ceremonial laws or precepts. What your argument applies to is the latter. Not the Moral Law, which is in the Ark of God’s Temple, in Heaven as The Book of Hebrews explains.

I know your argument is more popular and I respect that. You probably don’t think Jesus really meant what I quoted you He said you in Matthew 5:17-19 anyway.

Most people accept your popular view. It’s easier and broader. Humility and prayer for God given Light of The Holy Spirit to lead you to all Truth and not a watered down gospel is key. So Shabbat shalom for me in Yeshua today.
Nonetheless, God Most High is in control and His sheep WILL hear his voice! Amen.

Blessings!

Amen! Also, there is a reason why the longest Psalm in The Holy Scriptures is Psalm 119.

All things are possible to those who believe. I WAS the most rebellious, but God Most High, Our Loving Father, has shown me Gratitude and Humility lead to Patience and Obedience.

Rebellion, I found, is rooted in Pride. The most dangerous of ALL sins. Rebellion is equal in severity to sorcery.

God is leading His People to follow Him more closely. Now more than ever. We need to be Faithful and Loyal to God Most High, like Joseph, the son of Jacob and Daniel and YES we are to become more like JESUS, He is Our Righteousness, Our Example, Our Banner and Our Standard.

JESUS is Coming Soon. There is very little time left to play or be double-minded. If God called me, He could call anybody.

Blessings!

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