The Ten Commandments

Exodus 20:1-21

Introduction

There were many great events in the life of Moses, from the time of his call, the plagues on Egypt, the Red Sea crossing, the wilderness journeys and manna from heaven. But he is remembered most for his being given the Ten Commandments. He climbed the Mount of God, entered the majesty of the divine presence, and received from God those Tables of the Law, which were to deeply influence the life of the Jews, prepare for Christ, and have an impact on the whole world. Even the most ungodly outsider with any knowledge of the Ten Commandments would agree that if they were obeyed, the world would be a happier and safer place.

It is important to put the Ten Commandments in context. God did not begin with the Commandments. He began by setting His people free, redeeming them from the land of Egypt. Then He gave them the law, concerning how redeemed people should live. God gives to us before He asks us to give to Him. The same order is found in the New Testament. He saves us, and then henceforth we follow His law and will for our lives. We do not keep the law in order to be saved. We are saved to keep the law. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness (Romans 6:18). You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession (Exodus 19:4,5). God had saved them, and therefore they had to keep His law because they were His people. God gives before He demands. He redeems before He requires obedience. He opens a man’s heart before He asks for a man’s heart.

So in a context in which God’s awfulness, majesty and greatness were seen, God’s law was given. Then Moses descended the mountain to deliver to God’s people the law, setting out duty to God first, and then duty to fellow men. We are going to review the contents briefly here, and draw out their significance and their purpose.

The Contents of the Ten Commandments

The old Puritan writer, Thomas Watson, compared the Ten Commandments to Jacob’s ladder, the first four commandments being like the top rungs of the ladder, reaching into heaven, and last six commandments being like the bottom rungs of the ladder, resting on the earth. Another way of summarizing them is that the first four equate to what the Lord described as the first and greatest commandment, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' (Matthew 22:37), and the last six commandments are contained in the second great commandment of our Lord, 'Love your neighbour as yourself.' (Matthew 22:39).

1. You shall have no other gods before me. God has to be first in our thoughts, will and affection. He is to be loved, trusted and worshipped above all else. He challenges our countless modern idols – possessions, position, other people, pleasures, success, business, and above all self. Your “god” is the thing that you think of as most precious and give the most devotion to. But we should see all from His point of view. His glory should be our goal. How often we not only devote ourselves to other things without a thought of God’s glory, but also we are ungrateful, disobedient and rebellious.

2. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. We are not to make any material reflections of God, for images degrade God and damage man. Our worship is to be spiritual, not material. It is to be done with the heart and in truth. We are to worship God as He really is, according to His Word, and not how we imagine Him to be. Worship that pleases the senses – eye and ear – but is not from the heart and with a life unchanged is useless.

3. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God. We are not to use His name as an oath or speak lightly and carelessly of Him. Hymns must be sung from the heart, not with lips only. Any time we mention His name, it ought to be with a sense of His majesty and glory.

4. Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Body and mind need one day in seven to rest. It is our special opportunity for communion with God and a deepening of family life and special service to others. The Lord’s Day is now the first day of the week because of the resurrection. It is to be kept holy for Him. This is entirely contrary to the spirit of the age, and needs to be safeguarded.

5. Honour your father and your mother. The immediate reference here is to family, but there is an extended reference to political fathers – leaders of state, and to spiritual fathers – the eldership of the church, and to those who are fathers by age and experience. This commandment shows up the natural human dislike for authority. If children to not respect and obey their parents, they then rebel against other forms of authority – the laws of the state, school teachers, and other authority figures in the work place and country. Disintegration in society is traceable to the home.

6. You shall not murder. This refers to private and personal matters, not to war or death penalty. We are to preserve the life of those made in the image of God. The sanctity of life. N.B. Jesus deepened the meaning to anger and hatred. Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer (1 John 3:15). We can kill by looks, attitudes, words, grudges, spite and jealousy.

7. You shall not commit adultery. The sanctity of marriage and reverence for womanhood. God’s standard is purity before marriage, and faithfulness within marriage. There is no place for perversions, exploitation and the playboy philosophy so prevalent today.

8. You shall not steal. Taking what is not yours, whether by violence, stealth, deceit, or in debt. The extended coffee break, or not working the hours agreed. This kind of behaviour diminishes others, because it suggests they are not worthy of respect or love.

9. Do not give false testimony. Do not tamper with another’s reputation or good name, by lying, insinuating, or silence and failure to correct an untrue statement. This rules out exaggerations and distortions of the truth, and giving false impressions.

10. You shall not covet. This commandment moves from action and word to the state of the heart, an area that no law of the land can deal with. Here sin is traced to its true source. We covet when we are dissatisfied with our lot and want another’s, and will do anything necessary to get it. Therefore it is the root from which the other commandments spring.

Significance of the Ten Commandments

The Ten Commandments are comprehensive. They begin with God – His worship, His name, His day and His authority – and then move to family life, the sanctity of life itself, the sanctity of marriage, property, reputation, and the need for the heart to be right. They are a perfect summary of our duties vertically to God and horizontally to our neighbour. Holiness is mapped out here. Within their brief compass, we have a perfect guide for every race, every age, and every land.

These rules are unique and timeless. Elsewhere in Exodus, Numbers, Leviticus and Deuteronomy there are many other laws for the nation of Israel living before Christ, which have no direct relevance to us today. But the Ten Commandments are up to date today. They speak to our age where human life is cheap, where there is breakdown in authority in the home and schools and society, where there are broken homes and marriages with all the attendant misery they bring. The Ten Commandments are a total rebuke and rejection of the moral philosophy of “If it feels good – do it.”

They are relevant to the situation where truth and honour and respect for others property are not the first consideration for many. (We only have to turn on the news to discover the lies of political leaders and those in the highest positions.) The commandments are relevant because they point to the fact that it is the human heart that is the real source of all our problems today. They are relevant because it is only when God is put first do we get our relationship with others right. When we say “no” to God, we are saying, “yes” to self. Emil Brunner said that his grandfather had faith and morals, his son had morals and no faith, and his grandson had neither. We are in the grandson stage now.

We need to take our example, motives and power from Christ in order to live the Christian life. Following the ways of the world, the behaviour of our peers, and the example of those in authority over us is not going to help. The absolutes contained in the commandments are very much missing in society today. Some will say rules don’t matter, only love. Some will say anything goes as long as you don’t hurt anybody. Some will say adultery is not always wrong, that lying and deceit is all right in certain circumstances…. We must be heavenly minded – and then we can be of earthly use. Once we deny the commandments are absolutes, self and corrupt human nature soon take over and end in moral chaos. “Right” and “wrong” become meaningless.

The purpose of the Ten Commandments

The Ten Commandments are still applicable and still to be kept. They are more than just external. Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them (Matthew 5:17). Christ has deepened them beyond the external act to our thoughts and desires. We should live our lives by them, observing them perfectly. We have a holy God, who expects the same standards from His creatures.

They demand perfect obedience in every way (act, word and thought), constantly, and without fail. There is no accommodation to twentieth century opinions or practices. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it (James 2:10). Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law (Galatians 3:10). God’s requirements are so exact and so precise. Every violation is a personal insult to the authority and majesty of the divine lawgiver – God spoke all these words (Exodus 20:1).

We realize that some of the commandments present very uncomfortable facts about ourselves. The purity of a white background shows up our sin in its blackness. We never know how crooked our freehand writing is until we hold up a ruler to it. God’s law opens our eyes and shuts our mouths. Our failure is exposed. We are reminded that we are guilty, defiled, stained and powerless. If you think you are not a sinner, then compare your life alongside God’s law.

Suddenly the Gospel becomes relevant. The law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith (Galatians 3:24). The Gospel becomes welcome news. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us (Galatians 3:13). There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). The curse and the penalty for our sins have been placed on Him.

Evangelistic preaching must begin with God, His law and our failure; otherwise we are casting our pearls before swine. People will not realize the beauty of the pearl if they do not realize the filth of the pigsty.

Trust Christ as Saviour by His cleansing forgiveness. Enter a new relationship with God. The Holy Spirit will come and dwell in you, redirecting your life and empowering you with divine strength. The Ten Commandments will still be there, and are still to be kept – but it will be your desire to keep them and to please God. As you yield your life to God, you will want to do His will. If you fail again, you can come back to God for cleansing.

Conclusion

God spoke all these words: Cursed is everyone who does not continue in these things. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we have to give an account one day. The wages of sin is death. Christ bore our sins. There is now no condemnation. The free gift of God is everlasting life.