THE TEN COMMANDMENTS STUDY
Exodus 20
From Dr. J.M. Strawn and oldhermit.
Part One
The Ten Commandments Stand as a Supernatural Set of Conditions for Living. For Israel, the ten commandments served as the foundation of the entire Law. These were nothing less than the embodiment of eternal principles rooted in the reality of God that qualify man's relationship to God. The New Covenant, as well as the Old, are both built upon these eternal principles which still stand as the foundation of man's relationship to God and man's relationship to man. Everything else within the Law of Moses was simply regulations and ordinances that instructed ISRAEL in how THEY were to honor these eternal principles. The single foundational principle upon which all of these ten commandments stand is “to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the Lord's commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good.” Deuteronomy 10:12-13. Consequently, “You shall have no other gods before Me.” Exodus 20:3.
These commandments represent ten conditions of relationship that are divided into two categories. The first four govern man's relationship to God while the remaining six govern man's relationship to man. The two divisions are then linked by a fundamental principle that the violation of any one of these commandments was a sin directly against God. You cannot violate your neighbor without offending the Almighty.
These commandments are the imperative ethical absolutes that stress the absolute holiness of God and these emphasized to Israel how God views sin. These commandments were a revealed ethic given to govern Israel as a nation. When Israel was brought out of Egypt, God knew they would need a standard by which to govern themselves as a society. The only standard or code of conduct they knew was the one imposed upon them as slaves in Egypt. God brought them to Sinai and delivered through Moses a law that would serve as a standard of moral and ethical behavior. This would come to be known as the law of blessing and cursing. This standard of ethics would govern every aspect of their lives. No part of Israel’s life was to be surrendered to any humanly derived standard of ethics.
1. This law instructed them on how to behave privately, and with members within the family unit.
2. It instructed them how to relate to one’s neighbor as well as to the stranger in their midst.
3. It told them how to behave internationally and within their own boarders.
4. It set their judicial guidelines concerning crime and punishment.
5. It defined their relationship with God and how they should represent the material world.
6. Guidelines were provided to instruct them in cleanliness and dealing with defilements.
7. Worship was strictly regulated.
8. Specific guidelines were given as to what constituted good and evil. Sin was defined.
9. It needs to be pointed out that concerning divinely specified punishments for crimes, there was a difference between the punishment of the offender and the attitude of God toward the sin. The offender may be given forty lashes for a particular offense but this certainly does not fully reflect the attitude of God toward the offense. The forty lashes were only a marginal representation of how God viewed the sin. It was at the alter in the shedding of blood and taking of innocent life that Israel was to be made more keenly aware of God’s attitude toward sin as the worshiper came to understand that the body lying on that altar should be me; That I am the one worthy of that death because of what I have done.
All of these conditions of relationship are summed up in two commands, “Love the Lord your God and serve him with all your heart and soul.” Deuteronomy 11:13. “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Leviticus 19:18.
Exodus 20
From Dr. J.M. Strawn and oldhermit.
Part One
The Ten Commandments Stand as a Supernatural Set of Conditions for Living. For Israel, the ten commandments served as the foundation of the entire Law. These were nothing less than the embodiment of eternal principles rooted in the reality of God that qualify man's relationship to God. The New Covenant, as well as the Old, are both built upon these eternal principles which still stand as the foundation of man's relationship to God and man's relationship to man. Everything else within the Law of Moses was simply regulations and ordinances that instructed ISRAEL in how THEY were to honor these eternal principles. The single foundational principle upon which all of these ten commandments stand is “to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the Lord's commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good.” Deuteronomy 10:12-13. Consequently, “You shall have no other gods before Me.” Exodus 20:3.
These commandments represent ten conditions of relationship that are divided into two categories. The first four govern man's relationship to God while the remaining six govern man's relationship to man. The two divisions are then linked by a fundamental principle that the violation of any one of these commandments was a sin directly against God. You cannot violate your neighbor without offending the Almighty.
These commandments are the imperative ethical absolutes that stress the absolute holiness of God and these emphasized to Israel how God views sin. These commandments were a revealed ethic given to govern Israel as a nation. When Israel was brought out of Egypt, God knew they would need a standard by which to govern themselves as a society. The only standard or code of conduct they knew was the one imposed upon them as slaves in Egypt. God brought them to Sinai and delivered through Moses a law that would serve as a standard of moral and ethical behavior. This would come to be known as the law of blessing and cursing. This standard of ethics would govern every aspect of their lives. No part of Israel’s life was to be surrendered to any humanly derived standard of ethics.
1. This law instructed them on how to behave privately, and with members within the family unit.
2. It instructed them how to relate to one’s neighbor as well as to the stranger in their midst.
3. It told them how to behave internationally and within their own boarders.
4. It set their judicial guidelines concerning crime and punishment.
5. It defined their relationship with God and how they should represent the material world.
6. Guidelines were provided to instruct them in cleanliness and dealing with defilements.
7. Worship was strictly regulated.
8. Specific guidelines were given as to what constituted good and evil. Sin was defined.
9. It needs to be pointed out that concerning divinely specified punishments for crimes, there was a difference between the punishment of the offender and the attitude of God toward the sin. The offender may be given forty lashes for a particular offense but this certainly does not fully reflect the attitude of God toward the offense. The forty lashes were only a marginal representation of how God viewed the sin. It was at the alter in the shedding of blood and taking of innocent life that Israel was to be made more keenly aware of God’s attitude toward sin as the worshiper came to understand that the body lying on that altar should be me; That I am the one worthy of that death because of what I have done.
All of these conditions of relationship are summed up in two commands, “Love the Lord your God and serve him with all your heart and soul.” Deuteronomy 11:13. “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Leviticus 19:18.
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