The Ten Commandments: Today's Verse is Ex 20:1

 Today we continue our look at The Ten Commandments with an in-depth look at Ex 20:1

You can find the posts on a few of the Scripture passages that precede The Ten Commandments at the following links:

The observational overview of Ex 19:3-11 can be found HERE

And the in depth look at Ex 19:3-6 can be found HERE.

The in depth look at Ex 19:7-11 can be found HERE.

The concluding thoughts on Ex 19:3-11 can be found HERE. 

The initial overview of Ex 20:1-17 can be found HERE.   

I do encourage everyone to look at all the prior posts in this series as the preceding context helps us to a deeper understanding of the Ten Commandments.

It may also seem odd to start the Commandments themselves with just Ex 20:1, but I feel that the serious of this verse sets the correct tone for us to receive the Ten Commandments. 

Oh and I have solved the Cross-Reference Hyper Link problem.  So if you hover over any verse listed in the post, the actual verse SHOULD NOW pop up on your computer screen.

Exodus 20:1 (NASB)
¹ Then God spoke all these words, saying,

Grammatical Considerations:

• God spoke: God is speaking to the Israelites. This is not Moses repeating what God told him to say.

My Questions:

• Why did the author emphasize the word, "words"??
• Why use the word spoke and then saying?

Verse Cross References:

• ex 20:1 -- Dt 4:33 Dt 4:36 Dt 5:4 Dt 5:22 Dt 6:5 Lev 19:18 Mat 22:35-40
• Thoughts -- As can be seen by Dt 4:33 this IS a special occurrence! Very special. The more I stay in this section of Scripture I realize how special this moment truly was! Up until this point in time God had only spoken directly to a few chosen people! Now He is about to speak to His chosen people! And realizing this makes it even more special that God in His endless grace, love and mercy has allowed us to be a part of all this through His Son Jesus Christ!

Important terms:

(God) Spoke:

• WORDSearch concordance search -- Ge 8:15 Ge 9:8 Ge 16:13 Ex 6:2 Mk 12:26 Ex 3:4 Ex 3:7 Gen 7:1 Gen 17:9
• Thoughts -- Again it is amazing to see how special and unique it was (is) for God to speak directly to an entire nation like He does in Exodus 20 Up until then it had only been a select few people, then the nation of Israel, more select prophets and then finally through His Son Jesus Christ, God is speaking to all of us who have ears to hear. Mat 11:15 Mark 4:9 Luke 8:8 How amazing is this! God came down to us as Jesus! He actually CAME DOWN to us...to speak to us...so that we may have the opportunity to have a right relationship with Him! For some reason this is hitting me like a beautiful, inspiring, and humbling ton of bricks right now!!
• Definition -- a verb meaning to speak. The Hebrew word used here is closely related to the Hebrew word translated as words. See below:

Words:

• WORDSearch concordance search -- Dt 4:10 Dt 12:28 Joshua 3:9 2Sa 7:28 John 3:34-36 John 8:47 Rev 19:9
• Thoughts -- More of the same. Inspired, overwhelmed by how MONUMENTAL this was for God to speak directly to a people. And then He sent His Son Jesus Christ to to not only speak with us but to BE WITH US! Do we truly grasp how amazing this is? Do I?
• Definition -- word or speech. Spoken words. A command. Often used to convey divine communication.

Saying:

• WORDSearch concordance search -- Ge 8:15 Ge 9:8 Ge 24:7 Dt 1:6 Mk 12:26 Ex 6:10 Ex 7:8 Ex 13:1 Ex 14:1 Ex 25:1 Nu 16:36 AND MANY MANY MORE!
• Thoughts -- These two words are often used in like manner as they are in this verse.
• Definition -- a verb meaning to say. Almost always followed by a quote.

Factual information from Study Helps:

• The Holman Bible Dictionary stresses that the Decalogue (or what most people call the Ten Commandments) was the only revelation at Mt. Sinai that was communicated directly by God to the people AND then written down on tablets by God Himself. That is what makes them special!
• What follows after Ex 20:1 is the beginning of the covenant!

Answering My Questions:

• Why did the author emphasize the word, "words"?? -- To emphasize that these were spoken words! By definition this Hebrew word for "words" was often used when the words to follow were a command.
• Why use the word spoke and then saying? -- Again, to emphasize that what follows is a direct quote. This wasn't someone else repeating what God had told them to say! This is what God said directly to His people!

Summarizing:

• God begins His covenant with His chosen people, by speaking to them directly. A partial reason for this is that God wanted them to believe that Moses did speak as God's intermediary and that God wanted them to know that He, God, was there. He wanted them to feel confident!! ( Ex 19:3-11 )

Topical for further study:

• Hearing God's Words
• The ones God spoke directly to!

 

Bibliography

 

 

• Baker, Warren, ed. – The Complete Word Study Old Testament. Chattanooga, TN: AMG, 1994. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
• Baker, Warren and Eugene Carpenter. The Complete Word Study Dictionary – Old Testament. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2003. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
• Brand, Chad, Charles Draper, Archie England, ed. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 2003. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
• God's Word: Today's Bible Translation That Means What It Says Holiday, FL: Green Key Books, n.d.. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
• God's Word Application Index. Holiday, FL: Green Key Books, n.d.. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
• . WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
• – Holman Christian Standard Bible Nashville: Holman Bible, 1999. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
• Holy Bible, New American Standard. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
• . WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
• Holy Bible, New American Standard La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
• Thompson, Frank Charles. Thompson Chain Reference Bible. Indianapolis, IN: B. B. Kirkbride Bible Co., 1997. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
• Torrey, R. A. The New Topical Textbook. New York: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1897. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
• . WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
• Vine, William E. Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1940. WORDsearch CROSS e-book. 

We will begin to look at the ACTUAL Commandments in our next posts!
 

The Ten Commandments, Ex 20:1-17 Overview

 Today we continue our look at The Ten Commandments with an observational overview of Ex 20:1-17.


You can find the posts on a few of the Scripture passages that precede The Ten Commandments at the following links:

The observational overview of Ex 19:3-11 can be found HERE

And the in depth look at Ex 19:3-6 can be found HERE.

The in depth look at Ex 19:7-11 can be found HERE.

The concluding thoughts on Ex 19:3-11 can be found HERE.

Exodus 20:1-17 (NASB)
¹ Then God spoke all these words, saying,
² "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
³ "You shall have no other gods before Me.
⁴ "You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.
⁵ "You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me,
⁶ but showing loving kindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
⁷ "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.
⁸ "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
⁹ "Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
¹⁰ but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you.
¹¹ "For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.
¹² "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you.
¹³ "You shall not murder.
¹⁴ "You shall not commit adultery.
¹⁵ "You shall not steal.
¹⁶ "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
¹⁷ "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor."

Observations

• Author: Moses
• Date written: 1447 BC-1410 BC
• Purpose: To tell how how God rescued His people from slavery in Egypt. Also begins the covenant and the law.
• Written: For each new generation of Israel (and the gentiles)
• Important places: In these verses it is Mount Sinai
• Main characters: God, Moses and the nation of Israel
• Main theme of these verses: God is giving the Israelites His commands and the terms of His promise. He is speaking directly to them so that they will know that Moses does indeed serve as His intermediary.

Things emphasized:

• We are not have ANY gods before the LORD our God. We are to worship ONLY Him!
• We are not to take His name in vain. He is to be honored and revered
• The Sabbath is a holy day.
• We are not to covet ANYTHING that is not ours!

things repeated:

• The sabbath day is holy.
• Not to covet

things related:

• Coveting and idolatry! (they both take our attention away from worshipping God!

things true to life:

• God does show loving-kindness to those who love Him.
• And He does want us to obey Him and honor Him!

expressions of time:

• God made the heaven and earth in six days!
• God will show anger for 3 to 4 generations.

cause and effect:

• If we create images (or idols) and worship them God will punish us. If we love Him and obey He will show loving kindness.
• If we honor or mother and father our days will be long in the land that God has given us.

textual context:

• In ex 19:3-11 God prepares Moses to prepare the people for this discourse. God wants the people to hear Him speak so that they will know Moses is true in the things he tells them.
• God stresses obedience!
• The people become afraid after they hear God speak up close. Ex 20:18
• God had a reason(s) for giving this discourse.

In the next few posts we will take an individual look at each of The Ten Commandments.

Bibliography

 

• Brand, Chad, Charles Draper, Archie England, ed. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 2003. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
• Holy Bible, New American Standard La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
• Thompson, Frank Charles. Thompson Chain Reference Bible. Indianapolis, IN: B. B. Kirkbride Bible Co., 1997. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.

The Ten Commandments-Final thoughts on Ex 19:3-11

Today we conclude our look at a few of the verses that precede God's actual speaking of the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20.

The observational overview of Ex 19:3-11 can be found HERE

And the in depth look at Ex 19:3-6 can be found HERE.




The in depth look at Ex 19:7-11 can be found HERE.

After today's post I will move onto the Ex 20:1-17 and look at the actual Ten Commandments (or Decalogue).

And as aside I am still working on the Ref-Tagger links as I want people to be able to hover over a Bible verse and see it immediately while reading the post.  Thank you for your continued patience!

Exodus 19:3-11 (NASB)
³ Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob and tell the sons of Israel:
⁴ 'You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings, and brought you to Myself.
⁵ ~'Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine;
⁶ and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel."
⁷ So Moses came and called the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which the LORD had commanded him.
⁸ All the people answered together and said, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do!" And Moses brought back the words of the people to the LORD.
⁹ The LORD said to Moses, "Behold, I will come to you in a thick cloud, so that the people may hear when I speak with you and may also believe in you forever." Then Moses told the words of the people to the LORD.
¹⁰ The LORD also said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments;
¹¹ and let them be ready for the third day, for on the third day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.

Biblical Principles:

• What fundamental universal truths are presented in this passage. State that truth in a simple sentence or two. -- God chose the Israelites to be His. He wanted to reassure them and help them to know and believe that Moses spoke with authority given to Him by God. God wants obedience! The Israelites were quick to agree but often quick to forget. God came down to talk to them! And then later, He sent His Son Jesus Christ to with us!!
• What issues in our own culture and my own situations does this truth address? -- Sometimes we (I) are also quick to forget what God has done and IS still doing!
• What are the implications when applied to my life and the world around me? -- I should NOT focus on the world around me but focus on the Word of God.
• What changes does it require? -- Definitive focus and diligence!
• What values does it reinforce? -- This passage (and the following commandments) demonstrate just how much God loves His people!
• What difference does it make? -- WOW! It makes all the difference. God knows what we need and WANTS to give it to us!

Application:

• Is there an example to follow?
• Is there a sin to avoid? -- Yes, disobedience
• Is there a promise to claim? -- Yes? For the Israelites. If they kept the covenant God would make them His own possession. For everyone else the actual covenant comes later but the same holds true: If we keep that new covenant ushered in by Jesus Christ!
• Is there a command to obey? --Yes. Keep the covenant. Obey God's voice!
• Is there a condition to meet? -- Yes, see above.
• Is there an error to mark? -- Yes, In hindsight we see the Israelites quick to say they will do all that God has spoken. And they made a false god out of gold. We also are prone to the same behavior (I know I am!) Staying the course,, diligence, prayer, focus on God are the ways to avoid that error of forgetfulness!)
• Is there a challenge to face? -- Yes! How doe we avoid that forgetfulness? We read the Word of God, we love Jesus Christ, we pray and focus our thoughts on things of God.

Application Summary:

• Based on recent events in my life I should look at the log ( Mt 7:3-5 ) in my own eye before criticizing the Israelites of Exodus! How quickly I FORGET! But that is the challenge: To stay focused on the God's Word that he spoke to us and continues to speak to us!

 

Bibliography

 

• Baker, Warren, ed. – The Complete Word Study Old Testament. Chattanooga, TN: AMG, 1994. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
• God's Word: Today's Bible Translation That Means What It Says Holiday, FL: Green Key Books, n.d.. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
• God's Word Application Index. Holiday, FL: Green Key Books, n.d.. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
• Holy Bible, New American Standard La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
• Thompson, Frank Charles. Thompson Chain Reference Bible. Indianapolis, IN: B. B. Kirkbride Bible Co., 1997. WORDsearch CROSS e-book.
• Torrey, R. A. The New Topical Textbook. New York: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1897. WORDsearch CROSS e-book. 

Our next post, as stated above, will begin our look at the actual Ten Commandments:  Ex 20:1-17.