Today we will study the Ten Commandments, we will break them down for a more comprehensive study on each commandment. You can find the ten commandments in Deut.5, but for this study we will use Exodus 20. This is after the LORD gave them to Moses, and Moses now reads them to God’s children. Exo.20 and verse 1 reads.
Exod.20
Exo.20:1] And God spake all these words, saying,
[2] I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
These are the words of the LORD, I AM the LORD your God. His holy name.
Exo.20:3] Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
This is the first commandment. Let’s go to Deut.6:14-15 and it reads.
Deut.6:14] Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you;
[15] (For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.
We see here that he is a Jealous God. This word “destroy” is H8045 in the Hebrew, Shamad, and it means; to destroy or be destroyed, to exterminate or be exterminated. Back to Exodus 20 and verse 4 reads.
Exo.20:4] Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
[5] Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
[6] And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
This is the second commandment. This is not the picture hanging in our homes, or the cross on your neck. These are other gods (lower case) that people worship in this world. Notice it said in heaven above, that would be angels. Or in earth beneath, that would be anything that you could carve from wood or stone. Or beneath the earth, this would be all that is evil in this world, Satan. But, what does this mean that he will visit iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations? Finish the sentence, “To those that hate me”. I tell you that if they hate him until the tenth generation, he will cast iniquity on them. But if just one would love him, he would show mercy on him.
Exo.20:7] Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
This is the third commandment. This word Vain is H7723, Shawv in the Hebrew and means; Emptiness, Vanity, Falsehoods. It does not mean to curse, though cursing is bad, it is not this commandment. Let’s look closer at this commandment. Do not deny the LORD when you know him to be true, and say he does not exist. That would be a lie, and a grave mistake to your soul. When you make a vow and use the LORD as your witness, He shall surely witness against you if you break that vow. Remember we shall all stand before him at the great white throne judgement. Back to our study, verse 8 reads.
Exo.20:8] Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
[9] Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
[10] But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
[11] For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
This is the fourth commandment. In Genesis chapter 1 we learned that the LORD made the second earth age, and all that is in it, in six days and then he rested. The seventh day being the Lord’s Day, for rest. Each day with the Lord is a thousand years, 2Pet.3:8. The next Lord’s Day will be called the millennium. Now, let’s keep this in perspective, Christ became our Passover (1Cor.5:6-8), the high sabbath. Sabbath means rest, and it is no longer a day of the week. We rest (Sabbath) in Christ every day or you have no rest. Others teach that it means a day of the week, I disagree, some have no choice but to work on Sunday’s, this commandment is not talking about that. Back to Exo.20 and verse 12 reads.
Exo.20:12] Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
This is the fifth commandment. The first five commandments are spiritual. This commandment comes with the promise of longevity. We are to honor our fathers and mothers, because this pleases the Lord. Some have problems with this commandment because of abuse or other issues. Remember, if it wasn’t for your mother and father we wouldn’t have you. And having you is a great blessing to the world. The next five are civil, for us while we live in this world.
Exo.20:13] Thou shalt not kill.
This is the sixth commandment. This word “Kill” is homicide, to lie in wait to commit murder. Are sons and daughters who serve in our military receive great consternation on this. I want to put a stop to that right now, let’s read A soldiers prayer. Psa.144:1-2 and it reads.
Psa.144:1] Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:
[2] My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me.
You see how blessed we are to have such brave men and women that serve God and country. God bless our troops. Now, concerning murderers, it is written in 1John 3:15-16 and it reads.
1John 3:15] Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
[16] Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
God’s law requires capital punishment, send them to the Lord. their victim is with the Lord and awaits justice. Lev.24:17. Back to Exo.20 and verse 14 reads.
Exo.20:14] Thou shalt not commit adultery.
This is the seventh commandment. This word adultery is H5003 in the Hebrew, and is specific to both men and women. Who are either married themselves or lie with someone who is married. This is not for single people. So many young men and women are shunned for this commandment, and it doesn’t apply to them. But I tell you that is a quick way to chase God’s children from him.
Exo.20:15] Thou shalt not steal.
This is the eighth commandment. It needs no explanation. Lev.19:11.
Exo.20:16] Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
This is the ninth commandment. This is also said in Lev.19:11 so let’s read.
Lev.19:11] Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.
Back to Exodus 20 and verse 17 reads.
Exo.20:17] Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.
This is the tenth and final commandment given to the children by Moses from the LORD. This commandment is often misunderstood, simply meaning don’t be jealous of what your neighbor has. God gives gifts to all that love him. Work hard and you too can buy what is needed. Now, Jesus was asked by a scripture lawyer, trying to tempt him, what is the greatest commandment. Jesus answered him in Matthew 22:36-40 and it reads.
Mat.22:36] Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
[37] Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
These are the first five commandments.
Mat.22:38] This is the first and great commandment.
[39] And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
These are the last five commandments.
Mat.22:40] On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
All law and prophets are to be contributed to these ten commandments. And the LORD said, “Keep my commandments and do them”. Let’s go to his throne.
Father, we thank you for your word and ask that you bless all that love you in Jesus’s precious name, Amen.
KJV along with The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of The Bible
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