The Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments have been a source of strength for generations of Christians and an irritation for non-believers for centuries. The subject of such controversy that it even warrants a spot on the evening news at times, the Bible 10 commandments are truly at the source of God's heart and His will for mankind. A brief review of how these basic laws came into being and how the Lord employs His own to follow them might serve to refresh souls and memories in the knowledge that God's laws are written for a purpose. Beyond being guidelines for living a just life, this list of ten commands gives great insight into the character of God, himself, and prove Him to be just and caring. When observed, the commands of the Lord lead to a life that is full of purpose, love, and respect for another humans well being. So, while courts in the United States fight over constitutional rights and whether are not the commands of God apply to our legal systems, we should be quietly writing these precious thoughts of God upon our own hearts.
The book of Exodus is the book that records the commands that God gave Moses on Mount Sinai. As the people of Israel left the harsh life of slavery and began to first taste the liberty of freedom, there was doubt, fear, and rebellion among camp members. Leaving the harsh treatment of the Egyptians was one thing, but leaving behind the security of food and water was another. Most Israelites struggled with trusting and following God. But God Almighty was intent upon making holy ways known to the people that He had promised to bless the world through. He called Moses to come upon the Mountain Sinai and receive his instructions for the nation that was to be light to the world, a living example of how to follow the Holy God. And, upon that mountain the Bible 10 commandments were written with the finger of God. "And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God" (Exodus 31:18).
For forty days and nights, Moses intently recorded the words of God. And, while Moses communed with the Maker of the universe, the people of Israel at the foot of the mountain grew tired of waiting for Moses to return. They built an altar and took their gold and silver and melted these precious metals into an idol to worship. The Lord sent Moses back down into camp to put a stop to the idolatry and in a burst of anger with the people of Israel, Moses threw down the Ten Commandments written on the stones. But, God is not easily put off, and once again He called the servant Moses to come up on mount Sinai again, and receive the Bible 10 commandments. Mankind may break the commands of our God, but we will never be so far out of His reach that He gives up on us. For more important issues like obedience, wisdom and God's love, visit our Bible resources.
Throughout the Old Testament and New, the recorders of history and the prophets of God urge those who love and seek the Lord to keep the commandments of God. Because we were made in the image of God, we are to reflect the character of God. The Bible 10 commandments are a great place to begin to understand about the justice of God and his will for mankind. His will is made evident in the very first of these famous commands when He says, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3). Perhaps even as the Lord spoke the words, the hearts of those at the base of the mountain were contemplating building a mini-god to worship. Then, "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image" became the second command and through the history of the human race, we have been worshiping images of creation instead of the Creator. The rest of the Ten Commandments go on describe another eight laws that the Lord expected Israel to follow. There are many, many more laws that were instructed, but these handful of commands have become the essential heart of living life as a follower of Christ.
Both the Psalms and the New Testament are full of writings that urge readers to reverence the laws of God. Christ stated that anyone who obeyed His commandments would abide in Him forever. The process of sanctification begins with understanding that God's design for human life includes respecting other life and reverencing a Holy God. The Ten Commandments are ten laws about how to treat the Lord God and how to treat other people. To discover more about these amazing commands, try taking the Bible quiz linked at the top of this article.
The book of Exodus is the book that records the commands that God gave Moses on Mount Sinai. As the people of Israel left the harsh life of slavery and began to first taste the liberty of freedom, there was doubt, fear, and rebellion among camp members. Leaving the harsh treatment of the Egyptians was one thing, but leaving behind the security of food and water was another. Most Israelites struggled with trusting and following God. But God Almighty was intent upon making holy ways known to the people that He had promised to bless the world through. He called Moses to come upon the Mountain Sinai and receive his instructions for the nation that was to be light to the world, a living example of how to follow the Holy God. And, upon that mountain the Bible 10 commandments were written with the finger of God. "And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God" (Exodus 31:18).
For forty days and nights, Moses intently recorded the words of God. And, while Moses communed with the Maker of the universe, the people of Israel at the foot of the mountain grew tired of waiting for Moses to return. They built an altar and took their gold and silver and melted these precious metals into an idol to worship. The Lord sent Moses back down into camp to put a stop to the idolatry and in a burst of anger with the people of Israel, Moses threw down the Ten Commandments written on the stones. But, God is not easily put off, and once again He called the servant Moses to come up on mount Sinai again, and receive the Bible 10 commandments. Mankind may break the commands of our God, but we will never be so far out of His reach that He gives up on us. For more important issues like obedience, wisdom and God's love, visit our Bible resources.
Throughout the Old Testament and New, the recorders of history and the prophets of God urge those who love and seek the Lord to keep the commandments of God. Because we were made in the image of God, we are to reflect the character of God. The Bible 10 commandments are a great place to begin to understand about the justice of God and his will for mankind. His will is made evident in the very first of these famous commands when He says, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3). Perhaps even as the Lord spoke the words, the hearts of those at the base of the mountain were contemplating building a mini-god to worship. Then, "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image" became the second command and through the history of the human race, we have been worshiping images of creation instead of the Creator. The rest of the Ten Commandments go on describe another eight laws that the Lord expected Israel to follow. There are many, many more laws that were instructed, but these handful of commands have become the essential heart of living life as a follower of Christ.
Both the Psalms and the New Testament are full of writings that urge readers to reverence the laws of God. Christ stated that anyone who obeyed His commandments would abide in Him forever. The process of sanctification begins with understanding that God's design for human life includes respecting other life and reverencing a Holy God. The Ten Commandments are ten laws about how to treat the Lord God and how to treat other people. To discover more about these amazing commands, try taking the Bible quiz linked at the top of this article.
The Ten Commandments
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