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Exodus 20:1-17
Jehovah, the eternal, self-existant, uncreated one, himself the source and sustainer of ALL, is alone entitled to supreme reverance and worship. Man is forbidden to give to any other object the first place in his affections or his service. Whatever we cherish that tends to lessen our love for God or to interfere with the service due him, of that do we make a god.
The second commandment forbids the worship of the true God by images or similitudes. Many heathen nations claimed that thier images were mere figures or symbols by which the Diety was worshipped; but God has declared such worship to be sin. The attempt to represent the Eternal One by material objects would lower mans' conception of God. The mind, tirned away from the infinite perfection of Jehovah, would be attracted to the creature rather than the creator. And as his conceptions of God were lowered, so would man become degraded.
"I the Lord thy God, am a jealous God." The close and sacred relation of God to his people is represented under the figure of marriage. Idolitry being spiritual adultery, the displeasure of God is fitly called jealousy.
"Visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me." It is inevitable that children should suffer from the consequences of parental wrongdoing, but they are not punished for the parents' guilt, except as they participate in thier sins. It is usually the case however, that children walk in the steps of their parents. By inheritance and example, the sons become partakers of the Fathers' sins. Wrong tendencies, perverted appetites, and debased morals, as well as physical disease and degeneracy, are transmitted as a legacy from Father to son, to the third and fourth generation. This fearful truth should have a solemn power to restrain men from following a course of sin.
"Showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments." In prohibiting the worship of false gods, the second commandment by implication enjoins the worship of the true God. And to those who are faithful in his service, mercy is promised, not merly to the third and fourth generation as is the wrath threatened against those who hate him, but to thousands of generations.
The Sabbath is not introduced as a new institution but as having been founded at creation. It is to be remembered as the memorial of the creators' work. Pointing to God as the maker of the heavens and the earth, it distinguishes the true God from all false gods. All who keep the seventh day, signify by this act that they are worshipers of Jehovah. Thus the Sabbath is the sign of mans' allegiance to God as long as there are any upon the earth to serve him. The fourth commandment is the only one of all the ten in which are found both the name and the title of the lawgiver. It is the only one that shows by whose authority the law is given. Thus it contains the seal of God, affixed to his law as evidence of its authenticity and binding force.
God has given men six days wherein to labour, and he requires that their own work be done in the six working days. Acts of necessity and mercy are permitted on the Sabbath, the sick and the suffering are at all times to be cared for; but unnecessary labour is to be strictly avoided. "Turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable; and...honor him, not doing thy own ways, nor finding thy own pleasure." Isaiah 58:13 Nor does the prohibition end here. "Not speaking thine own words," says the prophet. Those who discuss business matters or lay plans on the Sabbath, are regarded by God as though engaged in the actual transaction of business. To keep the Sabbath holy, we should not even allow our minds to dwell upon things of a worldly character. And the commandment includes all within our gates. The inmates of the house are to lay aside their worldly business during the sacred hours. All should unite to honor God by willing service upon his holy day.
Parents are entitled to a degree of love and respect which is due to no other person. God himself, who has placed upon them a responsibility for the souls committed to their charge, has ordained that during the earlier years of life, parents shall stand in the place of God to their children. And he who rejects the rightful authority of his parents, is rejecting the authority of God. The fifth commandment requires children not only to yeild respect, submission, and obediance to their parents, but also to give them love and tenderness, to lighten their cares, to guard their reputation, and to succor and comfort them in old age. It also enjoins respect for ministers and rulers, and for all others to whom God has delegated authority. This says the apostle, "is the first commandment with promise." Ephesians 6:2 To Israel, expecting soon to enter Canaan, it was a pledge to the obediant, of long life in that good land; but it has a wider meaning, including all the Israel of God, and promising eternal life upon the earth when it shall be freed from the curse of sin.
All acts of injustice that tend to shorten life; the spirit of hatred and revenge, or the indulgence of any passion that leads to injurious acts towards others, or causes us to even wish them harm;"for whoso hateth his brother is a murderer..."1 John 3:15; a selfish neglet of caring for the needy or suffering, all self-indulgence or unnecessary deprivation or excessive labor that tends to injure health,-all these are, to a greater or lesser degree, violations of the sixth commandment.
This commandment not only forbids acts of impurity, but sensual thoughts and desires, or any practice that tends to excite them. Purity is demanded not only in the outward life, but in the secret intents and emotions of the heart. Christ, who taught the far-reaching obligation of the law of God, declared the evil thought or look to be as truely sin as is the unlawful deed.
Both public and private sins are included in this prohibition. The eighth commandment prohibits man-stealing and slave dealing, and forbids wars of conquest. It condemns theft and robbery. It demands strict integrity in the minutest details of the affairs of life. It forbids over-reaching in trade, and requires the payment of just debts or wages. It declares that every attempt to advantage one's self by the ignorance, weakness, or misfortune of another, is registered as fraud in the books of heaven.
False speaking in any matter, every attempt or purpose to deceive our neighbor, is here included. An intention to deceive is what constitutes falsehood. By a glance of the eye, a motion of the hand, an expression of the countenance, a falsehood may be told as effectually as by words. All intentional overstatement, every hint or insinuation calculated to convey an erroneous or exaggerated impression, even the statement of facts in such a manner as to mislead, is falsehood. This precept forbids every effort to injure our neighbors' reputation by misrepresentation or evil surmising, by slander or talebearing. Even the intentional supression of truth, by which injury may result to others, is a violation of the ninth commandment.
The tenth commandment strikes at the very root of all sins, prohibiting the selfish desire, from which springs the sinful act. He who in obediance to Gods' law refrains from indulging even a sinful desire for that which belongs to another, will not be guilty of an act of wrong toward his fellow creatures.
Commentary on Gods' law provided by Ellen G. White;
The Ten Commandments given by GOD.
What does the Bible say?
-What is sin?..."Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law." 1John 3:4
-By what will we be judged?... "For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; for not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified."Romans 2:12-13
"So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty." James 2:12
-Did Jesus change the law with his coming?... "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy,but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." Matthew 5:17-18
"...it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail." Luke 16:17
-Why do we need the law?"And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful." Romans 7:10-13
Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. James 4:17
-Are we saved by the keeping the law?"But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them." Galations 3:11-12
"But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;..." Romans 9:31-32
"...Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law...Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law." Romans 3:28, 31
-Should we keepall the law?"For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." James 2:10
"Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:19
-What should we do when we fail to keep the law? "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments." 1John 2:1-3
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1John 1:9
"I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah." Psalms 32:5
-Who will be the redeemed when Christ Returns?"And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Revelation 12:17
"Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Revelation 14:12
"Blessed are they that do his commandments that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." Revelation 22:14
We do not keep the law to be saved, that is a salvation of works. We keep the law because we are saved...That is a demonstration of our love for our creator and shows forth a salvation of faith.