In the book of Exodus, we see a group of people who had forgotten their way. Four hundred years of slavery and oppression had hardened their hearts and led them away from God. Most in the community no longer knew God or remembered the teachings of their ancestors concerning the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They were a lost and broken people who trusted in themselves and the pagan gods of Egypt.
Through a series of miraculous events – the burning bush, the ten plagues and the parting of the Red Sea – God steps in and rescues His people from slavery in Egypt, God reminds the Israelites of Who He is and He wants to show them who they are as His chosen people. He leads them out of a life of slavery into a life of freedom.
In Exodus 19:3-6, God tells Moses to explain to the people why He has called them out of Egypt.
Then Moses went up to God and the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations, you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”
They had witnessed God’s supreme authority played out in the plagues and His amazing power at the Red Sea, but here they see His heart. He pours out His love on a people who didn’t know Him, respect Him or love Him. Before the rules were given, He offered them everything.
Over generations of living in a pagan culture, they had moved away from God but His heart had never left them. His desire was to restore them and reinstate them as His chosen people.
I think it is very important to reflect upon this before moving on. God didn’t draw them out of Egypt only to enslave them with dictatorial rules. He rescued them because He loved them and wanted to give them a better life.
Just as a good parent places rules upon their child for the child’s own welfare and safety, the Ten Commandment come from a place of love - from the heart of a good and gracious God. The Decalogue, or Ten Words, were given to ensure the prosperity of the new nation, providing their new society a foundation built upon the solid, unmoving and unchanging God of the Universe. But also to place accountability on the people to ensure that they did not recreate the culture they had just left behind.
You shall have no other Gods before Me.
You shall not make idols.
You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Honor your father and your mother.
You shall not murder.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
You shall not covet.
As we look at the list, we can easily see that the first four are focused on our relationship with God and the last six on our relationship with one another. Before we can live at peace with those around us, we must allow God to be in authority over our hearts. Submission to God means our actions and our motives are focused on God’s glory and not on self-glory.
Our hearts are easily enticed and led astray by the desires of the world. Often those desires become idols and the little “g” gods in our hearts. In other words, we place greater importance and give more attention to those things than we do God. The first three commandments remind people that a god of our own creation can’t save us. The Israelites could not rescue themselves from the darkness of Pharaoh’s oppression as we cannot rescue ourselves from the oppression of sin.
Often the commandment to honor the Sabbath is looked upon as a hindrance to freedom but it was actually given as a gift. As slaves, the Israelites had no time that was their own. They had to labor seven days a week and were always at the beck and call of their masters. But in God’s society, all people were given one day a week to rest their bodies and refocus their minds on the gracious lord.
Likewise, the command to honor parents was a restoration of their ancestry. Slavery had taken away their identities and God was giving their heritage back to them. They were many generations removed from Abraham but they were the descendants God had promised. The commandment still reminds us to honor those authority figures in our lives that have come before us, to look at their lives, the good and the bad parts, and learn from them.
Still to this day, many of the world governments include the last five commandments as part of their code of law. It isn’t hard to understand why these are important and necessary for a peaceful society. Jealousy, murder, theft, and adultery can all destroy a group of people and cause ramifications for generations.
Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, reiterates the importance of the Ten Commandments but layers in the heart as well. Jesus illuminates for us why the motive of the heart, the internal actions, are just as important as the external actions of law keeping. It isn’t enough that we don’t murder, we also must watch our hearts that we don’t hate. God is foremost after our hearts because our hearts will determine our actions.
If our heart’s desire is upon seeking God and honoring His authority in our lives, then our actions will naturally be aligned with these commandments. These commandments will become a delight and obedience will refresh our soul. (Psalm 1 & Psalm 19)
The more we learn about God’s character, the more we can know Him, love Him, and trust Him. He is a good, good Father. His commands are for His glory but also for our good. Only in Him will we find freedom and be rescued from ourselves.