Exodus: The 10 Commandments
Why 10?
As we proceed with our study of Exodus this month, we will be looking at the most famous set of rules that God has set before the Israelites throughout the whole Pentateuch. These set of rules are of course The 10 Commandments. The 10 Commandments are so popular and well-known because they take the standards that God has for His people and put them into 10 rules that everyone can apply. When people often read and look at the first 5 books of the Bible and see the 613 laws that are listed, it can become very overwhelming when we see all the rules and precepts that God has given to the Israelites. Even more so than the amount of rules, is the application of these rules today. It’s easy for many Christians today to just say, ‘Well those rules were under the old covenant so I don’t need to worry about those.’ And while it’s true that a vast majority of the rules and laws we find in the Old Testament are no longer applicable to us, there are also some that still are and are even reinstated in the New Testament. The 10 Commandments are in fact part of those rules that are still applicable to us today. Heather Adams from Bible Study Tools even mentions about The 10 Commandments, “The Lord did far more than just issue a set of rules. Through them, He was showing what a life of faith should look like. It presented a very high standard. But, it also offered the way to a more peaceful, joyful, and worshipful life.” She goes further on to also say, “Since the moment God handed down the 10 Commandments, people from all eras have seen the need for, and blessings of, following them. We would be wise to join them.” So what’s so special about these 10? Why are The 10 Commandments highlighted in a different light than the other 603? That is what we will be breaking down throughout the rest of this post. Let’s dive in.
God’s Standard
To begin, in order to know why God implemented these commandments, we must look at what His intent was with Moses when He gave them to him. We see the first mention of The 10 Commandments in Exodus 20 but if we look at a conversation that God is having with Moses just one chapter prior to this, we get some pretty critical insight. When Moses is approaching God on the top of Mount Sinai, God tells Moses this in Exodus 19:3-6 “...Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, “This is what you shall say to the house of Jacob and tell the sons of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself. ‘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; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.” After God had delivered His people from slavery and taken them out of the mighty hand of Pharaoh, He told Moses that He would make a covenant between Himself and the Israelites.
The reason God makes this covenant here and now is because, after all that Israel had been through, there is no reason to not trust in God and give themselves completely over to His will. While a vast majority of the laws in the Pentateuch were for the holiness of the Israelites and to separate themselves from the rest of the world, these 10 were specifically between God and Israel. Many of the commandments in the Old Testament were to show the world how holy God is, but these specific 10 were a reminder to Israel themselves about how holy God is. This is why God says in the middle of this passage that if you will obey my voice and keep my covenant, you will be my possession. This is a reminder to Israel themselves that they are the very people that God will use to glorify Himself, and these 10 rules are what will mark this covenant as being fulfilled in the Israelite’s lives.
The Goal of The 10
So what are The 10 Commandments and why did God pick these 10? Why not more? Why not less? Let’s look at these 10 and see if we can find an answer. Exodus 20:3-17 tells us what The 10 Commandments are and we will sum them up here, “You shall have no other gods before Me. “You shall not make for yourself an idol, “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 give false testimony against your neighbor. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” When we break down these commands, we can see that these rules are meant to lead Israel to prioritize God, live righteously, and die to sin. This is what God’s people must look like to uphold this covenant, which is why all these commands go hand in hand. They must prioritize God in everything they do, and if they do, they will live righteously. And if they live righteously, the sin they are so used to living in will no longer rule their lives. This is why I believe The 10 Commandments are not just special from the Old Testament perspective, but why I believe they are still vital for us to follow today. Because every point we see mentioned here is highlighted time and time again by Christ Himself in the New Testament as well. I hope and pray that as you read through these 10 Commandments, you will feel honored to live as God’s servant and that you pray to Him for His sovereignty to rule over your life as you seek to live in righteousness and die to sin in your day-to-day life.
Sources
[1] Blue Letter Bible. (n.d.). Blue Letter Bible. https://www.blueletterbible.org/
[2] Adams, H. (2023, May 10). Are the 10 Commandments Still Relevant for Us Today? Bible Study Tools. https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/are-the-10-commandments-still-relevant-for-us-today.html
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