Introduction to the 10 Commandments
A series of essays on God's guide to a successful, fulfilling life
Purpose
During the 20 years (2001 - 2021) in which I answered some 5,000+ Bible questions for the web site biblestudy.org, and while teaching some small Bible classes for various churches, I discovered that many professing Christians, even some who are avid readers of the Bible, have only a vague understanding of the 10 Commandments.
Since understanding the Commandments is vital to living the life God would have us live, I composed 10 essays sharing my understanding of the Commandments.
You may agree or disagree with my understanding, but if the essays help you form a better understanding of the Commandments, it will fulfill my purpose in the writing.
Background and Origin of the 10 Commandments
Sometime around 1445 BC, hundreds of thousands of the children of Israel gathered in a valley near Mount Sinai having been recently freed from more than 300 years of slavery. They were fearful and contentious and trusted no one.
They had seen the miraculous plagues brought by God on the Egyptians to force Pharaoh to free them; they had seen Pharaoh’s army decimated at the Red Sea; they had witnessed several miracles on their trek from Egypt down the Sinai Peninsula including being given food and water when none was naturally available.
There was “manna” which fell from heaven available each morning and swarms of quail were brought to their camps each night; in a dry desolate area, God brought water out of a rock.
They had been attacked and with no military training defeated the powerful army of the Amalekites.
Yet they grumbled and complained and threatened Moses and the other leaders.
Three months into their journey, the arguably most important event in the entire history of the Israelites (before Jesus, of course) was about to occur.
1 In the third month after the Israelites left Egypt—on the very day—they came to the Desert of Sinai. 2 After they set out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain.
3 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 house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: 4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 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, 6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”
7 So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak. 8 The people all responded together, “We will do everything the Lord has said.”
So` Moses brought their answer back to the Lord. Exodus 19:1–8 (NIV84)
God told Moses to prepare the people to hear their God speak to them directly. God explained that He was going to come down to Mount Sinai in a “dense cloud”. He warned that they could not come close to the mountain or touch it until a trumpet sounded. Then they were to listen to God speak so they and their descendants would know from where His Commandments came and how important they were.
Some 40 years later when Moses (or his scribes) wrote the book of Deuteronomy, he described the event:
10 Remember the day you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, when he said to me, “Assemble the people before me to hear my words so that they may learn to revere me as long as they live in the land and may teach them to their children.”
11 You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain while it blazed with fire to the very heavens, with black clouds and deep darkness. 12 Then the Lord spoke to you out of the fire. You heard the sound of words but saw no form; there was only a voice.
13 He declared to you his covenant, the Ten Commandments, which he commanded you to follow and then wrote them on two stone tablets. Deuteronomy 4:10–13 (NIV84)
God spoke the 10 Commandments aloud to the thousands of Israelites gathered at the base of Mount Sinai. When He finished speaking, He added “nothing more. Then He wrote them on two stone tablets” and gave them to Moses [Deuteronomy 5:22]. Why nothing more? Because those Ten Commandments are the only laws needed by mankind to develop a perfect society.
Jesus said, “all the law and prophets hang” on two Commandments: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” and “love your neighbor as yourself” [Matthew 37-40]. Those two perfectly encapsulate the Ten Commandments.
The first 4 define our relationship with God; the other 6 define our relationship with each other.
Jesus went further and showed how the Commandments, when fully understood, touch every aspect of our lives. He showed us that hate is the equivalent of murder; lust is the equivalent of committing adultery and each of the Commandments expand likewise to cover every aspect of our lives.
The Ten Commandments are recorded in the Book of Exodus, chapter 20, verses 2 – 17 and Deuteronomy 5:1–22.
The Ten Commandments were given for all of God’s people for all time. Before Mount Sinai, God taught the patriarchs directly. The Bible confirms that Abraham kept God’s Commandments (God is speaking to Abraham’s son, Isaac):
4 And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; 5 because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.” Genesis 26:4–5 (NKJV)
Jesus confirmed that the Commandments are part of the New Covenant and will remain the law in the coming Kingdom of Heaven:
19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:19 (NKJV)
The Ten Commandments do not speak to assemblies of any kind – not groups, not nations – but to each individual.
The writer of Hebrews, quoting the prophet Jeremiah, gives God’s description of the Ten Commandments under the New Covenant:
10 This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 11 No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. 12 For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” Hebrews 8:10–12 (NIV84)
Each individual can use the Ten Commandments to measure his or her spiritual growth.
Though we will often fail, there is no excuse for not striving with all our might to live by these principles. Since our faith in Jesus and His Father will be counted as “righteousness” (in complete compliance with God’s laws), the Grace of God will allow us to be saved and enter that coming Kingdom of God.
Since our Creator designed us, He knows what is best for us and He gave us these simple yet highly complex laws for our personal benefit. God’s relationship with mankind is individual – each of us is unique and each of us must be responsible for following God’s plan for our lives.
Yet, each one of us has “free will”: we can follow God’s ways to find contentment and fulfillment in life or we can throw it all away.
It is my hope and prayer that these writings will help you reach a better understanding of the Ten Commandments.
That understanding will help you become what God made you capable of becoming and help you enter (or continue on) the path that will lead to eternal life.
NOTE: The 10 essays - 1 each for the Commandments - were originally only available to paid subscribers. Later, I decided to make the essays available free of charge. You’ll find them all available when I publish the 10th - sometime in late March or early April 2022.