“…what does the LORD your God require from you, but to fear [and worship] the LORD your God [with awe-filled reverence and profound respect], to walk [that is, to live each and every day] in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul [your choices, your thoughts your whole being], and to keep the commandments of the LORD and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good?” Dt. 10:12, 13. AMP
In the third month of the Hebrew exodus through the wilderness, they set up camp at the foot of Mount Sinai. There, God calls Moses up the mountain to instruct him in teaching the people how to connect to His love.
All lives matter to God. He is culturally blind and colorblind. God cherishes everyone; but He cannot give that to them until they establish a connection with Him, by giving Jehovah their love. The way that we all must do that, is by being obedient to Him. That is how we become true children of God:
“The one who has my commandments and keeps them, is the one who loves me. And the one who loves me will be loved by my Father. I also will love him and reveal myself to him.” Jn. 14:21 CSB
Moses returns to the Hebrews and reveals what God has said. The people get all excited and promise to obey. (We’ll see later how that works out.) God calls Moses back up the mountain to give him His rules to live by: The Ten Commandments – all of which are commandments of love:
1. “You shall have no other gods before Me.” Ex. 20:3 AMP
God is love (1 Jn. 4:8). You can’t get love from anywhere else. Even if someone else loves you, it is God loving you through them. If you make a god of anything other than Jehovah, you break the love-connection between you and Him.
Anytime we either glorify or place our dependency upon something or someone else, we make a god out of it / them.
2. Do not make an idol for yourself, whether in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth. Do not bow in worship to them, and do not serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God… Ex. 20:4, 5. CSB
Jehovah is jealous for your love. He alone, knows what’s best for you, which is why He wants you to stay connected to Him. God knows that you suffer when you don’t, and He hurts when you hurt.
3. Do not misuse the name of the LORD your God, because the LORD will not leave anyone unpunished who misuses his name. Ex. 20:7 CSB
God is all that is holy (pure, sinless, sacred) – deserving reverence for everything He does. When you use Jehovah’s name in promises you don’t expect to keep, or couple it with profanity, you are misusing His name. Note too that it is the only commandment that by breaking it, ensures ‘punishment.’
4. “Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the LORD your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. Ex. 20:8 – 10. NLT
When God created the universe, He set the example by ‘resting’ on the seventh day. The reason God wants you to observe it, is to focus on Him and bond with Him, as He nurtures you anew spiritually and physically with His love.
5. “Honor (respect, obey, care for) your father and your mother, so that your days may be prolonged…” Ex. 20:12 AMP
Regardless of who your parents may be, even if you don’t even know who they were, God saw fit in His grand design to use them to create the special and unique person that you are. If they were not safe to be around, pray for them and love them for who Jehovah intended them to be.
6. You shall not murder. Ex. 20:13 NASB
‘Murder’ consists of the unlawful premeditated killing of a human by another human. Some biblical scholars define it as the ‘premeditated shedding of innocent blood.’ God alone is the Lord of life, who chooses when life begins and ends. If one purposely kills, they are cutting off the flow of God’s love to the victim. In addition, the perpetrator eliminates the part which the now dead was created to play, in His design, as part of the distribution of His love.
7. You shall not commit adultery. Ex. 20:14 NKJV
Jehovah created and sanctified the institution of marriage for the purpose of bringing man and woman into oneness, whereby love could be nurtured between them and their offspring.
One of Satan’s most evil endeavors is his ongoing assault on marriage, through his enticements to lure one into adultery. Often the marriage is broken, as are the lives of every family member. Adultery is the antithesis of love.
8. You shall not steal. Ex. 20:15 NKJV
My personal point of view is that when you steal, you are denying God’s largesse in His provisions.
9. “You shall not testify falsely [that is, lie, withhold or manipulate the truth] against your neighbor (any person).
People lie when they are afraid that they might look bad, to make others look bad, or to deny their part in any wrongdoing. It hurts you and everyone around you. It too, is antithetical to love:
…(love) does not rejoice with wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 1 Cor. 13:6 ESV
10. You shall not covet…anything that is your neighbor’s. Ex. 20:17 NKJV
In other words, you are not to practice jealousy and envy – forms of the fear of scarcity, concomitant with lust and hatred…
Many people are wont to dismiss the Old Testament (including the Ten Commandments), thinking that the New Testament negates it. Jesus Himself begs to differ:
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfill them. For I say unto you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass away from the Law until all is accomplished.” Mt. 5:17, 18. ESV
Moreover, Christ evolved the Ten commandments, distilling them down to their essence:
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’ [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for others]. The whole Law and the [writings of the] Prophets depend on these two commandments.” Mt. 22:37 – 40. AMP
So, when you love God, (through your obedience), it must consist of loving Him, loving yourself, loving all others, and acting as a loving person would. Does that negate the Ten Commandments? No! It is the final fulfillment of them.
As Jesus is describing, the ‘greatest commandment’ covers the first four of the Ten Commandments: if you love God, you won’t worship false gods, take His name in vain, or dishonor Him.
With regards to His ‘second great commandment,’ if you really love someone, would you dishonor them, kill them, commit adultery against them, steal from them, lie to them, or want what is rightly theirs? Of course not.
God loves you so much and wants you to have the greatest life on the earth with Him at your side. That is why He left you these guidelines (rules, laws). So, obedience becomes a crucial factor:
If you walk in my statutes and observe my commandments and do them, then I will give you your rains in their seasons, and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit…you shall eat your bread to the full and dwell in your land securely. I will give peace in the land and you shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid. Lv. 26:3 – 6. ESV
However, what can we expect from God if we willfully disobey?
But if you do not obey Me…you shall sow your seeds in vain…I will set My face against you…I will break the pride of your power…and your highways shall be desolate… Lv. 26:14, 16, 17, 19 & 22. NKJV
That only applies to willful sinners. We all mess up repeatedly. God knows the weakness of our humanity. He loves us so much that He provided a way out – through our confession and repentance, wrapped up in our faith in Jesus Christ:
But if they confess their iniquity…if then their uncircumcised (impenitent) heart is humbled, and they make amends for their iniquity, then I will remember my covenant with Jacob…for I am the LORD their God. Lv. 26:40 – 42 & 44. ESV
God does not purposely set us up to fail; He wants our love:
For this is what love for God is: to keep his commands. And his commands are not a burden. 1 Jn. 5:3 CSB
In His genius and love, He gave us the Ten Commandments with a twofold purposed: 1) to give us a perfect model to follow, and 2) because He knew that we could not follow them perfectly, they were to point to the need for a Savior…
God cherishes us. That is why He rewards us so greatly for our best efforts:
…when you return to the LORD your God and obey His voice (for the Lord your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you… Dt. 4:30, 31. NKJV
And all of these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God. Dt. 28:2 NKJV
Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we shall receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. 1 Jn. 3:21, 22. ESV
And, the very laws themselves are good for us:
The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes… Ps. 19:7, 8. NASB
“I know that His commandment is eternal life. So the things I speak, I speak [in accordance with His exact instruction], just as the Father has told Me.” Jn. 12:50 AMP
Amen.
Goodnight and God bless.