January 31, 2012
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

Moral Code from God

Please see the links to our EXTRA Bible Study notes at the bottom of the page.

Opening Prayer

Gracious Father, this day is Yours and I am Yours. I would not begin this day without being with You.

Read Exodus 20:1-17

For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.

[1] And God spoke all these words: [2] “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. [3] “You shall have no other gods before me. [4] “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. [5] You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, [6] but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. [7] “You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. [8] “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. [9] Six days you shall labor and do all your work, [10] but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. [11] For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. [12] “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you. [13] “You shall not murder. [14] “You shall not commit adultery. [15] “You shall not steal. [16] “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. [17] “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

Reflect

“Give our hearts to thine obedience, serve and love thee best of all” (C.F. Alexander, 1818-95, “Jesus Calls Us”).

These most significant words spoken by God on Mount Sinai–known as the Ten Commandments or the Ten Words–reflect God’s moral law. The moral God created a moral universe and expects us to live morally to build a moral society. The divine commands are soundly based on, and reflect, God’s unrivaled uniqueness and character. God first identifies himself as the one who mercifully delivered Israel (2). He is the one who gave us his Law (having written it with his own finger) and, if we are to look carefully at it, we will behold the very character of God. It is in this sense that the Law is described as perfect (Jas. 1:25) and “holy, righteous and good.” (Rom. 7:12). The first four commandments (3-11) speak of the incomparable nature and holiness of God; thus, we are to worship God alone. The rest (12-17) speak about his character and how it should be expressed in all our social relationships. There is no place for deceit, unfaithfulness, covetousness, violence and abuse.

The commands show that we have been created to reflect God’s character in who we are, what we do and how we relate to him and others. The divine law (which operates as our conscience, though it may need recalibration) is our “operating manual.” When we ignore it or live contrary to it, we will suffer the consequences. We cannot break the law without breaking ourselves. In fact, we are guilty of defacing God’s character and our own nature when we break God’s moral law.

The God who wrote his Law on stone tablets is now writing that same Law in human hearts (Jer. 31:33). Through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit and our obedience to Jesus (1 Pet. 1:2), we internalize God’s Law and, therefore, his character.

Apply

Exodus 20 is so well-known. Read it in a different translation (The Message, if available) and allow the Holy Spirit to speak new truth to you from the familiar passage.

Closing prayer

Lord, familiarity with the Ten Commandments seems to lessen their impact upon me. Challenge me anew and enable me to make their teaching real in my life.

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