The Ten Commandments
While the Bible is inspired by God, it was written by men hand, 2 Peter 1: 21. But the Ten Commandments are unique in that they are written by God own hand. Exodus 31: 18. Since God took time to write them, we need to look at them a little closer.
Exodus 20:1 - 17
I. And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
II. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
III. Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
IV. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
V. Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
VI. Thou shalt not kill.
VII. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
VIII. Thou shalt not steal.
IX. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
X. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.
The Ten Commandments are the prototype for today's legal system. It is often refered to as the law. The Commandments can be divided into three groups.
1. Religious Law; I - IV
The first four commandments deal with mans obligation to God. Our laws have a moral ethical basis and rely on our ability to know right from wrong.
2. Family Law; V & VII
Gods Laws also have a element of 'Family Values'. God define the family as a father, mother & children. Marriage is between a man & woman. Genesis 2:23, Matthew 19:4 &Mark 10:6.
3. Civil Law; VI, VIII - X
Gods Laws also governs mans place in society. All societies accept that murder and stealing are wrong. Most accept that lying is also wrong. Yet the tenth commandment would never make it into any law book today. The tenth also recognizes mans ownership of property.
God's perfect system is built upon three supporting institution Church, State & The Family.
I conclude with this account from the Gospel of Matthew:
Matthew 22:35 - 40,
Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
It is ironic that a lawyer did not comprehend the nature of the law nor did he realized who was the law maker.
Exodus 20:1 - 17
I. And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
II. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
III. Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
IV. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
V. Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
VI. Thou shalt not kill.
VII. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
VIII. Thou shalt not steal.
IX. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
X. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.
The Ten Commandments are the prototype for today's legal system. It is often refered to as the law. The Commandments can be divided into three groups.
1. Religious Law; I - IV
The first four commandments deal with mans obligation to God. Our laws have a moral ethical basis and rely on our ability to know right from wrong.
2. Family Law; V & VII
Gods Laws also have a element of 'Family Values'. God define the family as a father, mother & children. Marriage is between a man & woman. Genesis 2:23, Matthew 19:4 &Mark 10:6.
3. Civil Law; VI, VIII - X
Gods Laws also governs mans place in society. All societies accept that murder and stealing are wrong. Most accept that lying is also wrong. Yet the tenth commandment would never make it into any law book today. The tenth also recognizes mans ownership of property.
God's perfect system is built upon three supporting institution Church, State & The Family.
I conclude with this account from the Gospel of Matthew:
Matthew 22:35 - 40,
Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
It is ironic that a lawyer did not comprehend the nature of the law nor did he realized who was the law maker.
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