Tuesday, March 8, 2011

The Ten Commandments

The Ten Commandments were created by God and instructed  to Moses (meaning "Drawn Out"), the Hebrew Prophet, in approximately 1400 BC, in Mount Sinai, Israel,  are listed in the Book of Exodus 20:1-17 and renewed in Exodus 34:1:



"And the LORD said unto Moses, Hew thee two tablets of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon these tablets the words that were in the first tablets, which thou brakest."

God created two granite Stone Tablets containing the now familiar Ten Commandments.

The dictionary defines commandment as a mandate or an order from a commanding authority (synonyms: precept,   order,  rule, edict).

Jesus confirms these now timeless principles in Matthew 5:21-37.

The Ten Commandments primary focus:
  • to demonstrate God's hand over his special people (the Israelites) and now you and me (the Gentiles)
  • to protect 
  • to practice peace
  • to bestow God's blessings
  • to demonstrate what is acceptable to God
  • to reflect obedience to God's expressed will

In two Books of the Bible, Deuteronomy and Psalms, are listed references to these commandments:

Deuteronomy 6:25
25And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us.

Deuteronomy 28:8
8The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Psalms 19:8
8The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.

Psalms 119:66
66Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments.

We are commanded to follow these commandments that have been set up by God--standards by which we live. We must have order for without standards we would be drowning in chaos.  Standards are meant to help us not destroy us.

Praise God that Moses was obedient!  Imagine God's hand extending out to write on these tablets of stone:







I.
Thou shall have no other
God before me
II.
You shall not make other Idols

III.
You shall not misuse
the name of the Lord your God
IV.
Observe the Sabbath Day by
keeping it holy

V.
Honor your Father
and your Mother

VI.
You shall not Murder

VII.
You shall not
commit adultery
VIII.
You shall not steal

IX.
You shall not give false testimony against
your neighbor
X.
You shall not covet your neighbor's wife 



The first four commandments honor our relationship to God.  The following six commandments honor our relationship to people.

The Ten Commandments can also be found inside the temples of our government:



Moses standing holding the Ten Commandments in the Rotunda of the Library of Congress.



The Ten Commandments on the floor of the National Archives.










The Ten Commandments carved on the door of  the U.S. Supreme Court.











Moses and the Ten Commandments carved on the side of the U.S. Supreme Court.








Our forefathers, had the wisdom to acknowledge the Ten Commandments in public buildings and now...government striking down the Ten Commandments from public buildings under the disguise of "government and the separation of state"?

Please Lord God, forgive them; they know not what they do.
 


One more thing, in Proverbs 3:
1My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
2For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.

Length of days, long life, and peace.  These are benefits that God will bestow those who believe and follow in His son, Jesus Christ.  Well worth the investment, I believe, don't you?


Does your home have the Ten Commandments prominently displayed for the younger generation to learn that the value of the Ten Commandments is our way of  life?

Do you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?  Do you know him personally?  If not, and you wish to know him personally, pray this prayer of salvation:

Heavenly Father:  I come to your throne of  Grace, Splendor, and Majesty  in the name of Jesus Christ.  Your Word says that "whosoever shall call on the name of  the Lord, shall be saved" and "if thou shall confess with thy mouth, the name of  the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in thy heart, that He died and that God has raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."

You said that my salvation would be the result of  the Holy Spirit giving me new birth by coming to live in me and that if I would ask, you would fill me with your Spirit and give me the ability to speak in other tongues.

I take you at your word:  I confess that Jesus Christ is your son and is Lord.  I believe that He died and you raised him from the dead.  Father God, please forgive me of my sins from the past--I'm sorry.  Thank you for coming into my heart, for giving me your Holy Spirit, as you promised, and for being Lord over my life. Amen.

__________
Scriptures courtesy of  Biblegateway
Reference:  Abide In Me
Brought to you by: Corpus Christi Website Designs

No comments:

Post a Comment