mountains

Reality, truth and spirit

The Ten Commandments

The Ten Commandments are a summary of the immutable moral law. These commandments were first given in their written form to the people of Israel when they were encamped at Sinai, about fifty days after they came out of Egypt (Exodus 19:10-25). They are essentially a summary of the 613 commandments contained in the Old Testament Law.

They were written by the finger of God on two tablets (tables) of stone. The first tablets were broken by Moses when he brought them down from the mount (32:19), being thrown by him on the ground. At the command of God he took up into the mount two other tablets, and God wrote on them “the words that were on the first tables” (34:1). These tablets were afterwards placed in the ark of the covenant (Deuteronomy 10:5; 1 Kings 8:9).

Moses with the Ten Commandments (Rembrandt) Moses with the Ten Commandments (Rembrandt)
The summit of Mount Sinai The summit of Mount Sinai

One of the features that marks the Ten Commandments is also typical of the stipulations as a whole. That is the holistic character of the subject matter. Social behavior and religious behavior are treated together. The Old Testament insists that the ways in which we treat each other are inseparable from our relationship to God. Ethics are a religious matter, and worship of the true God is the foundation of all nonmanipulative ethics. Thus the first four commandments are primarily in relation to God while the remaining six have to do with human relationships. But it is clear that the four cannot be separated from the six, nor vice-versa. Although the commandments are, with the exception of the fifth, all prohibitive, they are not negative. They speak about love: love of God and love of others. But what is it to love? If it were necessary to prescribe every loving act and attitude, there would not be enough books in the world. What the commands do is to define the parameters beyond which love cannot exist. This much is then clear: if I love my neighbor I will not steal what belongs to him.

Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tablets of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them

NAME SURNAME

The covenant is designed as a teaching device: there is only one God who is not a part of this world; he is utterly holy, just, and faithful, and it is he who supplies our needs not we ourselves. Knowing that fact, we do not have to see others as rivals and enemies; instead we can treasure their individuality as God does. But if we give assent to all that and then succumb to the sin of covetousness, believing that happiness consists in getting hold of something that we have seen in the possession of another, we will have missed the whole point of God's instruction and be in dire peril of falling back into the very pit from which we have been lifted.

Explanation of the Ten Commandments

Thou shall have no other gods before me

Any hobby, relationship, person or anything that comes before or between you and Jesus Christ in your life or part of your life is a god. Anything that occupies you more than God is a god. You can also be a god to yourself. Whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God.

In more detail

Thou shall not make unto thee any graven image

It is forbidden to make any image or picture of the Deity in any form or for any purpose 
or to worship any creature, image or picture. We should not create an image of God in our minds and the big question is; how do you imagine of a person called ‘I am whom I am’, 
a spirit?

In more detail

The Qumran Cave

The most famous of the Qumran caves, Cave 4, was where more than 10,000 scroll fragments from more than 500 manuscripts were discovered. The Ten Commandments Dead Sea Scroll (scroll 4Q41) was found in this cave.

Although one should strive to lead a holy life, the 10 commandments are simply ‘impossible’ for any human being to keep, except for Jesus Christ (who is also Creator of the heavens and earth, along with God the Father and Holy Spirit). The only way to heaven is to repent of one's sins and have faith that Jesus Christ paid for all your sins and kept the Ten Commandments perfectly for you. A repentant sinner’s belief in Jesus Christ equals heaven – no matter how bad the sins have been.

ALSO OF INTEREST

Donec vel sapien eu nulla molestie

Curabitur eu tincidunt felis varius dapibus libero nunc ut 
tristique

Suspendisse turpis laoreet venenatis

Curabitur commodo consequat aliquet fusce nec lorem erat donec tempor