February 26, 2006

Cawson Street Church of Christ

Hopewell, Virginia

Mural Worthey

 

Great Texts from Exodus--#3

 

Introduction: “The Ten Commandments” (Exodus 19 & 20)

 

After God delivered Israel from bondage in Egypt, Moses led them to Mount Horeb where he had received his call from the angel of Jehovah at the burning thorn bush.  He was reunited with his family and his father-in-law, Jethro.  Jethro served as a priest in Midian and gave good advice to Moses about leadership.  (Exodus 18.)  He suggested to Moses that he appoint others to make some of the decisions.  The people chose seventy elders and Moses appointed them over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.  (Exodus 18:25, Ex. 24:1, Deut. 1:13.)  This arrangement is similar to higher and lower judges that exist in nations even today.

 

The giving of the Ten Commandments on Sinai occurs in the middle of Exodus. (Chapter 20; Exodus has 40 chapters.)  Israel called these Ten Commandments ten words.  (Deut. 4:13, 10:4.)  Genesis and the first half of Exodus serve as the introduction to the giving of the law, the Torah which means instruction or law.  The last half of Exodus includes the making of the covenant between God and Israel (chpts. 19-24) and the building of the tabernacle and all the vessels of ministry (chpts. 25-40).  The last part of the book also records the sinful conduct of Israel while Moses was in the Mount.  They committed idolatry and adultery.  The people persuaded Aaron to make a golden calf for them to worship. (Exodus 32.)

 

The Ten Commandments served as the central part of the covenant between God and Israel, but there were many other commandments and ordinances as well.  These ten words were written on two tablets of clay, front and back.  (Exodus 32:15.)  Most people are familiar with these commands.

 

1—Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

2—Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.

3—Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.

4—Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy.

5—Honor thy father and thy mother.

6—Thou shalt not murder.

7—Thou shalt not commit adultery.

8—Thou shalt not steal.

9—Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

10—Thou shalt not covet.

 

It is interesting to note that some have divided these Ten Commandments in different ways.  Catholics following Augustine’s lead combined the first two commandments and divided the last one about coveting into two commands, thus still having 10 commandments.  Protestants generally divided them into two parts: duties toward God (1-4) and duties toward man (5-10).  Jesus, perhaps, was alluding to such a division when he spoke of loving God and loving man as the first and second greatest commandments.  (Matt. 22:34-40.)

 

What are some lessons that we can draw from this significant event in biblical history?

 

Lesson #1: We Must Learn to Reverence God (Exodus 19)

 

The whole 19^th chapter describes the preparation for the giving of the law, the making of a covenant with God.  The people were given warnings about how serious this whole matter was.  Israel encamped about the mountain while Moses went up to meet with God.  It was an awesome sight.  Perhaps as many as one million people, counting men, women and children.  There were over 600,000 men.  It was a remarkable and impressive assembly.

 

In order to consecrate themselves, they had to wash their garments.  This reminded the Israelites of the need to be clean and holy when they approached God.  Their hearts needed to be clean and pure.  (Psalm 24:3-5.) They were meeting God and making a covenant with Him.

 

The mountain was sealed off in some manner.  A distance was made between the holy mount and the people.  They were warned that if anyone came near, man or beast, and touched the mountain they would die.  The person who touched the mountain was not to be touched, but they were to stone him to death.  The people were summoned to draw near to the mountain by the sound of a long blast on a trumpet.  The sound was so overwhelming that the people trembled.  The mountain was covered with smoke and the Lord descended upon the mount in fire.  The whole mountain trembled and shook.

 

I know that all of this is an important lesson for us because the New Testament mentions this very scene.  (Heb. 12:18-29.)  The writer added that the sight was so terrifying that Moses said, I do exceeding fear and quake.  (12:21.)  But he said that we have come to an even more impressive setting.  We are in an assembly which includes innumerable angels, all the redeemed who are in heaven, to the spirits of just men made perfect, and Jesus and God, the judge of all.  (12:22-24.)  God has made a covenant with us through Jesus Christ our Lord.  The blood that was shed was not the blood of bulls and goats, but the blood of Jesus Christ.

 

In order to approach God, we too need to consecrate ourselves.  We need to be washed as well.  The Hebrew writer spoke of having our bodies washed with pure water and our hearts sprinkled with blood.  (10:22.)  We draw near to God with a pure heart in full assurance of faith.  This is a great lesson that we should learn from what happened at Mount Sinai.  God is still holy; we are still mortal sinful man.

 

Churches have recently shown a lot of concern about our worship assemblies.  They want to improve them and make them more. . . more something, but they are not sure just what.  They feel that something is missing and they are trying to find the right combination of things to do to correct the problem.  So we add new ways to teach; new ways to sing praises. . . all with the latest technology.  They twick this and adjust that.  In the end, the same old feeling of emptiness returns!  What’s missing?  What is wrong with our worship assemblies at Cawson Street or any other street in any other city?  What is probably missing is something much deeper than just the tempo of the singing or being shaken by a fire and brimstone sermon.  What is at the heart of true worship is a deep and abiding reverence for God. 

 

The prophet Habakkuk contrasted the worship of idols to worshipping God.  (2:18-20.)  After carving a wooden idol, in order to make it more impressive, they overlaid it with gold.  But it still could not speak to them, or deliver them in battle, or forgive them.  What the idol worshippers lacked is what we often lack.  It will not help to polish the golden image and put it on altar of silver or gold.  God commanded Israel to build a wooden altar for Him and put it on dirt!!!  (See Exodus 20:24.)  We need to remember who God is and that He is in his holy temple.  Let all the earth keep silence before Him.  We need a greater reverence toward God—that is the solution to what we need in worship.  We need to fear God and worship him in holiness.  Forget the silver and gold ornaments; the emotional testimonies and subjective nothingness.  Drug addicts need a stronger kick each time or they feel let down.  Worshippers bowing before an idol feel emptier and emptier every time they see that thing.  Who they need is God; then their worship will be meaningful.  (Heb. 12:28-29.)

 

Lesson #2: Breaking the Law Brought Death  (Exodus 32:28.)

 

God told Moses to go down to the people because they had made the golden calf and worshipped it.  When Moses heard the people singing and partying, he broke the tablets that God had given him.  He asked Aaron what the people did to compel him to make an idol.  His answer is revealing.  He replied that the people were evil; Moses was gone too long (a couple of weeks).  He blamed everyone except himself.  He explained that he took their gold earrings and threw them into the fire and out came this calf!  (32:24.)  But in verse 4, Aaron fashioned it with a graving tool.

 

Moses crushed the golden calf and threw the dust in the water and made the people to drink it.  Due to the sins of the Israelites, 3000 people died that day.  (Exodus 32:28.)  Do you recall that when the church was established 3000 people obeyed the Gospel the first day?  (See Acts 2:41.)  This shows the difference between the law, called an administration of death and condemnation, and the Gospel, an administration of life and righteousness.  (2 Cor. 3:7, 9.)

 

Paul wrote, “No flesh was ever justified by the Law.”  (Gal. 3:11, Rom. 3:20.)  The law entered that the offense might abound; then sin reigns unto death.  It is called the law of sin and death.  (Rom. 5:20-21, Rom. 8:2.)  God made us free from the law of sin and death.  The new system of justification does not include law, sin and death, but rather God’s grace reigns through Jesus’ righteousness unto eternal life.  (Rom. 5:21.)

 

“For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is everyone that continues not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.”  (Gal. 3:10, Deut.27:26.)  “The law is not of faith; but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.  Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law.”  (Gal. 3:12-13.)

Lesson #3: Keeping the Ten Cs Will Not Save You!

 

One of the most common erroneous beliefs among people is that if one keeps the Ten Commandments one will be saved.  This is a serious mistake for many reasons.

 

►God made this covenant with Israel, not with Gentiles.  (Deut. 5:2-3.)  This covenant formed the central part of the Law or Torah.  This law has been taken out of the way and nailed to the cross.  (Col. 2:14.)

 

►Jesus made some significant comments about two of these Ten Commandments in his Sermon on the Mount.  (Matt. 5:21, 27.)  He mentioned: Thou shalt not kill and thou shalt not commit adultery, along with other commands in the Law.  Jesus added that if are angry with our brother without a cause, we shall be in danger of the judgment.  Whoever says to his brother, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.  One kills another because of hatred and anger.  Even if we have never killed another person, we have sinned against others and the Lord if we despise and hate others.  Jesus likewise added that if one lusts in his heart, he or she has already committed adultery.

 

►The New Testament teaches that no flesh was ever justified by the Law, which includes the Ten Words.  (Rom. 3:20.)  Paul wrote that he had not known sin, but by the law.  “For I had not known lust, except the law said, Thou shalt not covet.”  (Rom. 7:7.)

 

►Jesus bore the curse of the law on our behalf.  The penalty has been paid.  We are saved by the Savior.  We are under the New Covenant of Jesus Christ.  We are saved by the righteousness of God which is by faith in Jesus Christ.  (Phil. 3:9.)

 

Lesson #4: Should We Keep the Sabbath Day Today?

 

A group of churches today use the Ten Cs to say that everyone, Israel and Gentiles, should remember the Sabbath Day.  The insurmountable problem for them is that this is part of the Jewish covenant that God made with Israel.  Jesus nailed the law to his cross.  Paul described it as the first husband that a wife had, but he died.  She is no longer under the law to that husband.  (Rom. 7:1-4.)