Scripture Reading
Exodus 19:5-6, 20:1-17
Exodus contains the story of God rescuing his people from slavery and bondage and bringing them out of Egypt into the wilderness to prepare them for their inheritance of the land promised to Abraham. In Exodus 19, God leads Moses up Mount Sinai to have a little chat. God talks to Moses about Israel being his chosen people whom he will bless and who are set out to be holy, different from all the other peoples of the land.
Exodus 20 is the account of Moses telling the people the Ten Commandments God had given to them as guidelines of their covenant with him. God was establishing Israel as a holy nation. These ten commandments were not intended to be posted in every public place in Israel, rather they were intended to serve as the contract or guidelines of God's covenant treaty with Israel. The Ten Commandments were to remind Israel of who God is and who they were. That's why the beginning focuses on God and his act of saving the people from slavery in Egypt. The stipulation of the covenant falls on God. It was not a covenant that was dependent on Israel's faithfulness. All we have to do to see that, is read the rest of the Old Testament and see that time after time Israel breaks God's Law and is continually unfaithful to God. The incredible thing about God's covenant here in Exodus is that God provides his grace to Israel because he knows that they are not going to be able to stay faithful to all the commandments. The good news for Israel and the good news for us is that God does not withdraw his love for us and commitment to us even when we are unfaithful. That's how BIG his love is!
There is one more important thing to point out about the Ten Commandments. Notice how the first part focuses on the vertical, it deals with our relationship to God as individuals and then the second part focuses on the horizontal, the relationships we have with different people. Do you remember what Jesus said when he was asked what the greatest commandment was? Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
The Law has always been about loving God and loving others. Can you honestly say that you are trying to live out these two commandments that our whole faith is based on?
Prayer: Yahweh, thank you for your Law that points out my need for your grace. Jesus satisfied all the requirements of the Law on my behalf so that I might walk in a covenant relationship with you. Thank you for the history of the salvation of your people through the Exodus event and how it reminds me of my own salvation experience. May your name be praised! Amen.
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