 And God spoke all these words, saying,
2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 3 “You shall have no other gods before me. 4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. 7 “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. 8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. 12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. 13 “You shall not murder. 14 “You shall not commit adultery. 15 “You shall not steal. 16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 17 “You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.” 18 Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off 19 and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.”20 Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.” 21 The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was. Laws About Altars 22 And the Lord said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the people of Israel: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have talked with you from heaven. 23 You shall not make gods of silver to be with me, nor shall you make for yourselves gods of gold. 24 An altar of earth you shall make for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen. In every place where I cause my name to be remembered I will come to you and bless you.25 If you make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stones, for if you wield your tool on it you profane it.26 And you shall not go up by steps to my altar, that your nakedness be not exposed on it.’ Meditation God establishes relationship with his people through covenant and securely guarantees relationship through His word and work. Covenant commandments are given for the blessing of God’s people, obedience being a right response to God’s redeeming love and the sphere of experiencing the Covenant blessings God offers through relationship. Covenant ceremony is the climax of this section of Exodus (Exodus 24) and covenant relationship is the context for the ten commandments in today's reading. God had promised to reverse the curse cascading from the fractured “Covenant of Works” (Genesis 3:15) and had focused the promise through Covenant with Abraham (Genesis 15-17). Redemption of Israel from Egypt is evidence of covenant relationship- the word of God confirmed by the work of God securing the people of God in relationship with Himself. The Lord begins revealing regulations for the Mosaic covenant by focusing on His faithfulness: “I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery” (2). The first four commandments focus on fidelity in relationship with God (1-11) and the last six focus on the fullness of relationship with one another (12-17). Moses was Israel’s representative before God (18-21) in order for God’s relationship with Israel to flourish. The New Covenant is the fullness of God’s Covenant of Grace where Jesus fulfills God’s eternal plan as the ultimate representative of God's people. Jesus’ redeeming death guarantees covenant relationship as His perfect obedience secures covenant blessing for all who believe, reality discovered when God’s eternal love awakens our hearts to see the delight of obedience to God’s commandments. Richly Dwelling -What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially the redeeming and relational foundation to the ten commandments? -How does the covenantal context of the ten commandments change your perspective on God’s direction, transitioning perspective on obedience from duty to delight? -Where do you need to allow the eternal love of God awaken your heart so you want to obey His word, experiencing the blessing He has for you? This is to ask, where do you need to ask the Holy Spirit to make effectual God’s work in your heart so you see God’s law as a delight? Key Verse 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
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