SCRIPTURE BY PAMELA JONES
Scripture Lesson Text: Exodus 20:1-11
Related scriptures: Deuteronomy 5:6-15, 6:4-15; Leviticus 26:1-13
Deuteronomy 4:9-20; Ezekiel 20:1-31
In our scripture lesson text, Exodus 20:1-11, we find God telling the children of Israel in verses 2-3, “I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” God is telling the children of Israel that He is the one who did all those miracles in their lives and brought them out of bondage. God is a jealous God!
Deuteronomy 6:5-6 says to us “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. These words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart.” After all that God did for the children of Israel, He wants their devotion to be solely to Him. Not just because of what He did, but simply because of who He is, God! What the Lord wants is for them to love him with every fiber of their being, which includes their heart, soul, and might.
Leviticus 26:2-4 tells us “Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord. If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them; then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.” So, here we see the directives to “keep” His sabbaths, “reverence” His sanctuary, “walk” in His statutes, “keep” his commandments, and “do” them, then God promises rain to come. These are action words, which means that the children of Israel, nor us, cannot be passive in observing these orders. If we faithfully set our hearts and minds to do these things, then we will reap the “rain” (blessings) that God promises in due season.
SYNOPSIS BY RAUFU SPANGLONETTA
Israel is assembled at the foot of Mt. Sinai, and until now God dealt only with Moses on behalf of His people but in today’s lesson, God spoke directly to Israel. God began by identifying Himself, “I am the LORD, Your God.” Next, He explained what He had done for Israel, “I brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” As a pattern for His covenant with Israel, God used the suzerainty treaty in which the king spelled out the duties and obligations of his servants or vassals.
Our lesson focuses on God giving Israel the first four commandments. God defined His covenant relationship with His people in clear, plain language, love Me only and give Me exclusive worship! “Never have any other god. Never make your own carved idols or statues that represent any creature in the sky, on the earth or in the water. Never worship them or serve them because I, the Lord your God, am a God who does not tolerate rivals.” (Exodus 20:3-5 GOD’S WORD translation)
“You shall not take the Name of the LORD your God in vain…” “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” God called Israel to be ye holy as I am holy (Leviticus 11:45). You shall be unto me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exodus 19:6). God has also called us to the same high standard of holiness (1 Peter 1:15-16; 1 Peter 2:9).
PRACTICAL APPLICATION BY BRITTENNE BOYKIN
I can recall some of my earliest Sunday School memories being centered around the Ten Commandments. The story of God’s rules given to Moses on that unforgettable day at Mount Sinai! The Ten Commandments stand through time as God’s command for the Israelites to live a holy life before Him. We too can glean from them. We can view the commandments not as just a set of rules but as a means that our loving Father uses to keep us safe.
Today’s set of scriptures speaks to relationship as much as rules. God in His love for us beckons us to know Him and love Him. He cautions them not to have any other gods before Him (Vs. 3) He reminds us that He is above all and is to be revered as such! If we treat God as number one we are able to know Him in an amazing and fulfilling way!
He further went on to caution His people to not elevate objects above Him. In our current context this not only applies to created things like crystals or charms but money, our phones, our Netflix or any other created thing! (Vs.4-6). God truly cares about every area of our life, even our language as He cautions the Israelites and us not to utter His name hastily or with disrespect! (Vs.7). He gives us appointed times to rest and commands that we honor the Sabbath as a monument to His faithfulness (Vs.8). Let us always remember that in all things God has our best interest at heart and all His commands are good and for our betterment, because they provide freedom and safety.
