Joel M Bradshaw

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…

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. 9Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work…

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.

Here is a quick take on the verses that changed the ancient world. My numbers 1-10 will correspond to the commandment numbers.

1. Think of this like your favorite awards show where they have four nominees and one winner. There are no other nominees in God’s category. He is unique.
2. The moment you make a statue you have to mow the grass around it and clean the bird droppings that fall. This brings the temptation for manipulation. I mowed the grass around your statue, God. I’m just saying! Maybe you’ll answer my prayer better now?
3. The Hebrew also means “worthless, meaningless, empty, false”. Pick your favorite brand or company or even sports team. You probably represent them faithfully and would never harm their name. You should be representing your faithful God more. What does your life do to His Name in the eyes of others?
4. The unique God demands a unique day. The later tithing principle trusts God to provide with 9 out of 10. This is the same principle with working 6 out 7. Do you trust God enough for you to rest one day in your week?
5. This one actually bridges the ‘towards God’ and the ‘towards your neighbor’ commandments for a reason. There is something communicated to God in how you treat your parents and they represent God relationally to their children.
6. Murder requires intent in the eyes of the law. Your neighbor’s life is sacred. All ending of a human life must be justified morally according to God’s standards otherwise it is wrong. Don’t separate your neighbor from his life.
7. Your neighbor’s marriage is sacred. Don’t separate your neighbor from his wife. And remember the connection Jesus made regarding our thoughts (Matthew 5:27-28). Literally every man except Jesus has broken this commandment at some point.
8. Don’t separate your neighbor from his possessions, especially those he needs to provide for his family.
9. Truth matters to God. Don’t separate your neighbor from justice.
10. The one commandment you can’t prove in a court of law unless you broke another one. This one involves your heart. Following your heart leads you to break a commandment of God. God sees your heart, so you can’t hide from Him!

We all have a lot of work to do regarding these! Stay intentional. Also we are greateful for the amazing grace given to us in Christ. We simply can’t keep God’s law enough on our own efforts. We have each broken many of these commandments.–JMB