The Ten Promises
Introduction. Some people view Christianity and the Bible as a collection of restrictive “Thou shalt” and “Thou shalt not” commands. Unfortunately, that too often reflects a somewhat prideful or even rebellious attitude of “I know what’s best for me.” or “I don’t need anyone telling me what to do!”
But what if we viewed these commands from the perspective of a loving, creator God who wants what is best for us, like any concerned parent would? For example, what if the Ten Commandments in the Law of Moses (Ex. 20) were the kindest, most protective and caring thing God could tell the Israelites? How might that change our attitude toward New Testament commands for us and the loving God who wants us to obey Him for our own good?
Background. When God spoke the Ten Commandments to the nation of Israel (Ex. 20:22; Deut. 4:36; Neh. 9:13), they had left captivity in the land of Egypt and miraculously crossed the Red Sea only a few months prior (Ex.10:1). And yet they had already lost patience and trust in Moses (and by implication God), accusing him with misleading and mistreating them (Ex. 15:24; 16:2-3, 19-20, 27-28; 17:3,7). In that setting, here’s what God told them…
“You shall have no other gods before Me” (Ex. 20:3). It should come as no surprise this was the first commandment. The worship of many different gods was commonplace, whether those of the Egyptians (Ex. 12:12), the nations around them (Deut. 12:2, 30; Judges 2:12), or even among the descendants of Abraham who should have known better (Gen. 35:2; Ex. 32; Josh.24:14).
Essentially God is commanding them to worship Him exclusively since no other gods really exist. As Paul reiterates much later to the formerly idolatrous Corinthians, “Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one.” (1 Cor. 8:4)
What if we viewed this first commandment as an expression of God’s love? Could God really be saying the following?
Consider what the outcomes would be today if people recognized this and avoided the false “gods” of fame, fortune, career, their own lustful desires, or the corrupt lifestyles of stars/trendsetters in popular music, the movies, or social media?
“You shall not make for yourself a carved image, 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” (Ex.20:4). At the time, idol worshipers typically made a tangible representation of their god out of wood, stone, gold, or other material. Often it was something they could related to, like that of a human, animal, or human-animal hybrid (Rom. 1:22-23). God commanded against that practice:
Note the parallel drawn by the Holy Spirit through Paul in 2 Cor. 11:2 “ For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.”
What if we viewed this as God lovingly trying to explain His infinite nature to finite man?
“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.” (Ex. 20:7). “Vain” means empty, useless, for no good purpose. It can include profanity (e.g., using “God” or “Lord”), a hypocritical/false profession (e.g., “Oh, how I love Jesus!”), or breaking a vow in His name (e.g., “I swear to God that…”, Hos. 10:4; Matt. 5:33-37).
What if we viewed this as a loving parent would?
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.“ For the Jews, this meant ceasing normal labor and setting the day apart to remember God and His Creation.
That said, what if we viewed this as a general reminder for our own good?
“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.” (Ex. 20:12) The basic meaning of “honor” is to treat with respect, listen to, and obey (so long as doing so doesn’t contradict God’s law per Acts 5:29). We see this echoed in the New Testament (Col. 3:20).
What if we viewed this as God wanting what’s best for us growing up?
“You shall not murder.” (Ex.20:13) Some translations have “kill”, but in this context, the meaning is the unlawful taking of human life (versus killing in self-defense as well as capital punishment per Rom. 13).
What if we viewed this as an expression of God’s love for humanity?
“You shall not commit adultery.” (Ex. 20:14) While the term primarily involves sexual relations with a married person, it is often coupled with a more inclusive term (e.g., “sexual immorality”, “fornication”) to prohibit any sexual relations outside of marriage (1 Cor. 7:1-2). Jesus expanded it in Matt. 5:27-28 to include adulterous thoughts and lustful looking.
What if we viewed this as God’s concern over our sexuality and the value of marriage relationships?
“You shall not steal.” (Ex. 20:15) This covers multiple acts to include taking what belongs to someone else (family, friend, neighbor, employer) and not giving what is owed to someone else (“an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay”, taxes) as well as being a con artist, scammer, and even a gambler.
What if we view this as God’s promise for our physical needs?
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” (Ex. 20:16) This includes providing false testimony against another as well as slander, libel, and gossip (2 Cor. 12:20).
What if we view this as how God knows we benefit from truthful, peaceful relationships with others.
“You shall not covet …” (Ex. 20:17). While this term simply means to delight in, take pleasure in, or desire greatly, it too often is directed toward what belongs to another (a.k.a. “envy”). Note the extent of the command:
By extension, that would also include another’s skills/abilities as well as their reputation. Note also how it is included with other sins it often leads to: "… being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; …" (Rom. 1:29).
As a frequent precursor to stealing mentioned above, what if we view this as God wanting us to trust Him and avoid many of the problems associated with envy and greed?
Conclusion. Since God created us, He loves us and knows what’s best for us. Like any loving parent, He warns us and gives us guidance for our own good. A wise child will listen and heed that guidance!
But what if we viewed these commands from the perspective of a loving, creator God who wants what is best for us, like any concerned parent would? For example, what if the Ten Commandments in the Law of Moses (Ex. 20) were the kindest, most protective and caring thing God could tell the Israelites? How might that change our attitude toward New Testament commands for us and the loving God who wants us to obey Him for our own good?
Background. When God spoke the Ten Commandments to the nation of Israel (Ex. 20:22; Deut. 4:36; Neh. 9:13), they had left captivity in the land of Egypt and miraculously crossed the Red Sea only a few months prior (Ex.10:1). And yet they had already lost patience and trust in Moses (and by implication God), accusing him with misleading and mistreating them (Ex. 15:24; 16:2-3, 19-20, 27-28; 17:3,7). In that setting, here’s what God told them…
“You shall have no other gods before Me” (Ex. 20:3). It should come as no surprise this was the first commandment. The worship of many different gods was commonplace, whether those of the Egyptians (Ex. 12:12), the nations around them (Deut. 12:2, 30; Judges 2:12), or even among the descendants of Abraham who should have known better (Gen. 35:2; Ex. 32; Josh.24:14).
Essentially God is commanding them to worship Him exclusively since no other gods really exist. As Paul reiterates much later to the formerly idolatrous Corinthians, “Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one.” (1 Cor. 8:4)
What if we viewed this first commandment as an expression of God’s love? Could God really be saying the following?
- “Don’t be misled – I am the only True God. I created you, love you, and know what’s best for you.” (Psa. 115:11; Isa. 12:2; Jer. 17:7-8)
- “You’re wasting your time if you serve other gods – they don’t exist.” (Isa. 41:24, 29; Isa. 45:14, 21)
Consider what the outcomes would be today if people recognized this and avoided the false “gods” of fame, fortune, career, their own lustful desires, or the corrupt lifestyles of stars/trendsetters in popular music, the movies, or social media?
“You shall not make for yourself a carved image, 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” (Ex.20:4). At the time, idol worshipers typically made a tangible representation of their god out of wood, stone, gold, or other material. Often it was something they could related to, like that of a human, animal, or human-animal hybrid (Rom. 1:22-23). God commanded against that practice:
- “… 5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.” (Ex. 20:5-6)
Note the parallel drawn by the Holy Spirit through Paul in 2 Cor. 11:2 “ For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.”
What if we viewed this as God lovingly trying to explain His infinite nature to finite man?
- “Don’t try picturing me as something you already know – I’m not like that and it will lead you to do foolish, harmful things.” (Num. 23:19; Rom. 1:21-25)
- “And likewise don’t get tricked into believing I’m just like you in how I think and act. I’m not.” (Isa.55:8-9)
“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.” (Ex. 20:7). “Vain” means empty, useless, for no good purpose. It can include profanity (e.g., using “God” or “Lord”), a hypocritical/false profession (e.g., “Oh, how I love Jesus!”), or breaking a vow in His name (e.g., “I swear to God that…”, Hos. 10:4; Matt. 5:33-37).
What if we viewed this as a loving parent would?
- “As the Supreme Being, you can trust me and my ‘name’. So, don't drag it through the mud.” (Psm. 5:11; 9:10; Matt. 12:21)
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.“ For the Jews, this meant ceasing normal labor and setting the day apart to remember God and His Creation.
- 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it
That said, what if we viewed this as a general reminder for our own good?
- “There’s more to this life that work and things.” (Luke 12:15-21)
“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.” (Ex. 20:12) The basic meaning of “honor” is to treat with respect, listen to, and obey (so long as doing so doesn’t contradict God’s law per Acts 5:29). We see this echoed in the New Testament (Col. 3:20).
What if we viewed this as God wanting what’s best for us growing up?
- “Your parents will help guide you to what is good, constructive, beneficial and away from what is harmful, destructive, and such.” (Eph. 6:1-3)
“You shall not murder.” (Ex.20:13) Some translations have “kill”, but in this context, the meaning is the unlawful taking of human life (versus killing in self-defense as well as capital punishment per Rom. 13).
What if we viewed this as an expression of God’s love for humanity?
- “Life is precious. All are made in my image with an eternal soul.” (Gen. 1:27).
- “Envy, anger, and hate for others will destroy you.” (Matt. 5:21-22)
“You shall not commit adultery.” (Ex. 20:14) While the term primarily involves sexual relations with a married person, it is often coupled with a more inclusive term (e.g., “sexual immorality”, “fornication”) to prohibit any sexual relations outside of marriage (1 Cor. 7:1-2). Jesus expanded it in Matt. 5:27-28 to include adulterous thoughts and lustful looking.
What if we viewed this as God’s concern over our sexuality and the value of marriage relationships?
- “I created marriage to be precious.” (Gen.2:18-24)
- “The grass isn’t greener on the other side of the fence. Remember what happened to David.” (2 Sam. 11-12)
“You shall not steal.” (Ex. 20:15) This covers multiple acts to include taking what belongs to someone else (family, friend, neighbor, employer) and not giving what is owed to someone else (“an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay”, taxes) as well as being a con artist, scammer, and even a gambler.
What if we view this as God’s promise for our physical needs?
- “I will provide what you need if you trust and do what I say (e.g., diligently work, be a good steward, don’t gamble)” (Matt. 6:25-34; Heb. 13:5)
- “Don’t be greedy. Be content with what you have.” (Phil. 4:11)
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” (Ex. 20:16) This includes providing false testimony against another as well as slander, libel, and gossip (2 Cor. 12:20).
What if we view this as how God knows we benefit from truthful, peaceful relationships with others.
- “Lying about someone hurts both of you.” (Psm. 15:1-3,5)
- “Trust me as the ultimate all-seeing Judge.” (Rom. 12:19: Heb. 4:13)
“You shall not covet …” (Ex. 20:17). While this term simply means to delight in, take pleasure in, or desire greatly, it too often is directed toward what belongs to another (a.k.a. “envy”). Note the extent of the command:
- … your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”
By extension, that would also include another’s skills/abilities as well as their reputation. Note also how it is included with other sins it often leads to: "… being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; …" (Rom. 1:29).
As a frequent precursor to stealing mentioned above, what if we view this as God wanting us to trust Him and avoid many of the problems associated with envy and greed?
- “Be thankful and count your blessings.” (Psm. 100:4; 107:22; Eph. 5:20; Phil. 4:6-7)
Conclusion. Since God created us, He loves us and knows what’s best for us. Like any loving parent, He warns us and gives us guidance for our own good. A wise child will listen and heed that guidance!
- “Trust Me.” (Prov. 3:5)