This week, we shall continue the study of Exodus,
the second book of the Old Testament.
This is the Ten Commandments that Moses received from the Lord from Sinai.
It is quite obvious that the first Four Commandments deal with our relationship with God, while the last Six deal with our relationship with our neighbors, i.e. fellow human beings. While the Ten Commandments do have universal application, they were primarily given within a covenant relationship now that Israel is a holy nation that belongs to the Lord. We shall reflect in details this week with the following divisions:
Vv. 1-6: 1st and 2nd Commandments which are about whom we worship
Vv. 7-11: 3rd and 4th Commandments which are about how we worship
Vv. 12-17: 5th–10th Commandments which are about how we treat one another
Each day, let’s read and reread all Ten Commandments before we reflect on them carefully.
We’ll begin considering the first two Commandments, beginning with the Preface (vv. 1-2).
(1) What are the main points in the Preface to the Ten Commandments?
(2) Why is it necessary to give such a Preface?
1st Commandment (v. 3):
(3) Before you read the following definition, try to give your own definition of what is meant by “God".
(4) Webster gives the following definition of God: “A being conceived as the perfect, omnipotent, omniscient, originator of the universe, the principal object of faith and worship in monotheistic religions.” How does your definition compare to Webster’s?
(5) Why do people worship “gods” in general?
(6) Why do some people not worship any “god” at all?
(7) Why does God prohibit His people, the Israelites, to worship any gods other than the Lord?
(8) Why does He make it the first Commandment?
(9) What have you learned today and how may you apply it in your life?
2nd Commandment (vv. 4-6):
(1) Why do people feel the need to make something visible to worship, knowing that it is made by their own hands?
(2) Does the prohibition of the making of idols extend to the painting of idols or gods? Why or why not?
(3) Why do so many Christians or churches display the painting of the image of Christ?
(4) Since this is the case, what’s wrong in making images or icons of saints and praying to them?
(5) Some argue that they are not really worshipping the icons or images of Christ or saints, but are using them to help them meditate. What do you think?
(6) What is the purpose of vv. 5-6? Are they added for the sake of the 2nd Commandment only or for the 1st Commandment as well? Why?
(7) Why does the worship by God’s people of any other god or reducing the Lord into any image or idol amount to “hate”?
(8) What is the relationship with loving God and keeping His commandments? (See Jn. 14:21 as well.)
(9) In what sense is God jealous?
(10) What have you learned today and how may you apply it in your life?
The 3rd and 4th Commandment deal with our relationship with God.
The 3rd Commandment (v. 7):
(1) What does the word, misuse, generally mean?
(2) What is in a “name”, especially God’s?
(3) How might we misuse God’s name?
(4) What might prompt us to do so?
(5) Read Matthew 5:33-37. How does the example of Jesus illustrate the misuse of the name of God?
(6) Is there any other way that people (including you) might “make use” of God or His name?
(7) If our relationship with God is not to be one of “using” Him, what should it be?
(8) What warning is attached to this Commandment and why?
(9) What have you learned today and how may you apply it in your life?
The 4th Commandment (v. 8-11):
(1) Instead of “using” Him, what is God’s desire for us in relating to Him?
(2) What is meant by to “remember”?
(3) What is meant by “holy”?
(4) What then is meant by remembering the Sabbath and keeping it holy?
(5) What is the basis given for this Commandment?
(6) What has God’s act of creation to do with this Commandment?
a. Did God need to rest and so He stopped His work of creation?
b. So why did He stop on the 7th day?
c. What does it signify to us in that we too should cease from work?
d. From what kinds of work should we cease?
e. How then shall we use this day in which we cease our work?
(7) Since the resurrection of our Lord, the apostles had observed the Sabbath rest on the Lord’s Day (i.e. Sunday). How then should you “remember” your weekly Sabbath in order to fulfill the essence of this Commandment?
(8) How and why does the Sabbath distinguish the Israelites from the rest of the nations?
(9) How and why does the Lord’s Day distinguish us from the world?
(10) If you have the time, read also Exodus 31:12-17 in which the Lord reiterated this Commandment and see what additional emphases there were.
(11) What have you learned today and how may you apply it in your life?
The 5th Commandment (v. 12):
(1) In dealing with how we must treat others, why does God cite how we treat our parents first? Can you think of at least three reasons?
(2) What is the general meaning of “to honor”?
(3) What then does it mean to honor our parents?
(4) What if we consider them not worthy of honoring?
(5) Can you think of any biblical example in which the father and/or mother might be considered unworthy of respect? What about Isaac and Rebekah? How did their children treat them? (See Gen. 31:35; 35:27-29)
(6) How do you reconcile this Commandment with Genesis 2:24?
(7) How does the Lord Jesus view this Commandment? (See Mk. 7:9-13)
(8) Why does this commandment carry a special blessing?
(9) How does the Apostle Paul look upon this blessing? (Eph. 6:1-3)
(10) What have you learned today and how may you apply it in your life?
6th Commandment (v. 13)
(1) How important is this Commandment?
(2) What is meant by “to kill”?
(3) What about manslaughter? (See Deut. 19:3, 4, 6 and Jos. 20:3)
(4) What about legal execution of a convicted killer (Numbers 35:30)?
(5) Why then does God also take life?
(6) What does Jesus say is the essence of this Commandment? (Matt. 5:21-26)
7th Commandment (v. 14)
(7) What is your definition of adultery?
(8) Webster defines it as “a voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and a partner other than the lawful husband and wife”. How evil and destructive then is the sin of adultery?
(9) How does the world view adultery these days?
(10) How does Jesus interpret this Commandment? (See Matt. 5:27-32)
(11) What insight does the Apostle Paul add to this Commandment? (1 Co. 6:18-20)
(12) What is the best way to avoid committing this sin? (Ps. 119: 9 and 2 Tim 2:22)
(13) What is the main message for you today and how may you apply it in your life?
8th and 10th Commandments (v. 15 and 17)
(1) How would you define stealing?
(2) What is the underlying cause for stealing?
(3) Is poverty a valid excuse for stealing?
(4) How is the 10th Commandment related to the 8th?
(5) Do you think the 10th Commandment is related to contentment? (See 1 Tim. 6: 6-8)
(6) How do you define contentment?
(7) Is the prayer in Proverb 30:7-9 an effective prayer for keeping the 10th Commandment? Why or why not?
(8) Can you think of other ways that might help us keep this Commandment?
(9) What is the main message for you today and how may you apply it in your life?
Note:
We shall consider the 9th Commandment and
Jesus’ comment on the Greatest Commandment next week.