“These words the Lord spoke to all your assembly at the mountain out of the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, with a loud voice; and he added no more. And he wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me” (Deuteronomy 5:22).

When it comes to Pastoring it’s not the kind of job that you can put a time limit on. I remember having a conversation with a fellow Pastor and we reached this conclusion. When is the sermon preparation finished? When it has been preached! When is the pastoral visit or counselling over? When all aspects of the visit had been completed, or the person being counselled has come under the authority of Scripture and starts to see a way through their problem. Once you have got to that stage in the process of your sermon or visiting, you might be in the position to thank the Lord for His wisdom and be able to say, “job done”, and hope the phone does not ring so you are finished for the day and can put your feet up. That said, in v22 of Deuteronomy chapter 5 we come to a very definite finish!

Moses’ opening words in this verse give it an air of finality. ‘These words the Lord spoke to all your assembly at the mountain.’ There is a real sense that God had finished speaking. This is reinforced by Moses stressing to the people that: ‘he (God) added no more’. His words were now complete and finished. It is sad to see so many today, who call themselves Christians, questioning  God’s Word. Of course it is not called that, it is called reinterpreting it for our day and age. In a society which is increasingly anti-authoritarianism and post-modernism some people have lost their nerve and try and soften the God’s Word in the hope it will be more acceptable and attract more people into church.

Deuteronomy is a good book to turn to in such a day and age. It reminds us that God had spoken to His people and that the Law was given for their benefit, and out of love for them. It was not up to then to decide what they thought of it, but to obey out of gratitude for all the Lord had done. The consequences of messing with God’s Word is that we end up with an ineffective Gospel that will not save anyone and will leave the church open to judgement due to its lack of faithfulness to God’s Word.

The Apostle Paul’s letter to the Galatian church reminds us of the consequences of departing from the message of the cross. Here was a church that had added something to the very essence of the Gospel. So tragic is this that they get a letter from one very angry Apostle! Paul is so ‘hopping mad’ with those who: ‘distort the Gospel of Christ’ (Galatians 1:7) that after his greeting , he gets straight into the main theme of the letter rather than give his customary words of encouragement or thanksgiving! Paul had received the Gospel: ‘through a revelation from Jesus Christ’ (Galatians 1:12) and what we have received in the Bible was written down by the same process. 2 Peter 1:20 reminds us that: ‘that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation.’ The point is a simple one, if God has spoken to His people through the Bible, are we really in a position to know better?

The answer is of course no! Verse 22 ends stressing the finality of God’s Word. The words were written down on the: ‘two tablets of stone’ and given to Moses. So, they were not to be messed with, they were not  to be modified.  I will let those saints of yesteryear Henry and Scott have the last word: ‘God added no more. What other laws he gave, were sent by Moses, but no more was spoken in the same manner.  He added nothing more, therefore we must not add. The law of the Lord is perfect.’[1]

[1]  Henry and Scott. A Commentary upon the Holy Bible, Genesis to Deuteronomy (London, The Religious Tract Society, 1833) 380-381.

 “And you shall not covet your neighbour’s wife. And you shall not desire your neighbour’s house, his field, or his male servant, or his female servant, his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbour’s.” (Deuteronomy 5:21).

And so, we come to the last commandment. In a sense, there is nothing new here, as the essence of this commandment (coveting) seems to have been covered already in the Eighth (stealing). Yet, whereas the former dealt with outward actions, the latter deals specifically with the attitude of the heart and mind. This is an ‘invisible’ sin! In Genesis 3:6 before taking, eating, and passing the: ‘fruit’ to Adam, Eve: ‘saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise.’  It started with just a look then thought and desire, but it ended in action. So, coveting can lead to further sin!

In a way, coveting is another form of greed, because just as with stealing, we desire more than we already have! The difference is that although we do not act on it, we brood on it. The writer of Ecclesiastes observes: ‘the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.’ (Ecclesiastes 1:8) and that is what makes this sin so insidious! We can end up coveting so easily by what we see and hear each day. The Apostle Paul treats the sin of covetousness the same as idolatry.  In Colossians 3:5 he writes: ‘Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.’ To put it simply, we ‘covet’ something when we place that new car, holiday, relationship, or whatever else before God!

There is some debate over the precise point where the exposition of the Ninth Commandment ends and the teaching on the Tenth Commandment commences as chapter 24:17-25:4 could fit either. John Currid argues for the Tenth Commandment starting at this point. ‘Coveting is properly defined as the heart’s desire to have something that belongs to someone else. It is a command that does not deal with the outward action, but rather the inward desire of a person’s heart which may lead to sinful, external action. It is a violation of the rights of others to possess what God has given to them.’[1] As the verses before have dealt with the rights God had given to ‘the sojourner, the fatherless and the widow’ (v21), the disadvantaged in society, his definition works well. Any infringement against them is converting what God has given them as theirs!

Verses 17-18 set the tone for this section. The less fortunate in society must not be subject to fewer rights than the well off. The Israelites had already been commanded not to keep the cloak of poor man overnight or to take something of necessity as security in verses 6 and 13. So they were not to treat the: ‘the sojourner’, ‘fatherless’ or ‘widow’ (v17) any differently.[2] Having been: ‘slaves in land of Egypt’ (v22), they too had been the underprivileged and less fortunate. They were only free and privileged because the Lord had: ‘redeemed’ (v18) them, so they owed Him everything.

The next instruction covers the rights of the less fortunate during the harvest (vs19-22). Whether harvesting wheat, olives, or grapes the owner of the land was not to go back over the field to pick up anything that he had missed. These were to be left for them so: ‘that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands’ (v19).  The land was God’s, but He had generously given it to them. As he was sharing it with them, they were to share it with the less fortunate. Peter Craigie makes this point about the practice of this command. ‘Farmers, who had allowed some produce to remain were not simply being charitable to the less fortunate than themselves; they were expressing their gratitude to God, who had brought them out of slavery in Egypt and had given them a land of their own.’[3]

This has clear application for today. Sometimes hardship comes on people and families through no fault of their own. Are we prepared to be generous if God has allotted us comfortable position in life? After all everything is His in the first place! Henry and Scott make this observation. ‘It is not hard to prove that purity, piety, justice, mercy, tenderness, impartiality, kindness to the poor and destitute, consideration for them, and large generosity of spirit, are pleasing to God and becoming of his redeemed people. The difficulty is to bring our minds to attend to them in our daily walk and conversation.’[4]

Christopher Wright sums up this concluding commandment rather neatly. ‘Thus, the commandments come full circle. To break the tenth is to break the first. For covetousness means of setting our hearts and affections on things that then take the place of God.’[5] We can look at the other nine commandments and, at first glance, say we keep them (although we obviously fail to keep them the way Jesus teaches them). But when it comes to this one, we fail very easily as this is all to do with what we think rather than outward action, although it can clearly lead to that! So, it is this commandment that presents the greatest challenge for Christians today! We live in a world where an idle look at an advert will tell us that it is not just a case of us needing a product, it is a case of us needing a better and newer version of that product!

So, what is the answer?  Quite simply it is to remember Christ words: “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:31-33).

[1] John D Currid, Deuteronomy, An EP Study Commentary (Evangelical Press, Darlington, 2006) 142 399.

[2] It is very clear from this passage and also 10:18 and 27:19 that God had a special concern for the  ‘sojourner’, ‘fatherless’ and ‘widow’ and wanted justice and equality for them.

[3] Peter. C Craige, The Book of Deuteronomy, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Eerdmans publishing co, Michigan, 1976) 311.

[4] Henry and Scott. A Commentary upon the Holy Bible, Genesis to Deuteronomy (London, The Religious Tract Society, 1833). 425-6.

[5] Christopher Wright, Deuteronomy, New International Biblical Commentary (Massachusetts, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc, 1996) 86.

‘And you shall not bear false witness against your neighbour’ (Deuteronomy 5:10).

This commandment deals with giving ‘false testimony’ as we would more commonly call it today. It actually goes beyond that meaning, as the Hebrew word translated ‘bear’  means to: “consider, pay heed to, listen to.”’[1] This broadens the scope of this commandment considerably!

The command relates to one’s: ‘neighbour’  In Leviticus 19:18, in the middle of a series of various laws, the Israelites were told: ‘You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbour as yourself: I am the Lord.’ Misrepresentation of another person is obviously detrimental to that person. And if all people are made in God’s image, then this is a serious offence against God, as well as to the unfortunate person. We would do well to remember that: ‘slanderous words cannot be recalled.’[2] We can easily be guilty of slander by passing on a story we have heard about someone without checking out the facts for ourselves, and unfortunately church circles are not immune from this.

The emphasis of this commandment is fair dealing in every area of life in relation to other people – hence an emphasis on justice, impartiality, and false witness. Deuteronomy 24:8-16 is generally reckoned by scholars to be Moses’s teaching on the demeaning nature of breaking this commandment. The section (vs 8-16) starts with at what first seems to be the rather strange subject of skin diseases, which is what the Hebrew word used here and translated ‘leprous’ (v8) means. The instruction is that anyone suffering from such a disease is to go to the priests and do exactly what they instruct – the priest acting as public health officers in this and other matters. There is a big emphasis on obeying this instruction with the phrase: ‘As I commanded them, so you shall be careful to do.’ (v8). There was an obvious danger that if this law is not obeyed then disease could spread throughout the community. Therefore, compliance with its instruction was very important. But why is it found here in the instructions on the Ninth Commandment?

The answer is in verse 9 where the example of Miriam, Moses’ sister is used. In Numbers 12:1-15 she was guilty, along with Aaron, of speaking against Moses because his wife was not an Israelite, but more importantly she was questioning his role as God’s spokesman.  As a result of this serious and libellous attack God judged her by inflicting her with leprosy, hence the connection with the Ninth Commandment. Raymond Brown reminds us that: ‘she was stricken with leprosy because she would not accept the unique authority of God’s Word.  She thought she knew better than her brother Moses, God’s servant, and blatantly question his authority.’[3]The issue for us today is the danger of demeaning people by both gossip and by not questioning accusations that we hear against them. We can sometimes be too ready to judge fellow Christians as to where they stand or their role before God. The Apostle James reminds Christians of the devastating power of the tongue as: ‘With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.  From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.’ (James 3:9-10). There may be times when we need to openly challenge people, but this is to be done in a careful and measured consideration which takes everything into account rather than gossiping and/or listening to gossip behind their back!Thomas Watson puts it this way. ‘The tongue which at first was made to be an organ of God’s praise, is now become an instrument of unrighteousness. This commandment binds the tongue to its good behaviour.’[4]  When Jesus was questioned, by an expert in the Law as to what was necessary to inherit eternal life, He turned the question round by asking: “what is written in the Law? How do you read it” The man’s answer was as follows:  “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbour as yourself” (Luke 10:27). When Jesus pointed out that he had answered correctly, the expert in the Law attempted to justify himself by asking: “And who is my neighbour?” (Luke 10:29). So Jesus then tells the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37). The main point for us here, however, is that Jesus reinforces the idea of putting God first, and the correctness of our total devotion to Him, and then, the care and concern for those around us.

If we truly love God and are devoted to His Word, we will start to have this concern more and more. Then we will have a concern for others, not just in the general day-to-day sense, and by refraining from slander, but also, a concern for their souls and how they stand before God!

[1] Peter Masters. God’s Rules for Holiness, Unlocking the Ten Commandments (London, The Wakeman Trust, 2003). , 111.
[2] Frank McClelland. The Ancient Law for the New Age, A Concise Examination of the Ten Commandments (Toronto, Wittenburg Publications, 1990) 31 108.
[3] Raymond Brown, The Message of Deuteronomy, The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester, Inter-Varsity-Press, 1993), 232.                                                                                                                            [4] Thomas Watson, The Ten Commandments (London, The Banner of Truth Trust, 1965) 169.

‘And you shall not steal’ (Deuteronomy 5:19).

This Commandment has been subject to various interpretations as the Jewish rabbis have often interpreted it in a narrow sense, believing it only refers to the kidnapping of people. The argument is, if it included the stealing of money or property, then it would render the Tenth Commandment: ‘You shall not covet…” redundant. However, this is misunderstanding the inward sinful desire that this Commandment deals with rather than the outward action that is prohibited here!

There are two things that we would do well to remember in relation to this commandment. Firstly, the system of judgement among God’s people was to be fair. In Deuteronomy 1:15-18 we read about the kind of men that Moses was to appoint as Judges. The men appointed were to be godly individuals. They were to be respected by the people, they were to judge fairly, not showing favouritism and they were not being influenced by how wealthy, or poor a person was, or by their status in the community. They  were to remember all wisdom comes from God.

Secondly, there was to be a real sense of social care among God’s people for anyone who needed it (see Deuteronomy 15:7-11). There was to be provision for those who were dependent on others for their well-being like the Levites, with their service to the Lord, or because they were badly off like: ‘the sojourner, the fatherless and the widow’ (14:29 and 26:12). Christopher Wright sums this up rather well  ‘Only when Israel responds to the needy by enabling everyone in the community to eat and be satisfied can they affirm “I have done everything that you (God) commanded me.”[1] This obedience also took another form in its rejection of recognising any other provider  other than the Lord.

Theft stems from a sinful lack of contentment. It effectively says, “I’m not happy with the lot God has given me, so I’ll improve it by my own actions”. It fails to: ‘believe that condition best which God has carved out to you.’[2] There is a logic in the order of the commandments which relate to how we treat others and their property coming after the ones which refer to God. If we put God first, understanding who He is, we will be far more content having the privilege of having a relationship with Him rather than taking what does not rightly belong to us and thus demeaning other people’s lives.

My wife and I enjoy watching the ‘Film Noir’  genre of movies. In the movie ‘Key Largo’, Humphrey Bogart plays an ex-soldier held hostage with others by Edward G Robinson’s  gangster and his henchmen, in a hotel in the Florida Keys. When a hostage challenges Robinson, arguing he is nothing but a ‘mindless thug’, Bogart tells them they have misunderstood him; what he wants is ‘more’!  Robinson agrees with this, and when Bogart asks him: “will you ever have enough?” Robinson replies: “well, I guess I never have” and that line sums him up. What he has become is a little god at the centre of his universe who must be gratified – whatever the cost to others.

When we have a lack of gratitude for God’s goodness to us, and His Kingship over us it shows our natural craving to become the centre of our corrupt little world! Until we accept God as the Lord of our lives, and the place given to us in the world, we will never be content, and always wanting more! So what’s the solution? The Apostle Paul when writing to the Roman church makes it very clear the Lord knows exactly what we really need and we should look to him and be grateful. ‘He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?’ (Romans 8:32).

[1] Christopher Wright, Deuteronomy, New International Biblical Commentary (Massachusetts, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc, 1996), 272-273.

[2] Thomas Watson, The Ten Commandments (London, The Banner of Truth Trust, 1965) 68.

“And you shall not commit adultery” (Deuteronomy 5:18).

In the Old Testament, as well as other ancient texts from the Near East, ‘adultery’ was referred to as the: ‘great sin’. Here, adultery refers to sexual relations between people where both, or one is married or engaged. This does not mean that the sexual sins of the unmarried are looked on favourably by Scripture – fornication is equally condemned by God’s Word!

Marriage is also portrayed in Scripture as the unit of husband and wife, providing the foundation on which society is built. It shows God’s high regard for having a protected place for children to grow up. In Genesis 2:24 we read that: ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.’  The words: ‘hold fast’ are quite hard to translate from the Hebrew, as there it refers to something more akin to being glued together – and therefore, not meant to be separated! Therefore, the consequence of breaking this Commandment can often leads to damaged lives and damaged families as it often results in a disrupted and troubled childhood for the divorced couples’ children. The sad truth of the damage adultery does an individual has been encapsulated by the words of Solomon who wrote in Proverbs 6:28-29 : ‘can one walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched? So is he who goes in to his neighbour’s wife; none who touches her will go unpunished’  The wider implications are also aptly expressed by Frank McClelland when he points out: ‘Adultery commits two wrongs at once.  One sin destroys two people at the same time. Very often the same, one sin destroys two families at the same time.’[1]

In 1 Corinthians 7:4 the Apostle Paul writes: ‘For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise, the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.‘ So marriage is the exclusive and protected place for sexual intimacy between a husband and wife. The Bible never speaks of sex within marriage as ‘dirty’, but rather, to be commended (see 1 Corinthians 7:5). Indeed, one of the greatest love poems ever written can be found in the Bible. When I preached the Songs of Songs I decided to move the Bible readings to just before the sermon, after the children had gone out to their activities. This was due to the sexually explicit nature of this book, which celebrates the intimacy between a man and a woman in its rightful context, marriage!

Furthermore, marriage is often depicted by Scripture as the kind of a relationship that exists between God and his people. Indeed, Thomas Watson observes, in reference to Ephesians 5:22, that: ‘Marriage is a type and resemblance of the mystical union between Christ and his Church.’[2] In the Old Testament Israel’s rejection of God is compared to adultery. This is most notable in the Book of Hosea where the prophet’s Hosea’s relationship with his unfaithful wife Gomer, acts as an example of God’s love for His unfaithful people in truly amazing and moving ways. Apart from anything else Israel’s spiritual adultery showed an incredible ungratefulness towards God, and thus, a key aspect of adultery is demonstrating our lack of gratitude towards God for the marriage partner.

Human love matters greatly to God; in Proverbs chapter 5 the writer initially warns of the dangers of adultery, – but later, in verses 15-20, the tone changes to a positive celebration of faithfulness within marriage: ‘Drink water from your own cistern, flowing water from your own well. Should your springs be scattered abroad, streams of water in the streets? Let them be for yourself alone, and not for strangers with you. Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth, a lovely deer, a graceful doe. Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight; be intoxicated always in her love. Why should you be intoxicated, my son, with a forbidden woman and embrace the bosom of an adulteress?’

As we saw from our examination of the Sixth Commandment, it is not merely a case of keeping God’s law by our actions – we need to keep them in our hearts and thoughts. Jesus, in Matthew 5:27-28, relates the breaking of this commandment not just to the acts, but also to lustful thoughts, and not excluding those who are not married! So, we need to guard against temptation, because temptation always starts with what we see and hear and what we think! This should remind us again that God is a God of grace in His dealings with us, because our good works (keeping the letter of the Law) just do not cut it! They will never be enough to compensate for our failure to keep God’s Law with all our heart. The Apostle Paul when writing to the Ephesian church sums it up this way: ‘For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.’ (Ephesians 2:8-9).

To end on a positive note, however, let us consider that God designed marriage for the benefit of men and women – and I would encourage those in marriages to keep the romance alive! Marriage, and sadly, even Christian marriages are under a great deal of pressure today. Husbands and wives need to guard their time carefully. Try to make time for a ‘date’ or even, if you can, the occasional romantic weekend away (as surprising as it may seem grandparents often love having their grandchildren to look after). Do not become so busy with work, family or even Church that the romance dies. This isn’t just my advice; the Bible commends it! One of the loveliest parts of the Song of Songs describes a couple taking such a romantic break: “ Come, my beloved, let us go out into the fields and lodge in the villages; let us go out early to the vineyards and see whether the vines have budded, whether the grape blossoms have opened and the pomegranates are in bloom. There I will give you, my love. The mandrakes give forth fragrance, and beside our doors are all choice fruits, new as well as old, which I have laid up for you, O my beloved” (Song of Songs 7:11-13). Now that sounds like a hot date!

[1] Frank McClelland. The Ancient Law for the New Age, A Concise Examination of the Ten Commandments (Toronto, Wittenburg Publications, 1990) 89.
[2] Thomas Watson. The Ten Commandments (London, The Banner of Truth Trust, 1965) 153.

“You shall not murder” (Deuteronomy 5:17).

This commandment deals with murder and the sanctity of life. Men and women are made in God’s image (Genesis 1:26) – which gives them dignity and worth, and is what separates them from the animals. Any deformation to that image is therefore, an affront to God! Furthermore, acknowledging Him also as the ‘giver of life’ dictates that the taking of life is not just a crime against humanity, but firstly, a crime against God!

Clearly, this command refers to the killing of humans, not animals; it does not mean accidental killing, (as mentioned in Deuteronomy 4:41-43). But rather, a pre-determined one The command also does not include manslaughter which occurs as result of protecting one’s home or family (see Exodus 22:2),  neither is it a justification for ‘pacifism’ (as we can see from Deuteronomy chapter 20). In the Hebrew, the word ‘murder’ means a deliberate taking of life. So this can also include suicide, euthanasia, and abortion. However, there are two things to note. Firstly, it is possible for even Christians to have committed suicide due to mental trauma or illness, so pastorally there is a need to show sensitivity here. Secondly, I would want to emphasise that when we come to the Lord genuinely seeking forgiveness, any sin can be forgiven and therefore completely removed, such is His love for those that turn to him (Psalm 103:12-13).

The key argument here is: ‘that every human being is created in the image of God and he alone controls both life and death.’[1] This is perceived by what David writes in Psalm 139:15-16: ‘My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of  them.’

It would be easy to assume for most of us, law-abiding citizens, that we are quite safe from breaking this Commandment. But, this would only be true, until we look at the way Jesus taught it! The Pharisees and the teachers of the Law in Jesus’s day believed that if one actively refrained from doing the things forbidden by the Commandments they were keeping the Law to the utmost extent. Yet, the Lord’s Sermon on the Mount shows that this is not the case. Jesus sets a much higher standard, one which demonstrates that no one can possibly please God through keeping the letter of the Law, or its equivalent by good works. In Matthew 5:21-28 Jesus deals with both, this commandment and the one concerning adultery. In both cases it is not enough to refrain from the evil deed; and the mere harbouring of angry thoughts against a ‘brother’ is tantamount to breaking the Sixth commandment, thus falling short of God’s standard (Matthew 5:22). The thought is just as bad as the deed in God’s sight! Peter Masters illustrates this well by using the story of Cain and Abel (Genesis 4:1-16): ‘By jealousy and fury Cain had already murdered Abel in his heart well before he slew him, because his brother’s offering was accepted and his own refused.’[2]

When viewing this commandment as God does, we should very quickly realise that we can all be guilty of breaking it at some point…Our best is just never good enough for God – therefore, what a wonderful thing it is to be saved by His grace, rather than depending on our own good works as they just don’t cut it where God’s standards are concerned! (Ephesians 2:8-9).

[1]  Brian H. Edwards, The Ten Commandments for Today (Bromley, Day one publications, 1996) 194.
[2] Peter Masters. God’s Rules for Holiness, Unlocking the Ten Commandments (London, The Wakeman Trust, 2003) 76.

“Honour your father and your mother, as the Lord your God commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you” (Deuteronomy 5:16).

There is now a shift in the subject matter of the Commandments, as the next six relate to how we are to treat other people and property.

When writing to the Church at Ephesus about family matters the Apostle Paul reminds them that the Fifth Commandment is: ‘the first commandment with the promise, that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land’ (Ephesians 6:3). Here again God’s people are given a positive reason for keeping their side of the covenant and obeying God’s commands. The Hebrew word for: ‘honour’ is used for respect and friendship being shown towards others, but it can also be used in the way we worship God.[1] Once again the phrase: ‘as the Lord your God has commanded you’ appears, making it clear that disobedience to this command is tantamount to disobedience towards God. In other words, we cannot claim to honour God if we do not obey this commandment!

Respect for one’s parents is of two-fold importance; not just because it is right and proper, but because it is where respect for all authority derives from. Even in the topsy-turvy world of today whatever form our family may take we all have a mother and a father. If one does not respect one’s parents why should there be respect for anything or anyone else? Although with the growth of political correctness there is a reluctance to criticise any one or any group in society, it has been shown that a stable family unit, in general, produces stable and productive members of society. Whereas a dysfunctional or incomplete family unit can lead to children who are ill-adjusted or psychologically damaged by the time they reach adolescence – the effects of which often extents into adulthood, this often being apparent in the quality of their adult relationships.

Therefore, it is important to remember that this commandment has two sides to it. If children are to: ‘honour’ their parents, then their parents should bring their children up in a stable and loving environment.  In Paul’s letter to the church at Colossae he gives this command: ‘Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged’ (Colossians 3:21). Basically, this is a two-way street, and John Currid sums it up like this: ‘parents are to set a good example for their children. They are to pray for them. They are to care for them. They are to love them.’[2]

Tracy and I have never had children of our own, but I recall being a teenager! I had the privilege of growing up in a Christian home, where consistency was the watchword, but I was as awkward as any teenager can be. My father admitted that he had probably dealt better with me as I was the third of his three sons. He was honest and humble enough to admit that he made mistakes with my older brothers. But perhaps this is the point of this commandment. I feel Brian Edwards has hit the nail firmly on the head when he writes: ‘And it is just because the home is the hardest place to maintain consistent respect for each other that God places the marker there. This value and respect should begin in the home because it is the hardest place of all to maintain it consistently. In the home we are at our most vulnerable’. [3]

[1] Allan Harman, Deuteronomy, The Commands of the Covenant God (Christian focus publications, Fearn, 2001), 78.
[2] John D Currid, Deuteronomy, An EP Study Commentary (Evangelical Press, Darlington, 2006), 142.
[3] Brian H. Edwards, The Ten Commandments for Today (Bromley, Day one publications, 1996) 168-169.

“ Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. For six days you shall labour and do all your work, 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 or your male servant or your female servant, or your ox or your donkey or any of your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you. You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day” (Deuteronomy 5:12-15).

When I was preaching through the Ten Commandments some years ago, I came across an example of how the keeping of the Sabbath or Sunday, as we would refer to it today, could be seen as a wholly positive thing. Apparently when John Patten’s great missionary work among the cannibals of the New Hebrides started to bear fruit and a good number of them had been converted, Saturday became known as ‘cooking day’. The reason was quite simple: the natives were so concerned that they would not have enough time to worship God and hear His Word explained, they would prepare all their food on the Saturday, so that no such tasks would take them away from the worship on the Sunday.[1] It seems to me that they clearly understood the benefit of a day of rest!Although there are differences in how scholars interpret the word Sabbath from the Hebrew, the gist of the meaning seems to be, ‘to rest’, ‘to put off doing something’, ‘to complete something’ or even ‘to celebrate something’. All of which can be applied as good things in relation to worship. So, firstly, the keeping of the Sabbath is a creation ordinance (Genesis 2:3). God had commanded that His people kept the Sabbath holy (v.12); this was part of His Covenant with them (Exodus 31:12-13). In support of this commandment Meredith Kline argues that it is in effect God’s seal on the covenant and by keeping this commandment we understand: ‘the pattern of that divine act of creation which proclaims God’s absolute sovereignty over man, and thereby he pledges his covenant consecration to his Maker. The Creator has stamped on world history the sign of the Sabbath as his seal of ownership and authority.’[2] Secondly, the Sabbath belonged to God since He had claimed it as His own. Thirdly, it was a reminder of the pattern of creation: at the end of six days, when God had finished creating: ‘He rested on the seventh day from all the work he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy,’ (Genesis 2:2-3).

If we are to take the above truths seriously, then our attitude to the Christian Sabbath (Sunday) should reflect this. The reasons are simple and beneficial: the Sabbath is to be a day of rest; there are six days to work and then there is a one, when we can focus on the worship of God. He knows what is best for us and it makes sense that there is a day when we rest from work, and place special emphasis on the worship of our Lord and Creator. In other words, we set it apart as ‘holy’. The Lord Jesus’ own words sum up perfectly the true meaning and intention of setting one day apart: “the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). It was intended to be a benefit, just as Sunday should be a benefit to God’s people today.

Unfortunately, in recent years the keeping of Sunday as a special day has become open to debate even among Christians. It seems to emphasise one thing, as expressed by Brian Edwards: ‘perhaps one of  the greatest tragedies in this whole debate is that Christians are not looking at the day as a privilege but as duty’.[3]

But that is missing the aspect which is picked up on by the author of the letter to the Hebrews. In Hebrews 3:16-4:11 we are reminded that some of the Israelites never reached the Promised Land due to their unbelief. The writer goes on to compare the Sabbath to the rest that God’s people will experience when they come to Him. If the Promised Land was rest for the Israelites after their long and dangerous journey in the desert, then heaven and the new creation awaits those who have turned from their sinful ways and become obedient to God.[4]Have you ever thought of Sunday in those terms? Here is a chance to meet with God’s people and experience a little bit of what God has in store for us. The preaching of the Word and the worship should encourage us and help us remember that one day we will be able to worship Him perfectly and know Him completely. There will be no need for Pastors and preachers in the New Creation, and I will be all the more happy for that! Is that your experience of Sunday, and do you prepare for it in that way? Thomas Watson’s words raise a challenge for us. ‘Having dressed your bodies, you must dress your souls for hearing the word’.[5]

This certainly lays an emphasis on our attitude to worship and how we prepare for it. These words also emphasise  the responsibility that lies on those who teach as they handle the very ‘oracles of God’. In the light of this let us all examine our attitude to Sunday with the utmost care so that we might benefit all the more from God’s wonderful provision of such a day.

[1]  Brian H. Edwards, The Ten Commandments for Today (Bromley, Day one publications, 1996), 154.
[2] Meredith G. Kline, Treaty of the Great King, The Covenant Structure of Deuteronomy (Eugene, Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2012 [formerly 1963]) 19.
[3] Edwards, The Ten Commandments, 143.
[4] J. A Thompson writes that Sunday is very much the: ‘fulfilment of the old (covenant). The first day provides opportunity to commemorate the resurrection of Christ which made possible the deliverance from the bondage of sin, and the renewal of life by way of a new creation’ J.A Thompson, Deuteronomy, An Introduction and Commentary (Leicester, Inter-Varsity Press, 1974) 117.
[5] Thomas Watson. The Ten Commandments (London, The Banner of Truth Trust, 1965) 101.

“ 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” (Deuteronomy 5:11).

The Third Commandment is the one we would readily admit we see being broken on a regular basis as God’s name is often reduced to an expression of exasperation. But that is actually the mildest infringement of this commandment. So what does it actually mean to take God’s name in vain?

The Hebrew verb gives us an insight into this, as it means ‘to bear’ or ‘to carry’ His name. In the Hebrew names often denoted character, in other words they told you something about the person whose name it was. The most common name for God in the Bible is ‘Yahweh’ which is often translated as ‘the LORD’ and can mean ‘Lord God Almighty’ with connotations of a self-existent and continual existence nature.

But there is also another conclusion we can draw. Peter Masters in his book ‘God’s Rules for Holiness’ puts it like this: ‘by adopting a name the Lord assures us that He is a personal God who may be communicated with. If God had no name we would have to become mystics engaging in vague worship of an unknown hidden, or amorphous force.’ That being the case to use God’s name in a flippant way or without due respect would be a denial of this and would be a case of breaking this commandment. Masters concludes: ‘by describing himself through a name, God tells us He is knowable and personal.’ [1]

Sadly there is an increasing tendency to cut down on the glory and majesty of God in worship. We can be guilty of forgetting that He is Lord of the universe and He is holy, yet He reaches out to sinners and welcomes those who seek forgiveness. Just how easy it is to forget this hit me with full force when I came across a children’s song with a chorus that included the words: ‘God’s love is big, God’s love is great, God’s love is fab and He’s my mate.’[2] How can we possibly describe the Lord God Almighty as our ‘mate’? Without to offend any teetotallers, a ‘mate’ is someone you go to a football match or to the pub with, not the Lord and Creator of the universe!

Casual use of God’s name is something that should not be encouraged. A great responsibly rests with preachers who teach the nature and character of God. Preaching must always be done carefully and soberly as we do not want to belittle or make light of who God is and what He has done. Sadly, I suspect, we often fail where this is concerned, and do not set our congregations the best example. It would be a brave Christian who could say that they have always been respectful and never made a thoughtless comment where God’s name or character is concerned! So that said, we all need to examine where we stand in relation to how we observe and keep this commandment before we are too ready to point out violations of it!

[1] Peter Masters. God’s Rules for Holiness, Unlocking the Ten Commandments (London, The Wakeman Trust, 2003). 41.
[2] Simon Parry, VINEYARD SONGS (UK/Eire). 2005.

“You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 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 fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.” (Deuteronomy 5:8-10).

At first glance the Second Commandment, just like the First one, might not seem to present much of a problem to us. But, is this really the case, since images of icons are often used in church worship?! In Deuteronomy chapter 4, Moses reminds the people that they: ‘saw no form on the day the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out the midst of the fire’ (v1). The idols of Egypt may have been a distant memory, but because Israel’s previous generation had indulged in idol worship with the Golden Calf, this was an area where they were susceptible to temptation!

The list of images and creatures that in Deuteronomy 4:17-18 is extensive, as at many points in history, mankind have worshipped each of these images or combined images of humans and animals. But there are two important points here. Firstly, any man-made image of God is bound to diminish Him in the eyes of the worshiper – the representation will never be adequate, as it cannot convey the majestic characteristics of an all-powerful God, who wants a relationship with those He has created, as:  ‘the carved Statue is no better than the artisan who formed it.’[1] Secondly, idol worship is degrading to human beings. In his book ‘The Ten Commandments’ Brian Edwards recounts a time when he was flicking through a magazine while waiting for an appointment and he came across a picture of a religious procession.  ‘As I looked at the serious faces of the men carrying their lavishly adorned idol I thought to myself, “that man may be a banker, and that one a university professor, and that man may be a shopkeeper or a doctor”. Perhaps they were all intelligent men, yet there they were, trundling through the streets a hideous image of one of their gods. It made them look foolish in the extreme.’[2]

But the important thing is God’s reaction to this kind of worship. We are reminded that God is ‘a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me’ (v9). That said, there are many examples of God’s love for those who turn to Him from pagan cultures. But children tend to imitate their parents, a real danger in the context of the extended families of that culture. But this is contrasted with the other aspect of God’s nature: ‘showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.’ (v10). Warren Wiersbe gives an illustration of God blessing successive generations of those who obey Him: ‘My great-grandfather prayed that there would  be a preacher of the Gospel in every generation of our family – and there has been; I minister today because of godly ancestors who trusted the Lord.’[3]

Failing to realise that idol worship limits Gods greatness and glory will certainly limit a person’s worship! As Jesus said “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24). This commandment makes clear that anything else is unacceptable to God!

[1] McClelland, The Ancient Law for the New Age, A Concise Examination of the Ten Commandments (Toronto, Wittenburg Publications, 1990) 40.
[2] Brian H. Edwards, The Ten Commandments for Today (Bromley, Day one publications, 1996), 94.
[3] Warren Wiersbe, Be Equipped, Deuteronomy, Acquiring the Tools for Spiritual Success (Colorado Springs, Cook Communication Ministries, 1999), 36.