Exodus 19 and 20 The top 10 (commandments)

Exodus Chapter 19

The scene is set for the 10 commandments – this takes a whole chapter.

God warns the Israelites to be ready as they camp near mount Sinai. The mountain is set apart by God as holy and anything uninvited will be killed.

Israel has two days to prepare for God to speak to them. On the third day God speaks to the Israelites from a cloud covering the mountain and it scares them.

Moses goes up the mountain to see God.

According to Jewish scholars there are some 613 laws in the Bible – of which about 348 are things that are forbidden (such as murder) and 265 are things that are commended – such as honouring you parents, defending the poor, not oppressing foreigners, that sort of thing 

Exodus Chapter 20

The 10 commandments

An old chap once remarked that if God wanted us to go metric he would have had 12 apostles- personally I think that if God wanted us to stick with Imperial units he would have given 16 commandments!

So these are the famous 10 commandments 

So many people treat them a bit like a history exam - Choose any 3.

For those that do not know the 10 commandments are basically

1                     Worship God only, don’t put anything else before or alongside him

2                     Do not make images or idols and worship them (they tend to blind people to exactly who they are worshipping) this has a promise attached – God will show love to generations of those who follow his teaching

3                     Do not misuse the name of God

4                     Remember to keep 1 day a week as holy and not for work

5                     Honour your parents so you will have a long life in the world

6                     Do not murder (or kill)

7                     Do not commit adultery

8                     Do not steal

9                     Do not give false testimony

10                 Do not covet anything that your neighbour has

Of these 5 relate to strangers and friends alike, 2 are family and work life balance and 3 are related to our relationship with God.

At least 3 of these commandments are in UK law even today. 

General consensus is that if we all obey the 10 commandments the world would be a better place.

There is a rule given at the end of the chapter that an alter must not be made from dressed stones and should not have steps up to it – “else your private parts may be exposed”  Note to self - don't build an alter with steps and dressed stone.