Year One, April 2

God, Be Merciful To Me, a Sinner1

We are now about to read the awe-inspiring heart of the law of God, that is contained in

  

Exodus 20:1-17

but, before we read a line, let us sincerely ask the Lord to forgive our offenses against his holy name and to accept us in the Son of his love. God’s law has been honored and kept perfectly by the Lord Jesus. There is nothing left out and nothing repeated in the Ten Commandments. It is the only perfect law in the universe. None of us have kept it and therefore it would be foolish to hope for salvation by keeping it, because nothing but perfect obedience can be accepted by the justice of God.

1And God spoke all these words, saying,

2“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

3“You shall have no other gods before me.”

There is only one true God. We must not dare to worship or obey any other. Beware of making gold, or yourself, or your dearest relation into a god. “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.”2

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. 5You 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 the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.”

In the second commandment we are forbidden to worship God by bowing down to any image or worshiping him in any way he has not commanded. How great are the crimes of those who worship crosses, pictures, and bread; and even connect the idea of holiness to places and buildings.

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.”

Any unholy use of the divine name is extremely sinful. Beware of flippantly saying, “Oh My God,” and other disrespectful expressions.

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, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”

One day in seven is the Lord’s. To rob him of it is to injure ourselves as well as to disobey our Maker. Rest and worship are two of our sweetest blessings. The day should be set aside especially for them.

12“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.”

We owe our parents respect, love, and obedience. This is the first commandment that comes with a promise.

13“You shall not murder.”

Anger and doing anything that would injure the health of ourselves or others are forbidden.

14“You shall not commit adultery.”

This forbids lust of heart, thought, and look, as well as actual actions.

15“You shall not steal.”

This forbids even taking things of little value as well as cheating and every kind of wrong.

16“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”

All lying is condemned.

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.”

This deals with sins of the heart. It shows that the command is very far reaching and involves even our thoughts and imaginations. Who can read it and then hope to be saved by their own activities and good deeds? Lord, have mercy on us and forgive us for breaking your holy law.

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¹ Luke 18:13

² 1 John 5:21