Prior to His giving Moses The Ten Commandments, God had called the behavior of His people sin. It was not until God summoned Moses to the mountain top and gave Moses the tablets called "The Ten Commandments;" (God's ways for our behavior).
Before the Ten Commandments, the way the people lived and treated each other was based on a set of personal standards considered to be morally ethical to them.
It was not until God showed them that killing, stealing, lying, cheating, committing adultery, and idolatry were acts of sin in the Commandments, that the people were given a law that acts as a guide to how they should walk before Him and behave toward each other.
In truth, the Ten Commandments were written based upon the things the people were already doing.
The commandments were given to show the people how to live. They should have realized that if left alone, we will kill, steal, lie, cheat, and fall into all manners of behavior, including idolatry.
When Moses presented the laws to the people, I am curious if they knew that these were commands from God and not the mere suggestions of Moses?
I say this because, of course, not all the people agreed with God's oracles, they had other ideas, and that was to follow their own path, even the path that led to idolatry.
The taste of sin was pleasurable to them, and they enjoyed its pleasure it brought, even if it was temporary.
Something that we might not realize that we commit daily. Now you might say, really, I don't idolize anything.
But consider this. We spend quality time adoring ourselves and others by the way we look, dress, where we live, the money we make, and let's not forget how we adore the rich and famous.
Our behavior crosses over into worship based upon the quality of time we spend giving people and things our adoration compared to the time we spend adoring and appreciating God for just Who He is.
As a People, we worship things we own and things that give us pleasure. These things consume most of our time because they capture our attention leaving little room for anything else.
Idolatry demands our time, and it will eventually capture our hearts, replacing our desire for God and will steal that time we once spent desiring to be with God.
God Who gave us life now becomes second to the things He provided for our pleasure out of His Love of us. God, Who protects us, shields us, and first and foremost, created us to worship Him, become wounded when we prefer things and people to Him.
The Ten Commandments were not given us to control us but to guide and help us live lives that pleased God to the point that He would find pleasure in us, give us favor and grant us the blessings that add no sorrows.
We might not do these things intentionally, but if we recorded how much time we spend reading, watching television, on our tablets on our computers, talking on the phones and, even putting on our make up.
Then compare to how much time we spend in prayer, reading The Word, encouraging someone, we would, like Belshazzar, in the Book of Daniel, Chapter 5; find that in our worship to God, we will be, "found wanting in the balance."
With God. I used to get so annoyed in the mornings on the way to work seeing men that worked on Wall Street reading the NY Times on the train with the paper all in other's faces. I wanted to snatch that paper and shout in their faces. Did you pray this morning?"
God loves us with unconditional love regardless of the many offensive things we have done and still do against Him, and daily He forgives us and provides us with benefits of healings.
In my mind's eye, it's only right that our response to Him should be Lord, Your Scripture speaks volumes of truth, and Your people chose to obey Your law.
Teach us how to trust You, Father God, and heal our lives, so our hearts will be open to receive the blessings You have for us...In Jesus Name, and for Your Glory. Amen
Rosa: United States
Why is it so difficult for our educators and society, in general, to understand that love and respect for one another taught from a young age can solve much of the world's hostility and social problems!
"Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it" (Prov 22:6).
Love is the answer!
True loyalty springs from the heart and is wrapped in love. It is often in our most private moments that true loyalty, or the lack of it, is made known.
Sharing the
Message Of Jesus
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Samuel L Mills
PO Box 4456
Maryville, TN 37802