GET READY
When you were growing up, what were some of the rules in your family? Were some more important than others? Were they mostly “do’s” or mostly “don’ts”? Who was the primary enforcer for the rules? What were the consequences of not following the rules?
THE WORD
20 Then God spoke all these words:
2I 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.
4 You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, 6 but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.
7 You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.
8 Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work. 10But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work — you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. 11For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it.
12Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
13You shall not murder.
14You shall not commit adultery.
15You shall not steal.
16You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
17You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
18When all the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking, they were afraid and trembled and stood at a distance, 19and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, or we will die.” 20Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid; for God has come only to test you and to put the fear of him upon you so that you do not sin.” 21Then the people stood at a distance, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was. NRSV
GET INTO THE WORD
1. How does God begin the Ten Commandments? Why is this significant for the Israelites? For us?
2. What does God say about idols? Why does he prohibit them? Why does he prohibit “wrongful use” of his name?
3. What does God say about the sabbath day? Why is it important to keep it different [See Notes]? How do you suppose the people felt about this commandment? How do you respond?
4. What does God say about family relationships? What is the promise regarding this commandment?
5. What does God say about relationships in community? Why do you think he singled out these actions? What is different about “coveting?” Why does God include it in this list of prohibitions?
GET PERSONAL
How often do you “test” or measure yourself regarding God’s covenant and promises? How does God help you understand your relationship with him?
NOTES . . .
20:1. Who brought you— God has already acted to free the Israelites from Egyptian slavery – the context of the Ten Commandments is the relationship God has already established with his people: You have seen how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession out of all the peoples, [19:4-5]. The Ten Command-ments are a description of the relationship the people should have with God (1-4) and with each other (5-10); they are not a checklist to earn a divine reward.
20:3. No other Gods before me— this is the foundation of the relationship: the Israelites need to acknowledge that Yahweh is the only God and must not put anything or anyone else in his presence (“before him”) – which would be a major shift from the many “gods” of the Egyptian pantheon.
20:4. Idol— a physical representation of a “god.” Yahweh is spirit and the Israelites need to worship him in spirit – another significant break from the practices in Egypt and most ancient cultures.
20:5. Third and fourth generation— violations of the covenant affect the entire family; but God’s love will extend forever to those who love him.
20:7. Wrongful use of the name— ancient cultures believed a person’s name was very closely linked to the person’s identity – therefore wrongful use of someone’s name could harm them. This command-ment also prevents a person from trying to use God’s power against another, and it ensures that an oath using God’s name is not frivolous.
20:8. Remember the Sabbath day— this one is totally new. “Consecration” means “set aside” or “made to be different,” God
wants his people to treat the seventh day as special – as a reminder of who created the universe and created them.
20:12. Honor your father and mother— emphasizes the importance of family to God as well as to the nation. This is the only commandment with a stated con-sequence: a long life in the promised land.
20:13. Murder— the Hebrew word usually means one person killing another, whether or not it was accidental or intentional.
20:14. Adultery— like the fifth command-ment, this is intended to protect the family – by ensuring that a husband’s children are not fathered by another man. “Adultery” refers to sexual relations with someone else’s wife, which is consistent with the culture; other laws deal with sexual misbehavior, [e.g. Deut 22:21].
20:15. Steal— the Hebrew word includes cheating as well as taking property that is not your own.
20:16. Bear false witness— this is related to the prior commandment in protecting the reputation and dignity of others, as well as ensuring truth in a legal situation.
20:17. Covet— the last commandment makes it personal and internal: “coveting” is an attitude regarding the property and belongings (including spouse, children, reputation) of another person in which the coveter views himself or herself as more important than the other person.
20:20. Test— the commandments do function as a “test” to show us whether or not we are living our lives consistent with God’s covenant – and the answer is, “No, we are not.”
Fear of him— in this context, it is to understand God’s holy and righteous character as well as his power (thunder, lightning, trumpets, smoke): The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,[Proverbs 9:10].
MEMORY VERSE
I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other Gods before me, [20:2-3].
LESSON 11
Leviticus 16: The Day of Atonement
