Legal Code - Civil Code in Exodus: The Law of Testimony

The Law of Testimony (Exodus 23:1-9) – Justice and truth are not subjective. Our words and course of action should not be dictated by who is in the situation. The testimony of our words in the works of our hands should not be influenced by our emotional Involvement in the situation for our attachment to the people Involved. These verses offer insight into how and when we might be influenced to have a bias. We must learn to recognize and control our natural tendency to so:

• “Perjury” Principle (Exodus 21:1) – God told the Israelites not to take the stand in a court of law and bear false witness. Doing so, was to join in the wrongdoing of another. When we use dishonest words to aid the wrong of another we have joined their offense. Our words must be honest, always. Whether we are speaking against friend or foe, our testimony must be true.

• “Peer Pressure” Principle (Exodus 23:2) – God told the Israelites that they should neither join in the actions of the masses doing evil or allow their testimony to be influenced by what was popular. The number of people that do something does not make it right or wrong. The number of people that believe something does not make it true or untrue. Our words and actions need to be based on God's word and not on the opinion of those around us. We can easily allow our need to be accepted to pervert our perspective. There is only one opinion that matters and that is the one of our God in heaven.

• “Little Guy” Principle (Exodus 23:3) – there is a tendency to side with those who can benefit us the most. God had to tell the Israelites not to be partial against a poor man. It would have been easy for well-to-do members of society to bribe and pervert justice. Too often we can allow the voice of the less fortunate to be drowned out. Those who are in charge of justice should not even consider what they can get out of a conflict nor should they even consider this stature or position of a person in society. Each person should have their voice heard whether they are rich or poor, whether they are black or white or brown, or whether they are male or female; justice is not determined by the money and one's bank account, the color of one's skin, nor the language that they speak.

• “Omission” Principle (Exodus 23:4-5) – if a man encountered an ox or donkey belonging to his enemy and the animal was wandering away, then he would be required to return the animal to the owner. If his enemies cart flipped and pinned his enemies animal underneath of it, then he would be required to help his enemy free the animal. God did not allow the Israelites to watch bad things happen to the people they didn't get along with. God asked people to do right to their friends and to their enemies. We have an obligation to actively choose good, not simply stay away from evil.

• “Robin Hood” Principle (Exodus 23:6) – The opposite of verse three is also true. God had to tell the Israelites not to lie in order to help someone who is needy. Just because someone was economically challenged, they were still subject to the same laws and rules as everyone else. We cannot allow people to use their circumstances as an excuse for doing wrong. In doing so, we create a generation of victims and people who feel a sense of entitlement. We must not let our feelings of pity pervert or sense of justice.

• “You Can Run, but You Can't Hide” Principle (Exodus 23:7) – God told the Israelites not to kill the innocent or the righteous. He told them that if they threw someone else under the bus he would not quit the guilty. We can get someone else to take the fall and to think that that will get us off the hook, but we have a God in heaven who knows all. He will not leave the guilty unpunished. We must not fool ourselves into thinking that we can get away with wrong. We can fool the courts, we can fool our friends, we can even fool ourselves, but we cannot fool God.

• “Sell Your Soul” Principle (Exodus 23:8) – God told the judges of Israel never to take a bribe. Justice cannot be bought by the highest bidder. We must not let our decisions be swayed by any outside influence. Money, emotions, or relationships should not influence our view when judging between two people. Our God does not judge with partiality, nor should we.

• “ET” Principle ( Exodus 23:9) – God commanded the Israelites to treat foreigners fairly when judging them in a court of law. God reminded them that they were just strangers in Egypt to remind them of what it was like to be treated unfairly. We have a tendency to show favor to those who are closest to us and who we know the best. We tend to give them the benefit of the doubt and automatically assume that the other person must be wrong. We must do our best to ensure those outside of our circles get the same treatment as those who we are closest to.

Legal Code - Civil Code in Exodus: The Law of Virgins

The Law of Virgins (Exodus 22:16-17) – If a man and woman had sex before they were married it created a number of problems, not only in their own lives, but in the lives of the families as well. God's rules concerning this issue gives us two principles that help us navigate situations in which one person's choices and actions violate and hurt another:

• “Made Your Bed” Principle (Exodus 22:16) – The first thing God said when a man had sex with a woman outside of wedlock was that he would be responsible to pay the dowry and take her as his wife. He was not allowed to take certain benefits without also taking on the responsibilities. The father was to get paid for the violation that was made against his family. People should live with the consequences of their actions and just because they did not like the road their choices are going down doesn't give them the right to turn back and abandon the people they have violated. This principle is a good basis for things like child support, etc.

• “Take a Hike” Principle (Exodus 22:17) – God also allowed the father to step in and say “no” to the marriage. He did not lose that right simply because his daughter and this man tried to bypass his authority (this would likely be an extreme case, as the likelihood of finding here another suitor would be slim to none). In this situation the man who violated the woman's father would have to pay the dowry, but walk away with no wife. The father got his choice and the man had to pay up (though now he would not be responsible as the husband). We need to ensure we give back the rights of the one who is violated if at all possible without stripping all of the consequences of the wrong-doer.

Legal Code - Civil Code in Exodus: The Law of Possession

The Law of Possession (Exodus 22:1-15) – There has always been people who would rather take what belongs to another rather than work hard and earn. There has also always been those who would like to push off responsibility and consequences of choices onto another. This law gives us great principles on how to handle these types of people and what sort of consequences they should face:

• “Payback” Principle (Exodus 22:1) – Someone who was found guilty of stealing animals paid back the person they stole from five oxen per ox stolen and four sheep per sheep stolen. This law put a high price on theft and would make someone really reconsider the idea of taking what was not theirs. They would have to have a very good success rate in there thieving with this law in place, even with three successful heists a thief would lose out if they got caught on a fourth attempt. Getting caught the first time would set someone back for a long time. We need to consider putting a high price and consequence on those who take what is not theirs, if we do not we make it easier for them to consider it as an option. Systems should be set in place that make it difficult to choose wrong and easier to choose right.

• “Forced Hand” Principle (Exodus 22:2) – If a thief were killed in the act of stealing then then the one who struck him would not be considered guilty. There are times when people are forced into a course of action that they would not under normal circumstances choose. Before casting judgment, we need to take into consideration what influences in the heat of the moment might have caused such decisions or courses of action because sometimes people are caught between a rock and a hard place do to someone else's poor choices.

• “Vengeance is Mine” Principle (Exodus 22:3) – If a thief had stolen something and the rightful owner found him after the fact and killed him, then the owner would be guilty of murder. While we understand that in the heat of the moment things can get out of control, that does not give the person who is wrong to take justice into their own hands. Peace and justice must be sought, but it can not be the responsibility of each individual to do what he or she thinks is right. People must seek and follow the systems of justice that are in place or anarchy will ensue.

• “Red-handed” Principle (Exodus 22:4) – If a thief were caught with stolen animals still alive in his possession then the restitution was only double instead of the 4-5 times prescribed in verse one. The reason that the thief might still have the animal might be that he was having 2nd thoughts or simply did not have someone to sell it to. Those who would be apart of a professional racket would likely be able to move the animals quickly. Whatever the case may be the bulk of the damage had not been done and restitution would be much easier than if the animals had been killed or sold. This resulted in a lighter penalty for the thief. Again we want there to be a consequence for wrong, but if proper restitution can be made easily then we need not bury someone for their offense.

• “Grass is Always Greener” Principle (Exodus 22:5) – If a man let his pasture be grazed bare and let his animal go and eat his neighbor's crops then he would have to replace the best of his own produce. When we knowingly use and abuse other people's property we should be called not only to replace what we destroyed, but we should replace it with something better. This again makes us consider our actions before we decide to abuse our relationships for personal gain.

• “Smokey the Bear” Principle (Exodus 22:6) – If a man started a fire and it got out of control and burned a neighbor's crops or field then the man who started the fire is responsible to make restitution. We need to understand that our actions can and do affect others in a negative way. Even when if it was an accident when it is the direct result of a person's actions then that person should be called to make restitution.

• “Middle Man” Principle (Exodus 22:7) – If a thief stole property from someone who was taking care of it for someone else then the thief is still responsible to pay double to the original owner. Our systems of justice need to simplify situations to their component parts. This law removed the middle man and placed responsibility back where it belonged and removed the factors that were complicating the situation, but not changing the responsibility. We too need to do our best to not over complicate situations when it comes to bringing about justice.

• “Accomplice” Principle (Exodus 22:8) – If a thief stole property from a person who was taking care of it for his neighbor and the thief could not be caught then the one who was taking care of the property would appear before judges to determine if he could have been involved. When something fishy happens we should have a system in place by which justice can be found or by which false accusations can be cleared. This would give the one who had the property stolen piece of mind that the situation was investigated and the one who was taking care of said property a clear name if there was no foul play.

• “He Said, She Said” Principle (Exodus 22:9) – When there is a discrepancy over property and the two parties accused the other of stealing then the two parties would appear before the judges. The judges would determine who was telling the truth and the other party would not only lose the property the consequence would be that of stealing and would have to pay double. We need to make sure that after truth is discovered that we not stop there, but we finish the job by ensuring that justice is served and the full payment is met. The situation does not end with discovering who is telling the truth. That just determines who is guilty and what the consequence should be. The sentence must then be carried out.

• “Benefit of the Doubt” Principle (Exodus 22:10-11) – When a neighbor was given an animal to take care of and the animal was injured, ran off, or was killed then that neighbor and the owner would have to take an oath before the Lord and the neighbor would not have to make restitution and the owner would accept the oath and eat his loss. If there is not substantial evidence to indicate otherwise, then we must assume the best of each other and not create issues where there is not reason to. When we lose something important we feel the need to have something or someone to blame and sometimes we must accept that accidents happen and avoid casting blame.

• “State Farm” Principle (Exodus 22:12) – If a neighbor agreed to take care of an animal and it was stolen while under his care, then he would have to make restitution to the owner. This would insure that if someone agreed to care for someone's property that they would do there best to ensure that it was not taken. It would also keep someone from borrowing property and letting it get stolen by someone else to make a profit. This would prevent fraudulent schemes from being developed. We too need to take seriously the responsibilities we agree to. We also need to create a system that prevents people from being able to successfully take from one another.

• “One-Armed Man” Principles (Exodus 22:13) – If the property was not stolen, but was killed by a wild animal then the neighbor would need to bring the animal as evidence. This again kept people from setting up a racket. If they were unable to show that the animal had been killed then they had no proof that it had not been stolen. We have established that as individuals we need to give people the benefit of the doubt, but we also need to have systems in place that keep people from getting off too easily by lying and never having to answer for questionable behavior.

• “Ask First” Principle (Exodus 22:14) – If someone borrowed an animal from there neighbor and the owner was not present, if something happened to the animal then the one who borrowed it would be responsible to make restitution to the owner. When we use the property of another we need to treat it as our own. If we cannot return it in is original condition then we must return something of equal value. If we allow people to damage others' property with no liability then we discourage sharing, relationship, and responsibility.

• “Proper Supervision” Principle (Exodus 22:15) – If someone borrowed something and the owner was present to watch the animal injured or killed, then the borrower would not have been liable. The owner was responsible to stop any conduct or behavior that would have resulted in the damaging of the property. This kept an owner from charging for a hire and then getting new goods. Again this kept a system from developing that would have preyed upon those who could not afford to have a lot.

Legal Code - Civil Code in Exodus: The Law of Premeditation

The Law of Premeditation (Exodus 21:12-36) – There is a lot in our own legal system today that is derived from the principles contained in this section of Scripture. God differentiated between actions that were done in a manner that were deduced and planned versus mistakes that were made in the heat of the moment; while both had consequences the punishment for premeditated wrong was greater. Lets break this passage into section and take a look at some of its component pieces. I think there are three major sections: capitol crimes, striking laws, and goring laws:

Capitol Crimes (Exodus 21:12-17) – This is a list of particular violations of law that warranted a death sentence. These give us an idea of what type of sin is a grievous offense in the eyes of God. Let us take a look at these verses to see if we cannot draw some conclusions on what God values greatly:

• Premeditated Murder (Exodus 21:12-14) – We can see that God differentiated between murder that was planned an thought out and a crime of passion. There was not excuse for plotting the extermination of another human life. This law shows us that God views human life in extremely high regard. The taking of life is not something to take lightly. In the same way we need to highly value human life in all of the decisions we make.

• Striking a Parent (Exodus 21:15) – God established the foundation of society as the family back in Exodus 20:12 and a violation of this law is a direct at the foundation that God laid. In our 21st century mindset this seems to be harsh, but you cannot turn on your television and how the Enemy has decimated our view of the family. We must begin to establish how important the family is once again, after all it is the picture that God used to represent his relationship to the church (cp. Ephesians 5:22ff). When we attack the family we are attacking the foundation on which God meant for us to function successfully.

• Kidnapping (Exodus 21:16) - This is another command that shows the importance of people and relationships in the eyes of God. Taking a human being away from someone is different than stealing their ox. We must make sure that we are not doing things to purposely sabotage the relationships of others. We must also never let ourselves look at people as objects that we have the right to take.

• Cursing a Parent (Exodus 21:17) – Again touching upon the importance of family as the foundation of society, God went a step further to say it is not only if you act out against this that upsets Him, but even if you speak against what He holds dear will He be displeased. We must watch our mouths because when we speak words against what God has set apart as holy and important we have committed a very grievous offense.

Striking Laws (Exodus 21:18-27) – This section contains a number of situations that give insight into how we are to handle conflict between people and who is responsible for what and when:

• “Live with Your Mistake” Principle (Exodus 21:18-19) – If during a heated exchange one person struck another and did not kill them, they would have pay for their loss of pay and take care of them until they were better. This principle not only put the fiscal responsibility on a person for their actions, but also forced a repairing of the relationship. God is not just interested in people suing one another to get money to bring about justice. He wants justice to make right relationships.

• “But He Started it” Principle (Exodus 21:20-21) – If a slave were to be disobedient and were to be beaten excessively and killed the master would face punishment, but if the slave were not to die then then the master was not be punished. God placed the bulk of responsibility on the person who started the conflict. Remember that servants were EXTREMELY valuable and a master would not just senselessly beat and kill one unless he really enjoyed being poor. It is safe to assume that this punishment would have resulted from major disobedience and disrespect.

• “Stand Up for the Little Guy” Principle (Exodus 21:22) – If a pregnant woman was struck and gave birth early and the baby was okay the offender would be fined. I anything else happened then the unborn child was treated just like a person. We can see here how God treasures and values an unborn baby.

• “Scales of Justice” Principle (Exodus 21:23-25) – Judges were called upon to appoint punishments that fit the crime. In other words, someone was not to pay for stealing with their life, maybe only a limb. At the same time rape and murder should result in something more than a fine. We must make sure as we choose penalties that they are in accordance with the level of grievousness of the crime.

• “Excessive Force” Principle (Exodus 21:26-27) – These verses place limits on the level of punishment the master was allowed apply to his slaves. You can see if an eye or a tooth was injured then the slave would have to be set free. This would make the master think a little more carefully of where and how hard he struck his servant. God is for punishment for wrong doing, but limits it and wants to sure it is done purposefully and not simply out of anger.

Goring Laws (Exodus 21:28-36) – The goring laws provide some excellent principles on responsibility and awareness. Once again we will see that this falls under the Law of Premeditation in that it reinforces the idea that there should be a higher penalty for one that should have know better :

• “Accidents Happen” Principle (Exodus 21:28) – If an ox killed someone and had never shown behavior like that before than the owner would not be punished. The animal would still be put to death, but the owner would not deal with any other consequence then the death of his animal. We need to have little grace when unforeseen circumstances happen. When judging someone's level of responsibility in a given situation we must consider the chance that it was accidental and that there was no neglect or malice in their heart.

• “No Feasting While Grieving” Principle (Exodus 21:28b) – The person whose animal killed another person was not to eat the flesh of the animal because this would result in a feast/ celebration while the family of the deceased was still mourning the loss of their loved one. We need to be aware that even if it was accidental our actions do hurt others. While we may not be punished heavily for those accidents we need not compound the hurt that exists and need to do our best to console the other party.

• “Repeat Offender” Principle (Exodus 21:29) – If an ox had shown previous behavior of goring (probably other animals, if it were people the animal would be dead) and killed a person then the owner would be held responsible to pay a heavy penalty. We need to understand that accidents happen, but we we also need to recognize patterns of irresponsibility and neglect. People need to be aware of the things they are in charge of as well as their own individual choices. We can not allow people to constantly hide behind excuses and play victim.

• “Partial Pardon” Principle (Exodus 21:30-32) – Instead of having the owner of the ox killed the offended party could demand a ransom or payment instead. This allowed for the offended party to offset some of the burden or strain caused on the family, while showing grace toward the one who was responsible. We in the same way need to be ready to punish him who his at fault, but leaving a door of grace to the offended is always a good option.

• “You Break it, You Buy it” Principle (Exodus 21:33-34a, 36a) – If someone were to dig a pit and and leave it open and another man's animal fell into it then the man who dug the pit would have to purchase the dead animal from the its owner. When someone does something that results in loss to another person we need to make sure they make restitution.

• “Don't Kick Them While Their Down” Principle (Exodus 21:34b; 36b) - It is worth noting that the man who made the mistake does get the dead animal, so that he can at least get something out of the deal. In the same way while restitution has to be made, we do not get to use that as an excuse to overburden or cheat someone.

• “Split the Difference” Principle (Exodus 21:35) – If and ox, who had not shown violent behavior before, attacked and killed another ox then the two owners would each split the two animals. They would each get half the money for the live one and then they would divide the meat of the dead one. Again accidents happen and rather than burden some one for something they could not of seen coming splitting the consequence between the two parties softened the blow for each of them.

Legal Code - Civil Code in Exodus: The Law of Servants

The Law of Servants (Exodus 21:1-11) – It is important to understand that in the biblical world slavery and having servants did not operate in the way that we think of slavery. In the biblical world it was much more like employment than it it was subduing people and placing them in bondage because of race or heritage. These verses offer us some very good guidelines to consider when entering into any sort of contractual agreement:

• “Up Front” Principle (Exodus 21:2) – You can see here that this slavery is different than we are accustomed to. The “slave” worked for six years and then was free to leave thereafter. During that time period he and his family (if he had one) would be taken care of. The terms of this agreement and there termination were firmly established from the outset.

• “Table” Principle (Exodus 21:3) – If a man brings a wife with him into the contractual agreement then he would leave with her, if not then the wife he took during the six years of employment he would not get to take. This was a protection to the employer that did not allow me to join his clan for a time and then siphon off workers that he need to survive. In the same way any agreement we make should not leave one side with a clear disadvantage. What you bring to the table is what you leave with.

• “Responsibility/ Reward” Principle (Exodus 21:4) – If a male servant was given a wife during his years of service any children that were born through the relationship belonged to the master. The master was the one who fed the woman and would be responsible for providing of the children, it would be unfair if his servant could run off with his workers that he would need to care for his land and flocks. Again this protected the master from having his workers be able to run off with what he had spent his life time building.

• “Choice/ Cost” Principle (Exodus 21:5-6) – After the six year service period, if the servant got along with his master and loved his wife and children and had no desire to be released from the contract he was under then he could renew his commitment for a life time. This allowed for flexibility in both parties to win. A master could get a good worker for a life time and the servant had the choice to stay in the situation if he felt it was the best situation for him.

• “Used Car” Principle (Exodus 21:7-8a) – The situation here was that a man would sell his daughter or a female slave to another man. Then there was something that the master disliked about the woman and would like to sell it back to her original owner or father, he had to do it at the same price or a higher price (the word “redeemed” is specific). This kept a dad from selling his daughters repeatedly and then buying them back at a “used” price to spin a profit. In the same way, we can never look at the relationships God gives us as a way for sordid gain. The person always has to be more important than the price.

• “Buy Domestic” Principle (Exodus 21:8b) – A man was not able to sell his daughter or female slave outside of the people of Israel. It was important that people not become a pawn or a brokering chip in a contractual agreement in order to satisfy someone's greed. We need to realize that the agreements that we make need to be based on not only what is good for us, what is good for the other party, but what is good for the those around us who are a part of our daily lives.

• “In Law” Principle (Exodus 21:9) – A master could allow his son to marry a female servant, but in doing so she would be elevated to the status of a daughter and would gain a certain number of rights. This was a protection for the woman not to simply be used by the family. We need to make sure that we are not heaping responsibilities on people without giving them the proper privilege and reward that goes with it.

• “Buzz Lightyear” Principle (Exodus 21:10-11) – When a man took on a new wife (God never condoned this, but did regulate it) he was not allowed to neglect his old one. She still good fed, clothed, and the right to bear children. If he was not willing to do this see was free to seek another husband. We can often get enamored with the new and exciting thing, but we must realize that in taking on new responsibilities we must not neglect the old.

Legal Code - Civil Code in Exodus: The Law of Altars

The Law of Altars (Exodus 20:22-26) – This law gives us incredible insight in how we are to approach God in worship. It has often been said that God is only concerned with the heart of the person coming to Him. While this is probably the most important component of a successful worship time it certainly is not all that God is looking for. Let us take a closer look at this passage to glean some valuable principles on approaching God in worship:

• “God Rules” Principle (Exodus 20:22) – This principle is simple, but quit profound. God told the Israelites that He was setting parameters for worship. This was not Moses being legalistic and putting God in some sort of box. This was God saying, “This is how I am to be praised”.

• “World Values” Principle (Exodus 20:23-24a) – God not only that they would have no other gods, but that they would not make them our of silver or gold. He the told them to make him an altar of earth. We might think, but God is so much more deserving than a pile of dirt or rocks, the altar should be made out of silver and gold. God is not interested in having what is “nice” by the world standards, He does not want us to do what we think is good, He wants us to do what He told us (He would later have articles of the tabernacle out of gold, but the initial command was to not).

• “There's a Point” Principles (Exodus 20:24b) – God said they were to bring burnt offerings and peace offerings. We haven't covered the offerings yet, but neither of these offerings deal with sin. The burnt offerings deal with commitment and surrender and the peace offering has to do with bringing balance back to the relationship between a person and God. We sometimes think of worship as a an emotional experience that we have or think of it a time when we receive from God. While these are both true God was anticipating a surrender of EVERY area of our hearts and that we would bring to Him a portion of the blessing He had placed in our hands.

• “Out of Shape” Principle (Exodus 20:25) – God not only told the Israelites to make an altar out of rock and stone, but told them that they were not allowed to dress the stones. We should not try to take the things that God places in our hands for His glory and try to make them “better”. Too often, we have the audacity to think that we can create a more effective way to accomplish the purposes of God with something other than simple obedience.

• “Cover Up” Principle (Exodus 20:26) – In a day and age where we saunter into worship God in tennis shoes with coffee cup in hand, this principle needs to ring loud. God said if you show your ankle in my presence you have violated my altar. It is true that God is not interested in outward appearance in the sense that you cannot win Him over without surrendering your heart, but the way we approach Him does reflect what is going on inside. We should be very careful in how we enter into worship.

Legal Code - Civil Code in Exodus: The Ten Commandments

We often use the ten commandments as a baseline for what we have to do in the sight of our God, but this line of think has been contorted into if we just keep the ten commandment then God will be happy with us. While it is true that the Ten Commandments were foundational to the other laws that were to be given to Moses, as Gentile believers we don't actually keep them nor are we expected to (this is why you will see God tell the Jews to keep the Sabbath in Hebrews 4:1ff and tell the Gentiles not to worry about it in Colossians 2:16). In fact, every week we violate the letter of the fourth commandment every week. Sabbath has always and will always be Friday at sundown until Saturday at Sundown.

There is still an incredible value to the understanding the principles behind the commands that were the foundation for the standard of living that God called His people to. Let us take a look at the ten commandments and driving principles behind them:

1. “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3) – This is really more general than idolatry, as the second commandment will develop that idea more fully. This is the idea that there are no gods besides God. That there is no god of the trees or god of the seas. God is Creator and Owner of the all. We need to remember that all exists in the world was created by Him and belongs to Him. When we exalt those above Him or think that we should have a say in how He handles His creation we have violated this command.

2. “You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water underneath earth. You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord God am a jealous God, visiting iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing loving kindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments (Exodus 20:4-6) – This is command goes beyond totem poles and household idols and might be one of the most violated commands in churches around the world. We are called by this commandment to not fashion a god or God of our own making. This includes creating a God that bears the name “Jesus Christ”, but is not the God that is found in the pages of Scripture at all.

3. “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain” (Exodus 20:7) – This commandment is much more than phrases that come out of mouths (though those are included). God must become so uncommon in our eyes that even the mention of His name is not something that we take lightly. God is holy and unlike anything or anyone else in the universe and should be approached as such. We must be careful to not let God become an old hat in our hearts and lives.

4. “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. For in the in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and made it holy” (Exodus 20:8-11) – The Lord did not allow for people to work everyday of the week. He commanded them to take a day away from trying to get ahead. He also did not allow for children or servants to work on that day (this kept a master from having a rotation that allowed him to have workers going constantly). This command goes beyond just needing rest, but giving up control of trying to provide for oneself and placing it in the hands of God. There is a value to acknowledging that we cannot provide everything for ourselves.

5. “Honor your father and mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you” (Exodus 20:12) – The interesting thing about the commandment is the second half. God was not only giving a command that would advise children to be obedient, but established the family as the foundation to society. The command was linked to the outcome to teach us that we must be careful because if Satan wants to tear apart the society he just needs to go after the family.

6. “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13) – Jesus interpreted this command in Matthew 5:21ff. Jesus said that when God first gave this command He was trying to get across that our relationship one to another and having unity with each other is VERY important to Him. To allow for strife and anger to dwell on our hearts while we bring offerings and worship to the Lord is a violation of the sixth commandment. The point of this command is not just to not kill , but to understand that we need to value people.

7. “You shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14) – This is another one that Jesus interpreted for us in Matthew . Jesus wanted us to see that point of the seventh commandment was that not only should we be concerned with what we do with our bodies, but with what goes on in our hearts; that we should be content in the relationships the Lord has given to us and not desire what the Lord has not given to us.

8. “You shall not steal” (Exodus 20:15) – This eighth commandment is similar to the the seventh in that at its core in deals with contentment. We need to be content with the things that God has placed in our life. The desire to take the possession of someone else is rooted in feeling that one should have more than God has given. The desire for more is not dependent on the amount of one's stuff, the richest people can still be greedy and the poorest person can choose not to take what is not theirs.

9. “You shall not not bear false witness against your neighbor” (Exodus 20:16) – The principle here is a standard of truth. When dealing with others we cannot be influenced by our relationship or by selfish motive. The standard of truth cannot be compromised for any reason.

10. “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 belongs to him (Exodus 20:17) – The last of three contentment commandments is directed at the heart. The other specified actions, but this one goes after the desire of a person. God is clearly concerned with more than just actions, but the thought ans emotions of a person. We must realize that we are not only to control our actions, but our thoughts and emotions. The Lord expects us to show gratitude for all that He has given us, our home, or relationships, and our stuff.