Wednesday Oct 15, 2025
Holy Living - The Ten Commandments
Moses and the Israelites arrived at Mount Sinai (the mountain of God, Mount Horeb) in the desert wilderness in the third month after leaving Egyptian slavery. Moses and the Israelites encamped in the desert at Mount Sinai for almost one year with the LORD (Yahweh, also known as Jehovah) instructing and teaching them (giving of the Torah or the Law of God) through His servant Moses for the rest of the book of Exodus, all of the book of Leviticus, and up to Numbers chapter 10. Moses first met the LORD at the flaming fiery bush at Mount Sinai (Horeb) while living in Midian with his father-in-law, Jethro. The LORD promised Moses that he would return to Mount Sinai with the Israelites after He delivered Israel from Egyptian slavery.
From Mount Sinai, the living Sovereign LORD God, who is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, came and descended on top of Mount Sinai to speak His Ten Commandments and proclaim the Sinaitic covenant through His servant Moses from His Glory Cloud. The Ten Commandments are also known as “two tablets of the covenant law,” “tablets of stone,” “ark of the covenant law,” “the ten words,” and “Decalogue,” and they are the heart of the LORD’s moral Law written by the LORD’s finger for all generations to obey. This great covenant was renewed at Exodus chapter 34, the entire book of Deuteronomy, Joshua chapter 24, and became the new covenant implanted inside our hearts by the Holy Spirit through faith in Christ Jesus. The essence of the Mount Sinai covenant commanded our wholehearted love with allegiance, faithfulness, and obedience to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as our only true God and King and also commanded love and mercy with kindness towards one another. The entire earth belongs to the living Sovereign LORD God of heaven and earth.
Notably, the Mount Sinai covenant was not about salvation because the LORD had already saved and redeemed Israel by His grace from evil Egyptian slavery according to His previous covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Mount Sinai covenant was the LORD’s instructions for holy living and living a wise life pleasing to Him. The LORD commanded Israel, as His firstborn son, how to humbly live and also to instruct the world about His commandments as a holy nation and kingdom of priests. The Ten Commandments are the most important obligations of the LORD’s eternal covenant because they express the LORD’s core spiritual and ethical principles.
In the Mount Sinai desert, the living Sovereign LORD God called Moses to come to Him, and He instructed Moses to declare to the Israelites (the house of Jacob) that He had providentially cared for and carried the Israelites on eagles’ wings by His grace and brought them to Himself after defeating evil Pharaoh and the Egyptians. Then, the LORD declared to Moses and the Israelites that if they obeyed His voice and kept His eternal covenant, then they would be “a special treasure” to Him above all the people of the earth, and they would become to Him “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” to the world. The living Sovereign LORD God is holy, and He commanded Israel and the nations to faithfully obey Him and follow His holy and honest ways, which lead to His blessings and a holy life. Amazingly, the living Sovereign LORD God through His Son Christ Jesus has now commanded the new Israel (the church with Jews and Gentiles united) to continue His message by living holy lives and also proclaiming His moral message as His holy priests to the world. Christ Jesus is the Ruler of the world, who loved us and washed us clean from our sins by His precious blood, making believers in Him (the church) also kings and priests to His Holy Father, to obey and proclaim God’s holy message to the world.
So, Moses called the people of Israel and the Israelite elders together and presented them with words commanded from the LORD, and the people agreed to obey the LORD’s words. The LORD told Moses that He would come and speak to him face to face from His Glory Cloud, so the people would hear Him speak to Moses and trust in Moses’ teaching as a covenant mediator. Next, the LORD commanded Moses to instruct the people and the priests to consecrate (sanctify) themselves and wash their clothes because He would be appearing at Mount Sinai on the third day. Ultimately, the living Sovereign LORD God is the One who sanctifies us and makes us holy. Also, the LORD instructed Moses to place boundaries around Mount Sinai and warn the people not to touch or come up the mountain because He would be appearing from His Glory Cloud. On the third day, the living Sovereign LORD God Almighty visibly appeared in His Glory Cloud above Mount Sinai with roars of great thunder, lightning flashes, fiery black smoke, and loud trumpet blasts. In the Holy Bible, flames of fire symbolize the presence of God and His glorious power.
From Mount Sinai, the living Sovereign LORD God spoke to the people and then wrote His eternal Ten Commandments (covenant, ten words, Decalogue) on two tablets so the people would behave and live holy lives. The living Sovereign LORD God did not want His people following the evil and deceptive world philosophies and human legalism that lead to death, bondage, and God’s wrath. In the New Testament, Christ Jesus and His disciples affirmed and taught the same commandments of God for holy and righteous living that pleases the LORD and brings His divine blessings. Loving and honoring the living Sovereign LORD God and keeping His commandments means living a blameless life and also reveals our divine wisdom and understanding that brings God’s long life. Sadly, Satan and his lawless workers of evil attack those who obey the commandments of God, but everyone who remains wholeheartedly faithful with obedience to the LORD and His commandments will be saved and enter God’s Kingdom.
First, the living Sovereign LORD God spoke in the midst of His Glory Cloud from Mount Sinai (Horeb) to Moses and the Israelites, saying that He is the LORD their God who, by His grace, redeemed and saved them from the evil bondage and slavery of Egypt. The LORD commanded the people to have no other gods before Him. The living Sovereign LORD God forbids idolatry or worshipping other gods in the Old and New Testaments. The LORD’s first commandment demands exclusive worship and loyalty to Him as the only true God and King. The living Sovereign LORD God must be forever praised and worshipped as LORD.
Second, the living Sovereign LORD God spoke and commanded the people never to make an idol or other images to bow down and worship. The LORD (Yahweh, also known as Jehovah) is a jealous God and a consuming fire, and only He must be served and worshipped as the only eternal God and King from generation to generation with wholehearted faithfulness, obedience, and allegiance. Anyone who worships or bows down to another god will be punished and cursed by the LORD. The living Sovereign LORD God Almighty reigns with His Son Christ Jesus the Lamb as One as the eternal King of kings and LORD of lords of the universe. Also, the living Sovereign LORD God demands our first love and devotion to Him, and He pictures His relationship with the people as a Husband with a marriage covenant of faithfulness.
Third, the living Sovereign LORD God spoke and commanded that no one misuse or profane His Name. The LORD God will not hold anyone innocent or guiltless who disrespects and dishonors His Name in vain with lies, cursing, profanity, and swearing. Christ Jesus also taught that dishonoring the living Sovereign LORD God means swearing falsely and lying under oath. The living Sovereign LORD God is Truth without lies, and He commands everyone to keep His Name with the highest honor, respect, and honesty. Any misuse and disrespect of the LORD’s Name brings God’s wrath and punishment into their lives.
Fourth, the living Sovereign LORD God spoke and commanded everyone to remember and honor the Sabbath day by keeping the Sabbath day holy with reverence, rest, and worship to Him as LORD. The living Sovereign LORD God also rested on the Sabbath or seventh day after creating the heavens and earth, and He commanded the people to follow His example by resting on the Sabbath. The Sabbath day was made for the world’s good and well-being so humans, their families, servants, and animals’ bodies, souls, and minds could rest, recover, and heal after six days of working and labor. Besides, the LORD has given everyone six days in a week but requires one day as a sacrifice to honor and worship Him. Here is more Good News: Christ Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath, providing everyone with Sabbath rest, spiritual recovery, nourishment, and salvation (healing) for those who look to Him with faithful trust and obedience as Lord and Savior. In addition, believers of Christ Jesus worship on Sunday, the first day of the week, as the Lord’s day or Sabbath, to rejoice and celebrate Christ Jesus’s resurrection and the rest He gives to everyone who looks to Him in faithful obedience every week.
Fifth, the living Sovereign LORD God commanded the people always to respect and honor their mother and father. The living Sovereign LORD God promised long life and wellness to those who honor, obey, and respect Him as our Heavenly Father and their father and mother with love and care. However, the LORD declared that cursing, disobeying, or attacking one’s parents with harm and anger leads to His wrath and an early death. In the New Testament, Christ Jesus and the New Testament writers reaffirmed the fifth commandment and taught everyone that they must also honor and respect their father and mother. In addition, parents are commanded to train and instruct their children in the ways and commands of the LORD. However, parents must never abuse, mistreat, or provoke their children with wrath and anger, as this will lead to discouragement.
Sixth, the living Sovereign LORD God spoke and commanded the people not to murder or kill another human with deliberate intent to harm and anger. The living Sovereign LORD God first gave this command against anger and murder to Cain and Noah in the Old Testament, and Christ Jesus and the New Testament writers reaffirmed the sixth commandment against anger and murder. Murder starts from the heart and includes Satan’s evil thoughts and dark fruit of anger, malice, hatred, prejudice, division, rage, unforgiveness, and vengeance. The Holy Bible states that anyone who intentionally kills and murders experiences God’s wrath and punishment.
Seventh, the living Sovereign LORD God spoke and commanded the people not to commit adultery with sexual relations outside the bonds of holy matrimony between a man and woman. Adultery is a sin against God and your spouse. Marriage is a spiritual covenant between a man and a woman, with the LORD joining them together as one holy body as husband and wife. In the New Testament, Christ Jesus and the New Testament writers reaffirmed the seventh commandment because sexual sins, lust, and fornication harm you and your physical and spiritual body. Adultery includes Satan’s dark deeds and evil fruit such as affairs, flirtation, lewdness, unfaithfulness, infidelity, and fornication. The Holy Bible states that anyone who commits adultery and sexual sins experiences God’s wrath and death.
Eight, the living Sovereign LORD God spoke and commanded the people not to steal, rob, or cheat others of their possessions and belongings. In the New Testament, Christ Jesus and the New Testament writers affirmed the eighth commandment and taught everyone not to harm others through stealing and robbing but rather to work hard and care for one’s family and those in need. Stealing includes such Satan’s evil fruits and dark deeds as shoplifting, embezzlement, kidnapping, human trafficking, burglary, robbery, theft, fraud, larceny, mugging, Ponzi schemes, and scams.
Ninth, the living Sovereign LORD God spoke and commanded the people not to tell lies and bear false witness against their neighbor. In the New Testament, Christ Jesus and the New Testament writers reaffirmed the ninth commandment and taught everyone to pursue truth and turn away from Satan’s deceit, false testimony, and falsehood. Lying includes such evil deeds of Satan as dishonesty, deceit, deception, falsehood, and trickery because Satan and his false prophets are liars, murderers, and deceivers. Those who walk in Satan’s falsehood and lies will not enter God’s Kingdom.
Tenth, the living Sovereign LORD God commanded the people not to covet, envy, or desire another’s house, spouse, employees, or other possessions that belong to their neighbor. In the New Testament, Christ Jesus and the New Testament writers affirmed the tenth commandment and taught everyone not to covet, envy, or crave possessions, money, and greed, particularly as He instructed the rich young ruler not to be greedy. In fact, Christ Jesus taught about money, materialism, and greed during His public ministry because He knew that money and possessions can easily become one’s god or idol. Also, envy and covetousness encompass inward heart desires and dark deeds, including jealousy, resentment, greed, selfishness, discontentment, spite, and bitterness. The living Sovereign LORD God has called everyone to live a thankful, joyful, and grateful heart with contentment, knowing that He is our faithful Good Shepherd who always provides for our needs and is with us as we humbly seek Him and His Kingdom with dependent faith and continual prayers.
After speaking His eternal commandments, the people witnessed the great thunder, lightning flashes, and trumpet blasts, along with fiery dark smoke from Mount Sinai, where the living Sovereign LORD God came and spoke to them within His Glory Cloud. The people trembled with fear at Mount Sinai after hearing and seeing the LORD’s Presence, and they requested a mediator so Moses could speak to them. Moses encouraged the people not to be afraid but to always fear and trust the living Sovereign LORD God and His commandments so they can turn away from sinful living. In fact, the Holy Bible teaches that the essence of biblical wisdom is to fear and love the living Sovereign LORD God and obey His commandments.
Next, the living Sovereign LORD God wrote His Ten Commandments (Decalogue) with His finger on two stone tablets, and He gave them to Moses for all generations to love and wholeheartedly obey Him, His commandments, and to love one another with mercy. The living Sovereign LORD God is faithful, and promised His eternal love and mercy with His continual Holy Spirit’s Presence of Him and His Son Christ Jesus to a thousand generations to those who wholeheartedly love and worship Him and obey His commandments. Here is the Good News: the living Sovereign LORD God promises that Satan and his lawless workers of evil will not enter into heaven to hurt, harm, and deceive God’s people. Satan is a deceiving liar and murderer filled with falsehood and lies, and following Satan’s angry and murderous ways leads to destruction and death.
In the New Testament, Christ Jesus is the Mediator and Intercessor of the new covenant, as predicted by the Old Testament prophets. He sends the Holy Spirit through faith in Him to write the Law of God (commandments) on our hearts and minds, by the Holy Spirit, instead of stone tablets. Christ Jesus our Savior summarized the Law of God in the New Testament by commanding all people to first love the LORD our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind, and with all our strength, and second to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. According to Christ Jesus, loving the LORD our God and our neighbor with mercy and goodness is more important than all the burnt offerings, religious rituals, and ceremonies, and these two commandments summarize all the Old Testament Law and the Prophets. Christ Jesus proclaimed that His Holy Father is the living God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and everyone must love Him and His Holy Father with faithful obedience, which leads to eternal life and salvation inside God’s Kingdom. From generation to generation, the living God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has called all people to live godly and holy lives that love and honor Him and love one another with mercy, goodness, and kindness.
Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested Him (Jesus) with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:34-40.
Jesus now consecrates and sanctifies us by His Holy Spirit through faith and obedience to Him and His teaching so we can be declared holy and righteous before His Holy Father - the living Sovereign LORD God of heaven and earth. Everyone is called to turn from Satan’s sinful and dark living and set their hearts and minds to heaven above, where the living Sovereign LORD God lives with His Son Christ Jesus at His right hand interceding and praying for His faithful disciples to His Holy Father.
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. Romans 13:8-14 (NIV)
No comments yet. Be the first to say something!