Year 1, Week 10, Day 2 Bible Reading Observations

Year 1, Week 10, Day 2

I have a brief observation for today’s reading of Exodus 20-21.

Today’s reading begins the section of Exodus that pertains to the Laws that were to govern the nation of Israel. Exodus 20 presents the Ten Commandments, while Exodus 21 begins listing various case laws, which were built upon the Ten Commandments, and provide broader applications for what a just society looks like. The Laws stated in Exodus 20 are a summarization of the ethical demands of God. The case laws found in Exodus 21 and beyond provide more detailed ethical applications for the particular cultural setting in which Israel existed. While the Ten Commandments are central to the requirements of the Mosaic Covenant, which is a covenant that is not binding in light of the New Covenant (see Hebrews 8:13); nevertheless, the Ten Commandments, in reflecting the unchanging character of God, contain the moral expectation of all people, everywhere. Even beyond the Ten Commandments, the case laws provide us with much insight needed to acquire the wisdom needed to navigate a just life.

What I was struck by in today’s reading was the LORD’s loving goodness reflected in His moral requirements. The LORD’s goodness is reflected in rescuing His people from Egypt; but His goodness is also reflected in revealing His moral requirements to His people: “So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.” (Romans 7:12). The Laws that God provides are not meant to harm or restrict, but to heal and bring freedom: "The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether” (Psalm 19:7-9). Thus, “his commandments are not burdensome.” (1 John 5:3). The Law shows a just life, but also a good life.

The Ten Commandments can be considered from more than one angle. One of the things that intrigues me about the arrangement of the Ten Commandments, is the comprehensive way that they are arranged. The two broad categories that comprise the Ten Commandments pertain to our obligations to God as well as our obligations to people around us. Jesus’ summary reflects these two categories: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40). But within these two categories, I would like to suggest another structure as well. With the first five commands, which pertain to loving God well, commands one and two direct attention to our thoughts and desires, command three deals with our words, and commands four and five apply to our deeds. Then, the second five commands, which attend to loving other people well, commands six through eight apply to our deeds, command nine deals with our words, and command ten directs our attention to our thoughts and desires. The Ten Commandments pertain to all of life—our thoughts and desire, our words, and our deeds.

While the Ten Commandments were never provided as a means to earn God’s favor or to somehow master the obligations to establish ourselves as righteous before God; it seems that they are often appealed to when people consider themselves as deserving salvation. The Ten Commandments were given to show a redeemed people how to live and not how people could redeem themselves: “And God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” (Exodus 20:1-2). Israel, as the LORD’s redeemed people, were to live lawfully to honor the God who rescued them, but also to show to the other nations the goodness of God and His just Law. However, Israel will show time and time again that they will not live lawfully: “Yet they acted presumptuously and did not obey your commandments, but sinned against your rules, which if a person does them, he shall live by them, and they turned a stubborn shoulder and stiffened their neck and would not obey” (Nehemiah 9:29b-30). The Israelites, for the most part, did not have the heart desire to obey the LORD. But, as the Old Testament unfolds, the LORD begins promising a heart change would come: “the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.” (Deuteronomy 30:6). A New Covenant would come (and has come in Christ), which will change the heart disposition towards the Law: "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts.” (Jeremiah 31:33).

Rightly understanding the point of God’s law, coupled with the blessings of the New Covenant, we look at the Law of God and can say: "Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.” (Psalm 119:97).

What struck you in today’s reading? What questions were prompted from today’s reading?

Pastor Joe