EXODUS CHAPTER TWENTY --------------------- THE LAW OF GOD -------------- Intro: Jesus said, "And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold." (Mat 24:12). The Greek word for iniquity is "anomia" which means lawlessness or "the condition of without law." Jesus must be speaking of God's law. Today, there is no regard for God's law. The 10 commandments have been ripped from the court houses. Men have no regard for most of them. They have kept a few such as "thou shalt not kill," but as for the rest they have trampled on. Parental control is a thing of the past. Marriage has become a joke. How is love connected to the law? Love to God is expressed by obedience to His will. Of course there has only been One who has perfectly exemplified this and He was the Lord Jesus Christ. He said in the Psalms, "I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law [is] within my heart." (Ps 40:8). And we "ought to walk even as He walked" (1Jo 2:6). LOVE AND THE LAW: Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments. Joh 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. Joh 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. Joh 15:14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 1Jo 3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. 24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us. 1Jo 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. The disappearance of love is directly connected to the disappearance of a regard for God's laws. THE NATURE OF THE LAW: The law is an expression of God's mercy, love, holiness and grace. It is for man's welfare that it was given. It was a thing that was Christ's delight. The law is spiritual: Paul said, "For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin." (Rom 7:14). There are those who will keep the "letter of the law" and not keep the "spirit of the law." The law is good: Ro 7:12 Wherefore the law [is] holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. 13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. The law is love: Mt 22:36 Master, which [is] the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. The law is a mirror: READ 1Co 13:12 (glass = mirror) (through = by or with) Jas 1:23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth [therein], he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. ( glass = mirror ) The law points one to Christ: Ps 19:7 The law of the LORD [is] perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD [is] sure, making wise the simple. Ps 19:8 The statutes of the LORD [are] right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD [is] pure, enlightening the eyes. Ga 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster [to bring us] unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. schoolmaster: a tutor i.e. a guardian and guide of boys. Among the Greeks and the Romans the name was applied to trustworthy slaves who were charged with the duty of supervising the life and morals of boys belonging to the better class. The boys were not allowed so much as to step out of the house without them before arriving at the age of manhood. THE PURPOSE THAT IT WAS GIVEN: It was not given to save men (although in a sense it does save) or make one righteous. Ro 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law [is] the knowledge of sin. Ro 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. ( This does not mean that he can have no regard for the law and trample on it and be justified and have faith.) Ro 9:31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. 32 Wherefore? Because [they sought it] not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; Ac 13:39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. Ga 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. Ga 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed [is] every one that CONTINUETH NOT IN ALL THINGS which are written in the book of the law to do them. 11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, [it is] evident: for, The just shall live by faith. 12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. 13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed [is] every one that hangeth on a tree: Ga 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. To point out sin: READ Romans 7:4-13 To govern a nation: Pink says, "While Divine love provided the law, the prime purpose of God in giving it was that His authority should be maintained. Israel must be brought to see that they were under His GOVERNMENT. And this of necessity. The creature must be made to recognize the rights of his Creator." Pink says that God's claims upon them was a double one. Not only was He their creator, but He had also purchased them. They were His redeemed people. REDEMPTION DOES NOT CANCEL THE LAW: Redemption supplies an additional motive for recognizing and meeting God's claims upon us. Deut 15:15 And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing to day. THE CLASSES OF THE LAW: Pink says that the law falls into three classes. The moral; the ceremonial; and the civil. The Ten Commandments have been rightly divided as the "moral law." Ceremonial example: Fulfilled in Christ Heb 10:1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, [and] not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. READ through verse 9 The moral law has not been done away with: Can a man hate his brother and be saved? 1Jo 2:9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. 1Jo 2:11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes. 1Jo 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. (Thou shalt not kill!) The law was written on tables of stone which show their permanent and fixed nature. Their is not one New Testament verse that will show that the moral law, the ten commandments, have been cancelled. The need for the moral law: Are men NOW so little prone to idolatry that they need not the Divine command "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me?" Have all the graven images disappeared so that the command "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image" is a waste of words? Are men so spiritually minded and regard God's name with such reverence that the words "Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain" are no longer for our day? Are the children of our day so devoted to their parents and so marked by the spirit of obedience that it is useless to say to them "Honour thy father and thy mother?" Do men today have such a high regard for human life and such love for their fellow man, (and that includes men of all races), that it is idle words to say to them "Thou shalt not kill?" Do men, today, love their wives so much and hold marriage so sacred that words like "Thou shalt not commit adultery" are no longer needed? And you know that there is so much honesty today that we are wasting our time teaching the command of God which says "Thou shalt not steal!" (sarcasm) The truth is that men need to "look into the perfect law of liberty" and get a glance at themselves that they might behold "a wretch like me." Jesus said concerning the law: Mat 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach [them], the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed [the righteousness] of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. 21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: 22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. Paul said concerning the law: Ro 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we ESTABLISH the law. { establish = to cause or make to stand } BUT ON THE OTHER-HAND, IF WE THINK WE ARE JUSTIFIED BY THE LAW WE MAKE FAITH VOID! Ro 4:14 For if they which are of the law [be] heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: Love is a fulfilling of the law: Ro 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if [there be] any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love [is] the fulfilling of the law. We are not under the law for salvation yet we are not without law to God but rather under the law to Christ. 1Co 9:21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. God will chastise His children who disregard His law. Ps 89:27 Also I will make him [my] firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth. 28 My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him. 29 His seed also will I make [to endure] for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven. 30 If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; 31 If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; 32 Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. 33 Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. 34 My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. We are not saved by keeping the law and are not lost by breaking it, for we all have broken it in some form or the other, but our regard for it is a reflection of what is in our heart. If we love God we will love His law and we will keep it in our heart. THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW --------------------- It is the spirit of the moral law that we keep. Ac 15:5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command [them] to keep the law of Moses. ( The law of Moses is more than the 10 commandments ) ( See Ac 28:23 ) ( See 1Co 9:9 referring to Deut 25:4 ) Ac 15:24 Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, [Ye must] be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no [such] commandment: 25 It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell [you] the same things by mouth. 28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; Ac 15:29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well. Ro 2:29 But he [is] a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision [is that] of the heart, in the spirit, [and] not in the letter; whose praise [is] not of men, but of God. Ro 7:6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not [in] the oldness of the letter. 2Co 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. Ga 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. Verses 1-17, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS -------------------- Pink says that in the New testament there are three expressions found concerning law. 1st, The "law of God" (Rom 7:22, 25; 8:7) Ro 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: Ro 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. Ro 8:7 Because the carnal mind [is] enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 2nd, The "law of Moses" (Jo 7:23; Ac 13:39; 15:5, etc.) 3rd, The "law of Christ" (Gal 6:2) Pink says that these three expressions are NOT synonymous. The "law of God" expresses the mind of the Creator, and is binding upon all rational creatures. It is God's unchanging moral standard for regulating the conduct of all men. In some places the "law of God" may refer to the whole revealed will of God, but usually it has reference to the Ten Commandments. The law was imposed on man's moral nature from the beginning, and though fallen, he still shows the work of it written on his heart. Ro 2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and [their] thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) My thoughts: That Israel was under law before Sinai we say in our last study. But concerning Sinai He said, Ex 34:27 And the LORD said unto Moses, Write thou these words: for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and WITH ISRAEL. 28 And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments. De 5:2 The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. 3 The LORD made not this covenant with our fathers, BUT WITH US, [even] us, who [are] all of us here alive this day. READ VERSES 4 THRU 22 --------------------- However the moral aspects contained in the law here are binding on all creatures. Pink says that the law given at Horeb is binding on all nations, especially the Christian. The "law of Moses" is the entire system of legislation, judicial and ceremonial, which Jehovah gave to Israel during the time they were in the wilderness. The "law of Moses," as such, is binding upon none but Israelites. Pink says that the "law of Moses" has not been repealed for it will be enforced by Christ during the Millennium. That the "law of Moses" is not binding on Gentiles is clear from Acts 15. The "law of Christ" is God's moral law in the hands of a mediator. The "law of God," and I would add, the moral aspects of it, is now termed the "law of Christ" as it relates to Christians. Pink says that the "law of Christ," then, is just the moral of the law of God now in the hands of the Mediator. I believe it was this moral aspect of the law that was known by men BEFORE mount Sinai. Ga 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. 1Co 9:21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. Ro 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we ESTABLISH the law. Pink says that the moral law BECAME INCORPORATED IN THE MOSAIC LAW, yet was sharply distinguished from it. The ten Commandments alone were promulgated by the voice of God. Of all Jehovah's statutes given to Israel, the 10 commandments alone were written by the finger of God upon tables of stone. The 10 commandments alone were laid in the ark of the covenant. THE ORDER OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS The first four are Godwards. The last five are manwards. Pink says that the fifth bridges the two halfs together, since parents occupy the place of God to their children and also their neighbour. In otherwords children are to obey their parents in the same sense that a child of God is to obey their Father in heaven. 1) "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." (Ex 20:3) One means unity. There is but ONE God and He is not to have any gods before Him. Thou shalt have no other object of worship. Thou shalt have no other authority as absolute. God shall be supreme in your hearts and lives. There are "other gods" besides idols of wood and stone, such as money, pleasure, fashion, fame, gluttony, and a number of other things. Mt 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 2) "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness [of any thing] that [is] in heaven above, or that [is] in the earth beneath, or that [is] in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God [am] a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth [generation] of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments." (Ex 20:4-6) Two is the number of witness. He is to be worshiped in "spirit and in truth" and not by images. Joh 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth. We DO NOT worship God through images made with hands. Re 9:20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the WORKS OF THEIR HANDS, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: The making of anything with our hands in order to worship God would fall under idolatry. The building that we meet in could become an idol, if we are not careful. The breaking of this command brought a curse upon the children unto the third and fourth generation. Compare: Ro 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in [their] knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; No wonder homosexuality is running rampant in this country. It is among religious people. You hear of priests and other ministers given over to this abomination. 3) "Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain." (Ex 20:7). Three is the number of the Godhead and the first name of God in the Bible is "elohiym" which means plurality, not of Gods, but of persons in the Godhead. We are not to use God's name in a casual manner, in everyday speech. His name is to be used in reverence. Ps 111:9 He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: HOLY and REVEREND [is] his name. ( This is the only scripture where the word "reverend' appears and it is in connection with God's name, yet men will attach it to their name. ) Jesus said in His model prayer: Mt 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 4) "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day [is] the sabbath of the LORD thy God: [in it] thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that [is] within thy gates: For [in] six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them [is], and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it." (Ex 20:8-11) sabbath = rest, it does not mean the 7th day. There were sabbath years, for example. The verses tell us that God set apart the 7th day to be a sabbath or day of rest. They were to work 6 days and rest on the 7th. Pink says, "So far as the Old testament is concerned, any day which was used for rest, and which was followed by six days of work was a Sabbath! It is not correct, then, to say that the 'Sabbath' can only be observed on a Saturday. There is not a word in scripture to support such a statement. Mk 2:27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: ( Pink points out here that the sabbath was made for man and not the Jews only. It was made for man's good physically and spiritually that he rest one day out of seven.) Gill says that there is no mention of a sabbath before the manna was given to Israel in the wilderness. He says that it was peculiar to the Jews. Gill says that the decalogue, or ten commandments of the law of Moses, as such, were given to the Jews only; as a covenant, it was made with the Israelites in the wilderness, and not even with their fathers, which were before them. Ex 31:13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it [is] a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that [ye] may know that I [am] the LORD that doth sanctify you. 14 Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it [is] holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth [any] work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. He says that In Neh 9:14 shows that the Sabbaths were GIVEN not RESTORED to Israel in the wilderness. He says that none but Jews were ever charged with the breach of the 7th day sabbath. He says the law of observing the 7th day Sabbath is not of a moral nature, otherwise it would have been written on the heart of Adam. Gill also points out that it would have been impossible that one and the same day, be it the seventh, or any other, should have been kept to exactness of time by all the inhabitants of the earth. This was probably the 7th day from when they came out of Egypt or from when God gave them manna. It was the 1st day of the week, or the Lord's day (Rev 1:10), that is generally set aside by Christians. Compare scripture: Col 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath [days]: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body [is] of Christ. Joh 20:19 Then the same day at evening, being the first [day] of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace [be] unto you. Ac 20:7 And upon the first [day] of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. 1Co 16:2 Upon the first [day] of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as [God] hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. Joh 20:26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: [then] came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace [be] unto you. 5) "Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee." (Ex 20:12) Pink says that "honour" means more than to obey. The lexicon says "glorify." Obedience would be included in honoring your parents, but a child should also give them the place of superiority and authority, to hold them in high esteem and to reverence them. Pink says, taking care of them in their old age and suppling their needs. Pr 1:8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: 9 For they [shall be] an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck. Pr 15:5 A fool despiseth his father's instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent. Pr 20:20 Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness. Pr 23:22 Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother WHEN SHE IS OLD. Pr 30:17 The eye [that] mocketh at [his] father, and despiseth to obey [his] mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it. Mt 15:4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. Even Jesus, when He was a child, was subject to His parents. Lu 2:51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. That this is a New Testament teaching: Eph 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) 3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. Col 3:20 Children, obey [your] parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. The mark of the latter time: 2Tim 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, DISOBEDIENT TO PARENTS, unthankful, unholy, 3 WITHOUT NATURAL AFFECTION, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 6) "Thou shalt not kill." (Ex 20:13) Which means to murder. Some have tried to use this to teach against capital punishment, but they fail to bring in the rest of the teaching of scripture. God had already attached the death penalty to murder long before the giving of the 10 commandments here at Sinai when He gave this command to Noah when he went forth from the ark. Ge 9:5 And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man. 6 Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man. Christ gave the spirit of this law: Mat 5:21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: 22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. 1Jo 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. { Here we see the source of murder, hate! } 7) "Thou shalt not commit adultery." (Ex 20:14). Which commandment has respect to the marriage relationship. Pink says that the marriage-relationship is paramount over every other human obligation. It is the highest and most sacred of human relations. Pink says that fornication is the general term and adultery is the specific term. I believe that fornication would fall under this command, because the person who commits fornication before he or she is married, has in a sense been unfaithful to their future spouse. Besides the Bible gives many instances where fornication is a sin. We see that Christ raised the standard again. We see the spirit of the law in Christ's words. Mat 5:27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: 28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. Unfaithfulness is not limited to the overt act, but reaches to the passions behind the act. I believe this statement shows two things. 1st that there is not a man who can be justified by keeping the law. But also the need for us to keep our minds pure and faithful, and that if we truly love our spouse that we will expel any such thoughts from our minds. Job said, "I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?" (Job 31:1). { maid = virgin } Christ points out that there is only one thing that can dissolve this relationship. Mat 19:3 The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? 4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made [them] at the beginning made them male and female, 5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? 6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. 7 They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? 8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. 9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except [it be] for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery. Pink says that 1Co 7:15 supplies no exception since verse 11 says, "if she depart, let her remain unmarried." It would appear that only when the departing person gets involved with another person is the marriage broken. 1Co 7:1-15 gives regulations concerning marriage. 8) "Thou shalt not steal." (Ex 20:15). This means that we should be honest in all our dealings. Dishonesty is stealing. Robbery would fall under this, but robbery includes violence associated with the theft. Ro 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. Pink says that to receive money from gambling is to steal from others. It seems to me that to gamble is to feed the monster that was created for the purpose of taking men's money and possessions. Parents should watch for this in their children from a very young age and "nip it in the bud." 9) "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour." (Ex 20:16) Pink says that the most flagrant form of this sin is to slander our neighbour - that is, a lie invented and circulated with malicious intent. Ps 101:5 Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer. But equally reprehensible is tale-bearing where there has been no careful investigation to verify the evil report. False witness may be borne by leaving a false impression upon the minds of people by a mere hint or suggestion. Ps 141:3 Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. Eph 4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: Jas 4:11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of [his] brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. It would seem that any form of lying would be against the spirit of this law. Col 3:9 LIE NOT one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; Re 22:15 For without [are] dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and MAKETH A LIE. 1Ti 1:9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for LIARS, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; Re 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Pink says that even "the flattering of another, exaggerated eulogy, is a false witness. 10) "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that [is] thy neighbour's." (Ex 20:17). While the commandments that went before, concerning our neighbour, covered overt acts, this commandment covers the very DESIRE itself. To "covet" means to "desire." This commandment reaches deep within to the evil that is in the heart of men. This commandment shows us our sinful nature and the need of a saviour. It is a thing that the believer is to beware of: Lu 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. To lust is to covet: Ro 7:7 What shall we say then? [Is] the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. Someone might say that "it is only natural to desire things, even things that don't belong to us;" but that only shows man's fallen and depraved nature. One of the marks of the Pharisees was covetousness: Lu 16:13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 14 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him. The New Testament speaks against it: 1Co 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. Php 3:19 Whose end [is] destruction, whose God [is their] belly, and [whose] glory [is] in their shame, who mind earthly things.) Col 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. The KJV uses the word in a good sense: 1Co 12:31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way. { however the words "covet earnestly" comes from one Greek word which means "to burn with zeal." } Verses 18-21, Pink says that the Decalogue "expressed the obligations of man in his original state, while enjoying free and open communion with God. But the state of innocence was quickly departed from, and as the offspring of fallen Adam, the children of Israel were sinners, unable to comply with the righteous requirements of God. Fear and shame therefore made God's approach terrible, as He appeared in His holiness, as a consuming fire." The effects are what we see in verse 18 of our chapter, as the witness Jehovah's majesty. They knew that they could not approach God on the grounds of the ten commandments. They needed Moses as a MEDIATOR. Compare: Deut 5:22,27 and Deut 18:17-18 "And the LORD heard the voice of your words, when ye spake unto me; and the LORD said unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee: THEY HAVE WELL SAID ALL THAT THEY HAVE SPOKEN." In Deut 18:17-18, we see God's promise of the Messiah. Verses 22-26, While Moses as a mediator met the people's needs, he could not met the demands of God's holy law. It met the need from the people's side but not from the divine side. Satisfaction must be made. The transgressor of His law could not simply be dealt with through a mediator as in this case, no more than a mediator could go in and absolve a bank debt without payment being made. Sin must be expiated (to atone, make amends, to reconcile or harmonize, to appease). Thus we see in these verses "AN ALTAR". The altar speaks of the provision of divine grace. The altar was God's provision for the sinner to approach Him without shame, fear, or death. This brought peace to the fearful soul of the sinner. Christ is the fulfillment of that Old testament altar and the fearful sinner comes to Him to find peace and safety. Those who believe in works for salvation: Heb 13:9 Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For [it is] a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. 10 We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. 11 For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. 12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. 13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. This did not nullify what God had said in the decalogue, but made provision for their failure. God dealt with Israel in blessings on the ground of their obedience. But we see provision for their failure being made right from the beginning. So to, God has provide His Son to be propitiation for our sins, but if we are disobedient children, then will He visit our transgressions with the rod of chastisement. The altar: We read of a commandment in Eden, but we read of NO altar. The reason was because man was in a state of innocence. It is the sin of man that makes an altar necessary, and it was the Divine Grace of God that provided one. If there had been no sin there would have never been a need for an altar. We see a relationship between the decalogue and the instructions concerning the altar. If the altar was given they why propose the decalogue? 1) To show to Israel that they and all of mankind were sinners. 2) To expose man's moral inability. His corrupted nature made it impossible for him to keep the law. And not only was he unable to keep it but he was unable to atone for it. God must provide the atonement and it's method. 3) To show man his need of a Saviour. Ga 3:19 Wherefore then [serveth] the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; [and it was] ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. 20 Now a mediator is not [a mediator] of one, but God is one. 21 [Is] the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. 22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster [to bring us] unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. 26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. We see from our scripture that the law was NEVER given to Israel or to men for a means of salvation, else there would have NOT been an altar! Just because man had fallen did not make God any less Holy. His claims on His creatures had not been cancelled, anymore than a debt is cancelled because a person can not pay. this is the point of the law, to show man his debt. The fallen man, the unsaved man, the saved man, or the glorified man in heaven, all ought to love God with all his heart and his neighbour as himself. "An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee. And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it." 1) The altar not only speaks of the provision of God's grace, but it speaks of the sinfulness of sin. Sin must be atoned for with "blood-letting." 2) This altar was for the present, for the tabernacle had not yet been built. It was an altar which was to be built at the foot of Mount Sinai. Compare: Ex 24:4 And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. 3) No hewn stone: Man would suppose that an altar should be made of gold and one that had been beautified. But this was not the case. This altar was extremely plain and simple. Man was not to add his work to it. If he had artistically designed it, or beautified it by his skill, then he could glory in his handiwork. But God would allow "no flesh to glory in His presence." It is "not by works of righteousness that we have done" (Tit 3:5). Notice the SEVERITY of the words: "For if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast POLLUTED it." Their works were POLLUTION. No wonder Jesus said that their "good works" were INIQUITY. (Mat 7:22-23) 4) No steps: Man could not approach unto God by taking steps. Notice that most of the pagan places of worship have great steps. Man can not step up to God, but God must step down to man. Pink says that Philipians, the second chapter, describes FIVE (# of grace) distinct steps that the Lord Jesus took to save us from our sins. 1) made himself of no reputation 2) took upon Him the form of a servant 3) was made in the likeness of men 4) being found in fashion as a man He humbled Himself 5) and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Steps would only serve to reveal man's nakedness upon the holy ground. Adam tried the same thing and fig leaves only served TO POINT OUT his nakedness and guilt. Again, as we saw with a cloke, above is a false light, but underneath is nakedness. All of man's efforts to climb up to God, only expose his shame. No steps: Man is to take his place in the dust and not in a high and lifted up place.