The ten commandments are the foundation of all laws. These were given to guide the children of Israel. They were to teach them what God wanted from their behavior. Without the law there is no sin, so the laws pointed out God's will and when we fail the laws we sin. There were so many laws given to Israel that it was impossible to keep them all, but the Ten Commandments were the framework showing the righteous commands of a perfect God.
The Ten Commandments
The first four commandments concern our relationship to God.
1st Commandment
Exo 20:2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
I AM -- He is the Master, the God of Israel that heard their cries as they were slaves in the world; Egypt. He brought them out of bondage. Now they must learn of him and his holy will or laws to follow.
Second Commandment
Exo 20:4 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:
A graven image is a carved or tooled image made to worship. We are not to worship things made by hand of any heavenly object, angels, or things created on earth; a living creature, a man or woman, a tree, a whale or fish of the sea. God will not share His glory with things created. We worship the LORD GOD, not anything created. Why? Because devils enter into things worshipped, We are not to worship the devil or his fallen angels.
Third Commandment
Exo 20:7 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.
This is as showing disrespect for him. Also, those who misrepresent God as a tyrant or as evil. Those who use his name in empty oaths and swearing.
The remaining six commandments concern our relationships with people.
Fourth Commandment
Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
God rested on the seventh day after creation. From sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. This was the sign of the Old Covenant with Israel. It is an everlasting covenant with Israel. Gentiles are free to set aside any day for their Sabbath. Tradition was to make Sunday a Sabbath (holy) day, because it was when Jesus arose from the tomb. It was also the day when offerings were gathered.
Fifth Commandment
Exo 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
These are laws to the covenant Jews. With the covenant it is assumed that the parents also obey the commandments. They are not ignorant of them. In fact they are commanded to teach then to their children. We are to give honor where honor is due.
.Eph 6:4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
Pray for ungodly parents. We cannot honor the devil in them, but we can Love their souls and pray for them. If in need, see that they are provided for.
Seventh Commandment
Exo 20:14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Adultery - conjugal infidelity. An adulterer was a man who had illicit intercourse with a married or a betrothed woman, and such a woman was an adulteress. Spiritual adultery is loving another false god.
James 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Eighth Commandment
Exo 20:15 Thou shalt not steal.
Stealing another's possession. The devil is a thief.
John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Ninth Commandment
Exo 20:16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
A false witness is a liar. The father of lies is the devil. This is one of the seven sins the LORD hates:
Prov 6:19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
Tenth Commandment
Exo 20:17 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..
Phil 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
Phil 4:12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
Phil 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Jesus spoke of the greatest commandment
Mat 22:36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
Mat 22:37 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.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
The Prophets
Prophets told of coming events.
Isaiah was a prophet when he spoke from God the work of the coming Messiah; The Lord Jesus Christ. He spoke this seven hundred years before the event.
Isa 61:1 The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
Isa 61:2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
Isa 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
The Apostle Peter spoke of prophecy fulfilled
2 Pet 1:16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
2 Pet 1:17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
2 Pet 1:18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.
2 Pet 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
Prov 4:18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
Prov 4:19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
2 Pet 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
2 Pet 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
Satan sends false prophets
2 Pet 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that boughtthem, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2 Pet 2:2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
2 Pet 2:3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
2 Pet 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
2 Pet 2:5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
2 Pet 2:6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;
2 Pet 2:7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:
2 Pet 2:8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)
2 Pet 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
We hear and study the word of God, so that we will follow the Lord Jesus Christ and not be deceived by the false teachers and prophets.
John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
John 10:29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
John 10:30 I and my Father are one.
The law should be studied to understand God's righteous commands. The law could not save us from sin, but it showed us our sins and our need of a Savior.
Gal 3:21 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.
Gal 3:22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
Gal 3:23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
Gal 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Gal 3:25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
Gal 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
The laws were our foundation until the Chief cornerstone was laid, which is Christ Jesus. We build our faith upon Jesus the Word of God, the foundation of our righteous faith.
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