Covenant of Moses: The Ten Commandments

Dear friend … Do you know the Ten Commandments?  Take a moment before you start and write down as many as you remember ...

A biblical covenant, in Hebrew beriyth {ber-eeth'} is a solemn religious agreement between 2 parties, God and human beings. (HC)   Like Noah and Abraham (check out the last 2 weeks) who each entered into a covenantal relationship with God, Moses also entered into covenantal relationship with God but it was more focused as he accepted the covenant on behalf of the Israelite community.    The bible verses we call the “Ten Commandments” are the foundation of the Covenant God made with Moses and the chosen people.  The Hebrew text does not actually call these verses “commandments.”   The Hebrew word dabar {daw-baw'} meaning speech, word, utterance, or saying is followed by the Hebrew 'amar {aw-mar'} which means to speak, to answer, to command, to tell, to call, to promise.  So it is easy to see why we call these verses commandments.  

The covenantal relationship between God and people is defined when we read, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me.”  The Bible is the Great Story of this relationship between God and human beings.  The structure of the Ten Commandments outlines this basic love story of the God who walks ever with us, forever and ever.    The first four commandments embody our relationship with God, our vertical relationship.  The next six commandments embody our relationship with others, our horizontal relationship.

I invite you to spend a few moments nurturing your relationship with the God of Moses as you read and study and pray and listen and celebrate God’s Word.   Breathe and settle into a place of openness within yourself with a simple breath prayer.  Use this one or create your own (six to eight syllables)

          Breathe in ... God of Moses (pause)

               Breath out ... you are my God (pause)

and when you are ready to move deeper into the text ... Pray:

God of Moses, I want to follow you and obey your commandments.  Fill my heart with love and understanding of your holy word.    Amen.    

Read Exodus 20:1-17 slowly, and let the words inspire you and give your courage in your circumstances and your relationship with God.

Exodus 20:1-17

Then God spoke all these words:  I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; 1)you shall have no other gods before me.  2) You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.  You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.  3) You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.  4) Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy.  Six days you shall labor and do all your work.  But the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God; you shall not do any work--you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns.  For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it.  5) Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.  6) You shall not murder.  7) You shall not commit adultery.  8) You shall not steal.   9) You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.  10) You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

Read this passage of the Ten Commandments again slowly and Reflect on just a word or phrase … or the commandment that draws your attention.   Sit with your selection and listen to the whispers of the Lord your God ... Listen!  Turn your word or phrase or commandment over and over in your mind.  Let the Lord your God speak into your heart.   Where are you being invited to trust God more deeply?

Read the passage again slowly and Respond to God.   Once again turn your attention to your word or phrase or commandment, knowing that you may be drawn to a different word on this reading.    As you contemplate your word or phrase or commandment, how are you being called to respond, in word … prayer … action … in some other way?  Are there any direct actions you need to consider?

Read the passage again and Rest.  Allow the God of Moses to draw you deeper into the commandments and into the relationship of love that God has for you.  Let all the words fade away ... until you are ready to take up your journal and write about your meditation.  

When you are ready to move out of your meditation … Pray:

God of Moses, you are a faithful God and your commandments help me live life to the fullest.  Help me follow you and welcome your love into my heart.  Help me follow you and take your love into the world.    Amen.

Cindy’s Reflection … Sabbath, so important to set aside time for seeking God and for what God invites us to be or say or know or do … O Lord, what are you calling me to find in my time of Sabbath?  Help me God to make my time of quiet nourishing to my soul in my time of Sabbath.   Amen!