Day 5

“For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king, it is he who will save us.” — Isaiah 33:22

The assumption of society today is that the Ten Commandments are obsolete and no longer relevant to 21st century living. There are some commandments that are generally agreed upon; do not murder, steal, lie... but what about coveting? Advertising exploits coveting and turns it from a vice into a virtue.

As for committing adultery... if it’s consensual, why not? At best, it’s a love affair and at worst, a little biological fun. When it comes to honouring your father and mother, why should that be necessary when they are to blame for childhood experiences that have caused our adult neurosis? And having no other gods before us? We live in a pluralistic society so why be so closed-minded? Clearly, the Ten Commandments have a huge credibility problem in today’s world.

But just before God gave the Ten Commandments, there were two things He wanted His people to know. In Exodus 20:2, He said, “I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.” He first needed them to understand that God IS, ‘I am the Lord your God’ and that he ACTS ‘who brought you out of Egypt’. In other words, don’t look for a deliverer outside of Me. As He brought them out of Egypt, He alone will bring them out of sin. The law was given, not as an abstract set of rules, but as an expression of an existing relationship with God.

God does not need a relationship with us to announce His law, enforce His law or to hold us accountable to His law. Hence, there will come a day of judgement for all humanity. But He does need a relationship with us to implement His law. To those outside of a relationship with God, the Ten Commandments are unreasonable, but to those in relationship with God, they are not only reasonable but completely logical, for they express His character. The law of the Old Covenant gives promise of a quality of life that is only fulfilled in the New Covenant by the work of Jesus Christ for us, then in us. That is why Jesus said he came ‘to fulfill the law’ (Matthew 5.17).

Prayer: Dear heavenly father, your laws are not only logical, but are invaluable to living a wholesome life. help me not to be sidetracked by all the influences of the pluralistic society we live in. May i always be focused on my relationship with you.

To reflect upon: How has my relationship with God influenced my view of the Ten Commandments? Have I noticed a difference in the importance of wanting to keep the Commandments with Jesus in my life? If so, in what ways?