The Lord our God

September 12, 2010

Lesson: Exodus 20:1–11

Key Verse: Exodus 20:2–3

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Introduction

The people of God are to obey the righteous and moral commands of the Lord, as well as turn away from the ways of the wicked, i.e., idol worship, disfiguring oneself as expression of sorrow for the dead, and defiling themselves in eating unclean foods. God desires his people to be a holy nation unto him because he has chosen them to be his special treasure. God’s Word declares, “Ye are the children of the Lord your God …thou art a holy people unto the Lord thy God, and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all nations that are upon the earth” (Deut. 14:1–2).

The moral law, as well as those teachings and precepts which God has given us in his Word, is given on the covenant foundation that he is our God, and we are his people. We are to obey the commands and precepts of the Lord because he has declared, “Ye are the children of the Lord your God!” “The divine sonship of Israel was founded upon its election and calling as the holy nation of Jehovah, …an adoption springing out of the free love of God, as the manifestation of paternal love on the part of Jehovah of Israel, which binds the son to obedience, reverence, and childlike trust towards a Creator and Father, who would train it up into a holy people” (Keil and Delitzsch, O.T. Commentary).

This truth that God’s people are a special treasure belonging, by adoption, to his household—thereby to walk in holiness, denying the ungodliness of this world—is seen in the words of Titus 2:11–14, “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

Discussion: How and why are we to live righteously?

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A Holy Nation—Exodus 19:3–6

Moses, and the people of God, came “into the wilderness of Sinai,” and there “camped before the mount.” Moses goes up “unto God” (Note God’s promise in Exodus 3:12). The Lord is first to speak, “calling him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians …and brought you unto myself.” The Lord has kept his covenant with his people, as he has kept his covenant (by grace we have been saved) to us in Christ, therefore this promise arises: “if ye obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people.” A further indication that this covenant between God and his people is certain and infallible; this truth revealed by his Word, “for all the earth is mine.”

The church of our Lord Jesus Christ is to manifest itself, to and in the world, as belonging to the Lord as a “peculiar treasure” of God. Therefore, obedience must be the truest of mark of the Church. “For the Lord hath chosen …Israel for his peculiar treasure” (Psalm 135:4). As a peculiar treasure of God, we are to show forth his glory, honor, and praises: For we are “a chosen priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people,” that we should “show forth the praises of him who hath called” us “out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9).

God speaks to Israel that they shall be unto the Lord, “a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.” … “By these words, he implies that they will be endowed with sacerdotal as well as royal honors; as much as to say, that they would not only be free, but also be like kings, if they persevered in faith and obedience, since no kingdom is more desirable, or more happy, than to be the subjects of God” (Calvin).

Discussion: What does it mean to be God’s treasure, as a subject of His kingdom?

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The Lord our God—Exodus 20:1–7

The foundation of the moral law of God is found in the very person and nature of God. The Law, or ten words of commandment, stand or fall upon the truth of who God is. Since God is sovereign, and takes no counsel except in of himself as the Triune Godhead, He alone can reveal who He is. Therefore, He says to Moses, “I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” God is the Creator who exists as the Alpha and Omega: “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God” (Psalm 90:2). Life and death are in the hands of God, our only salvation: “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto GOD the Lord belong the issues from death” (Psalm 68:19–20).

Therefore, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image …Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them.” Idols have not feet to walk, nor ears to hear, but they deceive those who turn from their Maker. Thus our Creator and Redeemer declared that he “is a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children …of those that hate me.” However, in the covenant relationship between God and his people, whereby we love him and keep his commandments, he shows mercy. Therefore, the child of God takes seriously his walk and his words before the Lord, not taking “the name of the Lord in vain.” God will not see us as without guilt when we would act in a manner that would dishonor his name or his person. Thus, we must be careful not to “blaspheme that worthy name by which ye are called” (James 2:7).

Discussion: What does it mean to be a holy people of the Lord?

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Our Creator—Exodus 20:8–11

Our Lord now turns our attention to the praise of worship and thanksgiving. The Lord rested upon the seventh day, seeing that all was finished, and it was good. So are we to take a seventh day, setting it apart to rest and celebrate the glorious Lord, who is our Creator and Redeemer. The Son, along with the Father and Spirit of the divine Godhead, finished the task of Creation; Christ the Son, with the Father and Spirit, perfected the task of salvation. Therefore, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. …the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God …For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth …and rested the seventh day; …the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.”

The first and foremost reason for observing a seventh Sabbath day is that the Lord has blessed it, and hallowed it (to make clean, sanctify, dedicate, consecrate) to himself. Since this command is part of God’s moral Law, it is a “perpetual commandment binding all men …which, from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, was the last day of the week; and, from the resurrection of Christ, was changed into the first day of the week, which, in Scripture, is called the Lord’s Day” (Westminster Confession, XXI. VII). The Sabbath is, therefore, to be “kept holy unto the Lord, when men, after a due preparing of their hearts, …do not only observe an holy rest, all the day, from their own works …but also are taken up, the whole time, in the public and private exercises of His worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy” (W. C. XXI. VIII).

Discussion: How are we to remember and keep the Sabbath Day?

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Our Redemptive Life—Exodus 20:12–17

The fifth through tenth commandments tell us how we are to live, redemptively, each and every day. We are to walk in the righteousness of Christ. We are to, as in the first four commandments; love God with our whole heart, soul, and mind. In the latter commandments we are to reveal our love for one another, as we would love ourselves. All of the commandments reveal a new relationship that has been established by God and his covenant that he would be our God, and that we would be his peculiar people.

It would be good to look at the Westminster Shorter Catechism, Questions 63–81 for a deeper discussion:

• “Honor thy father and thy mother” speaks of the performance of those duties that honor those in various positions in the home, work, or community (S.C. 63–65).
• “Thou shalt not kill” requires us to preserve life (S.C. 66–69).
• “Thou shalt not commit adultery” command us to preserve “our own and our neighbour’s chastity, in heart, speech, and behaviour” (S.C. 70–72).
• “Thou shalt not steal” call us to be righteous, not gaining anything in an unlawful manner (S.C. 73–75).
• “Thou shalt not bear false witness” requires us to promote the truth between one another (S.C. 76–78).
• “Thou shalt not covet” teaches us that we should not be discontent with what we have, but be content with the blessings we have received (S.C. 79–81).

Discussion: How are we to live before God and our neighbor?

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Lessons are based on the International Sunday School Lessons for Christian Teaching, copyright © 2010 by the Committee on the Uniform Series.