Ten Commandments (9 & 10) Exodus 20:16-17

Good morning all. God is good all the time, all the time God is good.  TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!!!

   Well, thus far we have covered 8 commandments.  Can you name them? The first 4 deal with God; the next 6 are God's commands and also how we should live morally, whether one is a Christian or not.

   Verse 16 -¹⁶ “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

  Wow, this is a biggy!  False testimony - aka gossip.  Hey did you hear what the pastor did?  OR, you know my neighbor....well he.............

   We should, if we love our neighbor as ourself, care for others as much as we care for ourselves.  Hints, rumors, suggestions, slander, lies, half-truths or insinuations are false witness against someone else.  It also tears apart the integrity and honesty of the person bearing false witness as much as it damages the victim of the false allegations.

   Verse 17 - ¹⁷ “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

  Coveting - this includes everything.  What ever your neighbor has and you desire you are coveting.  Notice - wife - servant- transportation- anything - repeat ANYTHING!!!!

  Oh, how so many of us have been guilty of this.  Saying I wish I had that is not coveting.  But going after and taking or trying to take with a ferocious desire is coveting.

  Also, when we covet and it becomes our focus this may lead to stealing, murder, false witness, adultery, and dishonoring parents.  They all tend to be related.  Also, if we do not start with Commandment 1 - having no other god except the LORD our GOD, we are traveling the wrong fork in the road.

    From Exodus 20:22 to 23:33 is the Book of the Covenant.  The principles reflected in the book of the covenant are:

•    Religious and civil laws come from the Lord
• Human life is of supreme value
• Gross retaliation is prohibited
• Class distinction is prohibited
• Weaker member of society should be protected

Take time to read the above chapters or listen to then here.
Next will be the Tabernacle (Exodus 25-31 ; 35-40) Love you all.
In Christ's Love and Grace
Johnny