28. THE STANDARD OF JUDGMENTWhen God judges each of us, how will He judge us?
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Have you ever made an agreement? Of course you have! It would be impossible to make it through life without making an agreement at least once. There was a time when you could seal an agreement with a handshake. A man's word was his honor and guarantee. But nowadays, it is almost impossible to expect anyone to keep an agreement unless it is written down. When an agreement is written down, the expectations of both individuals are completely clear. The written agreement also protects both parties. For example, if there is a disagreement or breach of contract and both parties go to court, the judge will have something to base his judgment upon. In this lesson, we will see that it is no different with God. He has expectations and His expectations are based upon some simple rules. Before we look at His rules, let's start with an illustration.
Muharrem owned a small apartment building on the outskirts of town. The building was in a neighborhood that used to be a village. As time passed the village became part of the city and little by little large apartments replaced the old village houses.
Through painful experiences Muharrem was learning how to be a landlord. On one occasion, he rented out one of his units to a man named Yaşar without any rental agreement. After negotiating a price, they simply shook hands. He had agreed in principle that Yaşar and his wife could live in the apartment for 475 lira a month.
In a three unit building there was no need for a doorman but there was a small monthly maintenance fee of just 25 lira. But there was an issue with who would pay for the electricity. Muharrem's building was all on one electric meter and he didn't want to pay to have the apartments separated. So to save time and effort he thought,
"I will simply pay the electric and raise the rent from 400 to 450 a month. I don't foresee two people using that much electricity."
But after just two weeks Yaşar allowed his daughter, son-in-law and their two small children to move into the house. Muharrem was concerned that they would be using too much electricity, so he went to talk with Yaşar.
“Yaşar Bey, the water and electric bills are going up. When we agreed on the price of the apartment it was just you and your wife. I will need to increase your rent to cover the costs.” Muharrem said.
“No way” said Yaşar. "The price was for the apartment and not on the number of people in the house. I will not give any more rent.”
“Yaşar Bey, if you don’t pay more rent, we will have to go to court.”
“Fine, we will talk to the judge.” he replied.
At last the case went to the judge, but because there was no contract the judge couldn't do anything for Muharrem. The only way Muharrem could get Yaşar and his family out of the apartment would be to move his own children in there. That is, if his children had no other place to live. But it never happened and as many years passed, Muharrem lost a lot of money.
One day Muharrem went to visit Yaşar to collect the rent. Most of the time the rent was late and sometimes he didn’t pay at all. The situation was becoming more unbearable for Muharrem and he didn't know what to do. When Muharrem arrived, he knocked on the door and it creaked open. He thought it was quite strange so he entered the apartment.
"Hello, Yaşar are you here?" he said.
But no one answered. Instead he was met with a horrible stench that burned in his nose. The living room was bare and the floor was covered with plastic bags filled with rotting food and diapers. It was apparent that they had left in a hurry. Muharrem covered his nose with his shirt and entered the kitchen. Some of the cabinet doors were on the ground and others were hanging crooked because the hinges were broken. They had left the water on and the drainpipe was leaking. Muharrem could see that it must have been dripping for a long time because the cabinet below was water logged and rotting.
Muharrem said to himself,
“How can human beings live like this? After all I have endured, this is how it all ends. Dirty animals!”
Muharrem spent two months and thousands of lira restoring the apartment to its original condition. But Muharrem learned many things. Most importantly, he wasn’t ever going to seal an agreement with only a handshake. He was going to have everything written in a contract so that there would be no misunderstanding. Then if there was a problem, he could at least go to court and get the renter removed. For Muharrem the contract was both ridiculous and necessary. If the renter behaved like a decent human being, there was no need for a contract. But the reason the contract was necessary is because some people don’t behave like they should and when confronted with their wrongdoing, they deny it. There was one thing clear, without a written contract Muharrem would never rent his apartment again. He wanted the renter to know his expectations from day one.
All relationships are based upon expectations. Sometimes those relationships are governed by rules of society that aren’t necessarily written down. They are shared from generation to generation through the traditions and teachings of elders. The children learn what is expected of them from their parents and grandparents. Relationships can also be protected by vows, like in a marriage. The expectation that two people will love each other in good and bad times is expressed in the vow. In other cases like a landlord and a renter, the expectations of each party may need to be carefully clarified in a written document.
Although God did not write them down, He made His expectations clear to Adam and Eve when He said that they could not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Unfortunately for all mankind, they weren't able to meet His expectation. But God in His mercy was patient with them and has continually gave their descendants additional opportunities to follow His directives. If you remember, God made a covenant with Abraham promising him several things. When we review them look for the expectation or agreement that Abraham fulfilled. We can start in Genesis chapter 12 verses 2 and 3:
2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."
God then repeated this promise in chapter 22 verse 18 adding that it was because Abraham had obeyed Him:
18 "In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice."
But God's promise was not only limited to Abraham, it also applied to his descendants. Just in case you missed it from the last two examples, let's read Genesis chapter 17 verse 7:
7 "And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.
Why? We can look at chapter 26 verse 5:
5 "because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws."
God made these promises to Abraham not because he knew God's laws, but because he obeyed them. In other words, the promise was not based on knowledge as much as it was action. Now as far as we know, God's laws, commandments, and statutes were not written down in Abraham's day. But we do know that God spoke with Abraham, much as He did with Adam and Eve, and made His expectations clear. But what about the Israelites? What was their knowledge of God's laws, statutes, and commandments?
Based on what we have seen in previous lessons, we can assume that their knowledge was minimal. They had been slaves for 400 years when they came out of Egypt. They didn't have time for art, philosophy, or deep religious thought. They were just trying to survive. Therefore it was important for God to remind them. Immediately after saving them from the Pharaoh and before they continued on their journey, He wanted to re-establish the covenant of Abraham with them. But first, they needed to understand the responsibility of the covenant that God had made with their ancestor. God was not interested in a relationship without rules just like Muharrem did not want a renter without a contract.
In the book of Exodus we can read about the covenant that God made with the Israelites. Before we read the terms of the covenant let’s read how they entered into the agreement. We can start in chapter 19 verses 3-6:
3 And Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: 4 'You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself. 5 'Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. 6 'And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel."
The Israelites had left the eastern shores of the Red Sea and entered into a mountainous region of the Sinai peninsula. While they were camping, God spoke to Moses from a mountaintop. Although we don't know for sure, some scholars believe that Moses led the Israelites to the same mountain where he saw the burning bush. Regardless, it was on this mountain that God would make His laws and the conditions of the covenant clear.
God wanted them to remember what He did for them, to trust Him, and obey Him. If they could do those things they would be His special people. It is important to note that the covenant expected the Israelites to be a kingdom of priests. Priests are supposed to be holy people who guide and teach others about God. It seems that God wanted the Israelites to teach all nations about Him. Is this what God meant when He said that Abraham's seed would be a blessing to all nations? Let's continue with verse 10:
10 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes.
God is holy and before He made a covenant with the Israelites He wanted them to be clean. The action of cleaning themselves reminded them of their dirtiness compared to God's purity. It also reminded them of His expectation that they live holy lives. They would be His representatives to the rest of the world. As we will see shortly, God would define holiness through His commandments. Now we can read verses 18-21:
18 Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. 19 And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by voice. 20 Then the LORD came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain. And the LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. 21 And the LORD said to Moses, "Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to gaze at the LORD, and many of them perish.
The scene must have been awesome. The people were camped at the base of a large mountain and waiting for something to happen. Suddenly, clouds began to accumulate around the mountain's summit. There was lightning and thunder. Then the audible voice of God calling Moses to the summit. The people probably fell to the ground and prostrated themselves before the Creator. God didn't want any of them to die, so He ordered Moses that they not approach the mountain.
Then God gave to the Israelites the terms of His covenant, His definition of holiness. We can read the exact transcript of God's words in Exodus chapter 20 verses 1-21. We can start by reading verses 1-11:
1 And God spoke all these words, saying: 2 "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 "You shall have no other gods before Me. 4 "You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. 7 "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain. 8 "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
In the first four commandments God revealed how the Israelites were to relate to Him. They were to show honor, respect, loyalty and love for Him. He was the center of their worship because He brought them out of bondage. They were destined to spend the rest of their lives in slavery, but God intervened and gave them freedom. Their relationship with God was based on this redemptive foundation. A relationship that God held even more sacred than marriage. The Israelites would in turn show how much they appreciated Him by keeping the first four commandments. It is no different with us; God wants us to also be free from fear, doubt, and sin. He wants to have the same relationship with us! Well what do the next six commandments say? Let's look at verses 12-17:
12 "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you. 13 "You shall not murder. 14 "You shall not commit adultery. 15 "You shall not steal. 16 " You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 17 "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's."
Here God describes how the Israelites were to relate to other human beings. First and foremost, people on this planet are God’s possession because He created them. They needed to respect them, their property, their person, and their relationships with others. And let us not forget that we too are bound to these rules in our relationship with God.
In the 10th commandment we see something very interesting. The commandment is not confined to action. Coveting actually starts in the heart and mind. It is after we have become jealous of another person's possessions that we would try to take them. But then again, you could say the same about stealing, murder, lying, and adultery. The sin actually begins with a thought. In short, we see that keeping God's commandments is not just about external behavior. Rather our behavior is the result of us living according to an internal principle. The principle of God's law in our hearts. We might say that the ten commandments could be restated in a simple sentence. Love God and love your neighbor. Isn't that a great foundation for a relationship! Let's finish with verses 18-21:
18 Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off. 19 Then they said to Moses, "You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die." 20 And Moses said to the people, "Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin." 21 So the people stood afar off, but Moses drew near the thick darkness where God was.
Notice that Moses told the people not to be afraid and that God’s fear should be before the people so that they would not sin. How could they not fear and keep God’s fear before them at the same time? They would not need to fear God as long as they were not going against His commandments. In other words, as long as they lived up to God's standard, as long as they met His expectations, the relationship would remain intact. God would judge the relationship through the keeping of His law.
Let's use another illustration to see the importance of relationships being based on principles of respect and love.
Ayşe was 13 years old. She never knew her father. He left her mother shortly after she was born. Her mother said he was a gambler and a drunkard. Ayşe’s mother was usually broke and often gone from home for days at a time without telling anyone where she was. At last the government stepped in and gave custody of Ayşe to her grandmother. Ayşe was unhappy and rebellious. When she first came to her grandmother she was instructed that it was proper for her to kiss her grandmother and grandfather’s hand. She did not want to do this.
“I never kissed anyone’s hand in my life” she said. “Why should I start now?”
Her grandmother said to her,
“Ayşe, in every society there are ways of showing respect to elders. It may differ from culture to culture. It can even differ from family to family in the same community. Perhaps you never did this in your home. But you live here now and these are the rules of our home.”
Whether we like it or not or whether we accept it or not, we live in God’s universe, in God’s house so to speak. There is no other house. If we want to continue to live in “God’s house” we must accept the rules or covenant of His “house”. The rules of life, the rules of God’s “house” are the commandments, the laws and statues that God gave to Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (verbally). Because the Israelites lost the knowledge of God's laws, He gave them the terms of His covenant in written form. From that point on, they would know what was expected of them, what their relationship with God was founded on and how that relationship would be maintained. The Ten Commandments are the rules for humanity in God’s “house”. When God judges each of us, how will He judge us? Will He not judge us according to the rules of life that He gave to Abraham and to his descendants as an everlasting covenant? The answer is yes!
Questions for Discussion:
1. In your relationship with God have you considered the Ten Commandments as the rules regulating your relationship? Are
you living up to the rental agreement that God has with you?
2. The 10th commandment points to a sin that originates in the heart. Do you think the other Ten Commandments are about sin that
originates in the heart?
3. If God were to judge you according to the Ten Commandments right now, could you remain in His “house”?
4. Take a moment re read the Ten Commandments in Ex. 20. Number them from one to ten and meditate on their value for
life, family, and society.
Muharrem owned a small apartment building on the outskirts of town. The building was in a neighborhood that used to be a village. As time passed the village became part of the city and little by little large apartments replaced the old village houses.
Through painful experiences Muharrem was learning how to be a landlord. On one occasion, he rented out one of his units to a man named Yaşar without any rental agreement. After negotiating a price, they simply shook hands. He had agreed in principle that Yaşar and his wife could live in the apartment for 475 lira a month.
In a three unit building there was no need for a doorman but there was a small monthly maintenance fee of just 25 lira. But there was an issue with who would pay for the electricity. Muharrem's building was all on one electric meter and he didn't want to pay to have the apartments separated. So to save time and effort he thought,
"I will simply pay the electric and raise the rent from 400 to 450 a month. I don't foresee two people using that much electricity."
But after just two weeks Yaşar allowed his daughter, son-in-law and their two small children to move into the house. Muharrem was concerned that they would be using too much electricity, so he went to talk with Yaşar.
“Yaşar Bey, the water and electric bills are going up. When we agreed on the price of the apartment it was just you and your wife. I will need to increase your rent to cover the costs.” Muharrem said.
“No way” said Yaşar. "The price was for the apartment and not on the number of people in the house. I will not give any more rent.”
“Yaşar Bey, if you don’t pay more rent, we will have to go to court.”
“Fine, we will talk to the judge.” he replied.
At last the case went to the judge, but because there was no contract the judge couldn't do anything for Muharrem. The only way Muharrem could get Yaşar and his family out of the apartment would be to move his own children in there. That is, if his children had no other place to live. But it never happened and as many years passed, Muharrem lost a lot of money.
One day Muharrem went to visit Yaşar to collect the rent. Most of the time the rent was late and sometimes he didn’t pay at all. The situation was becoming more unbearable for Muharrem and he didn't know what to do. When Muharrem arrived, he knocked on the door and it creaked open. He thought it was quite strange so he entered the apartment.
"Hello, Yaşar are you here?" he said.
But no one answered. Instead he was met with a horrible stench that burned in his nose. The living room was bare and the floor was covered with plastic bags filled with rotting food and diapers. It was apparent that they had left in a hurry. Muharrem covered his nose with his shirt and entered the kitchen. Some of the cabinet doors were on the ground and others were hanging crooked because the hinges were broken. They had left the water on and the drainpipe was leaking. Muharrem could see that it must have been dripping for a long time because the cabinet below was water logged and rotting.
Muharrem said to himself,
“How can human beings live like this? After all I have endured, this is how it all ends. Dirty animals!”
Muharrem spent two months and thousands of lira restoring the apartment to its original condition. But Muharrem learned many things. Most importantly, he wasn’t ever going to seal an agreement with only a handshake. He was going to have everything written in a contract so that there would be no misunderstanding. Then if there was a problem, he could at least go to court and get the renter removed. For Muharrem the contract was both ridiculous and necessary. If the renter behaved like a decent human being, there was no need for a contract. But the reason the contract was necessary is because some people don’t behave like they should and when confronted with their wrongdoing, they deny it. There was one thing clear, without a written contract Muharrem would never rent his apartment again. He wanted the renter to know his expectations from day one.
All relationships are based upon expectations. Sometimes those relationships are governed by rules of society that aren’t necessarily written down. They are shared from generation to generation through the traditions and teachings of elders. The children learn what is expected of them from their parents and grandparents. Relationships can also be protected by vows, like in a marriage. The expectation that two people will love each other in good and bad times is expressed in the vow. In other cases like a landlord and a renter, the expectations of each party may need to be carefully clarified in a written document.
Although God did not write them down, He made His expectations clear to Adam and Eve when He said that they could not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Unfortunately for all mankind, they weren't able to meet His expectation. But God in His mercy was patient with them and has continually gave their descendants additional opportunities to follow His directives. If you remember, God made a covenant with Abraham promising him several things. When we review them look for the expectation or agreement that Abraham fulfilled. We can start in Genesis chapter 12 verses 2 and 3:
2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."
God then repeated this promise in chapter 22 verse 18 adding that it was because Abraham had obeyed Him:
18 "In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice."
But God's promise was not only limited to Abraham, it also applied to his descendants. Just in case you missed it from the last two examples, let's read Genesis chapter 17 verse 7:
7 "And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.
Why? We can look at chapter 26 verse 5:
5 "because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws."
God made these promises to Abraham not because he knew God's laws, but because he obeyed them. In other words, the promise was not based on knowledge as much as it was action. Now as far as we know, God's laws, commandments, and statutes were not written down in Abraham's day. But we do know that God spoke with Abraham, much as He did with Adam and Eve, and made His expectations clear. But what about the Israelites? What was their knowledge of God's laws, statutes, and commandments?
Based on what we have seen in previous lessons, we can assume that their knowledge was minimal. They had been slaves for 400 years when they came out of Egypt. They didn't have time for art, philosophy, or deep religious thought. They were just trying to survive. Therefore it was important for God to remind them. Immediately after saving them from the Pharaoh and before they continued on their journey, He wanted to re-establish the covenant of Abraham with them. But first, they needed to understand the responsibility of the covenant that God had made with their ancestor. God was not interested in a relationship without rules just like Muharrem did not want a renter without a contract.
In the book of Exodus we can read about the covenant that God made with the Israelites. Before we read the terms of the covenant let’s read how they entered into the agreement. We can start in chapter 19 verses 3-6:
3 And Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: 4 'You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself. 5 'Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. 6 'And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel."
The Israelites had left the eastern shores of the Red Sea and entered into a mountainous region of the Sinai peninsula. While they were camping, God spoke to Moses from a mountaintop. Although we don't know for sure, some scholars believe that Moses led the Israelites to the same mountain where he saw the burning bush. Regardless, it was on this mountain that God would make His laws and the conditions of the covenant clear.
God wanted them to remember what He did for them, to trust Him, and obey Him. If they could do those things they would be His special people. It is important to note that the covenant expected the Israelites to be a kingdom of priests. Priests are supposed to be holy people who guide and teach others about God. It seems that God wanted the Israelites to teach all nations about Him. Is this what God meant when He said that Abraham's seed would be a blessing to all nations? Let's continue with verse 10:
10 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes.
God is holy and before He made a covenant with the Israelites He wanted them to be clean. The action of cleaning themselves reminded them of their dirtiness compared to God's purity. It also reminded them of His expectation that they live holy lives. They would be His representatives to the rest of the world. As we will see shortly, God would define holiness through His commandments. Now we can read verses 18-21:
18 Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. 19 And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by voice. 20 Then the LORD came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain. And the LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. 21 And the LORD said to Moses, "Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to gaze at the LORD, and many of them perish.
The scene must have been awesome. The people were camped at the base of a large mountain and waiting for something to happen. Suddenly, clouds began to accumulate around the mountain's summit. There was lightning and thunder. Then the audible voice of God calling Moses to the summit. The people probably fell to the ground and prostrated themselves before the Creator. God didn't want any of them to die, so He ordered Moses that they not approach the mountain.
Then God gave to the Israelites the terms of His covenant, His definition of holiness. We can read the exact transcript of God's words in Exodus chapter 20 verses 1-21. We can start by reading verses 1-11:
1 And God spoke all these words, saying: 2 "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 "You shall have no other gods before Me. 4 "You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. 7 "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain. 8 "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
In the first four commandments God revealed how the Israelites were to relate to Him. They were to show honor, respect, loyalty and love for Him. He was the center of their worship because He brought them out of bondage. They were destined to spend the rest of their lives in slavery, but God intervened and gave them freedom. Their relationship with God was based on this redemptive foundation. A relationship that God held even more sacred than marriage. The Israelites would in turn show how much they appreciated Him by keeping the first four commandments. It is no different with us; God wants us to also be free from fear, doubt, and sin. He wants to have the same relationship with us! Well what do the next six commandments say? Let's look at verses 12-17:
12 "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you. 13 "You shall not murder. 14 "You shall not commit adultery. 15 "You shall not steal. 16 " You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 17 "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's."
Here God describes how the Israelites were to relate to other human beings. First and foremost, people on this planet are God’s possession because He created them. They needed to respect them, their property, their person, and their relationships with others. And let us not forget that we too are bound to these rules in our relationship with God.
In the 10th commandment we see something very interesting. The commandment is not confined to action. Coveting actually starts in the heart and mind. It is after we have become jealous of another person's possessions that we would try to take them. But then again, you could say the same about stealing, murder, lying, and adultery. The sin actually begins with a thought. In short, we see that keeping God's commandments is not just about external behavior. Rather our behavior is the result of us living according to an internal principle. The principle of God's law in our hearts. We might say that the ten commandments could be restated in a simple sentence. Love God and love your neighbor. Isn't that a great foundation for a relationship! Let's finish with verses 18-21:
18 Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off. 19 Then they said to Moses, "You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die." 20 And Moses said to the people, "Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin." 21 So the people stood afar off, but Moses drew near the thick darkness where God was.
Notice that Moses told the people not to be afraid and that God’s fear should be before the people so that they would not sin. How could they not fear and keep God’s fear before them at the same time? They would not need to fear God as long as they were not going against His commandments. In other words, as long as they lived up to God's standard, as long as they met His expectations, the relationship would remain intact. God would judge the relationship through the keeping of His law.
Let's use another illustration to see the importance of relationships being based on principles of respect and love.
Ayşe was 13 years old. She never knew her father. He left her mother shortly after she was born. Her mother said he was a gambler and a drunkard. Ayşe’s mother was usually broke and often gone from home for days at a time without telling anyone where she was. At last the government stepped in and gave custody of Ayşe to her grandmother. Ayşe was unhappy and rebellious. When she first came to her grandmother she was instructed that it was proper for her to kiss her grandmother and grandfather’s hand. She did not want to do this.
“I never kissed anyone’s hand in my life” she said. “Why should I start now?”
Her grandmother said to her,
“Ayşe, in every society there are ways of showing respect to elders. It may differ from culture to culture. It can even differ from family to family in the same community. Perhaps you never did this in your home. But you live here now and these are the rules of our home.”
Whether we like it or not or whether we accept it or not, we live in God’s universe, in God’s house so to speak. There is no other house. If we want to continue to live in “God’s house” we must accept the rules or covenant of His “house”. The rules of life, the rules of God’s “house” are the commandments, the laws and statues that God gave to Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (verbally). Because the Israelites lost the knowledge of God's laws, He gave them the terms of His covenant in written form. From that point on, they would know what was expected of them, what their relationship with God was founded on and how that relationship would be maintained. The Ten Commandments are the rules for humanity in God’s “house”. When God judges each of us, how will He judge us? Will He not judge us according to the rules of life that He gave to Abraham and to his descendants as an everlasting covenant? The answer is yes!
Questions for Discussion:
1. In your relationship with God have you considered the Ten Commandments as the rules regulating your relationship? Are
you living up to the rental agreement that God has with you?
2. The 10th commandment points to a sin that originates in the heart. Do you think the other Ten Commandments are about sin that
originates in the heart?
3. If God were to judge you according to the Ten Commandments right now, could you remain in His “house”?
4. Take a moment re read the Ten Commandments in Ex. 20. Number them from one to ten and meditate on their value for
life, family, and society.