Exodus 20:12-17
"Table For Two?" • 2.24.11 • Calvary Christian Fellowship, Thursday Night Study
Intro.
- Last week, we began to examine the 10 Commandments. Just the name alone gives weight to the subject matter. These are 10 general statements given by God Himself comprising His law!
- His people are the recipients of the foundation points for the entirety of the law that is about to be exposed.
- Commentators are divided on how one should divide the two tablets of the law. Several see a 5 and 5 split, though, I have taken a 4 and 6 split.
- The first table in my mind, ends with the 4th commandment. It begins with a command to have no other gods in the presence of Almighty God!
- He is to have an exclusive relationship with His people, who were not to add other gods to the mix, a genuine temptation in that day. They were to trust and dedicate themselves to Him alone.
- The second command is an injunction against worshipping the real God in a false way. God does not want His people to worship an image of Him.
- We want to be fully impressed with God and never take for granted that we know enough of His character and person.
- The third command prohibits taking the Lord's name in vain. We are not to take our relationship with the Lord lightly. His authority must extend and be final in every area of our lives.
- Finally, last week, we saw that the Lord commands His people to rest. For the people of Israel, this was a literal day of each week. For us, this is fulfilled in Christ, who is our real Sabbath.
- This brings us to the second table of the law, that which governs our relationships with one another. God begins with our most significant original relationship.
Text
• Exodus 20:12 : "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you." : This command of the Lord's is unique, in that among the 10, it is the only one of the final table that is positive in nature.
- It is the second one of it's kind, as the the command to keep the sabbath was also positive in nature. The rest of the commandments are written in prohibitive language, ie. "You shall not..."
- Additionally, it is also unique in that it is the only command with a positive promise.
- Worshipping God falsely brings about a terrible promise of sin visiting generations of people. This command gives a promise of life extension.
- Finally, it's notable that the 3rd commandment deals with the perspective of Fathers and their legacy. This commandment deals with the perspective of children and their life.
- They are to honor their Father and Mother. There is no other word in any translattion. Every Bible translation has the word "honor" in it.
- The word "honor" in the original language points to something "heavy" or "weighty." The concept can refer to piling up burdens upon someone, or to pile on blessings.
- One who is rebellious might point to a bit of a technicality, but this obviously refers to the latter. Honor means to pile on blessing upon blessing upon our parents.
- One other commentator mentioned that this refers to assessing an appropriate value to the relationship mentioned. We might say, "You haven't given me an ounce of respect!"
- God is saying in an opposite way, that we are to give a "ton of respect" toward our parents.
- Today, you, in your context, understanding the dynamics of your relationship, honor your Father and Mother.
- There are at least two areas that are given that show honor to our parental units. The clue is that this verse is repeated and these are connected to it. This makes them explicit.
- The first area that shows honor to our parents biblically, is in terms of tangible help.
- Jesus chided the religious leaders for teaching the people to reserve money for God, so that they could keep it out of the hands of their needy parents.
• Matthew 15:5,6 (NLT) : "But you say, `You don't need to honor your parents by caring for their needs if you give the money to God instead.' and so, by your own tradition, you nullify the direct commandment of God."
- We honor our parents by helping them when they need our assistance. If you are in a position to financially help, that is wonderful. If you have time, give it. If you have talent, lend it!
- This is a practical way to honor our parents. We are to put a priority on our family.
- We also honor them by listening to them, by giving them a place of expression in our lives. Paul expresses this thought to the Ephesians.
• Ephesians 6:1 : "Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do."
- That word "obey" is a word picture connected to this Greek word of a porter coming to the door to listen to one who is knocking.
- We show honor to our parents when we pay attention to what they are trying to say in our lives. In many cases, we'd do well to obey, especially when our parents give godly counsel.
- But what about non-Christian parents? Admittedly, these statements are written to a covenant community and it's fair to reason that these parents belong to the Lord.
- I believe that the Lord would have us honor our non-Christian parents in the same way that we would honor any non-Christian relationship.
- We help when it's possible and we listen to the heart of what's being said. When it lines up with scripture, we do it. If it does not, then we must obey God first.
- Finally, we honor our parents by living a life that honors their intentions for us. Look through the Proverbs and you'll see several verses that speak about dishonoring parents in various ways.
- The intention of a child who honors the Lord, does what he or she can, to honor their parents and not bring shame upon them.
- God promises that with our obedience to our parents that there comes an assurance of long life in the land that He is giving them.
- This seems to refer to the peace that comes with the steadiness of this relationship. Principally, this likely refers to a society built upon children who respect authority.
- Kids who honor their parents, honor their society! It's good for all. Of course, the opposite is just as true: Kids who have no desire to honor their parents, have little desire to honor society!
- I might mention another application of what might be stated here.
- Think about how much angst there is in the lives of those who do not have healthy family relationships.
- How difficult is it for kids with strained parental relationships? How difficult is it for kids to navigate through relationships with absentee Fathers or Mothers?
- These statements are not meant to condemn, but are meant to encourage: Parents need be worthy of honor and kids need to seek to honor their parents!
• Exodus 20:13 : "You shall not murder." : It would seem that one would not have to say this, but if you consider their history, you might see the logic.
- The first sin recorded after the fall was fratricide. Not long after that, Lamech killed somebody for injurying him. Soon, violence filled the earth and God had to bring the flood of judgment.
- Consider how life was treated among the Egyptians. Their leader Moses had killed an Egyptian and buried him in the sand.
- Life it seems, was treated as a cheap commodity. As a society, we're not much better today.
- This commandment comes against pre-meditated murder and negligence. At the same time, this would also include our societies embrace of other types of murder that are en vogue.
- Murder includes pre-meditated, pre-arranged killing. It also includes abortion. I heard a statistic that blew my mind today: Every 3 minutes, two abortions are committed in the world!
- That statistic came from a sermon done in 2003. The latest data that I could find was in 2005 and at that time there were 1.21 million abortions performed in the U.S.
- Of those, 80 percent who had an abortion were unwed women. 47 percent had had a previous abortion. And most staggering, almost 50 percent of those women claimed to be Protestant![i]
- Beyond abortion, there is euthanasia, or mercy killing. Add to this, the epidemic of self-murder, known as suicide. These are all pre-meditated murders.
- As a society, we have a large sin debt in this category!
- Most of us can feel relaxed knowing that we have not committed this sin. But there is more to it than the actual act. Jesus speaks to this in the sermon on the mount.
• Matthew 5:21,22 : "You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire."
- Jesus tells us that God had heart attitudes in mind when He spoke these commands. Don't let anger simmer in your heart against your brother.
- When Jesus says this, He is exposing what happens in our hearts that is equivalent to an action by our bodies.
- We may wish someone dead, but lack the courage to carry out the act. That is the same as murder in the eyes of God. We need to carefully guard our hearts in this area.
- If we are to be guiltless of this, we must constantly commit our feelings of anger to the Lord, and trust Him for vindication and vengeance.
• Exodus 20:14 : "You shall not commit adultery." : In order to really understand this, it's best for us to turn to Ephesians 5.
- Paul lays out a beautiful picture of what husbands and wives are to be toward each other in the Lord.
- They are to submit to each other, the wife is to give her husband the lead and he is to love her as Christ loves the church.
- Then Paul adds the following words to his exposition, giving it it's ultimate meaning.
• Ephesians 5:32,33 : "This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband."
- Christian marriage is to be a living illustration of the type of intimate relationship that the Lord has with His church.
- When we live out the Lord's vision, we are giving the world a picture of what they are missing.
- Now the word "adultery" is a picture of turning oneself to another. It's used about 40 times in the scripture and many of those times refer to the nation of Israel turning toward idolatry.
- When one looks up the origin of the word "adultery" one will find the concept of corrupting or polluting something. It means to mar or change the intended image.
- This is what happens when someone becomes involved in what has become the "act of adultery," which most believe refers to illlicit sexual activity with someone who is not your spouse
- In the same way that life was to be valued in the commandment against murder, so also was the marriage vow to be valued among God's people.
- Where does God see adultery happening? It begins way before it begins...if you know what I mean! The Lord Jesus gave us a greater view of what adultery actually is in the mind of God.
• Matthew 5:27,28 : "You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart."
- Just as in command not to murder, there is a prohibition on intent. Adultery begins with the seed of lust in the initial look.
- We can do nothing about the initial look. We can do something about prolonging it or finding new angles to look at!
- Adultery seems to bring such pleasure, but is indeed one of the enemy's most potent weapons when it comes to destroying lives.
- Among the many prohibitions seen in the commandments, we recognize that the Lord makes these statements as a Father warning His children of horrible choices that can be made in this life.
- There is an intention that God has in every relationship. Don't adulterate, pollute the picture that He desires to paint!
• Exodus 20:15,16 : "You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." : The order of these commandments moves from relationships with parents, to society, to marriage and now to neighbors.
- Theft was an issue that needed a commandment. There is to be respect of another's property that does not belong to you.
- Stealing can come in the form of physically removing another's property. Did you "borrow" something recently? Did you take a longer lunch than is given? Ever leave early?
- All of that is stealing from employers, neighbors, friends, companies, etc.
- We can also steal from the Lord who gives us an additional application through the prophets.
- Turn over to Malachi 3. The prophet speaks against the generation that returned to the land of Israel, but that had spent most of their energy on their own houses and lives to the neglect of God.
• Malachi 3:8-10 : "Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,' says the Lord of hosts, 'If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it."
- One could even go further and say that it's a robbery of God if we refuse to serve Him, given that we belong to Him because of the redemption price that He paid for us!
- Let us not be guilty of robbing the Lord of what is rightfully His!
- Bearing false witness refers to circulating a false report. This can be done by actively lying about somebody purposely.
- There are people who willfully take a story and spread it about another person that is blatantly not true. On the other hand, one can do this passively by refusing to clear matters up.
- This is done when we choose to sit by silently.
• Exodus 20:17 : "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." : The law does not just govern action, but it governs attitude. This command let's us know that.
- To covet means to desire that which is not ours. It literally means "to pant over."
˚ "Covetousness works like this: the eyes look upon an object, the mind admires it, the will goes over to it, and the body moves in to possess it." Guzik
- This could come in several forms. You could covet your neighbor's wife, noting how attractive or how amiable she is.
- You could covet your neighbor's male servant if he worked harder or more efficiently than your own servant did.
- The same could be true of his femaie servant. Who hasn't wanted better employees!?
- When I think about oxen or donkeys, I think about tools or transportation. "Look at that tractor" or "look at that fast vehicle!"
- The Lord says that this covers everything in your neighbor's possession.
Conclusion
- In conclusion, let me offer some final words. The commandments stem from the heart of God, who is the Father of this nation of people, and our Father as well.
- He knows that the life that He intends for you and I.
- Other gods, worshipping falsely, taking His name in vain and not resting in Christ, mars the relationship picture that He wants you to enjoy with Him.
- Along the same lines, dishonoring parents, having unreconciled anger towards others, adulterating our marriages, stealing, lying and coveting, all mar the picture that He has planned for our human relationships!
- As we look at these commands, the temptation is to fall heavy under the weight of guilt. That is the principal use of the law. It shows us that we cannot be justified.
- But just because we know that, does not mean that we cannot look in the same mirror and seek God's help to conform ourselves to His standard. That is what sanctification is all about.
- His law is perfect, converting the soul at His new birth, and changing Him along His life into the image of His Son Jesus.
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