Read Exodus 20:1-20

Read Exodus 20:1-20

God spoke, and these were his words: ²“I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt, where you were slaves.

3 “Worship no god but me.

4 “Do not make for yourselves images of anything in heaven or on earth or in the water under the earth. ⁵Do not bow down to any idol or worship it, because I am the Lord your God and I tolerate no rivals. I bring punishment on those who hate me and on their descendants down to the third and fourth generation. ⁶But I show my love to thousands of generations^u of those who love me and obey my laws.

7 “Do not use my name for evil purposes, for I, the Lord your God, will punish anyone who misuses my name.

8 “Observe the Sabbath and keep it holy. ⁹You have six days in which to do your work, ¹⁰but the seventh day is a day of rest dedicated to me. On that day no one is to work—neither you, your children, your slaves, your animals, nor the foreigners who live in your country. ¹¹In six days I, the Lord, made the earth, the sky, the sea, and everything in them, but on the seventh day I rested. That is why I, the Lord, blessed the Sabbath and made it holy.

12 “Respect your father and your mother, so that you may live a long time in the land that I am giving you.

13 “Do not commit murder.

14 “Do not commit adultery.

15 “Do not steal.

16 “Do not accuse anyone falsely.

17 “Do not desire another man’s house; do not desire his wife, his slaves, his cattle, his donkeys, or anything else that he owns.”

18 When the people heard the thunder and the trumpet blast and saw the lightning and the smoking mountain, they trembled with fear and stood a long way off. ¹⁹They said to Moses, “If you speak to us, we will listen; but we are afraid that if God speaks to us, we will die.”

20 Moses replied, “Don’t be afraid; God has only come to test you and make you keep on obeying him, so that you will not sin.” ²¹But the people continued to stand a long way off, and only Moses went near the dark cloud where God was.

Think

The Israelites escape Egypt to go and worship God in the desert.  This is the highest moment of worship - when God speaks.  The living God tells them what to do.  Often we see our prayer and worship as telling God what to do.

Pray

Lord, help me to remember that your laws are here to set me free.  Help me to remember that you love me.  Let me not be too afraid to listen to your voice.

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4  20.4, 5: Ex 34:17; Lv 19:4; 26:1; Dt 4:15–18; 27:15

⁵ 20.4, 5: Ex 34:17; Lv 19:4; 26:1; Dt 4:15–18; 27:15
20.5, 6: Ex 34:6, 7; Nu 14:18; Dt 7:9, 10

⁶ 20.4, 5: Ex 34:17; Lv 19:4; 26:1; Dt 4:15–18; 27:15
20.5, 6: Ex 34:6, 7; Nu 14:18; Dt 7:9, 10

^u thousands of generations; or thousands.

7  20.7: Lv 19:12

8  20.8: Ex 16:23–30; 31:12–14

⁹ 20.9, 10: Ex 23:12; 31:15; 34:21; 35:2; Lv 23:3

¹⁰ 20.9, 10: Ex 23:12; 31:15; 34:21; 35:2; Lv 23:3

¹¹ 20.11: Gn 2:1–3; Ex 31:17

12  20.12 a: Dt 27:16; Mt 15:4; 19:19; Mk 7:10; 10:19; Lk 18:20; Eph 6:2
20.12 b: Eph 6:3

13  20.13: Gn 9:6; Lv 24:17; Mt 5:21; 19:18; Mk 10:19; Lk 18:20; Ro 13:9; Jas 2:11

14  20.14: Lv 20:10; Mt 5:27; 19:18; Mk 10:19; Lk 18:20; Ro 13:9; Jas 2:11

15  20.15: Lv 19:11; Mt 19:18; Mk 10:19; Lk 18:20; Ro 13:9; Jas 2:11

16  20.16: Ex 23:1; Mt 19:18; Mk 10:19; Lk 18:20

17  20.17: Ro 7:7; 13:9

18  20.18, 19: He 12:18, 19

¹⁹ 20.18, 19: He 12:18, 19