Praise the Lord Jesus Christ, please study this chapter and then answer all 53 questions at the end of this chapter.

Exodus Chapter 20

Verses 1-17: The Ten Commandments, also referred to as the Decalogue (Deut. 5:6-22), were written in the form of great king-vassal treaties from the second millennium BC, complete with preamble, prologue, and a statement of responsibilities and conditions. Earlier (19:5-6), the Lord had stipulated how He would bless the people if they honored this covenant.

The phrase “the Lord your God” is repeated five times in the first 12 verses here to emphasize the authority behind these commandments as well as His personal relationship with His people.

Exodus 20:1 “And God spake all these words, saying,”

“All these words”: This general description of the commands to follow also received from Moses the title “Ten Commandments” (34:28; Deut. 4:13). By this emphasis on God himself speaking these words (Deut. 5:12, 15-16, 22, 32-33), all theories on Israel’s borrowing legal patterns or concepts from the nations around them are unacceptable.

Exodus 20:2 “I [am] the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.”

The binding nature of commands upon the conscience depends upon the authority of the person who issues them. That there might be no dispute as to what the authority was in the case of the Decalogue, God prefaced the commands themselves by this distinct statement. By whomsoever they were communicated (see the note on Exodus 20:1), they were the commands of Jehovah Himself.

“Which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt”: Thus, exhibiting at once Almighty power and the tender compassion and care. God desires the obedience which springs from love, not fear.

In these first two verses, God stated once more that He was their absolute God. He reminded them that no effort of their own got them out. God did everything for them. He was about to give them the Ten Commandments which the whole law is based upon.

Mark 12:29-31 “And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments [is], Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:” “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this [is] the first commandment.” “And the second [is] like, [namely] this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.”

The first four of the Ten Commandments deal with God, and the six latter deals with man. Jesus just said, “Get everything in order with God and with man and you have fulfilled God’s law.” We remember now that the people and the priests have cleansed themselves. God would give these commandments for them to hear. Some call these Commandments the moral law.

These Ten Commandments spoken by God are, also, called the Decalogue. This voice of God which speaks and the finger of God which writes give no room for change of this law. It is divine in nature.

Verses 3-4: The people of Israel were constantly beset with the idea of many gods. Yet only one true God exists, and He insists on “no other gods before” or besides Him. In ancient times, true monotheism (belief in one god) was unique to Israel.

Verses 3-17: The Ten Commandments, also known as the Decalogue, which follow upon the opening historical prologue (verse 2). Are then formed as a precept or direct command which is given in the second person. This form was something rather uncommon in that day. Ancient Near Eastern law codes for the most part were casuistic (reasoning used to resolve moral problems by extracting or extending theoretical rules from particular instances and applying these rules to new instances). Or case-law, in form, i.e., and “if … then” construction written in the third person wherein a supposed offense was followed by a statement of the action to be taken or penalty to be exacted.

The Ten Commandments may also be grouped into two broad categories. The vertical, namely man’s relationship to God (verses 2-11). And the horizontal, namely man’s relationship to the community (verses 12-17). Concisely listed prohibitions mark the second category, with only one exception, an imperative plus its explanation (verse 12). Explanation or reason appended to a prohibition marks the first category. By these Ten Commandments, true theology and true worship, the name of God and the Sabbath, family honor, life, marriage and property, truth and virtue are well protected (see note on 24:7).

Commandment number 1:

Exodus 20:3 “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”

“Before me”: meaning “over against Me,” this is a most appropriate expression in the light of the next few verses. All false gods stand in opposition to the true God, and the worship of them is incompatible with the worship of Yahweh. When Israel departed from the worship of the only one and true God, she plunged into religious confusion (Judges Chapters 17 and 18).

The phrase “before me” has been the subject of no small debate. Some suggest it means “in addition to Me,” as the preposition is used this way (in Genesis 31:50 and Deut. 19:9). Others take “before” to indicate “in preference to Me.” The preposition is translated “in hostility toward” (in Genesis 16:12). Thus the first commandment teaches that no deity, real or imagined, is to rival the one true God, who is the only One who matters. It demands an exclusive covenant relationship with Yahweh (Psalm 81:9-10).

They had just left a nation with many false gods. God had shown them, that without any doubt at all that He (Jehovah), is the one true God. Many confuse this to mean only the Father when in fact God the Father, God the Word, and God the Holy Ghost make up this one God.

1 John chapter 5:7 “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.”

They are one Spirit. God is a Spirit as we read (in John 4).

John 4:24 “God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth.”

God is a jealous God, and will not share us with false gods.

Verses 4-6: The second commandment banned all idolatrous images in Israel. The Lord is “jealous” for His singularity in the lives of His people and will not tolerate any rivals for their affection (Zech. 1:14; 8:2; James 4:5). This is an expression of His love; He wants the very best for His people.

The mode or fashion of worship appropriate to only one Lord forbids any attempt to represent or caricature Him by use of anything He has made. Total censure of artistic expression was not the issue; the absolute censure of idolatry and false worship was the issue. Violation would seriously affect succeeding generations because the Lord demanded full and exclusive devotion, i.e., He is a jealous God (34:14; Deut. 4:24; 5:9). The worship of man-made representations was nothing less than hatred of the true God.

Commandment number 2:

Exodus 20:4 “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness [of any thing] that [is] in heaven above, or that [is] in the earth beneath, or that [is] in the water under the earth:”

The prohibition of “any graven image” forbids, among other things, the making of any likeness of what is in the heavens above. Obviously, that would include images of Yahweh. Archaeologists have observed that a figure of Yahweh has yet to be found in debris of an Israelite town. This would also seem to substantiate the antiquity of the second commandment, since such images of other gods are frequently found at later periods.

Verses 5-6: “unto the third and fourth generation … thousands”: Moses had made it clear that children were not punished for the sins of the parents (Deut. 24:16; see Ezek. 18:19-32), but children would feel the impact of breaches of God’s law by their parents’ generation as a natural consequence of its disobedience, its hatred of God. Children reared in such an environment would imbibe and then practice similar idolatry, thus themselves expressing hateful disobedience. The difference in consequence served as both a warning and motivation. The effect of a disobedient generation was to plant wickedness so deeply that it took several generations to reverse.

Exodus 20:5 “Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God [am] a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth [generation] of them that hate me;”

That is, “make in order to bow.” Under the auspices of Moses himself, figures of cherubim, brazen serpents, oxen, and many other things in the earth beneath, were made and never condemned. The mere making was no sin, it was the making with the intent to give idolatrous worship.

Not in the sense in which He was regarded as “jealous” by some of the Greeks, who supposed that success or eminence of any kind provoked Him. But jealous of His own honor, one who will not see “His glory given to another” (Isa. 42:8; 48:11). Or allow rivals to dispute His sole and absolute sovereignty (compare Exodus 34:14; Deut. 4:24; 5:9; 6:15; and Josh. 24:19).

“Unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me”: As all idolaters must be thought to do, whatsoever love and affection they may pretend to God, by worshipping idols before Him, besides Him, along with Him, or Him in them.

“The third and fourth generation” are mentioned, because sometimes parents lived to see these, and so with their eyes beheld the punishment inflicted upon their posterity for their sins, which must be distressing to them. Or, however, these being but small removes from them, might impress their minds and affect them, to think what their sins would bring upon their descendants, who would quickly come after them. And share in the sad effects of their iniquities, and so be a means to deter them from them.

Exodus 20:6 “And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.”

Rather, to the thousandth generation, as is distinctly expressed (in Deut. 7:9). God’s mercy infinitely transcends His righteous anger. Sin is visited on three, or at most four generations. Righteousness is remembered, and advantages descendants for ever.

“Them that love me, and keep my commandments”: This conjunction is very observable, both against those that falsely and foolishly pretend or insinuate that the inward affection of love to God is not absolutely and always necessary to salvation. And also against them who, pretending inward love to God, live in the customary breach of God’s known commands.

These chosen people of God were about to commit a sin by making a golden calf. You see, they could not say that they did not know, because God told them (in verses 4- 6 above), that they must not do this. In Egypt, it was the practice to make statues of animals and other things that they worshipped. Many times they believed that a spirit entered these statues and so they bowed to the false gods.

We see here that God would not permit any type of false god to be worshipped by His people. Objects of false worship in other cultures should not be in a Christian’s home either. In our day professing Christians have totem poles, little Buddha’s, horoscope signs, and all sorts of objects of false worship in their homes. Some people even have little stuffed devils and witches. This is very displeasing to God.

Many people take exception to the sins of the fathers being passed down to the children, but you can easily see how this would come about. If a family does not pray at meals, a child grows up believing that it is not important to pray. We pick up many bad habits and traits from our families.

Parents, who drink heavily, can expect their children to drink heavily and take drugs. You see, unless the pattern is broken, several generations will make the same mistakes their parents made, and will displease God. Anything that displeases God is sin.

Commandment number 3:

Exodus 20:7 “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.”

“Take the name … in vain”: To use God’s name in such a way as to bring disrepute upon His character or deeds was to irreverently misuse His name. To fail to perform an oath in which His name had been legitimately uttered (22:10-11; Lev. 19:12; Deut. 6:13), was to call into question His existence, since the guilty party evidently had no further thought of the God whose name he had used to improve his integrity. For the believer in the church age, however, the use of the name of God is not a needed verification of his intention and trustworthiness since his life is to exhibit truth on all occasions. With his “yes” meaning “yes” and his “no” meaning “no” (Matthew 5:37; James 5:12).

“In vain” reflects the Hebrew term that is written in the absence of a distinct vowel sound. It means “emptiness, vanity.” It is used in Scripture to describe vain works (Psalms 127:2), worthless idols (Jonah 2:8), and false prophecy (Ezek. 12:24), among other things. So, the basic meaning provides an accurate description of a vowel that has been reduced to almost nothing. So here, in addition to what most think of as a prohibition of cursing or swearing, it has the primary connotation of not using it in vain empty or worthless fashion. It certainly forbids profanity and false oath-taking in the Lord’s name, but also forbids frivolous usage (see the note on Deut. 5:11).

This third commandment is based on the sacredness of God’s holy name, Yahweh.

“In vain” means to regard as having no worth.

“The name of the Lord” should never be used manipulatively (Num. 22:18), caustically, crudely or casually, because it trivializes the character and work of God.

No one who truly loves God will curse and use God’s name. My own opinion is that when we reject the name of Jesus and deny the power in the name of Jesus, which is taking His name in vain. You see, the name of Jesus carries power in it. I believe that swearing a lie in His name, is what is intended here. Anything that would defame God would be included in this also. You see this would be disrespectful to God. Any defamation of Jesus, the Father, or the Holy Ghost would be included in this. To deny any of the three would be very dangerous.

Verses 8-11: Rooted in the Creation account (Gen. 2:1-3), the fourth commandment provides a weekly reminder of God’s holiness. For the people of Israel, the requirement of “Sabbath” meant no member of one’s household, not even one’s “cattle”, should do any work at all on “Rest-Day.” It also served as a special sign between the Lord and Israel (31:12-17; Neh. 9:13-15; Ezek. 20:12, 20), for no other nations officially observed this.

Commandment number 4:

Exodus 20:8 “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.”

“Sabbath” (31:12-17). Each seventh day belonged to the Lord and would not be a work day but one set apart (i.e., holy), for rest and for time devoted to the worship of Yahweh. The term “Sabbath” is derived from “to rest or cease from work.” The historical precedent for such a special observance was the creation week; a span of time equal to what man copied in practice. Each Sabbath day should have reminded the worshiper that the God whom he praised had indeed made everything in both realms of existence in 6 twenty four hour days.

The Sabbath would also stand, therefore, as a counter to evolutionary ideas prevalent in false religion. Moses, in the review of the Decalogue, also linked the observance of the Sabbath with Israel’s exodus from Egypt and specified that this was why Israel was to keep it (Deut. 5:12-15). Significantly, the command for the Sabbath is not repeated in the New Testament, whereas the other nine are. In fact, it is nullified (Col. 2:16-17). Belonging especially to Israel under the Mosaic economy, the Sabbath could not apply to the believer of the church age, for he is living in a new economy.

Exodus 20:9 “Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work:”

The form is certainly imperative; and it has been held that the fourth commandment is “not limited to a mere enactment respecting one day, but prescribes the due distribution of a week, and enforces the six days’ work as much as the seventh day’s rest. But the work on the six days is really rather assumed as what will be than required as what must be. And the intention of the clause is prohibitory rather than mandatory, “thou shalt not work more than six days out of the seven.”

Exodus 20:10 “But the seventh day [is] the sabbath of the LORD thy God: [in it] thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that [is] within thy gates:”

The proper meaning of “Sabbath” is, “rest after labor” compare Exodus 16:26.

“Nor thy cattle”: partly, to teach us to exercise mercy towards the brute creatures (compare Deut. 5:14). Partly, because the use of cattle must have drawn along with it the attendance and employment of men. And partly, that by observing the rest of the cattle, they might be more minded and quickened to the observation of this sacred rest.

“Thy stranger that is within thy gates”: Not a “stranger,” as is an unknown person, but a “lodger,” or “sojourner.” In this place, it denotes one who had come from another people to take up his permanent abode among the Israelites, and who might have been well known to his neighbors. That the word did not primarily refer to foreign domestic servants (though all such were included under it), is to be inferred from the term used for “gates,” signifying not the doors of a private dwelling, but the gates of a town or camp.

Exodus 20:11 “For [in] six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them [is], and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.”

And neither in more nor less time, as he could have done.

“Rested”: I.e. ceased from his creating works; otherwise he worketh still (John 5:17), by his providence and grace; and neither is idle nor weary (Isa. 40:28); but this rest is ascribed to him for our admonition and imitation.

“The Lord blessed the Sabbath day”: I.e. made it a day of blessing; as well of receiving blessings and praises from men, as of conferring his blessings and favors upon those that religiously observe it. The day is said to be blessed when men are blessed by it, and in it, by a common attribute, as a man’s field (Genesis 27:27), and basket and store (Deut. 28:5). And the work of his hands (Job 1:10), are said to be blessed when a man is blessed in them. It is remarkable, the blessing and sanctification are not appropriated to the seventh day, but to the Sabbath day, whether it should be the seventh day, as to the Jews it then was, or the first day, as to us Christians now it is, which change seems hereby to be insinuated.

“Hallowed it”: I.e. separated it from the rest of the days, and from all common employments, and consecrated it to His own holy service, and man’s holy use.

In Mark chapter 2:27, we see an explanation from Jesus about why the Sabbath was instituted.

Mark 2:27 “And he said unto them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath:”

You see, God realized that mankind needed to rest one day out of every seven. Man’s body will not hold up to work continuously without any rest. Even worship was set up for mankind, as well. Mankind has a desire inside of them self to worship.

They are well aware of the weakness within themselves and are on a never ending search in life to find something. Or someone that is greater than self, that they can look up to and depend upon. Our mankind are miserable creatures until they find God. Nothing but God can satisfy this need in man. Six days man works to satisfy the needs of the flesh, but there is a soul and spirit of man that needs to be fed, as well. I believe God set this one day aside to feed the spirit of man.

Romans 14:5-6 “One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day [alike]. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.” “He that regardeth the day, regardeth [it] unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard [it]. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.”

This is saying that physical Israel (Hebrews), celebrates Sabbath which is Saturday. We, Christians, (spiritual Israel), celebrate first fruits which is Sunday. Both days are a special day set aside to worship God. The formality of the day is not what is important. The important thing is that we love God enough to set aside one day in seven to worship Him. Of course, if we are believers, we do not worship Him just once a week, but He is the center of our daily life as well.

Notice that if we are an employer, we are to allow the people working for us to have their day of rest also. Even our children are to have a day to rest. Horses and cattle which carried heavy loads needed this time of rest as well. You can readily see from the animals resting, that this day was not only to worship God, but to rest from the week’s labor. We see here that God is not so interested in which way we worship. He just wants us to set aside one out of seven to worship Him. With physical Israel, it must be Saturday or Sabbath.

Verses 12-16: (See Matt. 19:18-19; Mark 10:19; Luke 18:20).

Commandment Number Five

Exodus 20:12 “Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.”

“Honor thy father and thy mother”: The key to societal stability is reverence and respect for parents and their authority. The appended promise primarily related the command to life in the Promised Land and reminded the Israelite of the program God had set up for him and his people. Within the borders of their territory, God expected them not to tolerate juvenile delinquency, which at heart is overt disrespect for parents and authority. Severe consequences, namely capital punishment, could apply (Deut. 21:18-21). One of the reasons for the Babylonian exile was a failure to honor parents (Ezek. 22:7, 15). The Apostle Paul individualized this national promise when he applied the truth to believers in his day (Matt. 15:4; Mark 7:10; Eph. 6:1-3).

The fifth commandment means to treat one’s “father and … mother” with dignity and respect. The idea is the opposite of the term in vain (in 20:7). Paul notes that this commandment is the first one with a promise (Eph. 6:2): “That thy days may be long upon the land”. As such, it ought to inform and encourage God’s people today to respect age and care for the elderly, whether or not they are relatives (21:15, 17; e.g., Lev. 19:3, 32; Deut. 27:16; Prov. 1:8; 16:31; 20:20; 23:22; 23:17).

This is the first Commandment with a promise attached to it. This promise of long life is on the condition of honoring your mother and father. In the Old Testament, it was a serious offense to rebel against your parents. A rebellious child was to be taken to the edge of the city and stoned to death. You see, to honor parents was very high on God’s list of priorities for His people.

Verses 13-15: (Romans 13:9).

Commandment Number Six:

Exodus 20:13 “Thou shalt not kill.”

“Kill”: The irreversible nature of the divinely imposed sentence of death on every manslayer who killed another intentionally (21:12; Num. 35:17-21), stands without parallel in ancient Near Eastern literature and legal codes (Gen. 9:5-6). Further, the sacredness of human life stands out in the passages dealing with unintentional manslaughter. The accident of death still carried with it a penalty of banishment to the city of refuge until the death of the High-Priest for the one who killed, but not with intent. Careful appraisal of the word Moses used (one of 7 different Hebrew words for killing), and one used only 47 times in the Old Testament suggests a broad translation of “to kill, slay”. But denoting the taking of life under a legal system where he would have to answer to the stipulations of a legal code, no matter whether he killed unintentionally or intentionally. By this command, men would be reminded and exhorted to strive after carefulness in the affairs of life so that on the person-to-person level no one would die by their hand (see the note on 21:12-14; Matt. 5:21; James 2:11).

The sixth commandment not only prohibits the unlawful taking of human life but honors the sacredness of all innocent life including that of unborn children. The Law made provisions for self-protection (22:2), and accidental death (21:13-14).

This Commandment is speaking of premeditated murder. The word translated here, does not mean killing in self-defense or in war, but means we must not murder people to satisfy our greed, jealousy and hate. We read in Matthew:

Matthew 5:2l-22a: “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:” “But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment:”

1 John 3 we read an even stronger message about hate.

1 John 3:15 “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.”

There is no doubt at all that “kill” in the Sixth Commandment means premeditated or first degree murder.

Commandment Number Seven:

Exodus 20:14 “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”

“Adultery”: Applicable to both men and women, this command protected the sacredness of the marriage relationship. God had instituted marriage at the creation of man and woman (Gen. 2:24), and had blessed it as the means of filling the earth (Gen. 1:28). The penalty for infidelity in the marital relationship was death (Lev. 2:10). Adultery was also referred to as “a great sin” (Gen. 20:9), and a “great evil and sin against God” (Gen. 39:9; Matt. 5:27; James 2:11).

The seventh commandment honors marriage. “Adultery” is such a serious transgression that it was a capital crime according to the Law (Lev. 20:10; Deut. 22:22). Jesus taught that even lustful looks may constitute betrayal (Matt. 5:27-30).

One of the meanings of this word “adultery” means apostatize. This covers physical and spiritual adultery. Adultery from the physical standpoint includes all sex sin. Any sex relation (with man or woman), aside from the marriage bed is adultery. That includes homosexuality, lesbianism, and animalism.

Jesus said, if you look upon a woman to lust after her, you have committed adultery already in your heart.

Matt. 5:28, “But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”

You see, the heart determines whether we are good or evil as the desires of our hearts are what we are.

Commandment Number Eight:

Exodus 20:15 “Thou shalt not steal.”

“Steal”: Any dishonest acquiring of another’s goods or assets greatly disturbs the right to ownership of private property, which is an important principle for societal stability.

The eighth commandment respects and validates the sanctity of owning personal property. “Thou shalt not steal” safeguards individuals as well as entire societies.

Here again we see selfishness and greed as the cause for committing this sin. Stealing is very close to coveting. To steal, we have to want something that does not belong to us. The bad thing about this sin is that you hurt someone else when you commit this sin.

Commandment Number Nine:

Exodus 20:16 “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.”

“False witness”: Justice is not served by any untruthful testimony. Practically all societies have recognized this principle and adjure all witnesses in courts to tell the truth and nothing but the truth.

The ninth commandment honors truth-telling, even to the point of prohibiting slander (23:1; Prov. 10:18; 12:17; 19:9; 24:28; Titus 3:1-2; James 4:11; 1 Pet. 2:1). The best opportunity for justice rests on the assumption of truthfulness in sworn “witness”.

Swearing a lie in court is a favorite past time of our people today. The sad thing about bearing false witness is that we badly damage others. If only we would keep in mind that all of us are one big family (the family of God), we would not be going around telling things that are not true about our brothers and sisters. The way to get to the top is not by pushing someone else down. The way to the top is take your brothers and sisters with you.

Commandment Number Ten:

Exodus 20:17 “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that [is] thy neighbor’s.”

“Covet”: The thoughts and desires of the heart do not escape attention. A strong longing to have what another has is wrong. This tenth command suggests that none of the previous 9 commandments are only external acts with no relation to internal thoughts (Matt. 15:19; Rom. 7:7; 13:9).

The tenth commandment is about controlling the desires of the heart. Sinful thoughts beget sinful actions (Matt. 15:19; James 1: 14-15), so it is no surprise that covetous people often break the commandments in order to satisfy their greed.

One terrible error that is being taught today in some of our churches is picking out something that belongs to someone else and wishing it for yourself, this is coveting. We could take a lesson from Paul in this. Paul said, whatever condition he found himself in, he would be content. He learned to be abased and to abound.

Phil. 4:11-13. “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, [therewith] to be content.” “I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

This coveting covers everything thy neighbor has. Keeping up with the Joneses requires coveting. Don’t want (covet), anything that belongs to anyone else.

Verses 18-21: A fear of God motivates a desire to both obey and honor Him. Tragically, Israel would soon lose their reverence for the Lord.

Exodus 20:18 “And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw [it], they removed, and stood afar off.”

“Removed, and stood afar off”: The people fearfully withdrew from the cluster of phenomena accompanying this theophany, this appearance of God on the mountain. They instinctively place Moses in the position of mediator between them and God, because such was the gap between them and their holy God that they feared they were not fit to live in His presence (verse 19).

You can imagine how terrified they were at the awesomeness of God. They were probably in a state of shock after seeing all of this and hearing a voice come from the midst of it laying down ten basic laws that they were to follow. It was time to move back away from this mountain in fear that they might touch it and die.

Exodus 20:19 “And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.”

“Let not God speak”: Fearing for their lives, the nation asked Moses to be their mediator (Heb. 12:18-21).

Before they were questioning whether the messages Moses gave them were truly from God or not. Now they were so frightened by the terribleness of God, that they feared for their lives and requested Moses to represent them to God from then on. Their opinion was: if anyone was to be killed, let it be Moses. No more would they doubt that Moses was from God.

Exodus 20:20 “And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.”

Instructed not to respond to the phenomena with fear, they were also told that proper fear, i.e., awe and reverence of God, deterred sin.

Moses was telling them that a reverent fear of God was the beginning of wisdom. This reverent fear of God would keep them from sinning. Had they not seen this awesomeness of God on this mountain and heard His voice, they would not have been so careful not to displease Him. Fear of God is a healthy condition.

Exodus 20:21″And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God [was].”

The people still kept their distance in their camp and tents; or the heads and elders of the people having had this conversation with Moses, returned to their tents as they were bid (Deut. 5:30), and to the people in the camp, and there they continued while Moses went up to God with their request.

“And Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was”: The thick cloud (Exodus 19:9), as Jarchi interprets it, and who observes from their doctors that there were three enclosures about the divine Majesty: darkness, a cloud, and thick darkness. And so, Moses passed through the darkness, and the cloud, to the thick darkness where Jehovah was, and where he is said to dwell when the temple was built (1 Kings 8:8).

Verses 22-26: These instructions about the fashioning of any “Altar” were not only to ensure proper worship but to prevent anything being built to look like an alluring idol.

Sacrifices, offerings, and altars were not unknown to Israel and were already part of certain worship ceremonies. Neither the earthen nor stone altars would have even a hint of being shaped to represent something more specific. So the restrictions on the form and the method of building would ensure the appropriateness and propriety of their worship (Leviticus Chapters 1-7 outline the Mosaic sacrifices).

Exodus 20:22 “And the LORD said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.”

This is when Moses came near the thick darkness where God was.

“Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel”: At his return unto them, and which he was to deliver in the name of God, and as his words.

“Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven”: Descending from heaven on Mount Sinai in a cloud and fire, he talked with them out of the cloud and fire, and delivered to them with an audible voice the above ten commands. The cloud and fire they saw with their eyes, and the words expressed from thence they heard with their ears. “From heaven” may mean the air on the top of Sinai, from whence Jehovah spoke.

Moses was to remind the people that it was God who talked with them from heaven and gave them their laws to live by. We see also, that Moses had a closeness with God that allowed him to enter the dark cloud and talk to God. Not just this one time, but many times.

Exodus 20:23 “Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold.”

The expression “make with me” is unusual, but does not seem to have any peculiar force. Gods of silver and gods of gold are specially forbidden, because it was to idolatry of this kind that the Israelites were specially inclined. The golden calf is no isolated phenomenon. Molten images of gods, generally of silver, sometimes of gold, were objects of worship to Israel throughout the ages which preceded the Captivity.

Jeroboam set up molten images at Dan and Bethel (1 Kings 14:9; 2 Kings 17:16). Baal was worshipped under the semblance of a molten image (2 Chron. 28:2), as were probably Ashteroth, Chemosh, and Moloch. The animal worship of the Egyptians had no attractions for the Hebrews; they did not offer to images of stone or marble, like the Assyrians or the Greeks. Much less was it their habit to “bow down to stocks,” like so many of the heathen nations around them.

The “molten image,” generally completed by a certain amount of graving, was the form of idol which had most charms for them, and the more precious the material the more satisfied were they to worship it (compare Isa. 30:22; 42:17; Jer. 10:14; Hosea 13:2). Occasionally indeed they overlaid wood or stone with plates of gold or silver, to produce an idol (Hab. 2:19). But such images were at once less common and held in less account.

Here, we see the making of gods made of silver and gold specifically forbidden. The children of Israel soon forgot. Not long after this, they did this very thing that God forbade. They made a golden calf.

Exodus 20:24-25 “An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.” “And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.”

“An altar of earth … an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it”: At Tell Arad an Israelite temple or sanctuary or sacred precinct, much like that of the tabernacle, was discovered, dating to the tenth or eleventh century B.C. In the outer courtyard stood an altar for burnt offerings, five cubits square (like that of the tabernacle; 27:1). And built of earth or rubble and unhewn field stones or bricks (as here).

This tabernacle has been more specifically identified as probably a Kenites sanctuary, whose priest traced their priestly heritage back to Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro (Judges 1:16). Who was a priest of Midian and had at least some knowledge of Yahweh (18:10-12). Finally, since it is apparently patterned after the Exodus tabernacle, this would argue for the antiquity of the Exodus tabernacle. No markings were allowed, probably to prevent the making of images in connection with the altar itself.

The altar that the offering was made on was holy unto the Lord. We do know that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob built an altar wherever they went and they ordinarily used stones piled one upon another. Carvings on the stones might have caused them to get into some type of false worship. In the building of the tabernacle we know that there was not to be the sound of a hammer, so probably noise is irreverent. We know also, that the sacrifice of animals was already being practiced, so these people understood about sacrifice even though they had probably not practiced sacrifice while they were in Egypt. If they worshipped God the way they should, God would be in all their places of worship. This tells me also, if we worship God in a pleasing way, he will dwell in our churches today that carry the name of Christian.

Exodus 20:26 “Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.”

He seems to mean the steps of ladders, or others of the same nature, which could suddenly be made, and were proper for their present condition, where there was danger of the following inconvenience. For afterwards God appointed an altar ten cubits high (2 Chron. 4:1); though some conceive they went not up to that by steps, but by an insensible ascent upon the ground raised by degrees for that purpose. But if the priests did go up to it by steps, God provided against the indecency here mentioned, by prescribing linen breeches to them in that service.

“That thy nakedness be not discovered thereon”: For these linen breeches were not yet appointed, and the manner then and there was for men to wear long coats or gowns like women. God would remove all appearance or occasion of immodesty, especially in sacred persons and things. And the rather, to show his detestation of that impudence and filthiness which was very usual in some of the solemnities and worships of the heathen.

This altar it seems was to be built on the ground. This probably had to do with modesty of the one who was carrying out the sacrifice unto the Lord. Modesty should always be the rule whether men or women of God are involved. They should wear modest clothing all the time, but especially in church.

Exodus 20: Questions