Keith Sharp
One of the political furors between “conservatives” and “liberals” in American society is whether or not the Ten Commandments should be displayed in public buildings such as schools and court houses. Why are the Ten Commandments so important?
The Ten Commandments are recorded in Exodus 20:1-17 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21. As recorded in Exodus they state, in abbreviated form:
- You shall have no other gods before Me.
- You shall not make for yourself a carved image.
- You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
- Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
- Honor your father and your mother.
- You shall not murder.
- You shall not commit adultery.
- You shall not steal.
- You shall not bear false witness.
- You shall not covet.
I think to any serious minded person the foundational nature of this code is immediately obvious. But the Scriptures make the importance of the Ten Commandments abundantly clear. Exodus nineteen records how God prepared Israel for and delivered to them the Ten Commandments. The Lord called Moses up to the summit of Mt Sinai and instructed him to inform the people that, if they would obey Him and keep His covenant, they would be His special people (verses 3-6). When Moses reported this, the people responded, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do” (verses 7-8). The Lord then sent the command from Moses for the people to sanctify themselves for three days and not to come near to touch the mountain, on penalty of death (verses 9-13). On the third day amidst thunder, lightning, thick smoke and earthquake, the Lord descended to the mount where he met Moses and had him warn the people again not to come near the mountain (verses 14-24).
These words the Lord spoke to all your assembly [Israel – KS], in the mountain from the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, with a loud voice; and He added no more. (Deuteronomy 5:22)
Even Moses was exceedingly afraid because of this dreadful display of God’s presence (Hebrews 12:21). The people, trembling with fear, asked Moses to speak God’s words to them rather than for God to speak to them directly (Exodus 20:18-19; Deuteronomy 5:23-27).
These commandments, written by the finger of God on tablets of stone, were placed in the ark of the covenant to be kept in the Holy of Holies (Exodus 25:16; 31:18; 34:1,4,28; 40:20). The great principles they contain were the essence of the Lord’s covenant with Israel (Exodus 24:12; 34:28). They are divine in origin and constitute the highest religious and moral code ever given prior to the law of Christ (Romans 7:12; Galatians 3:21).
