The Ten Commandments

Exodus 19:1-20:26

January 11, 2026

The Ten Commandments

Introduction

Draw out how to learn the 10 Commandments

1. Israel encamps before Mt. Sinai. (19:1-25)
   1. A time period of three new moons, or seven weeks, had gone by between the exodus from Egypt and this moment.
      1. This was not the first time Moses had been here. It is generally understood that this is the same mountain where God met Moses and spoke to him through a burning bush.
         1. Exodus 3:1 says “Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.”
         2. Exodus 3:12 says “He said, ‘But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.’”
   2. Over the course of these 2 chapters, Moses will go up and down the mountain at least 3 times as best we can tell.
      1. Our family loves visiting National Parks and over the last few years, we have visited several parks out west. We love finding the hikes that take you to the tops of mountains that afford these incredible views from the top. There is only one problem with that. You have to hike UP these crazy tall hills. And once you start, you can’t stop. Especially when you see all these folks who look to be my parent’s ages. There’s no way I’m gonna let them do better than me! Moses tackles this mountain at least 3 times in this story.
   3. What did God do?
      1. God reminded them what He accomplished. (1-4)
         1. He delivered them from Pharoah. “You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.” (v.4)
            1. The eagle is actually one of the largest birds of prey. It is admired for its strength and ability to soar to incredible heights.
            2. What a picture of how God saves! J.R.R. Tolkien wrote The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings which were also made into blockbuster movies. In it there are multiple occasions where Tolkien utilizes giant eagles as a way of saving Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf, a bunch of dwarves, and even Frodo and Sam at the end of the movies. Tolkien was a devout Catholic and likely drew on Scripture when he was writing his books. What a picture of how God saves! Israel, being born on eagle’s wings, held up by God’s grace, carried by Him safely out of the reach of death in Egypt.
      2. God made known what His plan was. (5-9)
         1. Israel’s deliverance from captivity had nothing to do with what Israel did, but everything to do with what God did AND what He was going to do on their behalf.
            1. God chooses Israel to be “My treasured possession…a kingdom of priests…a holy nation.”
               1. My treasured possession - Out of all creation, God selected this seemingly insignificant nation. We too are saved through Christ then called to live for Christ.
               2. A kingdom of priests and holy nation - just as Adam was a priest, worshiping in the garden sanctuary, so Israel would be a “kingdom of priests,” devoted to worship and ministry. They make God’s ways known among the nations. They are a “set apart” nation.
               3. Likewise, Christians are priests today. How?
                  1. 1 Peter 2:4-6, 9 says “As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: ‘Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame’...But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
                     1. Just as God called Israel out of Egyptian darkness, He desires to call us out of spiritual darkness and into his marvelous light.
         2. It is a good thing to be reminded of what God has done for us, specifically when it comes to our salvation.
            1. Romans 5:8 says “But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
         3. God set the terms for the relationship.
            1. God saved Israel and now is creating a guide for how they should live. (obey my voice and keep my covenant)
            2. Because of “who” he is and “what” He did, He is worthy of dictating expectations of His people.
      3. God gives instructions for being in His presence. (vv. 10ff)
         1. The people had to cleanse themselves.
         2. God is holy.
            1. Revelation 4:8 says “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come.”
      4. God comes down to the mountain and displays His glory. (vv. 16ff)
         1. What does this look like? Thunders…lightnings…thick cloud…very loud trumpet blast…the Lord descended in fire…mountain trembled.
         2. In the New Testament, Moses is seen on a mountain again, this time seeing the glory of God in Jesus.
            1. Mark 9:2-8 says “And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. And Peter said to Jesus, ‘Rabbi, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ For he did not know what to say, for they were terrified. And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, ‘This is my beloved Son; listen to him.’ And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only.”
      5. After the 10 Commandments are given, the people were afraid and stood far off. Everything they had just experienced created great fear for them. They did not want God to speak to them, but rather for Moses to do it instead.
2. The Ten Commandments are given to Israel. (20:1-26)
   1. The gospel found in Exodus. (1-2)
      1. When most people read Exodus 20, they go straight to verse 3 and start reading. Many times, they will glaze over the first 2 verses. Prior to God’s law being given, God’s salvation is made clear. You see, God frees us by His grace. He gives us new life. And then, He calls us to obedience to His words.
         1. God’s people desire to do God’s will because they have already been saved, not to earn salvation.
         2. Almost every time we have a baptism, we try to make it abundantly clear that being baptized is not what saves us. After a person has come to faith in Jesus then they walk forward in baptism which is obedience to the commands of Jesus.
         3. Today, we are going to observe the Lord’s Supper. Taking that does not save you. We observe it to help us remember the sacrifice of Jesus, and anticipate His coming again.
   2. The first four commandments focus on loving God while the next six are about loving others.
      1. It is a series of “vertical” commands and “horizontal” commands.
   3. What do they teach us about God?
      1. #1 - God desires and deserves that He be God in our lives. Everyone is a worshiper of something or someone. Who is it in your life?
         1. God is the one true God.
      2. #2 - God created everything and to worship the created rather than the Creator is unfathomable. Unfortunately, Israel will fail at this very soon. They will construct a golden calf to worship.
         1. God is a jealous God.
      3. #3 - This does not simply mean the name LORD or Yahweh. Rather, it has to do with all that is connected to that name. The focus is on God’s essence. He is to be valued. One commentary explains it this way: It does not mean to simply speak God’s name; it means to carry or bear God’s name. People who have publicly declared themselves to be followers of God are to exalt God’s reputation by living in a way that honors Him. We revere Him. Colossians 3:17 says “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
         1. God’s name deserves reverence.
      4. #4 - The focus of remembering the Sabbath seems to be about rest, remembering, and worship. God rested on the 7th day of creation and He gave it to us to do so as well. Ultimately, Sabbath rest points to a final resting day which is taught in the New Testament. Hebrews 4:9-10 says “So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.”
         1. God is serious about rest.
      5. #5 - The word for “honor” implies acknowledging the “weight” of something. In this context, it implies the people give the proper “weight” or “respect” to their parents’ position. The opposite of this would be to despise or scorn one’s parents.
         1. God is a God of authority.
      6. #6 - This word for “murder” in Hebrew is specific to “putting to death improperly, for selfish reasons rather than with authorization.” In Matthew 5:21-22, Jesus deepened it by saying that anger is like murder.
         1. God alone gives life and people are made in His image.
      7. #7 - This commandment addresses sexual purity in the relationship between husband and wife. In Matthew 5:27-28, Jesus takes it further and says that those of you who have lusted after another have already committed adultery in your heart.
         1. God is faithful and holy.
      8. #8 - Rather than stealing, our lives should be marked by being hard-working and grateful for what the Lord has already provided for us.
         1. God is our provider.
      9. #9 - The language used here paints the picture of legal testimony and giving truthful statements in a courtroom setting. We should understand it as extending also to life and making sure that we are being truthful in all that we say.
         1. God is a God of truth.
      10. #10 - Covetousness is not just about wanting what someone else has; it is about the heart. It is seeing what someone else has and your heart continually going back to why they should not have it and you should have it. That can be in regard to tangible items, family relationships, looks, and the list could go on and on.
          1. God desires we be content.
          2. Understand that these commands are not just about God giving us a list of rules. They are a reflection of God’s character.
   4. We are unable to perfectly keep the Law, yet Jesus is the perfect fulfillment of it.
      1. Moses couldn’t keep it.
      2. The Israelites couldn’t keep it.
      3. We can’t keep it.
         1. In 2014, the FDA finalized a rule requiring chain restaurants, movie theaters, pizza chains, and grocery stores to display calorie counts, based on the idea that consumers would make healthier choices if they had clearer information. The policy is widely supported: about 75 percent of Americans favor menu labeling, and surveys in places like New York show most people find the labels helpful and important, with many saying they would choose lower-calorie options if informed. However, evidence suggests the policy has limited impact on actual behavior. A review of 31 studies from 2007 to 2013 found that, despite public support, calorie labeling generally does not reduce the total number of calories people order.
      4. Jesus kept it.
      5. Jesus says this in Matthew 5:17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”
      6. Romans 8:1-4 says “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”
   5. Question: How can I be saved when I can’t keep God’s law?
      1. In Jesus, the Law has not been ignored. It has not been softened. It has been satisfied. It is not necessary that we keep all of the Law perfectly…we can’t! However, Jesus came and kept the Law perfectly. By His dying on the cross for our sins a substitution happened. He took on our sin and we took on His righteousness.
         1. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.