Deuteronômio 5
David Guzik · Citado em PreceptAustin
Deuteronômio 5
Guzik - The second commandment doesn’t forbid making an image of something for artistic purposes; God Himself commanded Israel make images of cherubim (Exodus 25:18, 26:31). It forbids the making of images as an aid or help to worship....In John 4:24 Jesus explained the rationale behind the second commandment: God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. The use of images and other material things as a focus or help to worship denies who God is (Spirit) and how we must worship Him (in spirit and truth). (Enduring Word Commentary) Phillip Ryken - This commandment is about worshiping the right God in the right way. God refuses to be worshiped by means of images. This shows that he is spirit, that he does not have a physical form. The mention of the heavens and the earth also shows that he is the Creator. One problem with idols is that they confuse the Creator with his creation. (Moody Bible Commentary) Idol (graven image) (06459)(pesel from pasal = to hew, cut as in Ex 34:1) is a noun that refers to something carved (graven) or cast image - normally carved from wood or chiseled from rock, but it can also be poured or cast (Isa 40:19; 44:10). Isa40:19 describes the “casting” of an idol that is then plated or overlaid with gold. The first use of pesel is here in the Second Commandment in Ex 20:4 (cf Lev 26:2, Dt 5:8) and in the Septuagint (Lxx) the Greek word used for pesel here is eidolon (from eídos = that which is seen, what is visible, figure, appearance) is primarily a phantom, form, image, shadow or likeness. Note that other uses of pesel are translated with a word found only in the Septuagint (Lxx), the adjective gluptos which means a thing carv ed or a graven image. (Used in Lxx of Lev 26:1, Dt 4:16, 23, 25). In Dt 4:23 the result of forgetting the Mosaic covenant is that they make a graven image. Dt 4:25 is a prophecy saying Israel would make idols. In Dt 27:15 God says the man who makes an idol is cursed! The concentration of uses of pesel in Judges 17:1-13+ and Judges 18:1-33+ shows the defiling, abominable effect of forgetting the LORD their God (Judges 3:7+). This commandment is repeated in effect by John at the very end of his first letter writing "Little children, guard (phulasso in the aorist imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) yourselves from idols (eidolon)." (1 John 5:21+) Last words should be lasting words. In this case John's last warning is a lasting warning! The pattern of the pagan idol worshipping Gentiles in Thessalonica is to be the pattern every man should follow... 1 Thessalonians 1:9, 10+ For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you (GENTILES) turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait (EXPECTANTLY, AS ONE'S LIFESTYLE) for His Son from heaven, Whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come. This is God’s ban on creating images of anything that would attempt to resemble (or be like) Him. In other words do not make an image of the sun or moon or stars, etc and then bow down and worship the thing you created, instead of bowing down to the Creator of everything! How utterly foolish. Read Isaiah 44:6-20 for an extended discourse on the deception and foolishness of making and worshipping graven images in lieu of the one true and living God! In the book of Jeremiah the people are repeatedly accused of worshipping the "Queen of Heaven." (Jer. 7:18; Jer. 44:17; Jer. 44:18; Jer. 44:19; Jer. 44:25) In their day this was a title for Ishtar (also called Ashtoreth and Astarte), the Babylonian goddess of love and fertility, whose worship involved abominable obscenities (Jer 44:17-19,25). In her role as goddess of fertility, Ishtar was associated with Tammuz, the god of vegetation. Ishtar was sometimes identified with the planet Venus and was designated "Mistress of Heaven" in the Amarna tablets. This sinful worship certainly grieved God, but the people were hurting themselves more than they were hurting the Lord. This pagan immorality was having a devastating effect on their children, and God would send a judgment that would destroy the land, the city, the temple, and people. For more on this worship and it's relation to Mary see Who is the Queen of Heaven? Likeness (08544)(temunah) means likeness or form. The first use of temunah is in the Second Commandment warning against making images in the likeness of anything which God created (Ex 20:4, Dt 5:8, Dt 4:16, 23, 25). What "form" could be seen of God, Moses was privileged to see (Nu 12:8). It refers to the mental pattern from which the idol (pesel) is constructed; it is a real or imagined resemblance. The prohibition against idolatry in the Ten Commandments uses tĕmûnâh to indicate that no idol is to be made that resembles any object found in creation (Exod 20:4; Deut 5:8). The Septuagint translates temunah with homoíoma which means resemblance or similitude (correspondence in kind or quality = a visible likeness, a thing or sometimes a person that is like or the counterpart of another). Homoioma refers to that which is made to be like something else, not just in appearance but in reality. Temunah - 10x - form (7x) and likeness(3x). Ex 20:4; Nu 12:8; Dt. 4:12; Dt. 4:15; Dt. 4:16; Dt. 4:23; Dt. 4:25 (See commentary on Deuteronomy 4); Dt. 5:8; Job 4:16; Ps. 17:15 Deuteronomy 4:15-16+ “So watch yourselves carefully, since you did not see any form (temunah) on the day the LORD spoke to you at Horeb from the midst of the fire, so that you do not act corruptly and make a graven image for yourselves in the form (temunah) of any figure, the likeness of male or female Deuteronomy 4:23+ “So watch yourselves, that you do not forget the covenant of the LORD your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a graven image in the form (temunah) of anything against which the LORD your God has commanded you. Deuteronomy 4:25+ “When you become the father of children and children’s children and have remained long in the land, and act corruptly, and make an idol in the form (temunah) of anything, and do that which is evil in the sight of the LORD your God so as to provoke Him to anger, Deuteronomy 5:8 You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness (temunah) of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. Or on the earth beneath - All manner of things have been turned into idols. And of course in the "civilized" world the "idols" take on different shapes and sizes (money, power, sex, sports, etc, etc - see first resource below) when compared to the Old Testament idols, but they are still idols and still abhorred in the eyes of God! Israel even turned the jewelry acquired from the Egyptians into an idol shortly after being warned against making idols and also short after unanimously exclaiming "All that the LORD has spoken we will do!” (see Ex 19:7-8+)... "They have quickly turned aside from the way which I commanded them. They have made for themselves a molten calf, and have worshiped it and have sacrificed to it and said, ‘This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!’” (Ex 32:8+) Or in the water under the earth - This recalls Dagon (from dag = fish), the so-called fish god, of the Philistines (Jdg. 16:23; 1 Sa 5:2; 1 Sa 5:3; 1 Sa 5:4; 1 Sa 5:5; 1 Sa 5:7; 1 Chr. 10:10). The Egyptians worshiped the fish goddess Hatmehit. Related Resources: What are some modern forms of idolatry? -- READ THIS ONE! ESPECIALLY IF YOU THINK IDOLATRY IS A THING OF THE PAST! Why is idol worship such a powerful temptation? Do Catholics worship idols / practice idolatry? What does the Bible say about eating food/meat that has been sacrificed to idols? Why was the worship of Baal and Asherah a constant struggle for the Israelites? What is a graven image? What should we learn from the golden calf incident in Exodus 32? What sort of pagan revelry did the Israelites indulge in (Exodus 32:6)? Why did people keep family idols? American Tract Society Idol, Idolatry Bridgeway Bible Dictionary Idol, idolatry Baker Evangelical Dictionary Idol, Idolatry Charles Buck Dictionary Idolatry CARM Theological Dictionary Idol, idolatry Easton's Bible Dictionary Idolatry Fausset Bible Dictionary Idolatry Holman Bible Dictionary Idolatry Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible Idolatry Hastings' Dictionary of the NT Idolatry King James Dictionary Idolatry Vines' Expository Dictionary Idolatry Webster Dictionary Idolatries Idolatrical Idolatry Watson's Theological Dictionary Idolatry 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica Idolatry International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Idolatry Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia Idolatry McClintock and Strong's Bible Encyclopedia Idolatry The Nuttall Encyclopedia Idolatry The Jewish Encyclopedia Idolatry and Idols Deuteronomy 5:9 'You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, LORD: Ex. 3:15. a jealous God: Ex 34:14 visiting: Ex 34:7 Jer 32:18 Da 9:4-9 Mt 23:35,36 Ro 11:28,29 Deuteronomy 5 Resources PROHIBITION OF IDILE IDOL WORSHIP You shall not worship them or serve them - This prohibition is an extension of the command not to make them. In that sense it helps understand why they were not to make any idols. Note worship is before serve which is apropos for what you worship will determine what you serve. Worship (bow down, prostrate one's self) (07812) shachah means to bow down, to prostrate oneself, to crouch, to fall down, to humbly beseech, to do reverence, to worship. The idea is to assume a prostrate position as would in paying homage to royalty (Ge 43:28) or to God (Ge 24:26, Ps 95:6). The English word prostrate is defined as being stretched out with one's face on the ground in adoration or submission. It is not just that the person has fallen down but pictures them lying at length or with their body extended on the ground and so lying in a posture which is reflective of genuine humility and/or adoration. The Septuagint translates shachah in Dt 5:9 with the picturesque verb proskuneo (pros = before + kuneo = kiss or adore) literally means to kiss toward someone, to throw a kiss in token of respect or homage, to prostrate oneself in homage before another in the full sense of worship, not mere reverence or courtesy. for - Term of explanation. Yahweh explains why not to make them or to worship them. I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God - Note the phrase your God, Yahweh condescending to identify Himself with Israel. He is not the God of the pagan nations. Jealous (07067) qanna is an adjective that combines the ideas of zeal and jealousy. It expresses a very strong emotion whereby some quality or possession of the object is desired by the subject. All 5 OT uses describe this attribute of Jehovah, His attribute which reflects zero tolerance for the worship of other so-called gods. In the 5 uses note the associated with "consuming fire," (Dt 4:24) and "anger...kindled (also pictures a fire) against" those who violate this prohibition (Dt 6:15) In other words the consequences of bowing down to false gods gives us a clear sense of His hatred of them. How foolish it is for us as finite humans to pursue false gods when we have access to the true and living God! Forgive us O LORD. Amen. Qanna is translated in the Septuagint in Ex 20:5 and in Dt 5:9 with the noun zelotes which depicts one stirred to action by a strong emotion. It describes one "burning with zeal" (root of zelotes = zeo = to boil, be hot or glow and then fervent). Zelotes describes Yahweh as earnestly committed to defend His honor! Qanna - 6x in 5v - Exod. 20:5; Exod. 34:14; Deut. 4:24; Deut. 5:9; Deut. 6:15 Treasury of Scripture Knowledge note on God - The word {elohim,} which is rendered God, in the singular, {eloah,} and in Arabic {allah,} is derived from the Arabic {alaha,} he worshipped, adored, was struck with astonishment, fear, or terror: and hence, he adored with sacred honour and veneration: it also signifies, he succoured, liberated, kept in safety, or defended. Here we learn that {elohim} denotes the sole object of adoration; the perfections of whose nature must astonish all who contemplate them, and fill with horror all who rebel against him; that consequently he must be worshipped with reverence and religious fear; and that every sincere worshipper may expect help in all his weaknesses, etc., freedom from the power, guilt, and consequences of sin, and support and defence to the uttermost. Visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children - Visiting is an interesting verb to use, because normally we think of visits as friendly encounters, but that is not the case in this context! This is a visit to "pay back" perpetrators for their idolatrous belief and behavior. Sin makes God visit. Sin is the reason why God visits with sickness and poverty. (see Ps 89:31-32KJV)" Visiting (punishing) (06485)(paqad) has the basic meaning or to intervene or to inspect. In a number of context it is used in the good sense (a good "visit")(Ge 50:24-25KJV,) The sense in the present passage is a "bad" visit, a visit by God in which he will call people to account for their sins. The Septuagint uses the verb apodidomi which means means to (and in present tense = continually) render recompense, in this context Yahweh's righteous recompense for the idolater's unrighteous behavior. Iniquity (punishment, guilt) (05771) 'avon from verb 'avah = to bend, twist, distort) describes the iniquity, evil, punishment or guilt which is associated with a twisting of the standard or deviation from it. Since there is a deliberate twisting or perverting, 'avon describes sin that is particularly evil. It may also describe the punishment or disaster that befalls those who practice wickedness. Avon is the Hebrew word which most distinctly unites sins of all kinds with their penal consequences. Avon is not only the iniquity but can also indicate the guilt that results from the act. The Septuagint renders avon in Dt 5:9 with hamartia literally conveys the idea of missing the mark as when hunting with a bow and arrow (in Homer some hundred times of a warrior hurling his spear but missing his foe). Later hamartia came to mean missing or falling short of any goal, standard, or purpose. Hamartia in the Bible signifies a departure from God's holy, perfect standard of what is right in word or deed (righteous). It pictures the idea of missing His appointed goal (His will) which results in a deviation from what is pleasing to Him. In short, sin is conceived as a missing the true end and scope of our lives, which is the Triune God Himself. As Martin Luther put it "Sin is essentially a departure from God." And on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me - While some take this statement regarding the generations as indicative of a so-called "generational curse," that is a misinterpretation. Yahweh is saying that sinning fathers are more likely to have sinning children who hate Him (because they love their iniquity or sin). The children are held personally responsible for their personal sins and not culpable for the sins of their fathers. Stated another way unbelieving parents generally produce unbelieving offspring. No child is punished by God for the sins of his parents! (See also Ezekiel 18:19–32) Hate (08130)(sane) means to detest, abhor, loathe, be hostile, have a feeling of open hostility and intense dislike (Ge 37:4), to be unwilling, the opposite of to love (ahab). To be an enemy with open hostility and strife toward another (Pr 29:24) Note that the Septuagint translates sane with the verb miseo in the present tense signifying that this person has an ongoing, unabated willful (miseo is also in the active voice indicating this is a willful choice to act or behave) hostility toward Jehovah! This explains why God would pay them a visit to pay them back for their persistent iniquity! Be careful if you continue in sin, for it will be like a "divine boomerang" and will come back on your head! What does this mean? Does this describe a so-called generational curse? What it is key verb (actually the only verb) in this phrase? It is those who hate Me. The Hebrew verb "sane" describes those I would classify as "insane" because that is what anyone is who actively hates God! And so the Hebrew verb (sane) describes the recipients (whether first or fourth generation) as individuals who harbor and express and active opposition to Yahweh, Whom they detest and despise (REGARDLESS OF THEIR WORDS TO THE CONTRARY!) and with Whom they desire no contact or relationship. Instead of loving God, they hate God. Whereas love draw and unites, their hatred of God separates and keeps them distant from God. God as the hated Party is considered to be their foe, their enemy, one who is odious and utterly unappealing. Does this description sound harsh? Yes, it does, but it is exactly what the Hebrew verb means to convey! It would not be just and righteous for Yahweh to visit children in the third and fourth generation if they loved Him. The text is clear that the children if visited by Yahweh, will be visited because they have committed iniquity against God which in effect shows their hatred of God. This is a harsh reality, but shows beyond a shadow of a doubt God's hatred of sin in this case the hatred of Him! Support for this interpretation is found in Dt 24:16 which says "Fathers shall not be put to death for their sons, nor shall sons be put to death for their fathers; everyone shall be put to death for his own sin." John MacArthur however does point out that "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 a motivation. The effect of a disobedient generation was to plant wickedness so deeply that it took several generations to reverse." (MacArthur Study Bible) Mattoon - How are children affected by the iniquity of their fathers and forefathers? Even though children are not responsible or guilty for their father's iniquity, they are influenced and affected by it. Sons and remote descendants inherit the consequences of their fathers' sins, in disease, poverty, captivity, with all the influences of bad example and evil communications. The deception that Abraham practiced was picked up by his son and grandson. With each generation, the deception increased. (cf lie - Ge 20:2, lie - Ge 26:7, greater lie - Ge 27:32). David's iniquity and lust for women affected Solomon (1 Ki 11:1-3) and his grandson Rehoboam (2 Chr 11:21, 2 Chr 12:1) What a father does in moderation, his kids may do in excess or extremes. Our kids amplify our weaknesses and compromises. The crack in the door that we give to sin, our children will open completely. The Bible stresses the importance of acknowledging the iniquities of forefathers (Neh 9:2, Da 9:16) By acknowledging the iniquities of the fathers, children agree with God that they are wrong and are able to deal with them in a Scriptural manner by building disciplines to avoid repeating them. Gotquestions comments that "A Jewish Targum specifies that this passage refers to “ungodly fathers” and “rebellious children.” So, it is not unjust for God to punish sin to the third or fourth generation – those generations are committing the same sins their ancestors did. There is a trend in the church today to try to blame every sin and problem on some sort of generational curse. This is not biblical. God’s warning to visit iniquity on future generations is part of the Old Testament Law. A generational curse was a consequence for a specific nation (Israel) for a specific sin (idolatry). The history books of the Old Testament (especially Judges) contain the record of this divine punishment meted out. The cure for a generational curse has always been repentance. When Israel turned from idols to serve the living God, the “curse” was broken and God saved them (Judges 3:9, 15; 1 Samuel 12:10-11). Yes, God promised to visit Israel’s sin upon the third and fourth generations, but in the very next verse He promised that He would show “love to a thousand [generations] of those who love me and keep my commandments” (Exodus 20:6). In other words, God’s grace lasts a thousand times longer than His wrath. For someone worried about a generational curse, the answer is salvation through Jesus Christ. A Christian is a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). How can a child of God still be under God’s curse (Romans 8:1)? The cure for a “generational curse” is repentance of the sin in question, faith in Christ, and a life consecrated to the Lord (Romans 12:1-2)." (Source) Deuteronomy 5:10 but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. showing: Isa 1:16-19 Jer 32:18 Da 9:4 Mt 7:21-27 Ga 5:6 1Jn 1:7 love me: De 6:5,6 10:12,13 Joh 14:15,21-23 15:14 Ro 8:28 Jas 1:25 1Jn 5:2,3 Deuteronomy 5 Resources but - Here is a mercy filled (merciful) contrast. Showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments - Note the contrast between hate Me in v9 and love Me in v10. Clearly those who hate God do not keep His commandments but those who love God do keep His commandments. Clearly Jehovah elevates love from and emotion to a volitional action. In other words don't say you love God with your lips and then show you hate Him by disobeying His commandments and committing sins. Lips and life must match! Notice the numerical contrasts - third and fourth in Dt 5:9 and thousands here, picturing God's mercy far outweighing His wrath! Indeed, God's desire is to show lovingkindness! Notice that that in addition to the contrast with judgment in Dt 5:9, we also see love of God here instead of hatred of God. And notice also the clear association of love with obedience (those who...keep My commandments). How do we "say" we truly "love God?" Clearly we do it not only by our words, our worship, and our service, but especially by our obedience to His commandments! Jesus affirmed this love/obedience relationship declaring "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." It could not be stated more clearly. And not only that, Jesus went on to describe a "reward" for loving obedience, one that should surely serve to motivate Spirit enabled obedience. He declared “He who has My commandments (WE "GET THEM" BY READING THEM IN THE BIBLE - SO READ THE BIBLE!) and keeps (THIS MEANS OBEYS) them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose (emphanizo = here describes Jesus' self-revelation inwardly communicated to the obedient saint) Myself to him (READ Pr 8:17).” (John 14:21) THOUGHT - Do you want to experience more of Jesus like Moses did in Exodus 33:18? Do you feel distant from Jesus? Then John 14:21 is for you. Memorize it. Meditate on it. Then live it out enabled by the Spirit of Christ for the glory of God and in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen! Jesus will disclose Himself to you! Lovingkindness (02617)(hesed/chesed/heced) is the idea of faithful love in action and often in the OT refers to God's lovingkindness expressed in His covenant relationship with Israel (His "loyal love" to His "Wife" Israel [cp Hos 2:18, 19, 20+, Is 54:5, Je 31:32+] = His "loyalty to covenant"). God's hesed His denotes persistent and unconditional tenderness, kindness, and mercy, a relationship in which He seeks after man with love and mercy (cf God immediately seeking man Ge 3:9+, who was immediately hiding Ge 3:8+ trying to cover their shame Ge 3:7 - contrast God's lovingkindness manifest by spilling blood to provide skins to cover their shame! Ge 3:21+). Hesed expresses both God’s loyalty to His covenant and His love for His people along with a faithfulness to keep His promises. The Septuagint (Lxx) translates hesed in Ex 20:6 with the noun eleos which is the outward manifestation of pity and assumes need on the part of those who are recipients of the mercy and sufficient resources to meet the need on the part of those who show it.The idea of mercy is to show kindness or concern for someone in serious need or to give help to the wretched, to relieve the miserable. Here the essential thought is that mercy gives attention to those in misery. Love (0157) aheb/ahab means to love and can convey the idea of liking things (like bribes - Isa 1:23, wisdom - Pr 4:6, wine - Pr 21:17, peace and truth - Zech 8:19, food - Ge 27:4, 9, 14). The most important uses in the OT are as an expression of God's love of people (Dt 4:37, Hosea 3:1), man's love for God (Ex 20:6, Ps 116:1) and man's love for his fellow man (Ge 29:32, Ru 4:15+, 1 Kings 11:1 = a forbidden love by backslidden King Solomon!!!) The first use of aheb in the OT is instructive as it is found in Ge 22:2 where Yahweh instructed his servant Abraham to "“Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah; and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.” Notice that at the outset, we see that an inherent quality of this love (in many contexts) is that it is costly. God wants us to love Him above EVERYTHING, even our own flesh and blood. Matthews writes that Ge 22:2 "is the final test of the man’s faith, the closing bookend to his discovery of God’s sufficiency to achieve the promises made at Haran." (New American Commentary) In the Shema Israel is instructed ""You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might." (Dt 6:5) Aheb is translated in the Septuagint with the verb agapao (present tense = lifestyle, habitual practice) which describes unconditional, sacrificial love which seeks the others highest good and is given even if it is not returned (of course it is returned from God for love is Who He is). Keep (careful, guard, kept, observe, watch) (08104) shamar means to keep, watch, preserve, to guard, to be careful, to watch over, to watch carefully over, to be on one’s guard.The first use of shamar in Ge 2:15 is instructive as Adam was placed in the garden (a perfect environment) and was commanded to "keep" it which in the Septuagint is translated with phulasso (as it is here in Dt 5:10) which means to guard like a military sentinel would at his post. Clearly Adam did not do a good job at "keeping" the garden safe from intruders! And because of this failure he was cast out of the garden and angels stationed to "guard (Lxx = phulasso) the way to the tree of life" so that he would not eat of it (Ge 3:24). After Cain murdered Abel he answered God "Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Ge 3:24) THOUGHT - The upshot is "Don't say you love God (which is okay), but show you love God (by obeying)! Do your actions this past week show that you love God?
Deuteronômio 5
Guzik - There are at least three ways this command is commonly disobeyed. (1) Profanity: Using the name of God in blasphemy and cursing. (2) Frivolity: Using the name of God in a superficial, stupid way. (3) Hypocrisy: Claiming the name of God but acting in a way that disgraces Him. (Enduring Word Commentary - Exodus 20)
Deuteronômio 5
Guzik - The strength of this command has led to strange traditions among the Jewish people. Some go to extreme measures to avoid violating this command, refusing to even write out the word God, in the fear that the paper might be destroyed and the name of God be written in vain. (Enduring Word Commentary - Exodus 20) As Gotquesrtions explains "In the Old Testament, bringing dishonor on God’s Name was done by failing to perform an oath or vow taken in His name (Leviticus 19:12+). The man who used God’s name to legitimize his oath, and then broke his promise, would indicate his lack of reverence for God as well as a lack of fear of His holy retribution. It was essentially the same as denying God’s existence. For believers, however, there is no need to use God’s name to legitimize an oath as we are not to take oaths in the first place, letting our “yes be yes” and our “no be no” (Mt 5:33-37+). There is a larger sense in which people today take the Lord’s name in vain. Those who Name the name of Christ, who pray in His Name, and who take His Name as part of their identity, but who deliberately and continually disobey His commands, are taking His Name in vain. Jesus Christ has been given the Name above all names, at which every knee shall bow (Philippians 2:9-10), and when we take the Name “Christian” upon ourselves, we must do so with an understanding of all that signifies. If we profess to be Christians, but act, think, and speak in a worldly or profane manner, we take His name in vain. When we misrepresent Christ, either intentionally or through ignorance of the Christian faith as proclaimed in Scripture, we take the Lord’s name in vain. When we say we love Him, but do not do what He commands (Luke 6:46), we take His name in vain and are possibly identifying ourselves to be among those to whom Christ will say, “I never knew you. Away from me” in the day of judgment (Matthew 7:21-23). The name of the Lord is holy, as He is holy. The name of the Lord is a representation of His glory, His majesty, and His supreme deity. We are to esteem and honor His name as we revere and glorify God Himself. To do any less is to take His name in vain. THOUGHT - Every misuse of the Great Name of God (and Jesus) will one day be paid back in full! How sad that now our entertainment (if you can call it that) prides itself of permeation of the presentation with perverse speech! If you cannot find a show to watch that is free of cursing and taking God's Name in vain (and it is becoming more difficult), you might consider using Vidangel, a service you can subscribe to monthly, which blanks out the bad language and bad scenes (and you can choose what to eliminate). Related Resource: What does it mean to take the Lord’s name in vain? Excerpt - Although many people believe taking the Lord’s Name in vain refers to using the Lord’s Name as a swear word, there is much more involved with a vain use of God’s name. Name of the LORD is a Strong Tower: Summary - Studies on many of the LORD's great names, all of which reveal some aspect of His character or attributes. Word Watch Good grammar matters to me. As a writer and former English teacher, I'm bothered when I hear the wrong word used by people I think should know better. For instance, using "I" instead of "me" or "who" instead of "whom." There's a proper way to use the language, and it makes me cringe when the standard is violated. There's another kind of incorrect word usage that is far worse. It happens when Christians utter words that fall short of the standard God expects. Whenever we use words that are considered crude, profane, or obscene, we violate God's clear standards. Anytime we speak any form of God's name irreverently or in a way that doesn't honor Him, we displease Him (Exodus 20:7). If we joke about sinful practices, we are speaking in a way we shouldn't (Ep 5:12). Or if we participate in coarse talk (Ep 5:4), we bring dishonor to the name of Christ. James said, "Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. . . . These things ought not to be so" (James 3:10). Such speech is hypocritical. A wise old owl sat on an oak; The more he saw, the less he spoke; The less he spoke, the more he heard— Why aren't we like that wise old bird? —Richards Every time you speak, your mind is on parade The Name It’s not easy to keep up with the shorthand that accompanies today’s fast-paced, youth-oriented electronic communication. In IM-speak (Instant Message talk) or text-message language, “laughing out loud” becomes “lol.” “By the way” is “btw.” And regrettably, some people use “omg” for “Oh, my God!” This last phrase seems to be on the lips of many who receive startling news. But as Christians, we need to stop before we utter this or any other phrase that flippantly uses God’s name. In Matthew 6, when Jesus taught His disciples how to pray, the first thing He told them to say was this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name” (Mt 6:9). Clearly, God’s name itself is special. It encompasses His nature, His teachings, and His moral authority. To speak the name of God is to call on the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. In every way possible, we should honor and protect God’s holy name, preserving its use for those occasions when we are speaking of Him or addressing Him in faith. May all I am and do and say Give glory to my Lord alway; And may no act of mine cause shame Nor bring reproach upon His name. —Anon. God’s name: handle with care. Holy Is Your Name You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God. Exodus 20:7 One afternoon I was having a discussion with a friend I considered my spiritual mentor about misusing God’s name. “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God,” says the third commandment (Ex. 20:7). We may think this only refers to attaching God’s name to a swear word or using His name flippantly or irreverently. But my mentor rarely missed an opportunity to teach me about real faith. He challenged me to think about other ways we profane God’s name. When I reject the advice of others and say, “God told me to go this way,” I misuse His name if all I am doing is seeking approval for my own desires. When I use Scripture out of context to try to support an idea I want to be true, I am using God’s name in vain. When I teach, write, or speak from Scripture carelessly, I misuse His name. Author John Piper offers this reflection on what it means to take God’s name in vain: “The idea is . . . ‘don’t empty the name.’ . . . Don’t empty God of His weight and glory.” We misuse His name,
Deuteronômio 5
Guzik - In their traditions, the Jewish people came to carefully quantify what they thought could and could not be done on the Sabbath day, in order to keep it holy. For example, in Luke 6:1–2, in the mind of the Jewish leaders, the disciples were guilty of four violations of the Sabbath every time they took a bite of grain out in the field, because they reaped, threshed, winnowed, and prepared food.. Ancient Rabbis taught that on the Sabbath, a man could not carry something in his right hand or in his left hand, across his chest or on his shoulder. But he could carry something with the back of his hand, his foot, his elbow, or in his ear, his hair, or in the hem of his shirt, or in his shoe or sandal. Or on the Sabbath Israelites were forbidden to tie a knot—except, a woman could tie a knot in her girdle. So, if a bucket of water had to be raised from a well, an Israelite could not tie a rope to the bucket, but a woman could tie her girdle to the bucket and pull it up from the well.i. In observant Jewish homes today, one cannot turn on a light, a stove, or a switch on the Sabbath. It is forbidden to drive a certain distance or to make a telephone call—all carefully regulated by traditions seeking to spell out the law exactly. (Enduring Word Commentary - Exodus 20) Practically speaking the celebration of the Sabbath was a divine lesson that would help reenforce in the minds of the Hebrew the essence of the meaning of the word holy. Ultimately God was far more interested in Israel "internalizing" this truth, so that their lives all week would be like the Sabbath day on the seventh day. In other words the keeping of the Sabbath was pointing to the holiness of God, a holiness that He desired for His people to demonstrate. In this way the pagan nations would see a difference in the lives of the people of God and some might be attracted to examine Jehovah and even to come to know Him. One thinks of the pagan Moabitess Ruth who saw a difference in her mother-in-law Naomi prompting Ruth to declare "where you (NAOMI) go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus may the LORD do to me, and worse, if anything but death parts you and me.” (Ru 1:16-17) THOUGHT - Today while believers are not required to keep the Sabbath, nevertheless they are called to a lifestyle to which the Sabbath pointed, a separated life, a distinct life, a holy life. Peter picked up this thought even commanding his readers to live set apart lives "Sanctify (hagiazo [same verb used in Lxx of Ex 20:8 "keep...holy"] in the aorist imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence." (1 Peter 3:15+). We see this same principle of the attractive power of a separated, distinct life in Php 2:14-15+ where Paul commands the saints to "Do (present imperative = only possible as we depend on the Holy Spirit to obey which is clearly described in the preceding passage where the Spirit gives the DESIRE and the POWER to not grumble! = Php 2:13NLT+) all things without grumbling or disputing; 15 so that (PURPOSE CLAUSE) you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world." How are you doing? Is the light of Christ fueled by His Spirit shining brightly in your life, shining into a world that is increasingly becoming spiritually darker and shining in a way that gives a proper opinion to the lost of the invisible God they otherwise cannot see? (Reas Jesus' command in Mt 5:16+)" This question is not to put a guilt trip on you, but to remind you of the incredible privilege you have in this short time on "alien territory" to let the lost see the light of Christ and be saved from eternal destruction. Sabbath (07676)(sabbat from verb shabath = desist from exertion, cease) means intermission, the Sabbath (day), the day of rest, the holy seventh day; a week, the sacred 7th year, a sabbatical year. It was not until the giving of the Law at Mt Sinai that the keeping of the Sabbath became a part of the law and a sign of God's covenant relationship with His people (Ex 20:8-11 Ex 31:12-17). Sabbath was a covenant sign indicative of Jehovah's authority. When Israel kept the Sabbath, they showed the pagan nations (the Gentiles had no Sabbath statute - see Ps 147:19-20) that they were a distinctive people and were subject to their God, Yahweh. Keeping Sabbath was in a sense a way of demonstrating Israel's trust in God, trusting that He would honor their labors with fruit. We may plant the seeds and water them, but it is God who gives the increase (1Co 3:6+). In Dt 5:15 “You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and Yahweh your God brought you out with a mighty hand. …; therefore, Yahweh your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.” In other words in this passage in Deuteronomy, the Sabbath with creation described in Genesis and Deuteronomy connects the Sabbath with deliverance from Egypt described in Exodus. Thus every Sabbath, Israel is to remember that God is an emancipator, a liberator. The early Christians were on target, it seems, when they connected the day of rest Steven
Deuteronômio 5
Guzik quips "It’s as if God said, Having too much to do isn’t an excuse from taking the rest you need—I created the universe and found time to rest from My work." (Enduring Word Commentary - Exodus 20) Henry Morris on seventh day - It is important to note the principle of one rest day following six days of work. The Hebrew word for "sabbath" does not mean "Saturday" or "seventh day"; it means "rest" or "intermission." The institution of the sabbath (one day of rest, worship and remembrance of the Creator) was "made for man" but not as an arbitrary legalistic ritual performed on a specific day (Mark 2:27+). In fact, the Christian observance of the first day as the day of rest seems most appropriate, signifying a "marking" not only of God's completed work of creation but also His completed work of redemption of the creation (note His victory cry on the cross--"It is finished!"--John 19:30) affirmed forever by His victory over sin and death on the first day of the Jewish week. in it you shall not do any work - This statement is another way of saying finish all your work in 6 days (Ex 20:9). you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant or your ox or your donkey or any of your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you - This would keep a person from saying "I'll keep the Sabbath, but have these other folks do work for me!" NET Note - The "you" of the commandments is addressed to the Israelites individually, male and female, just as God in the Garden of Eden held both the man and the woman responsible for their individual sins... The Sabbath day was the sign of the Sinaitic Covenant. It required Israel to cease from ordinary labors and devote the day to God. It required Israel to enter into the life of God, to share his Sabbath. It gave them a chance to recall the work of the Creator. But in the NT the apostolic teaching for the Church does not make one day holier than another, but calls for the entire life to be sanctified to God. This teaching is an application of the meaning of entering into the Sabbath of God. The book of Hebrews declares that those who believe in Christ cease from their works and enter into his Sabbath rest. For a Christian keeping Saturday holy is not a requirement from the NT; it may be a good and valuable thing to have a day of rest and refreshment, but it is not a binding law for the Church. The principle of setting aside time to worship and serve the Lord has been carried forward, but the strict regulations have not. So that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you - So that always serves to introduce a purpose clause and in this context, the purpose is that everyone may rest. This speaks of physical rest, but also speaks of the deep inner need of every soul to experience spiritual rest. And what better way to do that then to have a day set aside that would remind one of the Creator and Sustainer and Giver of every good gift in life. It is as if focusing on Jehovah functions to "purge" one's soul of the pressures and problems of the previous week. The pressures and problems may still be present on Monday, but one day allows you to run into the Name of the Strong Tower (Jehovah) and to be safe (the Hebrew word means be lifted up above the surrounding fray going on around you! - see discussion of Proverbs 18:10). THOUGHT There is an interesting parallel in music which is referred to as a rest and contributes to the beauty of a composition. Wikipedia says "Rests are intervals of silence in pieces of music, marked by symbols indicating the length of the pause. Each rest symbol and name corresponds with a particular note value, indicating how long the silence should last." If that is true in order to create harmonious, beautiful music, how much more important is it to the "music" produced in a soul who takes time to rest in Jehovah? We all need a "rest" so that the "music" produced by our soul might be harmonious and beautiful! How's your music sounding to those around you these days? Perhaps you need to add a "rest" stop in Jehovah to your life! Rest (05117)(nuach/nuah) means to rest or pause and as noted from the many ways it is translated (see list of words below), nuach has many uses in the OT. Nuach essentially conveys a basic sense of absence of movement and of being settled in a particular place with overtones of finality. The first use in Ge 2:15 describes how God "put" Adam in the Garden. The next use describes a physical setting down of something (Ge 8:4). Nuach in Deuteronomy - Deut. 3:20; Deut. 5:14; Deut. 12:10; Deut. 14:28; Deut. 25:19; Deut. 26:4; Deut. 26:10; Joshua 1:13 says “Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, ‘The LORD your God gives you rest and will give you this land.’ THOUGHT - True Rest is a gift from Jehovah (cf Dt 3:20, 12:10, 25:19)! The verb in the Septuagint of Dt 5:14 is anapauo (middle voice - reflexive - you initiate the action and participate in results thereof) which mean to refresh, to take one's ease, to relax. For believers anapauo takes on a special sense, because for us Jesus is our Rest even as He invited all "Come (deute a command) to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest (anapauo)." (Mt 11:28) Real rest, deep rest, rest for our souls comes only from our Savior. Are you taking time each week to meditate on His Word and rest in Him? If not you are surprised that you are often restless? Take a rest stop and listen Steve Green's beautiful version of Jesus, I Am Resting, Resting. This was Hudson Taylor's favorite hymn and the key to Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret - abiding in Christ and not striving in self. Here is a quote from his Spiritual Secret - "The secret of his own strength was not far to seek. Whenever work permitted, Mr. Taylor was in the habit of turning to a little harmonium for refreshment, playing and singing many a favorite hymn, but always coming back to— Jesus, I am resting, resting, in the joy of what Thou art; I am finding out the greatness of Thy loving heart." Oh, that the Spirit might bring us back over and over to our Jesus, our Rest in this life and the one to come. In His Name. Amen. “Lie Down” He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul. —Psalm 23:2-3 Our golden retriever can get so overly excited that he will go into a seizure. To prevent that from happening, we try to calm him. We stroke him, speak to him in a soothing voice, and tell him to lie down. But when he hears “lie down,” he avoids eye contact with us and starts complaining. Finally, with a dramatic sigh of resignation, he gives in and plops to the floor. Sometimes we too need to be reminded to lie down. In Psalm 23, we learn that our Good Shepherd makes us “lie down in green pastures” and leads us “beside the still waters.” He knows that we need the calm and rest that these provide, even when we don’t realize it ourselves. Our bodies are designed to have regular rest. God Himself rested on the seventh day after His work of creation (Gen. 2:2-3; Ex. 20:9-11). Jesus knew there was a time to minister to the crowds and a time to rest. He instructed His disciples to “come aside . . . and rest a while” (Mark 6:31). When we rest, we refocus and are refreshed. When we are filling every hour with activity—even with worthwhile things—God often gets our attention by making us “lie down.” Rest is a gift—a good gift from our Creator who knows exactly what we need. Praise Him that He sometimes makes us “lie down in green pastures.” Heavenly Father, thank You for Your care for our well-being in every area of our lives. Help us to be rested and refreshed in You. If we don’t come apart and rest awhile, we may just plain come apart! —Havner Deuteronomy 5:15 'You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out of there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the LORD your God commanded you to observe the sabbath day. remember: De 15:15 16:12 24:18-22 Isa 51:1,2 Eph 2:11,12 the LORD your God: De 5:6 Ps 116:16 Isa 63:9 Lu 1:74,75 Tit 2:14 through: De 4:34-37 Deuteronomy 5 Resources REMEMBERING - MOTIVATION FOR KEEPING SABBATH You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out of there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm - The LORD took them (and us) from bondage to liberty, which should serve to motivate loving obedience to Him. Jehovah is our new Master, and is not like the harsh taskmasters we served when we were in bondage. Israel was now free. Freedom is not the right to do as you please, but the power to do as you should. THOUGHT - Are you living in this Spirit enabled freedom in Christ Jesus, your new loving Master? (cf James 1:25+) Mighty hand - Exod. 32:11; Deut. 4:34; Deut. 5:15; Deut. 6:21; Deut. 7:8; Deut. 7:19; Deut. 9:26; Deut. 11:2; Deut. 26:8; 1 Ki. 8:42; 2 Chr. 6:32; Ezek. 20:33; Ezek. 20:34; Dan. 9:15; 1 Pet. 5:6 Outstretched arm - Exod. 6:6; Deut. 4:34; Deut. 5:15; Deut. 7:19; Deut. 9:29; Deut. 11:2; Deut. 26:8; 1 Ki. 8:42; 2 Ki. 17:36; 2 Chr. 6:32; Ps. 136:12; Jer. 27:5; Jer. 32:17; Jer. 32:21; Ezek. 20:33; Ezek. 20:34 Therefore - Term of conclusion. Since you are free, now rest in Him! The LORD your God commanded you to observe the sabbath day - Our hearts are prone to wander (sometimes to good fields, sometimes not so good), but prone to restlessness rather than restfulness. And so our omniscient God knowing our nature commands us to rest on the Sabbath Day. As John wrote "For this is the love of God, that we keep (tereo) His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome." (1 John 5:3+) God's command to observe the Sabbath Day is a reflection of His amazing love for us! Deuteronomy 5:16 'Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, that your days may be prolonged and that it may go well with you on the land which the LORD your God gives you. Honor: Ex 20:12 Lev 19:3 Mt 15:4-6 Col 3:20 that your days: De 4:40 27:16 Eph 6:1-3 Deuteronomy 5 Resources Related Passage - Exodus 20:12 "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you. FIFTH COMMANDMENT: HONOR YOUR PARENTS Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, Like the command to remember the Sabbath, this command is also a positive one. By the nature of this command we see that there is a clear authority structure in the family. It is a command calling for child to obey their parents. Obedience of children to their parents is a foundation stone for a stable society. To honor their parents signified that they loved them, had respect for them and submitted to their authority. To disobey this command is to dishonor God, for He is our Father! Currid - This command goes against human nature. It is impossible to keep because, as
Deuteronômio 5
Guzik says to covet "is the itch to have and to possess what someone else has. It speaks of a dissatisfaction with what we have, and a jealously towards those who have something better." Paul links covetousness (greed) with idolatry in his command "Therefore (based on the truth in Colossians 3:1-4+) consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. (Colossians 3:5+) In another passages Paul says " For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God." (Eph 5:5+) Jesus warned against covetousness "Then He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard (both verbs are in present imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.” (Luke 12:15+) Some people think that they can get right with God by keeping the Ten Commandments. Wrong! Many people think that God gave us the Ten Commandments to help us to be good. Wrong! In fact He gave them to show us that we are bad. A right understanding of the law demonstrates that we are all great sinners and in need of great grace in a great Savior. James sums it up for all of us "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all." (James 2:10+). The LAW, therefore, elicits great fear and trepidation. In Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress, Christian ventured to Mount Sinai, but he was afraid … lest the Hill should fall on his head; wherefore there he stood still, and he wot [i.e. knew] not what to do. Also his Burden now seemed heavier to him than while he was in his Way. There came also flashes of fire out of the Hill, that made Christian afraid that he should be burned: Here therefore he sweat[ed] and did quake for Fear.’ (Read this entire section of Pilgrim's Progress - Beneath the High Hill) See the preceding notes summarizing the purpose of the Law. And you shall not desire your neighbor's house, his field or his male servant or his female servant, his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.' - Nine commandments deal with the external but this one with the internal. In other words the previous nine commandments deal with actions, but this commandment deals with our heart, where greedy desires originate and which may or may not result in external actions. This command addresses the greedy desire for something belonging to a neighbor, an evil desire that may lead one take or attempt to take it. Of course, the truth be told although the previous commandments focus on actions, the root of those actions is always man's heart. THOUGHT - Coveting is related to a lack of contentment with what God has given us. See article on Christian Contentment. Note both negatives ("not...not") are the so-called apodictic negatives expressing or of the nature of necessary truth or absolute certainty and thus supplies a heightened negativity to this entire section. Paul was cut to the quick by this commandment in Romans 7 writing What shall we say then? Is the LAW sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know SIN except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the LAW had not said, “YOU SHALL NOT COVET.” 8 But SIN, taking opportunity (aphorme) through the commandment (Exodus 20:17), produced in me coveting of every kind; (COVET, COVET, COVET!) for apart from the Law SIN is dead. 9 I was once alive apart from the LAW; but when the commandment came, SIN became alive and I died; 10 and this commandment (Exodus 20:17), which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me; (Ro 7:7-10+) COMMENT - The law is like a x-ray machine; it reveals plainly what might have always been there, but hidden before; and you can’t blame a x-ray for what it exposes. The law sets the "speed limit" so we know if we are going too fast; we might never know that we are sinning in many areas (such as covetousness) if the law did not spell this out to us specifically. Notice the effect of the LAW - it stirs up SIN! Earlier Paul stated in Ro 7:5+ that "while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law (WHAT AROUSED THE SINFUL PASSIONS?), were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death." (See additional note below) Covet (02530)(chamad/hamad) means to take pleasure in something, and as such is a neutral word. In the negative sense it speaks of an inordinate, ungoverned, selfish desire for something = to covet (or lust after). Chamad focuses not on an external act but on an internal mental activity behind the act, the motivation for the act (e.g., stealing or adultery). In one Ugaritic text this same word is used of Baal coveting a fertile parcel of land. Chamad can be used in a good sense, e.g., describing the judgments of the Lord "are more desirable than gold." (Ps 19:10+) This verb had a major role in the fall of man in Eden for Eve - "When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable (chamad - unquenchable desire and unbridled passion) to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate." (Ge 3:6+) Notice that Eve's primary sin was craving for the fruit which led her to take the action to pick it and eat it. The Septuagint translates chamad in Ex 20:17 with the verb epithumeo (epí = used intensively + thumós = passion) means literally to fix the desire upon (object could be good [Mt 13:17, Lk 22:15 used of Jesus] or bad [1Co 10:6]). Jesus used epithumeo with its evil connotation in Mt 5:28, where epithumeo describes a husband's lustful passion directly toward a woman who is not his wife. It means to have a strong desire to do or secure something. Note that the preposition epi can express motion toward or upon and thus one lexicon defines it as to set one's heart upon. In sum, epithumeo describes a strong impulse toward something so that one's passions or affections directed toward some object, thing or person. The Tenth Commandment basically has to do with contentment as well as trust in God as our faithful provider of everything we need (not everything we want!). Paul dealt with this important truth concerning contentment in his first letter to Timothy... But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. 7 For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. 8 If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (1Ti 6:6-10) ILLUSTRATION - A “Frank and Earnest” cartoon [5/8/98] pictured Moses on the mountain before God, holding the Ten Commandments. He tells God, “It’s your call but I still think ‘The Ten Habits of Highly Effective People’ is a catchier title.” But they’re not “ten habits of highly effective people” or “ten suggestions for a happy life”! They’re Ten Commandments from the holy God, given for His glory and your good. If you think seriously about them, you’ve broken every one on the heart or thought level. That’s why you need a Savior who died to forgive your sins! When you trust in the Lord Jesus to save you, He gives you the Holy Spirit to indwell you and enable you joyfully to obey His commandments out of love for Him! (Steven Cole) Related Resources: Torrey Topical Textbook Covetousness Baker Evangelical Dictionary Covetousness Charles Buck Dictionary Covetousness Easton's Bible Dictionary Covetousness Holman Bible Dictionary Covet, Covetous Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible Covetousness Hastings' Dictionary of the NT Covetousness Vines' Expository Dictionary Covet, Covetous, Covetousness Webster Dictionary Covetous. Covetousness International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Covetousness McClintock and Strong's Bible Encyclopedia Covetousness (2) Covetousness The Jewish Encyclopedia Covetousness Question: "Why is 'You shall not covet' in the Ten Commandments?" Answer: The key to understanding this commandment is in the definition of the word “covet.” Two different Hebrew words are used in the passages condemning coveting (Exodus 20:17; Deuteronomy 5:21), and both mean “to lust after or to long for with great desire.” Since the commandments are given as “you shall not’s,” the desire in this case is for something that is not the property of the desirer and not rightfully his to long after. In this commandment, the Israelites are told not to lust after their neighbor’s possessions—his house, land, ox or donkey, or the people in his life—his wife or servants, both male and female. The Israelites were not to desire, long for, or set their hearts on anything that belonged to anyone else. Whereas several of the commandments prohibit certain actions, such as murder and theft, this is one of the commandments that address the inner person, his heart and mind. As James 1:15 tells us, the inner person is where sin originates, and in this case, covetousness is the forerunner of all manner of sin, among them theft, burglary, and embezzlement. At its root, coveting is the result of envy, a sin which, once it takes root in the heart, leads to worse sins. Jesus reiterated this very thought in the Sermon on the Mount when He said that lust in the heart is every bit as sinful as committing adultery (Matthew 5:28). Envy goes beyond casting a longing glance at the neighbor’s new car. Once dwelled upon, envy of the neighbor’s possessions can turn to feelings of resentment and hatred for the neighbor himself. That can turn into resentment against God and questioning Him: “Why can’t I have what he has, Lord? Don’t you love me enough to give me what I want?” God’s reasons for condemning covetousness are good ones. At its very core, envy is love of self. Envious, selfish citizens are unhappy and discontented citizens. A society built of such people is a weak one because envious malcontents, as stated before, will be more likely to commit crimes against one another, further weakening the societal structure. Furthermore, the New Testament identifies covetousness as a form of idolatry, a sin which God detests (Colossians 3:5). In the end, envy and covetousness are Satan’s tools to distract us from pursuing the only thing that will ever make us happy and content—God Himself. God’s Word tells us that “godliness with contentment is great gain” and that we should be content with the basic necessities of life (1 Timothy 6:6-8), because true happiness is not attained by things, but by a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. By this alone do we gain that which is worthy, true, solid, satisfying, and durable—the unsearchable riches of God’s grace. (Source: Gotquestions.org) Deuteronomy 5:22 "These words the LORD spoke to all your assembly at the mountain from the midst of the fire, of the cloud and of the thick gloom, with a great voice, and He added no more. He wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me. These words: De 5:4 4:12-15,36 Ex 19:18,19 He wrote: De 4:13 Ex 24:12 Ex 31:18 Deuteronomy 5 Resources Related Passages: Deuteronomy 4:13 “So He declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, that is, the Ten Commandments; and He wrote them on two tablets of stone. Exodus 24:12 Now the LORD said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and remain there, and I will give you the stone tablets with the law and the commandment which I have written for their instruction.” Exodus 31:18 When He had finished speaking with him upon Mount Sinai, He gave Moses the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written by the finger of God. Mt Sinai by Eizen These words the LORD spoke to all your assembly at the mountain from the midst of the fire - Words spoken from the midst of (a) fire would/should arrest anyone's attention! This reminds me of Jeremiah 23:29 “Is not My word like fire?” declares the LORD, “and like a hammer which shatters a rock?" (cf Jer 20:9, Heb 4:12-13+) In the last days of this age God will send two witnesses (Rev 11:3+) who do not speak from fire but with fire to warn the world of impending divine judgment for "if anyone wants to harm them, fire flows out of their mouth and devours their enemies; so if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way.." (Rev 11:5+) This is still the day of grace, so God's good and perfect commandment (Ro 7:12+) is given for Israel's (and all men's) good, not for his destruction. Of the cloud and of the thick gloom, with a great voice, and He added no more - God said it that settles it! Sometimes I heard "God said it. I believe it!" That is good but the point is that when God said the "10 Words," that settled it! As we often hear today "case closed!" He wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me - So in addition to a clear audible witness, God provided a permanent visible witness. The upshot? No Excuse not to obey! He wrote them of course is Anthropomorphic Language. I love Ex 31:18 that they were "written by the finger of God." What a beautiful picture this presents. It is as if God takes a divine index finger and letter by letter, word by word points man to some of the most important words ever written. When I point with my finger to something on the page, I do it to make sure the person I am talking with does not miss the point! God wants to make sure by this anthropomorphic picture.that we do not miss His point! Deuteronomy 5:23 "And when you heard the voice from the midst of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, you came near to me, all the heads of your tribes and your elders. Ex 20:18,19 Heb 12:18-21 Deuteronomy 5 Resources THE AWESOME SCENE AT SINAI And when you heard the voice from the midst of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, you came near to me, all the heads of your tribes and your elders - Notice they did not just hear a "sound" but God's "voice." Can you imagine for a moment what this experience must have been like! But praise God, one day soon all believers will have the surpassing great privilege of hearing His voice forever and ever. Amen! Jehovah's awesome voice and the fearful sight drove the leaders to approach Moses. The writer of Hebrews reminds his Jewish audience of this awesome scene at Sinai. Hebrew 12:18+ For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, 19 and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which sound was such that those who heard begged that no further word be spoken to them. 20 For they could not bear the command, “IF EVEN A BEAST TOUCHES THE MOUNTAIN, IT WILL BE STONED.” 21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, “I AM FULL OF FEAR and trembling.” Deuteronomy 5:24 "You said, 'Behold, the LORD our God has shown us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice from the midst of the fire; we have seen today that God speaks with man, yet he lives. we have heard His voice from the midst of the fire Dt 5:4-5 Ex 19:19 he lives: Dt 4:33 Ge 32:30 Ex 33:20 Jdg 13:22 Deuteronomy 5 Resources Related Passages: Exodus 19:19+ When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him with thunder. Deuteronomy 4:33+ “Has any people heard the voice of God speaking from the midst of the fire, as you have heard it, and survived? Genesis 32:30 So Jacob named the place Peniel, for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved.” Judges 13:22+ So Manoah said to his wife (SAMSON'S PARENTS), “We will surely die, for we have seen God.” You said, 'Behold, the LORD our God has shown us His glory and His greatness - You is all the heads of your tribes and your elders.(Dt 5:23) And this glory and greatness is only what God had allowed them to witness! So great is His glory that one day (soon) "the earth will be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, As the waters cover the sea." (Hab 2:14+, cf similar prophecies in Nu 14:21+ Ps 72:19+ Isa 6:3+ Isa 11:9+). And we have heard His voice from the midst of the fire; we have seen today that God speaks with man, yet he lives - God Himself had declared to Moses "You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!” (Ex 33:20+, cf Ex 3:2-6+). See notes on related passage Dt 5:4-5. Deuteronomy 5:25 'Now then why should we die? For this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of the LORD our God any longer, then we will die. this great fire will consume us;: De 18:16 Dt 33:2 2Co 3:7-9 Ga 3:10,21,22 Heb 12:29 Deuteronomy 5 Resources Now then why should we die? For this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of the LORD our God any longer, then we will die - Were they correct? Would they have died if they continued to hear Yahweh's voice? No. But they had a fear of God, not just a reverential fear, but a "shaking" fear. Deuteronomy 5:26 'For who is there of all flesh who has heard the voice of the living God speaking from the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived? who is there: De 4:33 who is there of all flesh Ge 6:12 Isa 40:6 Ro 3:20 the living God: Jos 3:10 Ps 42:2 84:2 Jer 10:10 Da 6:26 Mt 26:63 Ac 14:15 2Co 6:16 1Th 1:9 Deuteronomy 5 Resources Related Passages: Deuteronomy 9:10+ “The LORD gave me the two tablets of stone written by the finger of God; and on them were all the words which the LORD had spoken with you at the mountain from the midst of the fire on the day of the assembly. Exodus 19:18-19+ Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the LORD descended upon it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently. 19 When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him with thunder. Exodus 20:18-19+ All the people perceived the thunder and the lightning flashes and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood at a distance. 19 Then they said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen; but let not God speak to us, or we will die.” For - Term of explanation. They explain why they want Moses to mediate. Who is there of all flesh who has heard the voice of the living God speaking from the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived? - The truth is that they were a number of people who had heard the voice of the living God and lived. The first of course was Adam who heard God's voice both before and after He sinned. So while Adam was spiritually dead, God in mercy and grace allowed him to hear His voice and not die physically. In Ge 3:9+ God asked Adam who was now a sinner "Where are you?” (Play Don Francisco's "Adam Where are You?" (cf Ge 3:8-22) Treasury of Scripture Knowledge - It seems to have been a general opinion, that if God appeared to men, it was for the purpose of destroying them. And indeed most of the extraordinary manifestations of God were in the way of judgment; but here it was different. God did appear in a sovereign and extraordinary manner; but it was for the instruction, direction, deliverance, and support of His people. (1) They heard this voice speaking with them in a distinct, articulate manner. (2) They saw the fire, the symbol of his presence, the appearances of which demonstrated it to be supernatural. (3) Notwithstanding God appeared so terrible, yet no person was destroyed; for he came not to destroy but to save. Phrase living God - 28v - Deut. 5:26; Jos. 3:10; 1 Sam. 17:26; 1 Sam. 17:36; 2 Ki. 19:4; 2 Ki. 19:16; Ps. 42:2; Ps. 84:2; Isa. 37:4; Isa. 37:17; Jer. 10:10; Jer. 23:36; Dan. 6:20; Dan. 6:26; Hos. 1:10; Matt. 16:16; Matt. 26:63; Acts 14:15; Rom. 9:26; 2 Co. 3:3; 2 Co. 6:16; 1 Tim. 3:15; 1 Tim. 4:10; Heb. 3:12; Heb. 9:14; Heb. 10:31; Heb. 12:22; Rev. 7:2 Deuteronomy 5:27 'Go near and hear all that the LORD our God says; then speak to us all that the LORD our God speaks to you, and we will hear and do it.' Ex 20:19 Heb 12:19 Deuteronomy 5 Resources Related Passage: WHY ISRAEL WANTED MOSES TO GO NEAR AND HEAR Exodus 20:18-21 All the people perceived the thunder and the lightning flashes and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood at a distance (FEAR OF GOD)A. 19 Then they said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen; but let not God speak to us, or we will die (FEAR OF GOD).” 20 Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid; for God has come in order to test you, and in order that the fear of Him may remain with you, so that you may not sin.” 21 So the people stood at a distance, while Moses approached the thick cloud where God was. LEADERS' REQUEST MOSES HEAR GOD THEN SPEAK TO US Go near and hear all that the LORD our God says - The people asked Moses to function as their mediator, so awesome was His greatness and glory. THOUGHT - Like Israel we too need a Mediator between our sinful self and God's sinless presence. God the Father has provided His sinless Son to function as our Mediator. Have you (like the Israelites) recognized you need someone to stand between you and God lest you die? If not not, today is the day (2 Cor 6:2) to come to Jesus, Who Alone "is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them, for there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, the Mediator of a New Covenant." (Hebrews 7:25+, 1 Ti 2:5, Hebrews 9:15+). Then speak to us all that the LORD our God speaks to you, and we will hear and do it.' - They ask for the Word from God! Then they pledge to obey the Word of God. This recounts the people's request of Moses in Exodus 20:19+ "Then they said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen; but let not God speak to us, or we will die.” The writer of Hebrews says the nation of Israel came "to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which sound was such that those who heard begged that no further word be spoken to them." (Heb 12:19+). Deuteronomy 5:28 "The LORD heard the voice of your words when you spoke to me, and the LORD said to me, 'I have heard the voice of the words of this people which they have spoken to you. They have done well in all that they have spoken. They have done well in all that they have spoken: De 18:17 Nu 27:7 Nu 36:5 Deuteronomy 5 Resources The LORD heard the voice of your words when you spoke to me - Your words refers of course to the words of their parents for those in the audience may not have yet even been born at the time of Mount Sinai. And the LORD said to me, 'I have heard the voice of the words of this people which they have spoken to you. They have done well in all that they have spoken - What were they asking for? The Word of God which they pledged to obey which did not anger but pleased the LORD! And they were also asking for Moses to mediate. Deuteronomy 5:29 'Oh that they had such a heart in them, that they would fear Me and keep all My commandments always, that it may be well with them and with their sons forever! O that there: De 32:29,30 Ps 81:13-15 Isa 48:18 Jer 44:4 Eze 33:31,32 Mt 23:37 Lu 19:42 2Co 5:20 6:1 Heb 12:25, keep all: Deuteronomy 5 Resources THE KEY TO THE GOOD/GOD LIFE God is responding to their declaration for Moses to "speak to us all that the LORD our God speaks to you, and we will hear and do it." In other words Israel says ALL Yahweh says they would HEAR and DO! Wonderful words which God affirms in what almost sounds like a prayer for Israel. Exodus 20:19 Then they said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen; but let not God speak to us, or we will die.” 20 Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid; for God has come in order to test you, and in order that (PURPOSE) the fear of Him may remain with you, so that (PURPOSE) you may not sin.” Oh that they had such a heart in them, that they would fear Me and keep all My commandments always, that it may be well with them and with their sons forever! - They had expressed fear of God and He affirms that holy fear is a good thing. Notice that God zeroes in on their heart, not their head. Head knowledge is good, but heart fear is better. The progression in this passage presents a timeless principle. I love the description of Job "There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil." (Job 1:1) Do you see the critical dynamic which caused Job to order his steps toward holiness? Because Job feared the Lord, Job turned away from the evil thoughts, words and deeds that would displease His God. May Job's tribe increase globally as we see the world growing morally darker and more aggressively aligned against God and His Son (Ps 2:1-3). In Jesus' Name. (One small example - On national prayer day in 2021 the president of the United States, the country whose paper currency says "In God We Trust," pointedly avoided even using the Name "God" in his (so-called) prayer! One has to wonder to which god he was praying if not to the only living God!) Fear of God motivates obedience to God which yields the blessing of God from one generation to the next. THOUGHT - This passage begs the question of every believer - Do you have a healthy, holy fear of God? If not, you likely are experiencing difficulty in keeping His commandments, because you are likely grieving or quenching His Spirit. It is only by dependence on the power of His Spirit that you can keep God's commandments. Fear (Lxx in this verse = phobeo in present tense)(03372) yare is a verb meaning to fear, to be afraid (Ge 3:10+), to respect, to reverence, to be terrified, to be awesome, to be feared, to make afraid, to frighten. The most common translations are to be afraid, to fear, to fear God. On one hand yare conveys the sense of threat to one's life, but on the other it can express the idea of reverence and deep respect (as in Ps 25:14). In the OT fear of the Lord involves a person's total response to the Lord. It is notable that more than 75% of the over 370 uses of yare are in the context of reverencing the Lord. In English our word reverence (Latin reverentia = "awe, respect," from revereri "to stand in awe of, respect, honor, fear, be afraid of; revere,") refers to a feeling of profound respect for someone or something, and with yare in the OT as noted this is most often to God. The classic use is Pr 1:7+ "The fear (yare) of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge." Notice that a genuine holy fear of the Lord is often equated with believers (e.g. Mal 3:16+, Mal 4:2+, Eccl 8:12-13, cf the last worldwide proclamation of the Gospel which says "Fear God..." - Rev 14:6-7+) Yare occurs in 36 verses in Deuteronomy (out of a total of 306v in OT) - Deut. 1:19; Deut. 1:21; Deut. 1:29; Deut. 2:4; Deut. 3:2; Deut. 3:22; Deut. 4:10; Deut. 5:5; Deut. 5:29; Deut. 6:2; Deut. 6:13; Deut. 6:24; Deut. 7:18; Deut. 7:19; Deut. 7:21; Deut. 8:6; Deut. 8:15; Deut. 10:12; Deut. 10:17; Deut. 10:20; Deut. 10:21; Deut. 13:4; Deut. 13:11; Deut. 14:23; Deut. 17:13; Deut. 17:19; Deut. 19:20; Deut. 20:1; Deut. 20:3; Deut. 20:8; Deut. 21:21; Deut. 25:18; Deut. 28:10; Deut. 28:58; Deut. 31:6; Deut. 31:8; Deut. 31:12; Deut. 31:13 Deuteronomy 5:30 'Go, say to them, "Return to your tents." Deuteronomy 5 Resources Go, say to them, "Return to your tents - In response to the people's request, Yahweh told Moses to dismiss them to their tents. In the next verse He explains how He will transmit His Word to them. Deuteronomy 5:31 'But as for you, stand here by Me, that I may speak to you all the commandments and the statutes and the judgments which you shall teach them, that they may observe them in the land which I give them to possess.' Deuteronomy 5 Resources YAHWEH GIVES THE LAW TO MOSES FOR THE PEOPLE But as for you - Term of contrast. Israel was to return to their tents. Stand here by Me, that I may speak to you all the commandments and the statutes and the judgments which you shall teach them, that they may observe them in the land which I give them to possess - Note the pattern - God speaks, Moses teaches, People observe (obey). Possess (03423) yarash to take possession of, inherit, dispossess, to drive out. Yarash is an especially important word in contexts dealing with Israel's conquest of and possession of the land of Canaan. Yahweh first promised possession of the land in the context of the Abrahamic covenant (Ge 15:7-21+). Note also that "possessing" implies "dispossessing" another nation. In a legal sense, the right of possession passed from one generation to the next and so constituted "inheritance." Note that possession of the promised land and/or the "inheritance" was directly connected to Israel's trust relationship with the Lord, so that breaking trust, and thus breaking the covenantal relationship with Yahweh led to dispossession. But even in exile, Israelites awaited the day when they would repossess the land (Jer. 30:3+ - May 14, 1948 is when Israel was given statehood but this is not the final fulfillment - that awaits the Millennial Reign of their Messiah). Yarash is a key word in Deuteronomy - Deut. 1:8; Deut. 1:21; Deut. 1:39; Deut. 2:12; Deut. 2:21; Deut. 2:22; Deut. 2:24; Deut. 2:31; Deut. 3:12; Deut. 3:18; Deut. 3:20; Deut. 4:1; Deut. 4:5; Deut. 4:14; Deut. 4:22; Deut. 4:26; Deut. 4:38; Deut. 4:47; Deut. 5:31; Deut. 5:33; Deut. 6:1; Deut. 6:18; Deut. 7:1; Deut. 7:17; Deut. 8:1; Deut. 9:1; Deut. 9:3; Deut. 9:4; Deut. 9:5; Deut. 9:6; Deut. 9:23; Deut. 10:11; Deut. 11:8; Deut. 11:10; Deut. 11:11; Deut. 11:23; Deut. 11:29; Deut. 11:31; Deut. 12:1; Deut. 12:2; Deut. 12:29; Deut. 15:4; Deut. 16:20; Deut. 17:14; Deut. 18:12; Deut. 18:14; Deut. 19:1; Deut. 19:2; Deut. 19:14; Deut. 21:1; Deut. 23:20; Deut. 25:19; Deut. 26:1; Deut. 28:21; Deut. 28:42; Deut. 28:63; Deut. 30:5; Deut. 30:16; Deut. 30:18; Deut. 31:3; Deut. 31:13; Deut. 32:47; Deut. 33:23; Deuteronomy 5:32 "So you shall observe to do just as the LORD your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right or to the left. Deuteronomy 5 Resources Related Passage: Deuteronomy 17:11 “According to the terms of the law which they teach you, and according to the verdict which they tell you, you shall do; you shall not turn aside from the word which they declare to you, to the right or the left. Deuteronomy 17:20 that his (KING'S) heart may not be lifted up above his countrymen and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or the left, so that he and his sons may continue long in his kingdom in the midst of Israel. Deuteronomy 28:14+ and do not turn aside from any of the words which I command you today, to the right or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them. Comment: To go after clearly indicates one must first turn away from the true God, a bit like "repentance in reverse" so to speak and exactly the opposite of the action Paul described among the pagans in 1 Th 1:9-10+ who "turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God." Joshua 23:5-7 (HIS LAST WORDS TO ISRAEL AS HE WAS DYING) “The LORD your God, He will thrust them out from before you and drive them from before you; and you will possess their land, just as the LORD your God promised you. 6 “Be very firm, then, to keep and do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, so that you may not turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left, 7 so that you will not associate with these nations, these which remain among you, or mention the name of their gods, or make anyone swear by them, or serve them, or bow down to them. Watch out for Forks in the Road! STAY ON THE "STRAIGHT AND NARROW" The idiom straight and narrow is defined as the way of proper conduct and moral integrity. So you shall observe to do just as the LORD your God has commanded you - NLT = "So Moses told the people, "You must obey all the commands of the LORD your God, following his instructions in every detail." Recall they have already said "we will hear and do" (Dt 5:29). Moses is simply affirming their You shall not turn aside to the right or to the left - God's best is for those who walk His straight and narrow path of obedience. In Dt 28:14+ deviating to the right or to the left is associated with going after idols and then becoming enslaved to them (serving them). In Joshua 23:6-7 turning to the right hand or to the left was linked to associating the pagans and their idols. This is a clear call to unhesitating obedience to God's Word and to the God of the Word. As Samuel would say years later to disobedient King Saul (Was Saul saved?)"Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams." (1 Sa 15:22). In Deuteronomy 11 Moses re-emphasizes the importance of this "straight and narrow" path on which they are to tread, warning that instead of a blessing they would experience a curse if they did not listen to the commandments of the LORD their God and instead turned aside from the way He was commanding. To turn aside was specifically linked with a personal choice to turn away from the true and living God and to follow false, dead gods which they had not previously heard about! See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: 27 the blessing, if you listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, which I am commanding you today; 28 and the curse, if you do not listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, but (NOT LISTENING TO GOD INEVITABLY WOULD LEAD TO NOT LIVING FOR GOD AND TO) turn aside from the way which I am commanding you today, by following other gods which you have not known. (Dt 11:26-28+) God's instructions on watching where we walk reminds me of the last stanza in the Robert Frost poem "Road Not Taken" I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: two roads diverged in a wood, and I -- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. Deuteronomy 5:33 "You shall walk in all the way which the LORD your God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you will possess. Deuteronomy 5 Resources Related Passages: WALKING IN GOD'S WAY (OR NOT) Deuteronomy 8:6; “Therefore, you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him. Deuteronomy 9:16 “And I saw that you had indeed sinned against the LORD your God. You had made for yourselves a molten calf; you had turned aside quickly from the way which the LORD had commanded you. Deuteronomy 10:12 “Now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require from you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, Deuteronomy 11:22 “For if you are careful to keep all this commandment which I am commanding you to do, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and hold fast to Him, Deuteronomy 19:9 if you carefully observe all this commandment which I command you today, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in His ways always–then you shall add three more cities for yourself, besides these three. Deuteronomy 26:17 “You have today declared the LORD to be your God, and that you would walk in His ways and keep His statutes, His commandments and His ordinances, and listen to His voice. Deuteronomy 28:9 “The LORD will establish you as a holy people to Himself, as He swore to you, if you keep the commandments of the LORD your God and walk in His ways. Deuteronomy 30:16 in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the LORD your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it. Deuteronomy 31:29 “For I know that after my death you will act corruptly and turn from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days, for you will do that which is evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger with the work of your hands.” THE WAY THE GODLY WALK You shall walk in all the way which the LORD your God has commanded you - The Word of Yahweh is to be like a road or highway of holiness (Isa 35:8+) on which they were to walk. One is reminded of the psalmist's words "Thy word is a lampun to my feet and a light unto my path." (Ps 119:105+ - Play Thy Word is a Lamp Unto My Feet) Earlier God said if they were to honor their father and mother that "it may go well with you on the land." (Dt 5:16). that (TERM OF PURPOSE) you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you will possess (yarash) - .The point is that walking in the way of the LORD was the way Israel would experience prosperity and longevity in the Promised Land. One is reminded of the similar great truth in Psalm 1+ which describes the TWO WAYS on which all men ever born walk, either the way of the righteous or the way of the wicked.... How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. 3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers. 4 The wicked are not so, But they are like chaff which the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. 6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the wicked will perish. (see also Mt 7:13-14+ and Mt 7:24-27+)