Deuteronomy 5:21 Covet

21You shall not covetj your neighbor’s wife. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house or field, or his manservant or maidservant, or his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

Covet

Nathan Rebukes David with this story of coveting.

2 Samuel 12: 1Then the LORD sent Nathan to David, and when he arrived, he said, “There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor. 2The rich man had a great number of sheep and cattle, 3but the poor man had nothing except one small ewe lamb that he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food and drank from his cup; it slept in his arms and was like a daughter to him.

4Now a traveler came to the rich man, who refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for his guest.”

But why did the Lord send Nathan to king David? Because he coveted his neighbors wife, got her pregnant and when his plan failed to have her husband sleep with her to cover up the pregnancy, David devised a plan to have her husband killed in battle.

Now David repented of his sins and the Lord forgave him but there were consequences!

“Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay. –”

Blessings 

https://youtu.be/pbMIOvjjM9s

Deuteronomy 5:20 False Witness

 20Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour.

i. “Slander... is a lie invented and spread with intent to do harm. That is the worst form of injury a person can do to another. Compared to one who does this, a gangster is a gentleman, and a murderer is kind, because he ends life in a moment with a stroke and with little pain. But the man guilty of slander ruins a reputation which may never be regained, and causes lifelong suffering.” (Redpath)

ii. “Talebearing... is repeating a report about a person without careful investigation. Many, many times I have known what it is to suffer with that. To repeat a story which brings discredit and dishonor to another person without making sure of the facts, is breaking this commandment... How many people, especially Christian people, revel in this, and delight in working havoc by telling tales about others. To excuse the action by saying they believed the report to be true, or that there was no intention to malign, is no justification.” (Redpath)

iii. What about inappropriate silence? “When someone utters a falsity about another and a third person is present who knows that statement to be untrue but, for reasons of fear or being disliked, remains quiet, that third person is as guilty of breaking this law as if he had told a lie.” (Redpath)

 Colossians 3: 9Do not lie to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices, “How very strange that we have ever come to think that Christian maturity is shown by the ability to speak our minds, whereas it is really expressed in controlling our tongues.” (Redpath)

When I was in the 5th grade a student told our teacher that I swore, used an unspeakable word. I didn’t but the teacher wouldn’t let me participate in class until I admitted that I did. After six months of not participating I figured the only way to get out of exile was to admit to something I didn’t do, so I did. If this wasn’t slander that began with a lie then I don’t know what it is. 🤔

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 5:19 Steal

 19You shall not steal.h

19 h Cited in Matthew 19:18, Mark 10:19, Luke 18:20, and Romans 13:9

Steal

Ephesians 4: 28He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing good with his own hands, that he may have something to share with the one in need.

“We can also steal from God. Of course, this demands we honor God with our financial resources, so we are not guilty of robbing Him (Malachi 3:8-10). But we can also rob God by refusing to give Him ourselves for obedience and His service, because He bought us and owns us: knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold... but with the precious blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:18-19); For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s (1 Corinthians 6:20).” (Guzik)

I am guilty, are you?

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 5:18 Adultery

 18You shall not commit adultery.g

18 g Cited in Matthew 5:27, Matthew 19:18, Mark 10:19, Luke 18:20, Romans 13:9, and James 2:11

Adultery 

“The New Testament clearly condemns adultery: Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication uncleanness, licentiousness... (Galatians 5:19). But more than the act itself, Jesus carefully explained the heart of this commandment. It prohibits us from looking at a woman to lust for her, where we commit adultery in our heart or mind, yet may not have the courage or opportunity to do the act (Matthew 5:27-30). We aren’t innocent just because we didn’t have the opportunity to sin the way we really wanted to.” (Guzik)

Under Jesus’s definition of adultery, can anyone of us be innocent?

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 5:17 Murder

17You shall not murder.f

Cited in Matthew 5:21, Matthew 19:18, Mark 10:19, Luke 18:20, Romans 13:9, and James 2:11

Murder

In other versions of the Bible this commandment says, thou shall not kill. I was conflicted by this version because in the Old Testament the Lord ordered people kill and this version is contrary to what’s written in the OT. 

I believe the Lord distinguishes between murder and killing and many pastors that teach and preach the scriptures will explain to you that you have an obligation to protect your family if evil breaks down your door. 

I thank the Lord for Jesus because I have broken this commandment, there have been many times I’ve murdered someone in my heart ❤️!

Matthew 15: 19For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander.

Are you guilty of murder too?

Blessings 

https://www.gotquestions.org/you-shall-not-murder.html

Deuteronomy 5:16 Honor

 16Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that your days may be long and that it may go well with you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

Honor

“Honor for fathers and mothers is an essential building block for the stability and health of all society. If the younger generations are constantly at war with older generations, the foundations of society will be destroyed.” (Guzik)

Honor: high respect, great esteem.

Our society today tells us it’s normal for teens to rebel against their parents. But it wasn’t always this way. So what changed? 

I sinned because I didn’t always honor my father and mother and this is why I’m thankful for Jesus Christ. The law tells me my sins have condemned me but Jesus has redeemed me.

Are you condemned or redeemed?

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 5:12-15 Sabbath

 12Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the LORD your God has commanded you. 13Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 14but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God, on which you must not do any work—neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your ox or donkey or any of your livestock, nor the foreigner within your gates, so that your manservant and maidservant may rest as you do. 15Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. That is why the LORD your God has commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.

Sabbath 

“Some claim that Christians are required to keep the Sabbath today. But the New Testament makes it clear that Christians are not under obligation to observe a Sabbath day (Colossians 2:16-17 and Galatians 4:9-11), because Jesus fulfilled the purpose and plan of the Sabbath for us and in us (Hebrews 4:9-11).” (Guzik)

Why do people find it necessary to add laws to Grace? You must be baptized to really be saved. You must go to church on the sabbath. You must call God by Yeweh.

STOP IT!

Are you God? Think about it……

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 5:11 Vain & Hallowed

11You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave anyone unpunished who takes His name in vain.

Vain

Vain: Using someone’s name showing lack of respect.

“We can break the third commandment through profanity (using the name of God in blasphemy and cursing), frivolity (using the name of God in a superficial, stupid way), and hypocrisy (claiming the name of God but acting in a way that disgraces Him).” ( Guzik)

Hallowed 

Hallowed: made holy, consecrated 

Matthew 6:9 9So then, this is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.

I’m sure everyone has used His name in both circumstances, in vain and hallowed. 

I’m guilty of breaking this commandment!

How do you use His name? In vain or hallowed?

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 5:8-10 Idolatry, Spirit, Jealousy and Iniquity!

8You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in the heavens above, on the earth below, or in the waters beneath. 9You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 10but showing loving devotion to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments.

Idolatry, Spirit, Jealousy and Iniquity!

“To countenance its image worship, the Roman Catholic Church has left the whole of this second commandment out of the decalogue, and thus lost one whole commandment out of the ten; but to keep up the number they have divided the tenth into two.” (Clarke)

“John 4:24 explains 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).” (Guzik)

“God’s jealousy is love in action. He refuses to share the human heart with any rival, not because He is selfish and wants us all for Himself, but because He knows that upon that loyalty to Him depends our very moral life... God is not jealous of us: He is jealous for us.” (Redpath)

Visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me:

“‘This necessarily implies - IF the children walk in the steps of their fathers; for no man can be condemned by Divine justice for a crime of which he was never guilty.” (Clarke)

These three verses are so rich that a book, a complete study of them could be conducted! Remember, don’t worship idols but worship in spirit and truth because God’s jealousy is love ❤️ in action and don’t walk in the steps of those who hate Him but love ❤️ the Lord with all your heart ❤️, mind and soul.

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 5:6-7 No Other gods!

 6“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 

7You shall have no other gods before Me.

No Other gods!

“In the days of ancient Israel, there was great temptation to worship the gods of materialism (Baal, the god of weather and financial success) and sex (Ashtoreth, the goddess of sex, romance, and reproduction), or any number of other local deities. We are tempted to worship the same gods, but without the old-fashioned names and images.” (Guzik)

Notice what David Guzik says, “We are tempted to worship the same gods”

I freely admit one of my gods is lust, I deal with it on a daily basis and another god is television. It captures your eyes and your ears and draws you in. I also deal with the god of news, I try to turn it off but it’s hard! Not news on television, I seek the truth and at times find myself wasting time when I should be serving the Lord in prayer or evangelism.

If you say to yourself, I am not like this man Lord, I will remind you of the Pharisee!

Luke 18:11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like the other men—swindlers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.

What god are you tempted to worship today?

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 5:4-5 Face to Face

 4The Lord talked with you face to face on the mountain from the midst of the fire. 5I stood between the Lord and you at that time, to declare to you the word of the Lord; for you were afraid because of the fire, and you did not go up the mountain. He said:

Face to Face

“This is why Exodus 33:11 says So the LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend, and in Exodus 33:20 the LORD says, You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live. The use of face to face in Exodus 33:11 is a figure of speech, meaning Moses had free and unhindered communication with the LORD.” (Guzik)

“Face to face seems to mean ‘in person,’ that is, in the immediacy of personal contact.” (Thompson)

Reminds me of a song, enjoy.

Blessings 

https://youtu.be/6o33l431qKE

Deuteronomy 5:1-3 Their Covenant-New Covenant

 1Then Moses summoned all Israel and said to them:

Hear, O Israel, the statutes and ordinances that I declare in your hearing this day. Learn them and observe them carefully. 2The LORD our God made a covenant with us at Horeb.

3He did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with all of us who are alive here today.

Their Covenant 

“In fact, the covenant was originally made with the previous generation, and Moses did not deny this. But he drove the point home: This was their covenant; it is a covenant of the living, not of the dead.” (Guzik)

New Covenant 

Ezekiel 36: 26I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and to carefully observe My ordinances.

Blessings 

What is the New Covenant?

Deuteronomy 4:44-49 Testimonies, Statutes and Ordinances

 44This is the law that Moses set before the Israelites. 45These are the testimonies, statutes, and ordinances that Moses proclaimed to them after they had come out of Egypt, 46while they were in the valley across the Jordan facing Beth-peor in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon and was defeated by Moses and the Israelites after they had come out of Egypt.

47They took possession of the land belonging to Sihon and to Og king of Bashan—the two Amorite kings across the Jordan to the east— 48extending from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Valley as far as Mount Siyone (that is, Hermon), 49including all the Arabah on the east side of the Jordan and as far as the Sea of the Arabah,f below the slopes of Pisgah.

Testimonies, Statutes and Ordinances

“As Moses addressed the nation they were on the threshold of the Promised Land. It had been some 38 years since they received the Law of God at Mount Sinai and now Moses reviewed and explained the Law of God with the new generation.” (Guzik)

“If they were going to take the Promised Land, they had to be trained in God’s Word. They would not take it by a do-it-yourself spirituality, but only by obedience to the eternal word of God. The same is true for us - we will never walk in the abundant life God has for us unless we do it by His word.” (Guzik)

Not unlike the Israelites, the followers of Jesus Christ have to believe in the testimonies, statutes and ordnances He proclaimed in the New Testament to have true faith. “We will never walk in the abundant life God has for us unless we do it by His word.”

Mark 12: 29Jesus replied, “This is the most important: ‘Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One. 30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”

Do you love ❤️ the Lord with all your heart?

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 4:41-43 Refuge

 41Then Moses set aside three cities across the Jordan to the east 42to which a manslayer could flee after killing his neighbor unintentionally without prior malice.

To save one’s own life, he could flee to one of these cities: 43Bezer in the wilderness on the plateau belonging to the Reubenites, Ramoth in Gilead belonging to the Gadites, or Golan in Bashan belonging to the Manassites.

Refuge 

“This was part of the essential preparation for entering the Promised Land. God commanded that three cities of refuge be readied on each side of the Jordan River (Numbers 35:14), and here, the three cities on the east side of the Jordan were appointed.” (Guzik)

Moses only appointed three of the six cities of refuge because the land on the west side of the Jordan hasn’t been conquered yet.  

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.

Christ is our refuge and salvation!

Where do you go when your on fire 🔥 and have nowhere to turn?

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 4:39-40 There is no Other!

 39Know therefore this day and take to heart that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth below; there is no other. 40Keep His statutes and commandments, which I am giving you today, so that you and your children after you may prosper, and that you may live long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you for all time.

There is no other!

Moses was reminding the Israelites of the one true God, there is no other!

He was reminding them to keep His statutes and commandments so that they may prosper.

Acts 4:12 And there is salvation in no other, for there is not another name under heaven having been given among men, by which it behooves us to be saved."

Whom do you and your children put your trust in, a fellow human being, government or the one true God?

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 4:36-38 Hear His Voice

 36He let you hear His voice from heaven to discipline you, and on earth He showed you His great fire, and you heard His words out of the fire. 37Because He loved your fathers, He chose their descendants after them and brought you out of Egypt by His presence and great power, 38to drive out before you nations greater and mightier than you, and to bring you into their land and give it to you for your inheritance, as it is this day.

Hear His Voice 

Many believers who study the scriptures hear His voice jumping off the pages of the Bible and leaping into our hearts ♥️.

That’s why we often refer to the Bible as the book of Life.

No matter what your situation you can find answers in Gods word and a resolution to it. We may not like the answer we receive but it’s always the correct one from the Lord God Himself.

Are you looking for advice from Him on what to do? I beg you to try this, sit down in a quiet place, take the Good Book and blindly open it. Not to any specific book or page but pray to God for the answer to your dilemma and start reading!

Did He give you your answer?

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 4:32-35 The Lord is God

 32Indeed, ask now from one end of the heavens to the other about the days that long preceded you, from the day that God created man on earth: Has anything as great as this ever happened or been reported? 33Has a people ever heard the voice of God speaking out of the fire, as you have, and lived? 34Or has any god tried to take as his own a nation out of another nation—by trials, signs, wonders, and war, by a strong hand and an outstretched arm, and by great terrors—as the LORD your God did for you in Egypt, before your eyes?

35You were shown these things so that you would know that the LORD is God; there is no other besides Him.

The Lord is God

“In the same way, when we consider how God has touched our lives - how we have experienced the power to free us from sin, to give us hope when we are discouraged, to heal our bodies, to free our bitter hearts, to answer our prayers, to overcome the most difficult obstacles - when we consider these things, we can know that the LORD Himself is God.” (Guzik)

Ask anyone that is recovering from an addiction that used a program with the Lord as the center, the power to free them and they will proclaim, “that the LORD is God; there is no other besides Him.”

The Lord is God and He free’s us from our sin! He created us to have fellowship with Him and without Him you have a void that you try to fill with earthly pleasures. 

Notice that I said, “try to fill”, because it won’t end well.

You will spiral down until you hit rock bottom, then and only there can the Lord get your attention!

Has He gotten your attention?

Blessings