Deuteronomy 5:7-21
“You shall not…”
Out of the Ten Commandments, seven of them are negative commands. These are things we are NOT to do.
If we are told to not do them, that means we have an inclination towards.
Here’s a brief list of the seven: don’t take His name in vain, don’t kill, don’t commit adultery, don’t steal, don’t bear false witness, don’t covet your neighbor’s goods, don’t covet your neighbor’s wife.
Why would we take His name in vain? In Matt 5:34, it says to not swear an oath by heaven. This would be done to gain advantage with a particular audience. We aren’t to use God for our own leverage. Presently, today’s passage refers more to profanity. I believe we curse to gain personal advantage with our audience. We are trying to impress others with our bravado.
Don’t kill refers to anger. Jesus said in Matthew 5 that if one hates someone, we have murdered that one within the heart. We have to resolve our anger deep within.
Two of the commands deal with faithfulness to spouses. There is a gravitational draw in relationships. We need to not allow them to go beyond inappropriate boundaries. Like the previous paragraphs, we are more successful when we determine with in our hearts ahead of time.
Two of the commands deal with our relationship with things that aren’t ours: stealing and coveting our neighbor’s goods. We need to realize we like things. We will never be satisfied with them. We all have wanted something and grew bored with it shortly there after. Those experiences are helpful. It’s best not to allow our minds to be occupied with those things. David said in Psalm 23, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” God reduces the cravings as we make Him significant in our lives.
The last command is about bearing false witness. Our judicial system is based on honesty. As our society becomes less ethical, the less efficient the system becomes. This is also originating in the heart. We are to determine ahead of time to be honest. All of our relationships are compromised with dishonesty.
Lord, thank You for these commands. Help us to keep them.