I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
The Lord identifies Himself as Israel's God by the act that brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage and slavery, and thereby states His claim upon them. He spoke this face to face with them out of the fire at Horeb, making His covenant not with their fathers but with those alive that day, and Moses repeated it at the Jordan to the generation preparing to possess Canaan so they would understand their duty and remember how it was given. This self-identification introduces the statutes, judgments, and commandments that follow, which Israel is to hear, learn, keep, and do as a clear path spoken with divine authority. Those commandments remain definite requirements expressing His will, to be kept without addition or subtraction in perfect obedience, bringing life, wisdom, blessing, and prosperity, while forgetting or disobeying brings harmful consequences and a curse. What He required that His ancient people might be a holy people unto Himself is to be studied and put into practice in principle now, for the present is the time of investigation when every soul is to search the Scriptures personally and continue in simple obedience to all the commandments with nothing neglected.
Setting and Introduction
At Horeb God spoke with Israel face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire, making His covenant not with their fathers but with those alive that day. This self-identification as the Lord their God by bringing them out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, introduced the statutes and judgments that Israel was commanded to hear, learn, keep, and do.
When Israel had come again to the Jordan and the time to possess Canaan was at hand, Moses repeated the Sinai law to the generation preparing to enter. Few of that present generation had been old enough to grasp its solemnity when first spoken from Sinai, and they had failed their covenant, so in solemn assembly he gave them another opportunity to understand their duty, to remember the circumstances in which it was given, and to pledge obedience in word and action. The recapitulation rehearsed the deliverance from Egypt and the wilderness journey and restated the law just before passing over Jordan to take the promised land.
The verse identifies the Lord as Israel's God by the act that brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage or slavery, and thereby states His claim upon them. That deliverance enjoined obedience to His law as the condition of prosperity for the younger generation needing to obey the commandments and laws given by God. This self-identification introduces the statutes, judgments, and commandments that follow, which Israel is to hear, learn, keep, and do. Spoken with divine authority, His requirements, cautions, and restraints show the people a clear path and protect them from temptation.
The passage presents the Ten Commandments as God's law. Its first four commandments define people's obligations to God, and its last six define their duties to other people. In this setting the Sabbath is a sign of obedience and of God's sanctifying work, commanding rest on the seventh day because God created the world in six literal days and rested the seventh. The remembered deliverance from Egypt, from slavery, is recalled as the reason for keeping the Sabbath as God commanded.
Obedience Required Today
The repeated commandments are God's definite requirements expressing His will, binding precepts to be kept without addition or subtraction. They call for reverence and for perfect obedience for which no excuse is accepted, with His people sanctified in mind, soul, and body to render obedience to His will. Obedience brings life and is wisdom, bringing blessing and prosperity through His keeping of covenant and mercy sworn to the fathers. Forgetting, transgressing, or disobeying brings harmful consequences, even a curse upon the earth and living creatures, and disobedience is inconsistent with expecting Him to cooperate with and bless His professed servants.
The deliverance from Egypt, from the house of bondage, is to be remembered in keeping the commandments and in receiving the good things of the promised land, so that the people do not forget the Lord who brought them out. The Ten Commandments are God's law, and violating the laws that govern the body is also sin because it breaks God's law. What was required in Deuteronomy 4-8 that His ancient people might be a holy people unto Himself, and why they are identified as His people, is to be studied and read to the people now and put into practice in principle. The commandments given to Israel are recorded for study and practice in principle, to be carefully regarded and done.
The present is the time of investigation when every character will have been investigated and every case decided for eternity. The day of God's great final review is near, when the people of this world must stand before the Judge of all the earth to answer for their deeds. Therefore every soul is to search the Scriptures for himself and make the Word of the Lord his study book. Beginning with full surrender and continuing in simplicity of obedience to all the commandments according to His special directions, with none of the important things specified in His Word neglected, each is to sanctify himself daily according to the Word, lest he be found in rebellion, so that the Lord is glorified through obedient lives.
The Lord identifies Himself as Israel's God by the act that brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage and slavery, and thereby states His claim upon them. He spoke this face to face with them out of the fire at Horeb, making His covenant not with their fathers but with those alive that day, and Moses repeated it at the Jordan to the generation preparing to possess Canaan so they would understand their duty and remember how it was given. This self-identification introduces the statutes, judgments, and commandments that follow, which Israel is to hear, learn, keep, and do as a clear path spoken with divine authority. Those commandments remain definite requirements expressing His will, to be kept without addition or subtraction in perfect obedience, bringing life, wisdom, blessing, and prosperity, while forgetting or disobeying brings harmful consequences and a curse. What He required that His ancient people might be a holy people unto Himself is to be studied and put into practice in principle now, for the present is the time of investigation when every soul is to search the Scriptures personally and continue in simple obedience to all the commandments with nothing neglected.
Setting and Introduction
At Horeb God spoke with Israel face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire, making His covenant not with their fathers but with those alive that day. This self-identification as the Lord their God by bringing them out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, introduced the statutes and judgments that Israel was commanded to hear, learn, keep, and do.
When Israel had come again to the Jordan and the time to possess Canaan was at hand, Moses repeated the Sinai law to the generation preparing to enter. Few of that present generation had been old enough to grasp its solemnity when first spoken from Sinai, and they had failed their covenant, so in solemn assembly he gave them another opportunity to understand their duty, to remember the circumstances in which it was given, and to pledge obedience in word and action. The recapitulation rehearsed the deliverance from Egypt and the wilderness journey and restated the law just before passing over Jordan to take the promised land.
The verse identifies the Lord as Israel's God by the act that brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage or slavery, and thereby states His claim upon them. That deliverance enjoined obedience to His law as the condition of prosperity for the younger generation needing to obey the commandments and laws given by God. This self-identification introduces the statutes, judgments, and commandments that follow, which Israel is to hear, learn, keep, and do. Spoken with divine authority, His requirements, cautions, and restraints show the people a clear path and protect them from temptation.
The passage presents the Ten Commandments as God's law. Its first four commandments define people's obligations to God, and its last six define their duties to other people. In this setting the Sabbath is a sign of obedience and of God's sanctifying work, commanding rest on the seventh day because God created the world in six literal days and rested the seventh. The remembered deliverance from Egypt, from slavery, is recalled as the reason for keeping the Sabbath as God commanded.
Obedience Required Today
The repeated commandments are God's definite requirements expressing His will, binding precepts to be kept without addition or subtraction. They call for reverence and for perfect obedience for which no excuse is accepted, with His people sanctified in mind, soul, and body to render obedience to His will. Obedience brings life and is wisdom, bringing blessing and prosperity through His keeping of covenant and mercy sworn to the fathers. Forgetting, transgressing, or disobeying brings harmful consequences, even a curse upon the earth and living creatures, and disobedience is inconsistent with expecting Him to cooperate with and bless His professed servants.
The deliverance from Egypt, from the house of bondage, is to be remembered in keeping the commandments and in receiving the good things of the promised land, so that the people do not forget the Lord who brought them out. The Ten Commandments are God's law, and violating the laws that govern the body is also sin because it breaks God's law. What was required in Deuteronomy 4-8 that His ancient people might be a holy people unto Himself, and why they are identified as His people, is to be studied and read to the people now and put into practice in principle. The commandments given to Israel are recorded for study and practice in principle, to be carefully regarded and done.
The present is the time of investigation when every character will have been investigated and every case decided for eternity. The day of God's great final review is near, when the people of this world must stand before the Judge of all the earth to answer for their deeds. Therefore every soul is to search the Scriptures for himself and make the Word of the Lord his study book. Beginning with full surrender and continuing in simplicity of obedience to all the commandments according to His special directions, with none of the important things specified in His Word neglected, each is to sanctify himself daily according to the Word, lest he be found in rebellion, so that the Lord is glorified through obedient lives.