Have you ever wondered why the ten commandments are stated in the negative? Some think it is because we have a negative God who simply wants to restrict us because that is His nature. The joy killer and rule maker. 

First, recognize that these commands are not given as a means to get to heaven, since none of us can keep them anywhere perfectly. They are given in an environment of grace because a relationship between the people and God already exists. God is their Lord, their redeemer who brought them out of Egypt and the one who exhibits that great Hebrew word Hesed, Loving Kindness to the people. His goodness to the Israelites had nothing to do with their goodness but with God’s goodness. He rescued them and He chose them.

But why are most of the commands stated in the negative rather than the positive? A bible scholar, Walter Kaiser puts it this way. “It is far easier to express in a few words the limitations that have been placed upon us, than to open up all the vistas that are available to us in the freedom which is found in Christ Jesus our Lord. Imagine trying to write all the “do’s” that the Christian can enter into. The world could not contain the books.”

Take, for instance the command “thou shalt not murder.” Again, Walt Kaiser: “it does not just mean that we should abstain from injuring or desiring to injure our brother or our neighbor. Also, it means that we are obligated...to do all that is within our power to protect our neighbor’s life. Contrary to the contemporary concept, we must get involved.”

“All avenues of love, therefore, which contribute to the life of our neighbor are to be used. I do not fulfill this law merely by inactivity. That would be equal to not keeping the commandment. It would be equal to death. To do nothing is to die. The Law desires of me something more, some sort of commitment. And it says I should actively seek out and help and aid all those who are in need and those who are close to me.”

Seen in that light, we start to realize that we are being called to a way of life that cares, loves, and protects those around us. Each of the commands should be seen in this light.

The most important command is the first because everything else hangs on that command: “You shall have no other god’s before me.” Put another way, there should be nothing in your life and priorities that takes a higher position than our allegiance to and worship of the true God. A rival God is anything that is a higher priority to me than my love for the true God and my service to Him. If that is our goal, living out the other commands is a matter of how we love Him. When we allow rival Gods to invade our lives, we will inevitably compromise the other commands in all kinds of ways. 

Prefacing the commands is this statement by God to remind the people of who He is. “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.” Today, God would say to us. I am the God who loved you first, even when you didn’t love me. I am the one who died for you and redeemed you and chases you with my loving kindness all the days of your life. It is in that context that we put Him first and honor His commands.

Father, thank you for your amazing love to me. Teach me to take your commands seriously and to live out the implications of each of them. And most of all, teach me to love you and put you first as you have loved me and rescued me. Amen

If you are reading through Exodus, as we do this series, ready chapters 33 and 34 for tomorrow.