Exodus 20:1-21 | The Law Of Yahweh

Preacher: Joel Fair
Scripture: Exodus 20:1-21

J. I. Packer
Because Scripture calls God’s Ten Commandments “law” we assume they are like the law of the land, a formal code of dos and don’ts, restricting personal freedom for the sake of public order. But the comparison is wrong. Torah (Hebrew for “law”) means the sort of instruction a good parent gives his child. Proverbs 1:8 and 6:20 actually use torah for parental teaching.

Proverbs 1:8 (ESV)
8 Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching,

Psalm 1:1–2 (ESV)
1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.

Psalm 19:7–11 (ESV)
7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;
8 the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;
9 the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

Unfolding Grace
Israel's journey is difficult after crossing the sea, not because of enemies like the Egyptians but because of their own ungrateful and unbelieving hearts. They grumble against the Lord when they are hungry and thirsty, even desiring to return to Egypt! Although they are freed from physical slavery, they require a deeper liberation of their hearts.
At Mount Sinai they enter into a covenant relationship with the Lord. The storyline of Exodus to this point teaches a critical lesson about the relationship between God's grace and his commands. God does not say to the enslaved Israelites, "If you obey my commandments, I will rescue you." Just the opposite: he first rescues them by grace, then teaches them how to respond. First, gracious acceptance, then gracious guidance. It is God's heartfelt and gracious acceptance alone that can liberate the heart to love him.
God's commands are also a gift. They show Israel how to fulfill its role as a "kingdom of priests" in the world. They show Israel how to live as a new humanity with a culture of love. They are to be a new Adam, representing God and reflecting his character in the world.

Genesis 1:27 (ESV)
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Kevin DeYoung
The law was a response to redemption not a cause of it. In one sense, the law shows us our sin and leads us to the gospel. But in another sense, law ought to follow the gospel just as the giving of the Decalogue followed salvation from Egypt. We obey God’s words not because we cower under threat of judgment, but because we stand confidently with our Deliverer and gladly accept his good rule for our life.

Jeremiah 31:31–34 (ESV)
31 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah,
32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the LORD.
33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

1 Peter 1:14–16 (ESV)
14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,
15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

Matthew 5:17 (ESV)
17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

Mark 12:28–31 (ESV)
28 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?”
29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’
31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Romans 8:1–4 (ESV)
1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.
3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,
4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.