A discussion of the Ten Commandments

 

FIRST COMMANDMENT: Exodus 20: 1 Then God said all these words: "I am יהוה (Yahweh) your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the abode of slavery."

WHO brought the Israelites out of Egypt and out of the slavery to foreign/pagan gods? It was יהוה - the Creator of the universe and everything in it!  His Holy Name is comprised of the Hebrew letters  יהוה (Yud-Hey-Vav-Hey, which in English are represented by the letters YHWH, and also written out as Yahweh ... and most likely, but not necessarily, pronounced Yah-way, as no one knows the real pronunciation.) 

It is imperative to understand that Moshe was not the first one to actually receive the Name of YHWH (as presented in Exodus 3:13-15); but that Avram (or Abram, whom God later renamed Avraham/Abraham) in Genesis 13:4 had "called on the name of YHWH!" 

Also interesting to note is that YHWH's Son, Yeshua (Hebrew: ישוע  - and spelled in various ways in English, including Yeshua, YaHaShua, Yehoshuah, etc.) is the ONLY heavenly entity to have Father YHWH's Name WITHIN his own Name - unlike the angels/messengers whose names contain only YHWH's title of "ELOHIM" (which means "God").  For instance: MichaEL, Rapha-EL and Gabri-EL).

That, in itself, sets Yeshua way above humans or angels. The Greek form, "Jesus," on the other hand, means absolutely nothing and therefore actually detracts from who He was. It is fruitless to argue that "his Name was changed" because of the different languages on the earth, as "Yeshua" was His given, Hebrew name and it is not that hard to pronounce.  The good news is, no one has ever abused Messiah's Hebrew name by turning it into a cuss word...

SECOND COMMANDMENT: Exodus 20: 3 "You are to have no other gods before me. 4 You are not to make for yourselves a carved image or any kind of representation of anything in heaven above, on the earth beneath or in the water below the shoreline. 5 You are not to bow down to them or serve them; for I, ADONAI your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sins of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but displaying grace to the thousandth generation of those who love me and obey my mitzvot."

You are to have no other gods... Wow! How far has mankind, as a whole, come from that command? How many "other gods" can you name that in no way resemble YHWH? Even "money" has become a "god" to many, as they covet and/or spend it unwisely, which constantly leaves them thirsting for more. What do Catholics do when entering their sanctuaries? They make the sign of the cross and bow statues of Jesus or Mary....

And think about this: What is on your credit card but a "carved image" that you "worship" because they offer you money? And what must you do once you've used their "credit"? You must serve them (by paying often huge interest rates that can keep you indebted for many years)! And when you incur huge debt because you "bowed" to them and used their "credit", aren't you and your children now punished for generations because you squandered any chance of leaving your descendants an inheritance? "A good man leaves an inheritance to his grandchildren, but the wealth of a sinner is stored up for the righteous" (Proverbs 13:22).

You are not to make a carved image or any kind of representation ... No one has ever actually seen YHWH, because humans cannot look upon God's Face and live (Exodus 20:4-5), direct encounters can be overwhelming or even fatal if unshielded (Isaiah 6). People were able to see the Divine Messiah Yeshua, but the ones who actually saw him were those with whom he came into contact 2,000 years ago, when there were no cameras or voice recorders!  Therefore, every "picture of Jesus" is a lie!  

We, at The Refiner's Fire used to have one Christian woman writing to us, boasting about sending pictures of Jesus to the world for free, claiming those pictures have special powers and have worked miracles.  What utter nonsense!  What she is/was doing goes directly against Exodus 20:3-6!  If something does not perfectly line up with Scripture, it isn't of God - period!

THIRD COMMANDMENT: Exodus 20: 7 "You are not to use lightly the name of ADONAI your God, because ADONAI will not leave unpunished someone who uses his name lightly."

Using His Name lightly (in vain) refers to falsely "prophesying in His Name" or trying to tell someone, "God told me to tell you..." etc. There are so many who dare to "use His Name lightly" and veer from Scripture by inserting their own interpretation or opinion, or coming up with "conspiracy theories" etc. "Using His Name lightly" also refers to the use of His name as a bad word. (How many times have you heard someone say, "Jesus Christ!" - using it as a cuss word? Thank God our Savior's Name is YESHUA which has never been used for evil speech!)

FOURTH COMMANDMENT: Exodus 20: 8 "Remember the day, Shabbat, to set it apart for God. 9 You have six days to labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Shabbat for ADONAI your God. On it, you are not to do any kind of work -not you, your son or your daughter, not your male or female slave, not your livestock, and not the foreigner staying with you inside the gates to your property. 11 For in six days, ADONAI made heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. This is why ADONAI blessed the day, Shabbat, and separated it for himself."

Please read Sabbath Day and also notice YHWH said we have have six days to labor and do all our work, but the seventh day is a Shabbat for YHWH our God. Some insist that the Seventh Day Shabbat is according to the moon cycles, but nothing could be further from the Truth.

FIFTH COMMANDMENT: Exodus 20: 12 "Honor your father and mother, so that you may live long in the land which ADONAI your God is giving you."

This command is self-explanatory, but here is a word for those who were abused by their parents, and find it hard to "honor" them: The commandment is to honor your mother and father; it does not say you have to "love" them or even "like" them! It means, "honor" them, for they gave birth to you and provided for you while you were growing up. (For more on this issue, please check out our blog post.)

SIXTH COMMANDMENT: Exodus 20: 13 "Do not murder."

We have no right to take another's life intentionally, regardless as to the reason. This includes the life of an unborn baby! Yes, in "Old Testament" times, YHWH ordered the killing of pagans and entire cities - but this was because He did not want HIS people infected with pagan customs and ideals. Since the death of Yeshua He no longer asks us to kill unbelievers, as HE will deal with them on Judgment Day; but He still expects us to keep ourselves holy/set apart from "the world!"

SEVENTH COMMANDMENT: Exodus 20: 14 "Do not commit adultery."

In Matthew 5:27-28 Yeshua says, You have heard that it has been said that you should not commit adultery (see Exodus 20:13, 14; Deuteronomy 5:18) 28. But I say to you that all who that looks at a woman as lustfully at once has committed adultery in his heart.

In other words, thinking can lead to doing, and doing the act moves the sin to a new level that hurts not only the perpetrators but also their families. Not to mention, it results in intentional sin, for which there is no sacrifice!

EIGHTH COMMANDMENT: Exodus 20: 15 "Do not steal."

In our society, many have justified the ideal of "stealing from the rich and giving to the poor"; or just taking what they want, even if it means murdering those from whom they are stealing.

NINTH COMMANDMENT: Exodus 20: 16 "Do not give false evidence against your neighbor."

In other words, don't lie; period. Our court systems still include raising our right hands and swearing to "Tell the truth and nothing but the truth, so help me, God" although there are some major battles by atheists to have "so help me God" removed....

TENTH COMMANDMENT: Exodus 20: 17 "Do not covet your neighbor's house; do not covet your neighbor's wife, his male or female slave, his ox, his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor."

Nearly every advertisement we see today, whether in print or electronic media, suggests we "keep up with the Joneses." Buy, buy, buy! If your neighbors drive a Lexus, get out your credit card and buy yourself a Lamborghini - or at the very least, a Rolls Royce. If your neighbor's wife had a face-lift and looks 20 years younger, perhaps it's time to look for a woman who actually is 20 years younger.

Our society is built on credit and greed and instant gratification - and those are just a FEW of the reasons why we are on the verge of collapse!

Most have simply not put YHWH first in their lives and that is why they constantly strive to fill that "little hole in their soul" with "stuff"...

SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO PONDER. ASK GOD TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND IT...

Isaiah 42: 1 “Here is my servant, whom I support, my chosen one, in whom I take pleasure. I have put my Spirit on him; he will bring justice to the Goyim (Gentiles)/pagans). 2 He will not cry or shout; no one will hear his voice in the streets.

3 He will not snap off a broken reed or snuff out a smoldering wick. He will bring forth justice according to truth; 4 he will not weaken or be crushed until he has established justice on the earth, and the coastlands wait for his Torah.”

5 Thus says God, Adonai, who created the heavens and spread them out, who stretched out the earth and all that grows from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk on it:

6 “I, Adonai, called you righteously, I took hold of you by the hand, I shaped you and made you a covenant for the people, to be a light for the Goyim 7 so that you can open blind eyes, free the prisoners from confinement, those living in darkness from the dungeon.

8 I am Adonai (יהוה - YHWH/Yahweh); that is my name. I yield my glory to no one else, nor my praise to any idol. 9 See how the former predictions come true; and now new things do I declare — before they sprout I tell you about them.”

10 Sing to Adonai a new song! Let his praise be sung from the ends of the earth by those sailing the sea and by everything in it, by the coastlands and those living there. 11 Let the desert and its cities raise their voices, the villages where Kedar lives; let those living in Sela shout for joy; let them cry out from the mountaintops!

12 Let them give glory to Adonai and proclaim his praise in the coastlands. 13 Adonai will go out like a soldier, like a soldier roused to the fury of battle; he will shout, yes, he raises the battle cry; as he triumphs over his foes.

14 “For a long time I have held my peace, I have been silent, restrained myself. Now I will shriek like a woman in labor, panting and gasping for air. 15 I will devastate mountains and hills, wither all their vegetation, turn the rivers into islands and dry up the lakes.

16 The blind I will lead on a road they don’t know, on roads they don’t know I will lead them; I will turn darkness to light before them, and straighten their twisted paths. These are things I will do without fail.

17 Those who trust in idols, who say to statues, ‘You are our gods,’ will be repulsed in utter shame. 18 Listen, you deaf! Look, you blind! — so that you will see! 19 Who is as blind as my servant, or as deaf as the messenger I send? Who is as blind as the one I rewarded, as blind as the servant of Adonai?”

20 You see much but don’t pay attention; you open your ears, but you don’t listen. 21 Adonai was pleased, for his righteousness’ sake, to make the Torah great and glorious. 22 But this is a people pillaged and plundered, all trapped in holes and sequestered in prisons. They are there to be plundered, with no one to rescue them; there to be pillaged, and no one says, “Return them!”

23 Which of you will listen to this? Who will hear and give heed in the times to come? 24 Who gave Ya‘akov to be pillaged, Isra’el to the plunderers? Didn’t Adonai, against whom we have sinned, in whose ways they refused to walk, he whose Torah they did not obey?

25 This is why he poured on him his blazing anger as well as the fury of battle — it wrapped him in flames, yet he learned nothing; it burned him, yet he did not take it to heart. (CJB)

(NOTE: Comments in parenthesis are mine, designed solely for the purpose of explanation.)

A simple explanation as to why I am Torah observant!

In the beginning, simple obedience to the Divine Instructions (not “laws”; rather “instructions”) from our Creator didn’t have a name.  His instructions were never considered to be a “religion”; it was never about “religion” or “religiosity!”

Whatever Yahweh spoke, happened. (Yahweh’s Name in Hebrew consists of the letters יהוה  [English: YHWH], as given to Moses in Exodus 3:13-15.)  Whatever He commanded into being, “became.” And it was “very good.” (See Genesis 1.)

Even His relationship with Adam was symbiotic; Adam knew “who” he was (Genesis 2:9), and he simply and without hesitation, obeyed the One who created him (Genesis 2:15-1), because he knew HE was GOOD.

Adam - as a created being who had a unique and special “face-to-face” relationship with ELOHIM, and had never sinned - was HOLY.   No “religion” involved; just a simple love for his Creator.

NOTE: I’m thinking that must also have been very much how Moshe/Moses felt when he was in Yahweh’s Presence for 40 days and nights; “holy” and full of love, eager to do The Creator’s Will! As evidence of that holiness, Moshe’s body shone like the sun because he had been in the Presence of pure Holiness – and the people were afraid, because of that bright light emanating from Moshe’s face when he came down from Mt. Sinai! (See Exodus 34:29-35.)

But then, “the fall” happened, because Adam and Eve abused the “free will” God had bestowed upon them, by daring to disobey His Holy Instructions concerning the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Consequently, they were kicked out of the Garden of Eden, to fend for themselves. (See Genesis 2:16-17 and all of Genesis 3 which provide ample warning about how strongly ADONAI-ELOHIM feels about disobedience.)

As you know, things went downhill from there because, the “fallen world” quickly became filled with unruly, evil, sinning people who either didn’t know, or didn’t care about The Creator, and so He flooded the earth to rid it of all the evil people. According to the Torah account, everyone perished; everyone that is, except for Noah - the ONLY person on earth who actually still adhered to God’s Divine Instructions. Because of his obedience, Noah and his family were spared and allowed to live and prosper and procreate to start the human race all over again. (Genesis 6:8 through Genesis 9:1)

Living in a “fallen world,” of course, meant that God had to hand down more rules, because men always tend to stray from His Instructions… (Again – “instructions” - NOT “religion”… Sorry to keep belaboring that mantra, but I’m trying to make a point here because, today there are endless fights and arguments over everyone’s respective “religions,” “denominations” and “beliefs.”  The bottom line is, those mean nothing, because they all have, in one way or another, twisted His INSTRUCTIONS, which is the  ONLY thing that matters!)

Fast forward to Chapter 12 where we meet Avram (which means “Exalted Father”), the pagan Chaldean who accepted Yahweh’s offer to become his God, with the stipulation that he would have to leave the paganism and his home and everything behind, and head to the Land God commanded him to enter. This obedience resulted in Avram becoming our first Patriarch, adhering to the same original Divine Instructions – a body of Rules for moral, holy Living, that men would, centuries later, begin referring to as “Judaism”…

(NOTE: Men, not God, placed the label of Judaism on belief in Yahweh-Elohim and His Divine Instructions.)

Yahweh made several covenants with Avram, who was began being referred to as a “Hebrew” in Genesis 13:14; and He ultimately saw fit to rename him “Avraham” (which means “Father of a Multitude” or “Father of Many Nations”). He also promised Avraham that he would “become a great nation” (Genesis 17).

Yahweh put Avraham through many tests in order to guide and teach him to TRUST, PUT HIS FAITH IN, and TOTALLY RELY on Him – the hardest of which was the order to offer up his own son, Isaac as a burnt offering! (Genesis 22:1-19).

Of course, ADONAI ELOHIM is not, and was never, into “human sacrifice! That particular test was designed, among other things, to not only prove that Yahweh could always be trusted to “do the right thing” in every situation (i.e., at the last minute, He provided a ram for Avraham to offer in lieu of his own son); but also make Avraham realize how much he had “grown” since his pagan days; because now, he was automatically willing to obey EVERYTHING and ANYTHING the Holy One expected of him … which is a trait ADONAI desires to see in everyone who believes in Him, especially His Chosen leaders.

Avraham, naturally, passed knowledge of Yahweh and His Divine Instructions down to his son, Yitz’chak (Isaac), who would become our Second Patriarch; who then passed the same onto his son, Ya’akov (Jacob, also called “Israel”), our Third Patriarch, who fathered 12 sons, who became the heads of the twelve tribes. (Genesis 49:28 And Exodus 24:4)

VERY IMPORTANT: One of Yitz’chak’s sons was Yehudah (Judah) [a later ancestor to King David], who headed the tribe that would eventually be referred to as “Jews” whose “religion” would ultimately be called “Judaism”.

Not only would the Tribe of Yehudah later be charged with taking Torah into the world (Genesis 49:10, Micah 4:2); but Yahweh also caused His “Son” - Messiah Yeshua – to be born into the Tribe of Yehudah!

When Yeshua, the Jewish Messiah, came onto the scene centuries later, he didn’t come to bring ANY “religion” either!  He was sent by the Father NOT to do his own will, or to abolish anything His Father ever commanded: but rather, to proclaim the Kingdom of Yahweh and do everything His Father commanded (see Luke 4:43 and 8:1; Acts 28:23). He was to be an intercessor between Yahweh and mankind; all while, constantly leading people back to the Source: יהוה and His Divine Instructions, known as “Torah” (consisting of the first five Books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy)

Unfortunately, regardless of what the first two-thirds of the Bible SAYS, and regardless as to what Yeshua preached, myriads today erroneously insist on believing that he came to establish a new religion, bring new rules and abolish His Father’s Torah … and they will inevitably present the much-misunderstood and mistranslated writings of Paul to “prove” it. (Never mind that Peter said Paul would be hard to understand [2 Peter 3:15-16] in his desperate attempts to explain deep Hebrew concepts to pagan mindsets. AND, never mind that among Paul’s many writings, he ALSO wrote: “Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law.” (Romans 3:31, NIV)

Stern’s Complete Jewish Bible puts it this way: “Does it follow that we abolish Torah by this trusting? Heaven forbid! On the contrary, we confirm Torah.”

(NOTE: “The law” is an inaccurate term, because God’s Divine Instructions are just that: loving INSTRUCTIONS on how to conduct our lives in a way that would prepare us to become good, holy citizens not only in this world, but also in the “Olam haBa” (World to Come); “a core Jewish concept for the afterlife and messianic era, referring to a perfected spiritual realm or the perfected world after the Messiah's coming, involving divine justice, potential soul survival, and the resurrection of the dead.”)

IN VIEW OF ALL THE ABOVE, WHY WOULD YESHUA COME TO ABOLISH TORAH, when it is our ONLY BLUEPRINT for moral, holy living? Why would he bring a “new religion” designed to detract from the things His Father taught – and that Yeshua himself, who came from Yahweh and was the “Word of Yahweh” (John 1:1,14) helped to produce? After all, doesn’t the Bible tell that Yeshua is “the same yesterday, today, and forever?" (Hebrews 13:8)

The entire Tanach (Old Testament) revolves around Yahweh and His continuous teachings and reaching out to His people. It chronicles their history and sagas – complete with their triumphs and failures (whenever they were off His Path).

His Divine Instructions are spread throughout the Torah (first five Books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy) which outlines ALL of the Holy One’s Divine Instructions - including those found in Exodus 20, from which we got the Ten Commandments.

Not only has Yahweh provided us with the blueprint; but He even made a way for us to have an ongoing relationship with Him every week and throughout the year, via the commanded Seventh Day Sabbath (which is our weekly “date” with Him); and the seven commanded Feast Times (our yearly “dates” with Him), all designed to teach us about Him, His Messiah and His desires to fashion into holy vessels ALL who accept Him as their God; preparing us to spend Eternity with Him and Yeshua!

As you can see, neither Yahweh nor His Messiah gave us any “religions” whatsoever – only the Divine Instructions in Righteousness, without which we would have NO blueprint for moral, holy living. His Son Yeshua certainly didn’t come to bring any religion! He simply reminded Yahweh’s people of the SAME Divine Instructions that we saw from the beginning and which were spread throughout the Torah; and he came to walk them out (1 John 2:3-7) and taught Yahweh’s people how to properly do them. 

And then – as you all know – he became our Redeemer by offering up his own life and shedding his divine blood in order to afford us eternal life. (Remember, since the “fall of mankind” Yahweh has always required the blood of an innocent animal to atone for men’s sins.  Yeshua was not a “human sacrifice, and nobody “sacrificed” him on any altar; he willingly martyred himself on our behalf, against which there is no law.)

THAT is why I accepted the call to become a “Torah observant believer” in Yahweh, Yeshua, and Torah – the “whole Bible” concept that teaches “the faith once delivered.” (Jude 1:3)  No “religion” nor “religiosity”; just plain obedience to the commands we today can still adhere to, such as eating only “clean” foods (as outlined in Leviticus); and keeping the Seventh Day Sabbath and the Feasts.

In closing, I reiterate:  Torah observance is not now, nor ever has been about “religion”; it’s always been about simple obedience to the good and holy, DIVINE Instructions, designed to prepare us for an Eternity too amazing for us to even imagine with our limited, human mindsets!

DO YOU WONDER WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON IN THE WORLD?

We seem to be experiencing myriad things happening all at once.

For instance, consider Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine; and the Middle East being dominated by severe economic protests in Iran, where citizens are clashing with security forces over inflation.

There’s also still instability from the Israel-Hamas conflict from October 7, 2023, that has inflamed regional tensions, and persistent issues such as attacks on US forces in Iraq/Syria, Houthi activities; and internal conflicts in Yemen, all fueled by complex political, sectarian, and economic factors.

Furthermore, we were recently informed of President Trump’s brazen military assault in Venezuela that succeeded in capturing President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, both who are now facing U.S. charges related to cocaine trafficking. Where this situation will be heading is anybody's guess!

In addition to all that, we are constantly hearing about natural disasters of “biblical proportions - fires, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanic activities, etc. . around the world.

In other words, we are experiencing all the things that are outlined in the Bible: riots, unrest, wars and rumors of wars (i.e., terrorism and/or leaders provoking wars), racism, anti-Semitism, fights and arguments between countries and within families and among brethren; and people simply being evil and committing “mass murders” just to “make a statement”…

The Bible has warned us that these things would happen!

For starters, read the Books of Daniel and Revelation, which tells us that ALL of these things MUST happen to usher in the rise of the Antichrist (i.e., Revelation 12:1-10); and ultimately the return of Yeshua (Revelation 1:7 ("every eye will see him") and Revelation 22:12, 20 ("I come quickly"), and Acts 1:11 ("will come in the same way you saw him go"). Yeshua himself spoke of his return in Matthew 24:30 ("coming on the clouds of heaven") and Matthew 24:44.

Folks, I sincerely believe we are closer than we realize!

The one thing Believers can be assured of is that there IS hope for us; and no matter what happens – because the worst thing that can happen is that we die … and if we do, the moment we open our eyes again (not immediately, but in Elohim’s timing), we will be looking upon the Face of Yeshua (2 Cor. 5:8) and facing LIFE ETERNAL (Please see my article.)