20 August Exodus 20

Loving God is the whole commandment.

Exodus 20:1-2 (AMP) “Then God spoke all these words: 2 “I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

God's first words in the passage are words of identification and relationship. I am your God; you are the people whom I have saved. They are never alone. God is with them. This is the basis for everything that God is going to say. The basis is, “I SAVED YOU!” This is the framework of grace. God comes to them and his first words are, I am the Lord your God who saved you. I saved you. You have been set free.

Galatians 5:13 (AMP) “For you, my brothers, were called to freedom; only do not let your freedom become an opportunity for the sinful nature (worldliness, selfishness), but through love serve and seek the best for one another”.

God’s love drives our obedience as seen in Exodus 20:1-17 which is a legal text. It is also about relationships, the relationship between God and the people and the relationships envisioned within the community. Israel was to be exclusive to God because he saved them. He was to be their one and only God. God had shown himself and proved himself by destroying the Egyptian gods through the plagues. So, this is the beginning of God’s covenant plea. God is beginning to make his people a holy nation and a kingdom of priests.

Exodus 19:6 (AMP) “and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation [set apart for My purpose].’ These are the words that you shall speak to the Israelites.”

Albeit, in Mark 9, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John with him and goes up the mountain, just like Moses went up Mount Sinai. When Jesus and these three apostles go up on the mountain, God said this: Mark 9:7 (AMP) “Then a cloud formed, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is My beloved Son. Listen to Him and obey Him!”

The Law of God can now be summed up in this declaration: listen to Jesus, the Son of God. Matthew 22:37-39 (ERV) “Jesus answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’38 This is the first and most important command. 39 And the second command is like the first: ‘Love your neighbour the same as you love yourself.’”

Loving the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind means living God alone. No idol competition can exist before him. Loving God and loving people will ensure that you fulfil God’s commands. As Christians, we strive to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and as our hearts and minds are transformed by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, we can begin to love others as ourselves and thus fulfil the command of God.