The following student report was submitted by Ambassador League Agent Elizabeth D. during the 2008-2009 League.
Mission: Research - 10 Commandments
The 10 Commandments are first introduced in the book of Exodus. (Exodus 20:3-17) God gave them to Moses at Mt. Sinai following the Israelites escape from slavery in Egypt. They formed the structure for Jewish life, law and faith. The first four of the Commandments deal primarily with man's relationship with God and the last six deal mainly with man's relationship with one another.
ONE: "You shall have no other gods before Me."
Who or what is at the center of our lives? This first commandment sets the foundation for the following nine commandments. It is a command that puts life in its proper order. God should be first in everything that we do.
TWO: "You shall not make for yourself a carved image - any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth."
God is a jealous God, as it says in Exodus 20:5 "for I the Lord your God am a jealous God." God wants all of our worship and praise. We are not to worship idols, whether real or imagined.
THREE: "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain."
The name of God is holy. The NIV version states, He will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses His name. Simply put, the name of God should be honored and protected. And that name is above all names, as it says in Philippians - "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:9-11)
FOUR: "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy."
Just as God worked six days on Creation, then rested, and later Israel worked six days and entered God's rest on the Sabbath, we who are Christians honor God's rest and cease from our own work on the Sabbath.
FIVE: "Honor your father and your mother; so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you."
If you honor your father and mother you are honoring God, because He is the one that gave them that authority.
SIX: "You shall not murder."
People are the most valuable of God's creation. The fact that we are made in the very image of God distinguishes us from all other living creatures. Human life, from the moment of conception to the day of one's death, is precious!
SEVEN: "You shall not commit adultery."
The seventh commandment is designed to protect the family. Disobedience of this commandment is very widespread in our society today, it is rebellion that is choking the life from the family, church, and nation.
EIGHT: "You shall not steal."
Simply stated, we violate this commandment when we take from someone their material goods or withhold from them that which is due. God has given us stewardship of every material gift He has blessed us with.
NINE: "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor."
This commandment forbids lying to or about others, giving false testimony or accusations, slander, gossip, or any other form of conversation or action that would seek to ruin or destroy our neighbor’s or anyone else’s reputation. Colossians 3:9 says "Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices."
TEN: "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's."
The tenth commandment hits at the root of commandments six through nine. Human nature seeks to gratify itself even at the expense of others. It is all too easy to be overcome with discontent and desire for that which is not ours. Our sinful nature wants things that are bigger or better than ours. Jesus tells us to watch out for that in Luke 12:15, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."
If someone asked me what the greatest commandments are, I would point them to these verses in Matthew 22:36-39: "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus replied: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment." Even though given to the Israelites, the Ten Commandments are a set of laws that we should still follow today.
