The following student report was submitted by Ambassador League Agent Shaina D. during the 2008-2009 League.
Mission: Research on "Blessings of the Ten Commandments"
The Ten Commandments were written to remind the Israelites of God's Laws. God had already written His laws on the hearts of man, but man chose to ignore and rebel against Him. Because He is a patient and loving God, He instructed Moses to provide a copy of His laws for the people of Israel.
The first of the commands is found in Exodus 20:3; "You shall have no other gods before me. He then explained what He meant in the following verses: "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments. If we do not adhere to these laws, can we effectively reach others for Him? Christ must be at the center of all that we do. We must rely on Him to direct us, just as the Israelites looked to Him to guide them by cloud during the day, and fire by night.
This summer, I was a part of the moot court track at SSI. My case involved the Ten Commandments public display controversy. There is strong opposition to the Commandments being displayed publicly. However, they are the foundation upon which many of our laws have been fashioned. And the violation of these laws has lead to many of our society's ills. Stealing has lead to the distrust of our neighbors. Adultery has robbed fathers of a future with their children, and lured mothers away from their homes. It has also caused rampant disease and even death. Golden idols are often replaced by modern devices. And coveting has contributed to the strain upon our financial system, as we have purchased homes and vehicles that we cannot afford.
Our country was founded on Judeo-Christian beliefs. If we will seek His face and turn from our wicked ways, He says that He will heal our land. Deuteronomy 10:12-13 says, "…what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the LORD and His statutes which I command you today for your good? He has told us was pleases Him; each of will give an account for how well we have followed His laws."
