Story 44: God Speaks From A Fiery Mountain; THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IV

They may be easily remembered by the use of a key-word for each, as follows:
   Duties to God, respecting: 1. God's Being. 2. God's Worship. 3. God's Name. 4. God's Day.
   Duties to others, respecting: 5. Parents. 6. Human Life. 7. Moral Purity. 8. Property Rights. 9. Truthfulness. 10. Covetousness.
   They all comprehended in the Two Great Commandments: Love God with all your Heart; Love thy neighbor as thyself.
   The people listened carefully to the announcement of these Commandments, kept a reverent and prayerful attitude, and greatly appreciated the direct message from God, but were all nearly overcome with fright and terror. For this reason they said to Mo'ses, "Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die." They asked that he talk with God for them, and that whatever God had to say to them should be said through Mo'ses.
   Inspired by the LORD, Mo'ses then told the Is'ra-el-ites that they were to fear God with the awe of true religion, but that they should not be frightened by His presence in any miraculous appearance, nor by His voice when the Commandments were given.
   Special attention was called to the LORD'S command against worshipping idols, and the Is'ra-el-ites were warned again not to make unto themselves gods of silver and of gold. Directions were also given for the offering of burnt sacrifices, and for other forms of worship.

Story 44: God Speaks From A Fiery Mountain; THE TEN COMMANDMENTS lll

They are as follows:
    I.   Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.
   II.   Thou shalt not make unto Thee any graven image, or 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: Thou
          shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God,
          visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of
          them that hate Me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me, and keep My  
          Commandments.
   III.  Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him
          guiltless that taketh His name in vain.
   IV.  Remember the Sab'bath Day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work:
          but the seventh day is the Sab'bath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work,  
          thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter,  thy man servant, nor thy maid servant, nor thy cattle, nor
          thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made Heaven and earth, the sea,
          and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the Sab'bath
          Day, and hallowed it.
   V.   Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days be long upon the land which the LORD thy God
          giveth thee.
  VI.   Thou shalt not kill.
 VII.   Thou shalt not commit adultery.
VIII.   Thou shalt not steal.
   IX.   Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
    X.   Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his
           man servant, nor his maid servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor's.


   These TEN COMMANDMENTS were later inscribed on two stone tablets, the first four on one tablet, and the remaining six on the other. The first group concerns our duties to God; the second our duties to others.

Story 44: God Speaks From A Fiery Mountain; "THE TEN COMMANDMENTS" ll

   On the third day after these orders had been given, and when all the people stood in readiness, there came a great rumbling in the midst of the mountain, like the sounding of many trumpets. The whole face of the mountain suddenly became a cloud of fire and smoke, and lightning flashed from it with a great crash of thunder while the entire mountain trembled. Then a mighty voice spoke from the midst of the cloud of fire.
   From the top of Mount Si'nai the LORD told Mo'ses, in the hearing of all the people, to come up to the top of the mountain. Through the blazing fire and smoke which covered the high mountain of God, Mo'ses bravely climbed until he was in the presence of God. He was then told to return to the people, and to warn the priests and all the people that no one must come near the mountain while it was aflame with the presence of God, and while He was uttering the words of His divine laws.
   Mo'ses returnt from the top of Mount Si'nai while the people stood lost in wonder and awe on the plain below. They were cautioned that God was about to speak, and that under the penalty of immediate death they must not touch the foot of the mountain, or go beyond the bounds already set forth.
   Then there resounded from the top of the mountain words which all could hear and understand. The LORD said:
   "I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of E'gypt, and out of the house of bondage." There followed this solemn announcement the giving of that code of spiritual and moral laws which we know today as "THE TEN COMMANDMENTS." These laws were spoken by the voice of God from the top of Mount Si'nai. Three million Is'ra-el-ites heard them word for word, just as we have them today, except that they were spoken in the language of the He'brews. The translation given in the Bible is absolutely true to the meaning of the original words spoken By God Himself.
   The Ten Commandments spoken on this momentous occasion, and in the most remarkable manner of any communications ever given to man by God, stand out above all other revelations of the Old Testament scriptures. They mark the only direct utterance ever made by God to man since the Fall in the Garden of E'den.
                       

Story 44: God Speaks From A Fiery Mountain; "THE TEN COMMANDMENTS" l

   Soon after Je'thro's visit the children of Is'ra-el traveled a short distance to the level plain which faced Mount Si'nai. It was on this plain that Mo'ses had received his final call to return to E'gypt to deliver Is'ra-el. It was now three months since the Is'ra-el-ites had left E'gypt. They encamped before the great mountain for a whole year, and some of the greatest messages from God in the history of Is'ra-el were given to Mo'ses during this period. The moral code for the government of the nation was spoken and written by the LORD, rules for the domestic, social, and religious life of the people were revealed to Mo'ses, and full instructions were given for the elaborate system of worship and priestly sacrifices. The Tabernacle was erected, its furnishings provided, a portable altar was built, and many other important customs were founded.
   The Mosaic Law was given from the high granite mountain called Si'nai. The mountain consists of three lofty peaks: the one on the northeast being called Ho'reb, the southwestern peak called Mount St. Cath'-er-ine, and the highest of all being known as Mount Si'nai.
   When the Is'ra-el-ites encamped before this mountain the LORD spoke secretly to Mo'ses, calling to mind the miraculous deliverance of Is'ra-el from E'gypt, and giving a new promise of love and grace if the people would only obey His voice and live according to His laws. The LORD said, "Is'ra-el shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people; for all the earth is mine." The children of Is'ra-el were to be fenced in, preserved in their own manner of living, and kept apart from others until the Mes-si'ah reigned. Truly they might have sung!
               "We are a garden walled around,
               Chosen and made peculiar ground;
               A little spot enclosed by grace
               Out of the world's wide wilderness."
   Mo'ses called together the elders of Is'ra-el, and they in turn summoned all the people to hear the special message which God proclaimed to them. The people replied, "All that the LORD hath spoken we will do." Then Mo'ses informed the LORD of the hearty response of the people. But the great laws which God was now ready to give the Is'ra-el-ites were so important that He would not reveal them through any human being, not even through the mouth of one so good and loyal as Mo'ses.
   The LORD therefore told Mo'ses to have the people gather in a great assembly before Mount Si'nai, saying that He would appear in the midst of the mountain in fire and smoke. It was also promised that the LORD would declare His divine laws so clearly that all the people might hear them with their own ears, and see with their own eyes the majesty and power of their God.
   Special preparations were required of the people before this great revelation of God could be given. They were told to wash their bodies and their clothing, to separate their hearts from all sin, to dedicate themselves to God with renewed consecration, and to stand before the mountain in a humble, reverent attitude. They were also warned not to risk death by coming too near the mountain.

Story 43: Water Drawn From A Rock; Prayer Brings Victory In Battle ll

   Mo'ses chose from all the Is'ra-el-ites a noble and courageous young man named Josh'u-a as the military leader for this battle. He also called out the men who were most likely to be good soldiers, and sent them into battle against the invading enemies. While the battle was raging, Mo'ses stationed himself on a high mountain in order to watch the movements of his army, and at the same time to lift his heart in prayer to the LORD. On either side of him stood his loyal assistants: Aa'ron, his brother and trusted adviser in many previous trying hours, and Hur, the good friend who was the husband of his sister Mir'i-am.
   As the conflict grew fierce, Mo'ses lifted his hands toward Heaven in prayer. This attitude could no doubt be seen by Josh'u-a, and would give the young general new courage in the face of apparent defeat. At last Mo'ses became too weary to hold up his hands, and he sank down exhausted upon a stone. Then Aa'ron and Hur came to his aid, helped him to rise again, and held up his hands as he prayed.
   Through the prayers of Mo'ses the armies of Is'ra-el were given new strength, and Josh'u-a was able to lead them in victory over the Am'a-lek-ites. The intercession of the man of God stretched its hands out to Heaven, and the dark portentous clouds of destruction had been quickly scattered; for human hands linked to Divinity become as strong as God. "More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of."
   The children of Is'ra-el were taught many important lessons by this first experience of war after leaving E'gypt. They learnt to trust in the LORD when they were attacked by enemies, and to put their hopes before the LORD in earnest prayer. When the prayer of Mo'ses was interrupted, the enemy gaint the advantage; when his prayer was renewed, the Is'ra-el-ites won the battle.
   After the great victory over the Am'a-lek-ites special thanks were offered to God, with sacrifices which represented the gratitude of all the people of Is'ra-el. Mo'ses was instructed to make a permanent record of the event for the encouragement of future generations who might be attacked by savage enemies.

Story 43: Water Drawn From A Rock; Prayer Brings Victory In Battle l

   After leaving their encampment in the wilderness of sin, the Is'ra-el-ites journeyed in the direction of Mount Si'nai. They halted for a short time at places called Doph'kah and A'lush, and finally pitched their tents at a place called Reph'i-dim, which was near Mount Ho'reb and Mount Si'nai.
   The region called Reph'i-dim was without water; although the Is'ra-el-ites were being supplied with food from Heaven, they were suffering intensely with thirst. They began to murmur again; knowing that Mo'ses had been aided by the LORD many times before in serving them, they said to him, "Give us water that we may drink."
   In reply to the prayer of Mo'ses, the LORD said to him, "Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Ho'reb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink."
   Facing the multitude of thirsty men and women, whose little children were crying for water, and whose sheep and cattle were panting with thirst, Mo'ses asked them to gather before the rock in Ho'reb. He struck the rock as the LORD had commanded, and suddenly there burst forth from the mountain of stone a stream of fresh water which ran like a river through the encampment of the Is'ra-el-ites. Both people and cattle had water in abundance, and the stream continued to flow as long as they remained in the valley.
   Living in A-ra'bi-a at that time was a large and fierce tribe of wanderers known as the Am'a-lek-ites. They were descendants of E'sau, about whom we learnt in a previous story.
   When the Am'a-lek-ites learnt that the descendants of Ja'cob who were now called the Is'ra-el-lites encamped in the wilderness near Mount Si'nai, they made a crafty attack upon the weakest point in the defenses of their ancient enemy.

Story 42: Trials And Murmurings In The Wilderness; The Bread From Heaven lll

   God sent the manna as a free gift of Divine grace, but the people had to use their own strength in gathering it, and their own skill in finding ways of preparing it. God fed them, but they had to work to satisfy their hunger. The manna had to be gathered quickly, for it was melted by the heat of the rising sun; if the people failed to gather enough, they went hungry; if they took more than their proper share, it spoiled. The gathering of the manna was a daily duty, and those who became indolent or careless were forced to do without food.
   The laws of God had to be followed in gathering the manna. From the time of Creation the seventh day of the week had been a holy day, and man had been commanded to do no manual work on this day. For this reason no manna was provided on the Sab'bath, and those who searched for it were properly punished by going hungry. The double portion gathered on the sixth day did not spoil, as it would have done had it been gathered on any other day. The LORD still has a way of making worthless that for which men labor on the day which He has set aside for worship.
   The failure of the Is'ra-el-ites to obey this order was a sign of their lack of reverence for the One who had so wonderfully helped them, and it showed a wicked nature which brought down upon itself a fitting punishment. Mo'ses ordered Aa'ron to keep a pot of the manna as a memorial of God's wonderful providence in feeding Is'ra-el during the long sojourn of forty years in the wilderness. Later this pot of manna was placed in the sacred Ark about which we shall learn in other stories. It was a valuable reminder to future generations of God's power to provide for His people in dire need.