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Appendix I 

Ten important facts about The Ten Commandments

 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Jesus Christ
(John 14:15) 

He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
(1 John 2:4)

Here is the patience of the saints:
here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
(Revelation 14:12)

 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
(Revelation 22:14)

I.        The Ten Commandments, also called the Covenant (Exodus 34:28) were first given to ancient Israel some 3500 years ago, fifty days after the Passover Exodus began.  The Ten Commandments represented the Covenant of the Creator of heaven and earth with the nation of Israel in exchange for His protection and blessings (Exodus 19:5,6).

II.        The Ten Commandments are mentioned in the Bible under many names.  In the first nine verses of Psalms 119, the Ten Commandments are given seven different names: the law of the Lord (verse 1); his testimonies (verse 2); thy precepts (verse 4); thy statutes (verse 5); thy commandments (verse 6); thy righteous judgments (verse 7) and thy word (verse 9).

III.        The LORD did not use angels and prophets to deliver the Ten Commandments to Israel.  He Himself spoke all these words (Exodus 20:1), and all Israel heard Him (Exodus 19:9).  He Himself wrote them on both sides of two tablets of stone brought from Heaven (Exodus 24:12).  After Moses broke the tablets of stone following the golden calf incident (Exodus 32:1-8, 19), the LORD asked Moses to prepare two other tablets of stone and He wrote the Ten Commandments on them a second time (Exodus 34:4,28: Deuteronomy 10:2,3). Somewhere near the historical Mount Sinai in Saudi Arabia, broken tablets of stone from Heaven with God’s handwriting on both sides are awaiting the greatest archeological discovery of all time.

IV.        The utmost importance of the Ten Commandments to the LORD is evident: the Ark of the Covenant was the exclusive receptacle for the Covenant, with nothing else inside (Exodus 25:16,21; I Kings 8:9).  The Ark with its precious contents was placed in the most holy place of the tabernacle (Exodus 26:34).  In fact, it was the only object in the most holy place.  Above the Ark was the place of meeting between God and man (Exodus 25:22).  After Moses, only the High Priest was allowed access to the most holy place and only once a year on the Day of Atonement.

V.         The Covenant consists of two parts: the first four Commandments, written on both sides of one tablet, deal with man’s obligations toward God.  The last six commandments, written on both sides of the other tablet, are concerned with man’s obligation toward others.  Jesus Christ clarified the importance of these two parts:

“Master, which is the great commandment in the law?  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” 
(Matthew 22:36-40)

VI.       The only difference in the code of conduct between Christians and Pagans is in the first four Commandments, dealing with man’s obligation toward God.  There is practically no difference in the last six Commandments, the golden rule, man’s obligations toward others, at least in theory if not in practice.  Avoiding idolatry and Sabbath keeping are the essence of the first four Commandments, our obligation toward God.

VII.      Idolatry is not just worshipping idols, practicing sorcery and witchcraft.  Any physical, mental or spiritual activity that prevents you from fulfilling your obligation toward God is idolatry, because that activity is placed above God.  The first sin in Heaven and the Garden of Eden was idolatry, more specifically, egolatry, the worship of self.  Eve wanted to be a goddess and was willing to break her Covenant with her Creator and risk everything to achieve godhood.  Since the fall, mankind has believed Satan’s deception and has tried to achieve godhood through various means, including initiations in secret societies.  Their eternal destiny is in the Lake of Fire with their master deceiver (Revelations 20:10,14,15).

VIII.     Sabbath keeping is extremely important to the Creator.  There is evidence that Sabbath keeping was practiced by the Israelites from the time of the Exodus.  Thirty-two days and 5 Sabbaths after the Exodus, eighteen days before the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai, the Creator started training the Israelites about Sabbath keeping (Exodus 16: 1,4).  This was achieved by the use of the manna, beginning on the morning of the 32nd day after Exodus.  The first five days of the week, they gathered manna daily for a one-day supply.  On the sixth day, they collected a two-day supply.  They were supposed to rest on the Sabbath and no manna was available on that day (Exodus 16:23,30).  After 40 years and more than 2000 Sabbaths later, the Israelites knew exactly what day was the seventh day Sabbath, as they entered the promise land (Exodus 16:35).  The Sabbath starts at sunset on Friday and ends at sunset on Saturday.

IX.        In the new Christian Testament, the Ten Commandments are still in full force, all of them.

“Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.” 
(I John 2:7)

Jesus Christ exhorts us to keep them and preach them

"For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.  Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:18,19)

X.         There are many blessings associated with keeping the Commandments.

A          Protection against enemies:  Psalms 119:92,95,98,155

B          Productivity of the land:  Leviticus 26:3,4                         

C          Prosperity:  Joshua 1:8             

D          Health and long life:  Exodus 15:26; 20:12                                                              

E          God hears our requests and responds favorably:   John 3:22 

F          The ultimate blessing: Eternal life with our Creator and Redeemer:  Revelation 22:4,14