Exodus 19-20 - BibleStudy.ph

These are the original teaching notes from this passage.

Review…

Coming to Mount Sinai…
- Moses struck the rock – and water flowed out – Jesus was that Rock – II Corinthians 10:4
- The children of Amalek attacked Israel – tried to keep them from Mt. Sinai…
- Moses had a VERY busy job – teaching and judging the Israel according to the Law…
- Jethro gave wise counsel – raise up men over 1000/100/50/10 to help!

Thunder and fire… (5 points)

Second half of Exodus…
- Chapter 1-19 – The deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt…
- Chapter 20-40 – The FIRST giving of the Law of God as the Lord makes Israel His nation…
  - Chapters 19-24 – The giving of the Law of God
  - Chapters 25-31 – Instructions for the Tabernacle of God
  - Chapters 32-34 – The golden calf rebellion
  - Chapters 35-40 – The building of the Tabernacle of God
1^st – Mount Sinai… vs. 1-9
- 1^st – The mountain of God… vs. 1-2
  - Israel departed the Rephidim (rock of Horeb) and came to the wilderness of Sinai…
  - It was TWO months to the day after Israel had left Egypt…
  - Traditionally Mt. Sinai is located on the Sinai Peninsula between Egypt and Israel…
  - The Sinai Peninsula gets its name from this tradition…
  - But that is a more recent name for the peninsula – it was not called that in Jesus time!
  - Modern archeology points to a different location…
  - Mt. Sinai / Mt Horeb was in the Land of Midian (Saudi Arabia) – Exodus 3:1
  - Paul tells us in Galatians 4:25 – “Mount Sinai in Arabia…”
  - According to the historian Josephus it was the tallest mountain around…
  - Mount Jebel el Lawz – is one of the tallest mountains in Saudi Arabia…
  - The top of the mountain is scorched black to this day – Exodus 19:18
  - There are ancient boundary markers every 400 yards in semicircle – Exodus 19:12
  - On the far side of the mountain is a cleft rock – perhaps the rock of Horeb!
- 2^nd – The house of Jacob… vs. 3
  - Moses went up to God – and the Lord called to him from the mountain…
  - Say to the house of JACOB – and the children of ISRAEL – TWO different groups…
  - The idea being some of the people took after JACOB – they were the SINNERS…
  - While others took after ISRAEL – they were governed by God…
  - God had saved both from the bondage of Egypt – and called BOTH to listen now!
  - God does not pick perfect people to follow Him…
  - Many people assume they cannot go to church – because they are sinners…
  - They think they must get their lives RIGHT before they can go to God…
  - As if somehow the only people that God wants are the perfect ones…
  - God does NOT choose perfect people – He chooses sinners and makes them perfect!
- 3^rd – Special Treasure… vs. 4-5
  - God brough Israel out of Egypt – carried them on the wings of an eagle to His mountain…
  - NOW – if they OBEYED His voice – it would make them KEEP (sequential) his covenant…
  - And they would become (sequential) a SPECIAL TREASURE…
  - Chosen by God from among all the peoples of the world – for the world is His!
  - Why God chose Israel…
  - They were NOT the STRONGEST – God chose them – because they were the least!
  - Deuteronomy 7:7 – “The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, you were the least…”
  - That way NO one credited Israel for destroying the armies of Egypt…
  - Israel was a nation of slaves – all the credit went to God alone!
  - God does NOT just pick the brightest – beautiful – wealthy – I Corinthians 1:27
  - Those are the exceptions – God tends to choose the FOOLISH of the world…
  - God picks us – the foolish (morons) – because then the world sees God in us!
  - Then the world knows that God can save / use anyone – I Timothy 1:16
  - God choose Israel – to be the people through whom the Messiah would come…
  - Jesus was an Israelite (on the side of his mother – Mary) – Romans 9:5
  - It would be through Israel – Jesus would be given to a lost and dying world…
  - God chooses us for the same reason – to give Jesus to the world!
- 4^th – A nation of PRIESTS… vs. 6
  - You shall be to Me a kingdom of PRIESTS – a HOLY [קָדוֹשׁ] nation…
  - People are far from God – and do NOT think they can know God…
  - A PRIEST is a go between – he represents God to the people / and the people to God…
  - Israel was to be a nation of PRIESTS – they were to represent God to the world!
  - They alone were given the privilege of receiving the COMMANDMENTS of God…
  - They alone were given the honor of being the PEOPLE of God…
  - They were to go out then into the world and be HOLY – set apart – for God!
  - Like Israel we to are called to be PRIESTS…
  - I Peter 2:9 – “You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”
  - We have been called out of sin / darkness – into the light of Jesus Christ…
  - As His special people – PRIESTS – we are called to proclaim that Good News…
  - We go to let people know about God – tell them about salvation in Jesus…
  - We go because they satan has blinded men from seeing the truth!
  - II Corinthians 4:4 – “Whose minds the god of this age has blinded…”
- 5^th – The VOICE of God… vs. 7-9
  - Moses gave the COMMANDS of God to the ELDERS – and ALL the people responded…
  - ALL the Lord has spoken (piel) we will constantly (imperfect) do – BOLD claim…
  - Then – God came down in a DARK cloud – no one could see Him – Exodus 33:20
  - But Israel would HEAR the voice of the Lord – THEN they would BELIEVE (hiphil) forever!
  - The voice of God – the Word of God – is Jesus Christ – John 1:14
  - How to convince a world they need Jesus Christ…
  - We overcome the blindness satan has bound men with – by the Gospel – Romans 1:16-17
  - It is not about our words – our ability to convince people…
  - It is the Word of God – when they HEAR His Word – they BELIEVE!
  - Romans 10:17 – “Faith comes by hearing, hearing by the Word of God.”
2^nd – HOLY God… vs. 10-25
- 1^st – CONSECRATE the people… vs. 10-11 / 15
  - Be READY (imperative) for the THIRD day – the Lord would come down on the mountain…
  - Therefore – intensely CONSECRATE (piel) – verb form of the word HOLY [קִדַּשְׁתָּם] …
  - The people were to BATH – wash their clothes – make themselves CLEAN…
  - They were not even to come near their wives – celibate for THREE days!
  - A symbolic gesture reflecting the problem of their hearts – the people were NOT holy…
  - The problem was not EXTERNAL – hygiene or clothes – it was INTERNAL – their sin!
  - The best we can come up with – the best we can be – is still far from perfection!
  - Romans 3:23 – “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”
  - Isaiah 64:6 – “All our righteousness is like filthy rags…”
- 2^nd – Put up BOUNDARIES… 12-14
  - Moses was to put BOUNDARIES all around the mountain – do NOT enter signs…
  - If any man of animal crossed over and touched the mountain – they were to be KILLED…
  - Because God would be on the mountain – making the mountain HOLY…
  - God is so HOLY – perfect – even thing things He touches become HOLY…
  - To an un-holy person –SINNER – even the mountain was too HOLY to be touched…
  - They had to be put (hophal) to DEATH – but even they then could NOT be touched…
  - They had to be stoned or shot with an arrow from a DISTANCE!
  - All that to emphasize – there is no way for us to anywhere near to God on our own!
  - God is perfect – holy – righteous – just – and unapproachable…
  - If we try to come to God on our own merit – our own good deeds – DEATH…
  - There was one man who came to God – wearing the wrong clothes – Matthew 22:1-14
  - This man came in his clothes – his righteousness – his own good works!
  - When God questioned him about it – the man was speechless – muzzled!
  - Everyone will one day stand before the Great white throne – Revelation 20:11
  - There are only TWO options as to what we can WEAR as we stand before a HOLY God…
  - We can stand in OUR clothes – OUR good deed – OUR righteousness…
  - And we will be judged by OUR works – speechless – as we are cast into HELL…
  - OR we can be clothed in the white robes of the righteousness of Jesus – Revelation 3:5
- 3^rd – The MEDIATOR… vs. 16-25
  - The THIRD day came – with thunder and lightning in a DARK cloud…
  - There was a LOUD blast from a (first time in OT) SHOFAR [שֹׁפָר] …
  - Moses BROUGHT (hiphil) the people – they hesitantly came to the foot of the mountain…
  - The whole mountain was engulfed in FIRE and SMOKE billowing into the sky…
  - Then there was a violent EARTHQUAKE (it must have looked like a volcano eruption)
  - Moses spoke to God – and He answered in a SHOFAR blast that got louder and louder!
  - God called Moses alone up the mountain to talk to the Lord…
  - God warned him again not to let the people approach – wanting to SEE the Lord…
  - Moses protested he had already set up the boundaries and warned the people…
  - Away! God sent him back down the mountain to warn the people / and priests AGAIN…
  - The people needed a mediator – only Moses (and Aaron) were allowed to meet with God!
  - I Timothy 2:5 – “There is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and people. He is the man Christ Jesus.”
  - To stand before God – would be to face the wrath and judgment of God…
  - Therefore – we need a mediator – someone to go before God on our behalf…
  - Someone to bridge the gap – give us access to our HOLY God!
  - The beginning of the Law…
- 1^st – Not just TEN…
  - There are 613 commandments in all – given from Exodus – Deuteronomy
  - The TEN given in Exodus 20 – are the FIRST of the Laws God gave to His people…
  - In that they are the FIRST – they are more important – set the foundation for the LAW…
  - The TEN commands of God are PERFECT – they are the standard of how to be GOOD!
  - At first glance we might look at the TEN commandments and think we are doing GOOD…
  - But on closer inspection – we find they are impossible for us to keep…
  - They reveal to us our unrighteousness – and our desperate need for a savior!
- 2^nd– THREE lists…
  - We know for certain there are 10 commandments – Exodus 34:28
  - But how Exodus 20:1-17 is divided into TEN commands differs among the religions…
  - The PROTESTANT list is the one most of us are familiar with…
- 1. No other God / 2. No idols / 3. Don’t take the Lord’s name / 4. Sabbath…
- 5. Honor your parents / 6. Murder / 7. Adultery / 8. Steal / 9. Lie / 10. Covet
  - We will follow this version as it holds closest to the list of commands given!
  - The JEWISH list emphasizes the importance FOLLOWING the Lord…
- 1. I am the Lord who brought you out of Egypt (not really a command)
- 2. You shall have no other gods before Me (including idols)
  - The rest follow the same order as the Protestant list!
  - The ROMAN CATHOLIC list also alters the SECOND and LAST commands…
  - No idols are SKIPPED – considered part of – shall have no other gods…
  - The rest of the commands shift up one place – with the last TWO commands being…
- 9. You shall not covet possessions / 10. Do not covet the wife of your neighbor…
  - The motivation for the difference is the practice of praying to the idols of saints!
3^rd – Our relationship to God… vs. 1-11 (4 commands)
- Two TABLETS…
- FIRST – FOURTH commands deal with our relationship to God…
- FIFTH – TENTH commands deal with our relationship with other men!
- God wrote down the TEN commandments on the tablets of stone – in Exodus 24:12
- 1^st – No other Gods… vs. 1-3
  - I am the Lord your God – who brought (hiphil) you out of Egypt / bondage…
  - FIRST and greatest command – you shall have NO other gods before me…
  - It is important to clarify just who – or what – can be a god in our life…
  - In the OT the children of Israel fell into idolatry with many different gods…
  - Molech – God of pleasure or entertainment / Mammon – god of money!
  - Whenever someone aborts an inconvenient child – sacrificed to Molech…
  - Whenever we seek after money more than we seek after God – worship Mammon!
  - Luke 16:13 – “You cannot serve God and mammon.”
  - NOT all gods are pagan deities…
  - Our God is – whatever we put FIRST in our lives – who we SERVE…
  - We CANNOT serve other gods – God is a jealous God – He wants us all to Himself…
  - If we are putting ANYTHING else FIRST in our lives – then we are NOT serving the Lord!
  - We must choose this day / every day – who we put FIRST – Joshua 24:15
- 2^nd – No idols…vs. 4-6, 22-26
  - You shall NOT make a carved image – the likeness of ANYTHING in heaven or on earth…
  - It is foolishness to think something I create – can then turn around and save me…
  - They have ears / eyes / mouth – but cannot see / hear / or speak – Psalm 115:4-8
  - Jeremiah 5:10 – “Do not be afraid of them, they cannot do evil of good…”
  - Isaiah 44:19-20 – “The person who made the idol never stops to reflect, Why, it is just a block of wood! I burned half of it for heat and used it to bake my bread and roast my meat. How can the rest of it be a god? Should I bow down to worship a chunk of wood?”
  - We do tend to laugh at this idea – how can an idol / something made of wood save us!
  - But we forget what our money is made of – paper is a wood product…
  - We look to Manuel Roxas (P100) / Benigno Aquino (P500) / Jose Santos (P1000)
  - I have seen stubborn faith in money – but money disappears – Haggai 1:6
  - Our problem is never a lack of faith – it is where our faith is placed…
  - We all have faith – lots of it – our problem is we do NOT always put our faith in Jesus!
  - Even in building an ALTAR… vs. 22-26
  - Israel had seen how God spoke (piel) these COMMANDS to Moses…
  - They were NEVER to make ANY image of God out of gold or silver…
  - They were ONLY to build an ALTAR out of stone – to offer sacrifices…
  - Even the STONES were not to be carved – their tools would POLLUTE (piel) the ALTAR!
  - You shall NOT be FORCED to bow down (hishtaphel) – or MADE to SERVE (hophal) them!
  - The idea being if we MAKE the idols – we will be FORCED to worship them!
  - In Russia they put pictures of saints on their walls – to remind them to pray…
  - But if the prayer is answered – overlay the picture with gold – to reward the picture!
  - The farther our relationship is from God – greater our tendency to worship things…
  - We fill the void in our lives with superstations / trinkets that remind us of God…
  - More often than not – we begin to worship those things – rather than the Lord!
  - A JEALOUS God…
  - Visit the iniquity of the FATHERS onto the CHILDREN…
  - To the THIRD and FOURTH generations – to those who HATE Me…
  - But show MERCY to THOUSANDS – to those who LOVE Me – by keeping My COMMANDS…
  - The passage does not emphasize the judgment of God – but His Grace!
  - And since the balance of the BIBLE – we see that we do NOT suffer for the sins of others!
  - Ezekiel 18:20 – “The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son…” – Jeremiah 31:29-30 and Deuteronomy 24:16
  - The best interpretation would seem to again point towards EXAMPLE…
  - NOT that we can just say we are the way we are because of our parents…
  - That would remove our responsibility for sin – it becomes the fault of my parents…
  - ONLY when we realize we are accountable for our actions do we find the answer!
  - We can become – New Creations in Christ – II Corinthians 5:17
  - We no longer carry the definition of our earthly father – we are now defined in Jesus!
- 3^rd – The NAME of God… vs. 7
  - You shall NOT take the NAME of God in VAIN – count it as worthless…
  - There is also a tendency these days to make the NAME of God a curse word!
  - Ephesians 4:29 – “Do NOT use foul or abusive language…” [NLT]
  - The name of God should ALWAYS be a blessing – not blasphemy…
  - We should be careful to reverence and respect the His name!
  - This could also mean using the NAME of God to instill conviction…
  - Men will often attempt to reinforce their word – to assure you they are not lying…
  - I swear by God in heaven that what I am saying is true!
  - Matthew 5:33-37 – “I say to you do not swear at all… let your yes be yes, and your no, no…”
  - We have all said that we would do something – then did NOT do it…
  - But we must be men and women of our word – our yes be yes /and out no – no!
  - Not just making sure our words are truth – but also our actions!
- 4^th – The Sabbath… vs. 8-11
  - Remember the SABBATH day – keep it HOLY (piel) …
  - SABBATH – from the word [שָׁבַת] – meaning to REST…
  - SIX days men were to do ALL their work – but they had to REST on the SEVENTH day…
  - Because in SIX days God created the heavens and the earth – Genesis 2:1-2
  - And on the SEVENTH day He RESTED [שָׁבַת]!
  - We still have the word in Ilonggo – Sabado means Sabbath – the day of rest…
  - Saturday is the Jewish Sabbath – from sunset on Friday to sunset on Saturday!
  - You might ask – then why do we come to church on Sunday!
  - In the book of Acts the church gathered together on Sundays – Acts 20:7
  - Sunday was the first day of the week on the Jewish calendar…
  - They did this to remember the resurrection of Jesus – first day of the week – Luke 24:1
  - That is why we consider Sunday – the first day of the week – to be our day of rest!
  - NO ONE was allowed to do ANY work on the SABBATH day – it was VERY HOLY!
  - The challenge for the Jews has always been – what constitutes WORK…
  - But what constituted WORK – that is where the religious leaders stepped in…
  - So – the Jews defined what God MEANT when He said you could not work – (39 do nots)
  - Jewish leaders teach that it breaks the Sabbath to – pick your nose…
  - According to Jewish teachers – even turning on a light is breaking the Sabbath…
  - Refrigerators in Israel know the day – and do not turn on the light on the Sabbath!
  - Yet Jesus would intentionally HEAL (work) on the Sabbath!
  - In total Jesus healed 7 times on the Sabbath – He did it to make a point!
  - Mark 2:27 – “He said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.’”
  - God did not create us to follow the Sabbath – He gave the Sabbath to us!
  - It was meant to give us a day to unwind – rest – recover…
  - Is it required – NO – but it is probably a really good idea!
  - The Sabbath is a SHADOW of Jesus!
  - Colossians 2:16-17 – “Let no one judge you… regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.”
  - If you see the shadow of your best friend – do you run up and hug the shadow…
  - Of course not – but the shadow does tell you your friend is close!
  - So let no one judge you about whether or not you take a day of rest…
  - The Sabbath was a shadow of Jesus – He is our true rest!
  - Matthew 11:28-30 – “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest… For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
4^th – Our relationship with others… vs. 12-17
- 5^th – HONOR your father and mother… vs. 12
  - HONOR (piel) – to give WEIGHT to – or RESPECT the wisdom of parents…
  - That your days may be LONG in the LAND the Lord is giving you…
  - Because to DISOBEY your parents meant death – Deuteronomy 21:18-21
  - But also – more practically – parents have a LOT of wisdom!
  - I have noted more and more young people today think they know it all…
  - They have GOOGLE and YOUTUBE – and believe KNOWLEDGE gives them all the answers…
  - But KNOWLEDGE and WISDOM are NOT the same – WISDOM comes with experience!
  - KNOWLEDGE says fire is hot – WISDOM says it is a good idea NOT to touch it!
  - We are to HONOR our PARENTS – because they have WISDOM…
  - They have lived more years on this earth – have learned a thing or two…
  - We are WISE to listen to and learn from their experience!
  - Paul picks up on this command – Ephesians 6:1-2
  - Obey your parents in the Lord – this does not necessarily mean your earthly parents…
  - It does mean your spiritual parents – those who instruct you in faith!
  - We are to listen intently to our parents in faith – they point us to Jesus
  - By following their words and example we find ourselves on the path of righteousness!
  - Honor your father and mother – even if they do not deserve our honor!
  - If our parents do not walk with the Lord – we do NOT want to follow their example…
  - But we are still to obey them so long as they do not contradict the Lord…
  - Many parents have turned to Jesus because of the witness and example of their children!
  - HONOR means to PROVIDE…
  - Mark 10:11-12 – “The Pharisees said it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘I cannot help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I could have given to you.’”
  - Rather than taking care of their parents by providing for them…
  - The religious leaders taught people could instead give the money to God…
  - If it was given to the church – then they had no obligation to their parents!
  - Jesus rebuked them – because it voided the command of God – Mark 15:6
  - People who do NOT know Jesus take care of their aging parents…
  - How much more should we are believers take care of our Dad and Moms…
  - If we ignore our parents – what kind of witness to the world can we be!
  - I Timothy 5:8 – “If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”
- 6^th – You shall not MURDER… vs. 13
  - MURDER [רָצַח] – is not the same as KILL [מוּת]
  - MURDER suggest act of unjustified violence (not self-defense or war) …
  - Most of us have never (and will never) MURDER another person…
  - But Jesus elaborates on this Law – Matthew 5:21-26
  - I say to you whoever is ANGRY at his brother – WITHOUT a cause – is guilty of murder!
  - We may have never murdered someone – but have we ALL have been ANGRY with someone…
  - We have all spoken hurtful words – that in our hearts – was equivalent to MURDER…
  - In that light – most if not all of us – are guilty of MURDER!
- 7^th – You shall commit ADULTERY… vs.14
  - ADULTERY – to have an intimate relationship with someone other than our spouse…
  - Most of us have never (and will never) commit adultery
  - But Jesus again elaborates on this Law – Matthew 5:27-32
  - Whoever looks at a woman to lust for her – has already committed adultery!
  - One of the NT words for ADULTERY – porneia (pornography) – Matthew 19:9
  - Jesus takes the Law and makes it a matter of the heart!
  - Though we may be able to keep from committing sin – can we not THINK about it…
  - If other could see our thoughts – how righteous would we be!
- 8^th – You shall not STEAL… vs. 15
  - STEAL – taking something that is not ours – food / a tool / money…
  - Call it anything we like – borrowing without asking – is stealing…
  - We can justify it any way we like – they already have a lot / they will not miss it…
  - Everybody may do it – the owner may be more embarrassed than the one who took it…
  - But the bottom line is if it is not ours – we have no right to take it – it is stealing!
- 9^th – You shall not LIE… vs. 16
  - There are NO levels of LIES – no little lies / or white lies / or half-truths…
  - There is just the TRUTH – and then there is a LIE – no middle ground!
  - If we are not telling ALL of the truth – then we are telling a COMPLETE lie!
  - Which leaves the question – is there ever a good reason not to tell the truth…
  - Such as if it keeps someone from having hurt feelings – how do I look – ugly…
  - Or to save a life – like the midwives in the days of Moses – Exodus 1:19
  - The end does not justify the means – it is as much about the journey as the destination!
  - There is never a good reason to lie – it is depending on our efforts!
  - Better to be honest – tell the truth – and trust in / depend on the Lord!
- 10^th – You shall not COVET… vs. 17
  - COVET (imperfect) – to constantly crave or desire something / someone…
  - Our circumstances are arranged by God – we are where He wants us…
  - Yet most of us do not accept what the Lord has given to us – we want more!
  - Solomon tried everything – looking for happiness – Ecclesiastes 2:1-11
  - But Solomon learned instead it was all vanity – like chasing after the win!
  - Looking for happiness – answers in THINGS – is chasing the wind…
  - It is not about chasing something that is hard to catch – nothing there to catch!
  - There is nothing wrong with having THINGS – the problem is when THINGS has us…
  - The richest man is not the one with the most THINGS – it is the one who is content…
  - The poorest man is not the one with the least THINGS – it is the one who wants more!
  - Hebrews 13:5 – “Do NOT covet; be content with such THINGS as you have.”
  - An issue of the HEART…
  - The Apostle Paul was a good man – a VERY good man – before he came to believe in Jesus…
  - Paul tells us that according to the Law he was perfect – Philippians 3:6
  - Meaning Paul was VERY careful to observe all the rules and commands of God…
  - If there was one man who you would have said was a righteous man it was Paul!
  - Paul thought he was a GOOD – until he read – you shall not covet – Romans 7:7-11
  - Paul could control what he did / his actions – but he could NOT stop his desires…
  - The Law was the MIRROR that finally showed him who he really was on the inside…
  - NOT a VERY good man – but a VERY bad man – the Law revealed his sin!
  - I know a lot of people who think they are good Christians because they follow rules
  - We might be able to keep ourselves from stealing – but can we NOT want it…
  - If we did not know the LAW – we would NOT know it was wrong to even WANT…
  - It is the LAW that is the MIRROR that shows us the sinners we truly are!
5^th – Fear of God… vs.18-21
- 1^st – Trembled… vs. 18-21
  - The people intensely SAW (pual) – thunder / lightening / trumpets / smoke…
  - And they TREMBLED – and decided to stand (sequential) FAR away!
  - They said to Moses – YOU speak (piel / imperative) – we will surely LISTEN (cohortative) …
  - But PLEASE do NOT let God speak (piel / jussive) – or we will DIE!
  - Do NOT let yourself FEAR (jussive) – God has come to TEST you…
  - NOT so that you will FEAR Him – but so that you will FEAR (and may not) SIN!
  - Psalm 111:10 – “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom…”
  - Much of the world today scoffs at the Bible – because they do not fear the Lord…
  - People mock God today – make Jesus a curse word – as if there is no consequence!
  - They do not fear the judgment seat – they do not fear the Lake of fire…
  - But there are only two kinds of people when it comes to God…
  - Wise sinners who feared the Lord and saw their need for Jesus – and those who did not!
- 2^nd – The conclusion…
  - The TEN commandments are terrifying – NONE of us are good enough…
  - We have broken every one of the TEN commandments of God – MANY times!
  - Yet the standard of God for getting into heaven is to be PERFECT…
  - Never even once breaking even one of His commands in action or thought!
  - The point of these TEN commands being – we are not good enough to get into heaven!
  - Matthew 5:48 – “Be perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect…”
  - Which drives us to the solution for our sin – the key to heaven – Jesus!
  - If we did not see the problem – we would not know we needed the solution…
  - We cannot be Righteous – get to heaven / on our own – the answer is Jesus!
  - Romans 3:20-24 – “By the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”