Whether you are married or single, lived in ancient Israel, in 1st Century Palestine, or live in the 21st Century, God’s covenant is still intact. God’s Word is true and reliable from cover to cover. The Ten Commandments are applicable today, tomorrow, and always as they were the day God wrote them for his children on Mt. Sinai.
They are not outdated or made null and void by the new covenant. Jesus was very clear on that subject. He came to ‘fulfill’ the law not to ‘abolish’ the law.
Being thankful for the Ten Covenant Words (Commandments) is a blessing that helps us understand the deeper nature of God’s intent for His children. We are the children of God, made in His image. The Ten Covenant Words are foundational to our faith and practice. Being thankful for God’s message to us means we are grateful for His Word to us, we believe everything from God is good, and we expect a miracle.
When I was young I used to pray and wait for God to answer. Sometimes I didn’t ‘get’ what I wanted and I would tell my dad that I prayed for a miracle and it didn’t happen. : ( My dad would smile and say, “you prayed for a miracle and it did happen…you just missed it.” It took me years to see that he was right. Everyday there are miracles. They are all around us. Today.
Finally, I close with this thought on being thankful. Think of it as a prayer.
Today, simply say “thanks” for today. According to Meister Eckhart:
“If the only prayer you say in your life is ‘thank you,’ that would suffice.”
As we leave this study, I hope you take gratitude with you for the Ten Covenant Words. BE thankful for God’s covenant, commandments, and for His Word.
And Be Blessed.
If you have eyes to see you are blessed.
If you have ears to hear you are blessed.
If you can walk you are blessed.
If you cannot see, hear, or walk you are very blessed because then it is God you see, God you hear, and God who directs every movement you make.
…even then we are thankful!
Today’s Spiritual Practice is: be thankful for the Covenant God made with the children of Israel (and with us today).
Throughout your day, tell God you are thankful for His covenant words!
Afterward
The Ten Commandment Numbering System Today
There are numerous ways the Ten Commandments are grouped and numbered. That’s why for the purposes of explaining a general system of which commandment is being discussed is simply “the next” commandment or covenant word.
When I did the research the best example I found was from a chart in Wikipedia.
The Lutheran Large Catechism:
1st Commandment: Thou shalt have no other gods.
2nd Commandment: Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord, thy God, in vain.
3rd Commandment: Thou shalt sanctify the holy-day.
4th Commandment:Thou shalt honor thy father and thy mother that it may be well with thee and thou mayest live long upon the earth.
5th Commandment: Thou shalt not kill.
6th Commandment: Thou shalt not commit adultery.
7th Commandment: Thou shalt not steal.
8th Commandment: Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
9th Commandment: Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house.
10th Commandment: Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his cattle, nor anything that is his.
Catholic (Catechism)Ten Commandments
1st Commandment: I am the Lord your God: you shall not have strange gods before me
2nd Commandment: You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
3rd Commandment: Remember to keep holy the Lord's Day.
4th Commandment: Honor your father and your mother.
5th Commandment: You shall not kill.
6th Commandment: You shall not commit adultery.
7th Commandment: You shall not steal.
8th Commandment: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
9th Commandment: You shall not covet your neighbor's wife.
10th Commandment: You shall not covet your neighbor's goods.
The Jewish Talmud Ten Commandments
1st Commandment: I am the Lord Your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
2nd Commandment: You shall have no other gods beside Me.
3rd Commandment: You shall not take the name of the Lord Your God in vain.
4th Commandment: Remember the Sabbath, to keep it holy.
5th Commandment: Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord God gives you.
6th Commandment: You shall not murder.
7th Commandment: You shall not commit adultery.
8th Commandment: You shall not steal.
9th Commandment: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
10th Commandment: You shall not covet your neighbor’s house, nor his wife, his man-servant, his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.
The Ten Commandments from the Anglican Book of Common Prayer, the Reformed Church, and Orthodox Churches (KJV):
1st Commandment: Thou shalt have no other Gods before me.
2nd Commandment: Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.
3rd Commandment: Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.
4th Commandment: Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.
5th Commandment: Honor thy Father and thy Mother.
6th Commandment: Thou shalt not Murder.
7th Commandment: Thou shalt not commit adultery.
8th Commandment: Thou shalt not steal.
9th Commandment: Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
10th Commandment: Thou shalt not covet neighbor’s house or neighbor’s spouse.
All of the commands (covenant items) are includes but some are separated by different numbers that identify that commandment.
In the Ten Covenant Words the covenant words, or commandments each is referred to as the first, next, or last. That’s because the numbering system is not standardized for all Christian Churches throughout the world.
The version used by the Lutheran Church is from Luther’s Large Catechism and the Catholic Church numbering system is from the Catholic Catechism.
I wanted to delineate and explain the difference so you would have context when you notice differences.
The text for the Ten Words is found in Exodus 20:1-17 and Deuteronomy 5:4-21.
Chart used for Ten Commandment numbered versions: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Commandments