Day 2 Moses

 The tablets of stone on which the ten commandments were written are possibly the most famous stones in the history of the world. Judaism, Islam and Christianity all hold the instructions given by God to Moses in the highest regard. They are the moral code, given to us directly from heaven, establishing rules by which to live in community with each other and with God.  From the moment these laws were laid down everything changed in the world.  There was now a reference point for knowing the will of God.  A physical document which stated very clearly what was and was not expected of God's people.  After this moment nobody had any excuse any more for not knowing.   

  • You shall have no other gods before me 
  • You shall not make for yourselves an idol 
  • You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God 
  • Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy 
  • Honor your father and your mother 
  • You shall not murder 
  • You shall not commit adultery 
  • You shall not steal 
  • You shall not give false testimony 
  • You shall not covet 

We use the phrase ' its written in stone' to convey the immovable, permanent, unarguable fact of something.  Thats what Gods laws are.  Solid, unchangeable, forever. 

Except....

Actually, as with everything in the Old Testament, the commandments are a foreshadowing. They are not the end point in our relationship with God or with each other.  They are the bare minimum, the foundations in the ground, the simplest principles on which God planned to build and expand and ultimately transform.

And of course God always knew that we would be unable to keep the commandments, regrdless of how simple and straightforward they were.  If Adam wasnt able to keep to one rule in the garden, we arent going to be able to keep to ten rules.  But He gave us the chance to try. Knowing we would fail but at the same time knowing that in the failing we might come to see our need of Him

Romans 7:9 Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. 10 I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. 11 For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. 12 So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous, and good.

Which might all be a bit depressing were it not for God having a master plan in Jesus

2 Corinthians 3:3

3 And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.1




Jeremiah 31:33

33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.



God's plan was always to indwell His people, transforming our souls and our spirits with His presence so that we miraculously begin to live the commandments rather than merely 'obeying' them.

As the Holy Spirit grows His fruit in us we suddenly realise we are less covetous, less jealous, more honouring, more devoted.  The words which were written on tablets of stone generations ago are now part of us.  Which is amazing.  


Its all about the relationship and never about the rules.

Hallelujah!

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