GOD FIRST-IN THE DECALOGUE.
-EXOD.
20:1-11.-JULY 13, 1902.-
Golden Text:-“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart.”-Luke
10:27.
AFTER LEAVING ELIM,
in our last lesson, the journey of the Israelites led to Mt. Sinai; but before
reaching it their faith in the Lord was tested severely by a conflict with the
Amalekites, a warlike tribe of the desert. Unused to military matters and
encumbered with their families, flocks and herds, the men of Israel were forced
to a conflict, and, strange to say, their leader, Moses, who some forty years
previously had been a notable Egyptian general, did not attempt now to take
charge of the battle, but entrusted it to Joshua, while he went to the top of a
hill overlooking the field of battle, and there in the sight of the contending
peoples, engaged in prayer with uplifted hands. It was here that Aaron, Moses’
brother, and Hur, his brother-in-law (husband of Miriam), upheld the hands of
Moses in prayer; because it was noticed that the Lord’s special blessing
attended the Israelites when Moses’ hands were upheld. Thus Israel vanquished
the foe, and thus it was demonstrated that it was the Lord who fought with
Israel and conquered their enemies. No doubt Israel learned a lesson of faith
in the Lord, and through Moses’ example learned to trust, not in Moses, but in
the Lord as their Leader. And the humble conduct of Aaron and Hur in this
incident became the groundwork of a great lesson of helpfulness in the Lord’s
service-showing how assistance in the service is recognized of the Lord and
such co-operation acceptable. So with spiritual Israelites. In all the trials
and conflicts with our Adversary and his deluded followers, we are to learn
distinctly the lesson that all our trust is to be in the Lord, our Leader, the
antitype of Moses, Captain of our Salvation; who does not, in an earthly sense,
actually lead us in the conflict, but is in the Mountain, in the Kingdom: his
merit prevails for our blessing and succor, and all of his faithful servants in
turn recognize themselves as merely co-operating with him.
Another incident worthy of notice occurred about this time: Jethro, Moses’
father-in-law, came to meet him here, bringing Moses’ family (Ex. 18); moreover,
the Lord used this man for giving Moses some valuable suggestions respecting
the government of the Israelites; and Moses was humble enough to receive such
instruction as of the Lord, notwithstanding the fact that it came from an
Ethiopian, one who was not of the seed of Abraham, and who did not join himself
to them. Thus God sometimes even now uses outsiders to give suggestions and
lessons to his covenant people; and wise is the man or woman humble enough to
receive instruction from any quarter-when found to be in harmony with the
divine will. The advice given to Moses,-that he should no longer attempt to be
the law-giver for the people in all the minutiae of their affairs, but a sort
of supreme judge, and Mediator between God and the people, was a wise suggestion,
evidently from the Lord, by whomsoever given. So also was the next suggestion,
that the people be organized according to their tribes and families, and that
each tribe should thus have, in itself, its own proper servants and officers
and judges for minor details. Of this arrangement some one has said, “This
[arrangement] became the basis (Kalisch) of Alfred the Great’s Saxon
constitution, and thus the basis of the constitution of modern England and
America”-a government of the people, by the people, through their own
representatives.
THE GIVING OF THE LAW.
The transaction at Mt. Sinai was so arranged as deeply to impress all
who were present. It was to be another lesson for the people respecting God,
his right to control them and his will concerning them. Boundary marks were
fixed around the mountain, which was declared holy because of the Lord’s
presence in it; a man or beast trespassing upon it was subject to death:
meantime the mountain shook with earthquakes, and fire and smoke, thunders and
lightnings, and trumpet-like sounds and voices manifested to the Israelites the
importance of the event at hand. But if the Lord thus impressed them by the
solemnity of their surroundings with the importance of the covenant which he
was about to make with them, his message to them, introducing the commandments,
was very gracious and gentle. In this preamble he reminds them that he, the
Lord, had brought them out of the land of Egypt: they had by this time gotten
beyond any desire to return to Egypt; they were learning to trust in the Lord,
to realize his care and protection and deliverance from enemies and from want.
Meantime, the people, in obedience to the Lord’s direction, had purified
themselves, their clothing and their camp; and, as directed, they were
endeavoring to abstain from all impurities, as a prerequisite to their meeting
with and entering into covenant relationship with the Lord of Hosts. The
spiritual Israelite also has something analogous to this. First he must
realize the justice of God and the greatness of God, and his own unworthiness
and weaknesses; he must see something of the terrors of Sinai before he will be
in the proper condition to receive the favors which our Lord desires to
bestow. Properly, he too will seek to purge himself so far as possible from
all filth of the flesh; properly also, he will seek a mediator, and as the
Israelites said to Moses, so will he say to Christ, “Entreat the Lord for us,
that we may speak to thee, and speak thou to him.” We realize our need of a
mediator through whom the Word of the Lord will come to us, and by whose merit
and grace we shall be helped in satisfying the demands of the divine law.
But a greater lesson is included in this type. In this still larger view
Moses typified Christ Jesus the Head, and the Church, his body, complete; in
this larger view Israel typifies so many of the world of mankind as are
desirous of entering covenant relationship with God; in this larger view the
fire and smoke and voices and trumpets and earthquakes of Mt. Sinai represent
the great time of trouble and manifestations of divine power which are to come
in the end of this Gospel age to convince the world of its need of the Lord’s
help and to make the world ready to enter into the New Covenant. In this larger
view the three days of purification, setting bounds about the Mount, etc.,
represent the period of this Gospel age from the first advent down to the
glorification of the Church-typified in the going up of Moses into the
mountain, to be the representative of the people, to receive the Lord’s Law and
to bring it down to the people. Thus counting the matter according to the days
of the week,-a thousand years to each day,- our Lord’s first advent occurred
early on the fifth day;-the fifth day has passed, the sixth day has passed, and
we are now in the early morning of the seventh or “Millennial” day; and it is
in this third day “early in the morning” that the antitypical Moses [Christ and
the Church] is to ascend into the mountain, Kingdom of the Lord. It is in this
third day, and very shortly now we believe, that the great and terrible
manifestations of divine dignity and majesty are to be made known to the world
in general.
This is in full accord with the statement of the Apostle referring to this
time, and to this same type. (Heb. 12:22-29.) For some time the Lord has been
dealing with the world with a view to the bringing in of this New Covenant.
Two (thousand year) days ago we approached the mountain, the Kingdom of God;
there God, through the antitype of Moses, began to mark out the bounds of the
Kingdom class, who might and who might not approach, come into the Kingdom.
From that time the proclamation of purification has been made, the people being
commanded to cleanse themselves; or, as the Apostle again says, “The times of
this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent:
because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in
righteousness, by that man whom he hath ordained” -Christ.-Acts 17:30,31.
The instruction to purify and to get ready has been more or less heard and
more or less heeded throughout the world; and now, shortly, we may expect the
marshaling of the people as described in Ex. 19:17-20, so graphically described
by the Apostle as picturing the events with which the present age is to close:
“Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.” He explains that
in the great changes now at hand the transformation will be a complete one,
which will thoroughly shake out and remove everything in connection with the
civil, religious and social affairs of man that is not in harmony with the laws
of the Kingdom-the Millennial Kingdom. Only the faithful who shall constitute
the Kingdom-class shall stand the shaking of this time.-Heb. 12:26-28.
THE FIRST FOUR COMMANDMENTS.
The law delivered to Moses was upon two tables of stone. Although not
so specified, it is a generally accepted opinion that the first four
commandments were upon one stone and the remaining six upon the other. This
would make about an even division as respects the matter; but more particularly
it divides as between the duties of Israel toward God and toward men. Although
the Decalogue (the law in ten commandments) was given to fleshly Israel and not
to spiritual Israel, nevertheless, the latter may learn from it some very
valuable lessons respecting the divine will. God does not address the house of
Sons as he addresses the house of servants,-ours are not commands as to what we
shall not do; ours is one command respecting our duty toward God, and it is so
comprehensive that it takes in all that was said to Israel in the ten
commandments, and as we shall presently see, much more.
(1) “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” The thought is not that
they were prohibited from having other gods before Jehovah, in the sense of
superiority, implying that they might have some gods on an equality with or
inferior to him. Rather, the thought is that they should have no other gods in
his presence-that so long as they recognized Jehovah as their God, none others
were to be recognized in any sense or degree.
(2) The Second Commandment is an elaboration of the first, lest the people
might say, ‘We will have no other gods, but we will make for us images to
represent our one God so that they may help the mind through the eye. But the
Lord prohibits this, and we can readily see the wisdom of the prohibition.
Many Christian people have felt that they could pray before pictures of the
Lord or while looking at a crucifix, better than without such an aid: indeed we
know that Greek and Roman Catholics throughout the world (nearly three times as
numerous as those termed Protestants) continually use images, pictures, beads,
etc., as reminders and helps to the mind and faith; but we believe that the
effect has been seriously injurious; the tendency downward rather than upward,
and that this, to some extent, accounts for the fact that the races using
images, etc., are inferior to those not using them, but practicing the higher and
purer worship of God which recognizes no intermediary, no crucifix, no image,
no picture, but communes directly with the Lord.
The Gospel Church has a still higher thought than was given to the Jews on
this subject. Our Master’s words suggest that even fathers and mothers and
wives and children might intrude upon our love and devotion and take the place
of the Lord in our affections; and that this must not be permitted by any who
would be of the elect. In comparison we must love less than God all other
beings, so that the first strength of our love and devotion may be given to our
Creator. “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, mind, soul and
strength.” This would also include the thought that wealth, or self or
ambition must not be permitted to take the chief place in those who would be
the Lord’s. Many seem to be in danger along these lines. We cannot read their
hearts, but the vast majority not only of the world, but of those who profess
devotion to the Lord, are bowing themselves down to idols of wealth, social
ambition, personal ambition, etc., and serving these with all the strength and
time and means and knowledge which they have consecrated to the Lord. We are
not saying a word against the procuring of “things needful” in a manner “honest
in the sight of all men;” we refer to something beyond this,-the attempt to lay
up riches, honor, etc., with the time and knowledge and talents consecrated to
the Lord. Is not this idol worship from the standpoint of the New Covenant?
The Lord announces himself as a jealous God who wants all of our
affections, all of our confidence, our entire trust. He wants that we should
be so fully in accord with him that his will shall be supreme in all the
affairs of life. This is not to be considered selfishness on the part of the
Almighty; because this, under his overruling providences, means to his
creatures the largest amount of happiness, the largest amount of success in the
duties and affairs of the present life, and the largest amount of preparation
for the blessings which the Lord has prepared for and promised to those who
love him.
The declaration that the Lord will visit the iniquities of the fathers
upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of those that hate him,
and show mercy unto thousands of them that love him and keep his commandments,
does not represent anger, bitterness, resentment, selfishness;-rather these
words express the law of nature, under which in wisdom God has placed
humanity. Every one who uses his mind and his talents in accord with the
Lord’s will, brings a blessing not only upon himself but extends, in a natural
way, that blessing to his children and theirs. On the contrary, those who live
contrary to the Lord, who mind earthly things, become more and more “earthly,”
“sensual,” “devilish,” and surely transmit these groveling and deficient
tendencies to their children, influencing and injuring them unto the third and
fourth generation, in a perfectly natural manner.
The Apostle points out to us that this is the secret of the extreme
degradation that we see about us in various parts of the world today. There
was a start to all this degradation. Of course the original start to
degradation and sin was in the disobedience of father Adam, and in the death-sentence
upon him. But in proportion as people since have disregarded the Lord’s will
and arrangement and laws, so far as they knew them, in the same proportion have
they injured and degraded themselves and their posterity. The Apostle’s words
are, “When they knew God they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful;
but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened.
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools and changed the glory of
the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds,
and to four-footed beasts and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up
to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own
bodies between themselves: who changed the truth of God into a lie, and
worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator.”-Rom. 1:21-31.
It has been suggested that the original of vs. 6 might be rendered a
thousand generations, and that this would imply a continuation of present
conditions of imperfection and need for divine mercy for a period of at least
20,000 years, instead of one thousand-the Millennium. We disagree with such an
interpretation entirely, suggesting that in a very proper sense of the word
every child is generated, and hence might not improperly be spoken of as
a generation. This is in accord with the translation given in the common
version which we approve.
The command to the Israelite that he should not take God’s name in vain,
did not signify that he should not name the name of the Lord, yet going to an
extreme in the matter the Israelites avoided the covenant name of
God,-Jehovah. The expression, “in vain,” evidently signified lightly,
frivolously or in any other than a sacred or reverential manner. No such
command is needed by the “new creature in Christ.” How could he willingly or
intentionally speak lightly or irreverently of his Heavenly Father, after being
begotten of the holy spirit? To have a will to speak otherwise than reverently
would be sure indication that he had not been begotten of the holy spirit;-that
he was a bastard and not a son. However there is a sense in which we may well
take a lesson from this command to Israel, a sense in which it is applicable to
spiritual as well as natural Israel. As a people Israel had taken God’s
name,-they had professed themselves to be God’s people, under his guidance and
leadership; it was their duty to see to it that this should not be a vain,
empty, or meaningless covenant, or agreement; that it should be carried out to
the full. So with us spiritual Israelities, we have entered into a covenant
with God; we have named the name of the Lord upon us, calling ourselves his
people, claiming him as our Father, and confessing Jesus as our Redeemer. It
is proper for us to remember that this solemn profession or obligation or
covenant is not a vain, frivolous matter; that it should be entered into with
solemnity, and with full appreciation of its importance and of our
responsibilities under it. The Lord will not hold us guiltless, if, having
taken his name upon us and receiving his benediction as his children, we then
either sin willfully or in any degree reflect dishonor upon him whose name we
bear.
“REMEMBER THE SABBATH DAY.”
The fourth commandment designates the seventh day of the week for
rest, not only for the head of the family but for every member of it, including
servants and cattle and visitors. It was made the duty of the head of the
family to see to it that this divine command was carried out in his home, for
the blessing of himself as well as for the comfort and good of those under his
care. The new law, Love, the basis of the New Covenant into which we spiritual
Israelites, as the “house of sons,” have entered, has no command respecting the
seventh day of the week, nor indeed respecting any day. If it was good that
the Israelites should rest, would it not be good also that we should rest one
day in the seven? Yes, surely; on general principles it is advisable that all
men observe such a rule of physical rest from toil one day in seven. Is there
any reason why we should object to the seventh day of the week for such a
rest? None whatever so far as the Christian is concerned.
Being left without a specific law on the subject, he is at liberty to make
such arrangements for his rest as will be most profitable to him under the
general law of Love. Being without a specific law on the subject Christian
people, desiring to have one day of seven for worship, gradually fixed upon the
first day of the week as being the one which to them would have the largest
meaning, because of its being the Memorial of the Lord’s resurrection, and
hence, the Memorial of the Christian’s joy and faith and hope with respect to
the eternal life promised through our Redeemer. Do you consider the choice of
the first day of the week a good one? We certainly are glad that throughout
the civilized lands the first day of the week is so observed; we are glad, too,
that it is not observed according to the Jewish law, merely as a day of
physical rest, but rather that it is much used by Christians as a day of
fellowship of spirit and growth in grace, knowledge and love.
But why did the Lord not put in the law of the New Covenant some mention
respecting some day of the week, first, seventh or some other day? We answer
because the entire law is a “Law of Liberty,” -designed to test by its liberty
those to whom it is given. It leaves each one unfettered that he may the more
abundantly show the kind and extent of his devotion to the Lord. Instead of demanding one day of the seven the Law of Love
really controls, regulates our entire time; seven days in the week we are to
love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength; and seven
days of the week we are to love our neighbor as ourselves; and seven days in
the week we are to rest also-rest from our own works-rest by faith in the
finished work of Christ-rest in the love of God-rest in the peace of God which
passeth all understanding, ruling in our hearts continually. The
seventh day commanded to the Jew as his rest day, while it was beneficial to
him, was also typical: it typified the Christians’ rest of faith, this heart
relationship to the Lord, in which, as children of God, all such may continually
rejoice-every day and every night. So the Apostle explains the matter (Heb.
4:4-11), declaring further that there is a still larger rest remaining; namely,
the eternal life condition to be entered into on the great seventh day,-the
Millennial age.
Some have suggested that in the expression “Remember the Sabbath day to
keep it holy” the word remember implies that the Sabbath day had been
previously instituted and commanded; and that this was merely a reminder of
it. From this we dissent. There was no law given previous to Israel’s arrival
at Sinai; there was no mention of the keeping of a Sabbath previous to Israel’s
arrival at the wilderness of Sin of which Mt. Sinai is the center. It was
instituted in connection with the giving of the manna. (Exod. 16:23.) We are
not to read into the Lord’s Word what is not there. The words of the text
signify that Israel should be careful continually to remember this injunction
put upon them, respecting the seventh day, and that thenceforth it should be kept
holy, sacred, free from work, as unto the Lord. All this is implied further in
the declaration of the 11th verse respecting God’s having rested on the seventh
day; and the explanation is that similarly, now, in the giving of the law, God
was blessing the seventh day and honoring it as a reminder of the six days of
creation, and the seventh day in which God rested from creative work.
We have heretofore explained why the days of creation should not be
understood as literal days of twenty-four hours each, but as larger days of
seven thousand years each; and this subject we hope to treat still more at
length (D.V.) in Millennial Dawn, Vol. 6. We merely note here,
that the seventh day which God observed was one of these larger days of seven
thousand years; and that it began just after the creation of our first parents
and that since then God has rested from any creative work, and has merely
permitted, as far as earth is concerned, that things already created should
take their course;-many of them a downward course, as in the case of man in his
fall from primeval perfection into sin and death. The Apostle explains that
God is still resting, and waiting for something,-leaving a further work for the
Lord Jesus to do,-the work of redemption and restitution. The redemptive work
he has already accomplished; the restitution work he will begin as soon as the
election of his Church-the “bride,” the “Lamb’s wife” is accomplished.
Meantime God rests, leaving the matter in the hands of him whom he hath
ordained to be “Lord of all,” and to whom he has decreed all things shall be
subject, for the purposes of restitution,-so far as possible. And as God is
thus resting and leaving the matter in the hands of Christ, so all who come to
a knowledge of the truth, to a knowledge of God’s plan, are to rest
similarly,-leaving the case in the hands of our glorious Redeemer and seeking
so far as we may be able, not to direct him, not to do the work for him, but to
co-operate with him in the work which he is now doing in selecting the Church;
and by and by, to co-operate as he has promised we may, in the work of blessing
and restoring all the families of the earth who will hear his voice and become
obedient to his law.