What is the meaning of Exodus 20:1? And - This small conjunction ties the giving of the Ten Commandments to the rescue and covenant preparation that immediately precede it (Exodus 19:4–25). - It reminds us that God’s moral demands flow straight out of His saving acts, just as Deuteronomy 5:22 notes the unbroken sequence: “These words the LORD spoke to all your assembly… and He added no more”. - In other words, instruction naturally follows redemption; grace leads to guidance. God - The speaker is the Creator Himself, the One who “in the beginning… created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). - Because the divine Lawgiver addresses His people personally (Exodus 6:7), His words carry ultimate authority and covenant intimacy. - Hebrews 12:26 recalls that at Sinai “His voice shook the earth,” underscoring the majesty that backs these commands. spoke - God’s communication was audible and public: “Then the LORD spoke to you out of the fire; you heard the sound of words” (Deuteronomy 4:12). - By speaking, He made His will unmistakably clear to every Israelite (Deuteronomy 5:24), a pattern echoed whenever Scripture is proclaimed (Romans 10:17). - Psalm 29:4 declares, “The voice of the LORD is powerful,” reminding us that His spoken word carries weight no human voice can match. all these words - The phrase highlights completeness; nothing essential is missing. Jesus later affirmed, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). - “Words” stresses concrete, verbal revelation—trustworthy, exact, and enduring, as 2 Timothy 3:16 confirms: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful…” - Because the Ten Commandments form a unified whole, breaking one offends the entire law (James 2:10). summary Exodus 20:1 anchors the Ten Commandments in a vivid scene: the God who saved Israel now speaks directly, authoritatively, and completely. “And” links law to grace, “God” identifies the sovereign source, “spoke” underscores audible revelation, and “all these words” affirms the total reliability of every command that follows. |
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