Exodus 20:22-2622And the Lord said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. 23Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold. 24An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee. 25And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it. 26Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon. (Exodus 20:22‑26)
JUST TEN commandments or rules did God give the people for them to keep and not to break, though He knew beforehand they would break everyone of them. Every commandment was a good one, for “the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.” Rom. 7:1212Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. (Romans 7:12). In the Book of the counsels of God in that past eternity, it was written of the Lord Jesus, “I delight to do Thy will, O My God: yea, Thy law is within My heart.” Psa. 40:88I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. (Psalm 40:8). When He came to earth He perfectly kept that holy law; He magnified it, and glade it honorable (Isa. 42:2121The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law, and make it honorable. (Isaiah 42:21)).
But the hearts of the people were bad, and so they never kept them. Our hearts are the same today if put to the test.
“Thou shalt have no other gods bore Me,” was the first rule. And why should they turn to any other person or thing, from the One who loved them, pitied them, and with a mighty hand had delivered them from Egypt and Pharaoh’s power, and was going to bring them into that wonderful land of Canaan? Why should we turn away from the God who loved us and sent His dear Son into this world to be our Saviour, to deliver us from our sins and Satan’s power, and bring us home to heaven?
The third commandment, v. 7, forbade swearing. Does God take notice of all swearing being done today? He surely does. He will not hold him guiltless who uses His name in that way.
The fifth commandment, v. 12, is another that we are sure God would have us to attend to more than we do. ‘Honor thy father and thy mother.” It is sad to see so many children, and alder ones too, disobeying their pants. God sees that too; nothing escapes His eye. Dear young reader, do you honor your parents?
At the end of the chapter God gives directions concerning worship. He does not leave it to man’s thoughts or arrangements. First, He must be approached only through sacrifices and those sacrifices must be such as spoke of the excellencies of Christ, for God will ever have His own beloved Son before Him. He warns them against making gods of silver and gold, but directs them to make Him an altar of ground for burnt offerings and peace offerings.
Then He tells them “in all places where I record My name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee What grace on His part!
Then if the altar be of stone, it must not be of hewn stone, as their work would only mar and profane it. “For if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.” v. 25. Nothing of man is acceptable to God in worship.
“Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.” To go up by steps to God’s altar would be for man to exalt himself, whereas, his true place is in all humility before the Lord. Men would like to go up to meet God, but God said, “I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.”
Grace covers the believer through the work of Christ with a robe of righteousness. Furthermore, God has lifted us up, but to lift ourselves up would be only pride, which God hates. Thus, in our worship, everything must be according to God.
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