Exodus 20 Observations
Exodus 20 The giving of the Ten Commandments. The first four have been described as telling how to be in right relation with our Creator. The fifth through tenth commandments have been described as how to be in right relation with our fellow man.
However, notice the order of the Ten commandments. YAH first begins with telling us how to be in right relationship with Him. Then He gives instructions on how to be in right relationship with each other.
But if you turn on a Bible preaching and teaching program today, you will hear a heavy emphasis on self-improvement, which is the word, flesh, spelled backwards without the letter “h” (How to do this… How to do that… How to be this… How to be that… How to… How to… How to…). There is also an abundance of teaching on how to be in right relationship with others. I am not negating the significance of these. YAH gave us instructions about these which highlights their importance. Messiah further illuminated what YAH gave in His law.
We cannot, however, truly live in right relationship with our fellow man without first and foremost being in right relationship with our Creator according to His instructions.
Order Matters
Here are some examples from Scripture that supports this truth. Three of the most prominent books in the Bible support this principle of esteeming right relationship with YAH first.
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning Elohim….
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with Elohim, and the Word was Elohim.
Revelation 1:1 The Revelation of YAHUSHA Messiah…
Do these books begin with man or with our Creator? They all begin with our Creator which I believe is significant.
The order that mankind was made by YAH is another example of this principle. YAH made Adam first and had a relationship with him before He made Eve. Adam was in His presence and YAH was with Him and looked on as Adam named the animals. Additionally, YAH told Adam first how to love him:
Genesis 2:15 And YAHUAH Elohim took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
Genesis 2:16 And YAHUAH Elohim commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
Genesis 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
The world has changed and therefore the emphasis must change if the people of YAH are going to make it. The emphasis must be on having a right relationship with the Creator, first. The emphasis must be on walking uprightly in righteousness in humility before Him.
Psalm 37:11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
It is imperative in these last days that we know our Creator and His ways. Only then can we have true confidence and peace in the chaotic world in which we live where there are wars and rumors of wars; famine and pestilences that are coming upon this planet quicker than the sleeping masses realize.
Mark 13:7 And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet.
Mark 13:8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.
If we live in right relationship with our Creator, then we will crave His Word. As we prayerfully read His instructions (His Word) for ourselves, we will plainly see how to live in right relationship with our fellow man. Our love, reverence and even fear of YAH and the consequences of sin, will keep us on the path of right living (righteousness) according to His instructions.
YAHUAH, our Elohim, does not change. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. But the rules of morality change (righteous never changes however) and are downgraded with each passing generation. Hence, we have the chaotic world that we live in today. This is in part because of what people have been fed in sermon after sermon week after week—an emphasis on mankind while not being discipled in the ways of the mighty, mighty Elohim of creation. His ways are pure and without mixture as laid out in His loving instructions.
The Ten Commandments in Exodus 20 lay out the order of emphasis that YAH desires for His people. Seek to walk uprightly in the eyes of YAH first. Seek Him first. As we aim to please Him in all aspects of living, we will want to know what instructions He has given as to how to be in right relationship with others.
