Quick Bible Reads

The Ten Commandments: Ancient Words That Still Speak

Scripture: And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God… Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Exodus 20:1-3, KJV

Long before courtrooms and constitutions, a mountain shook under the weight of God’s presence. Smoke rose, thunder rolled, and a man named Moses stood trembling before the Almighty. What he received that day on Mount Sinai wasn’t just a list of rules—it was a divine blueprint for how people could live in right relationship with God and one another. The Ten Commandments, carved into stone by the very hand of God, were given to the Israelites shortly after their escape from slavery in Egypt. They had known oppression and chaos. Now, they were being invited into order and freedom—but freedom with purpose.

The commandments weren’t arbitrary demands. They were deeply relational. The first four focused on honoring God: Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. These instructions set the foundation for a life centered on worship, reverence, and rest. They pointed the people away from idols and distractions and back to their Creator.

The next six commandments addressed how to live with others in community. Honour thy father and thy mother. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. Thou shalt not covet. These commands protected relationships, upheld the value of life and truth, and reminded the people that what goes on in the heart matters just as much as outward actions.

What’s remarkable is that these commandments, given around 1400 BC, still resonate today. They show up in court debates, ethics discussions, and Sunday school rooms around the world. More than that, they press into the conscience. They ask us to consider not just what we do, but why we do it. And while Jesus later summarized the law as loving God and loving others, He didn’t discard the commandments—He fulfilled them and called us to live them from the inside out.

Today, we don’t live under the Old Covenant like ancient Israel, but the wisdom of the Ten Commandments remains. They invite us to slow down, examine our lives, and ask hard but necessary questions: Are we loving God first? Are we treating others with the dignity they deserve? These ancient words still whisper truth in a noisy world, reminding us that God's design for life isn’t about restriction—it’s about freedom rooted in love.