TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
Exodus 19:16-21:21
Matthew 23:13-39
Psalm 28:1-9
Proverbs 7:1-5
Exodus 20 — We saw the preamble to the Covenant with the Israelites yesterday; today we see the Ten Commandments! AlMohler.com reports “According to data from the Barna Research Group, 60 percent of Americans can’t name even five of the Ten Commandments. ‘No wonder people break the Ten Commandments all the time. They don’t know what they are,’ said George Barna.”
I’ve taught Sunday School at various churches, and sometimes I will ask the class to show with their fingers which commandment is “Thou Shalt Not Kill.” Sadly, very few in our Bible-preaching churches are fluent in the Old Testament Law. While many dismiss the Old Testament as irrelevant, we saw that Jesus directed the rich young man who wanted salvation right back to the Law! Ray Comfort regularly takes people back to the Law to show that they are sinners in need of a Savior.
So how can you learn the Ten Commandments? You can learn all 10 with your fingers!
Exodus 21 — Welcome to the “statute law” of the Bible. After we finished reading thru the 10 Commandments, we are starting into the detailed laws, known as the 613 Commandments. Some liberals say this is a cheap knockoff of Hammurabi’s Code. Many of the 613 Commandments deal with the uncomfortable topic of slavery but not as we are familiar with it being practiced:
- Exodus 21:2 — Slavery is time limited, not perpetual.
- Exodus 21:10 — Women have guaranteed rights, unlike under Hammurabi’s Code (146 & 147)
- Exodus 21:16 — Enslaving someone is punished with death (Read about Missionary David Livingstone’s efforts to stop the slave trade).
For more information on this passage check out Bodie Hodge’s chapter “Doesn’t the Bible Support Slavery?” from Answers in Genesis.
Matthew 23 — Hypocrisy is used 8 times in this chapter. If you have friends who don’t go to church because of the hypocrites, ask them if they ever heard what Jesus said about hypocrites!
Psalm 28:2 — Is your first call to the stockbroker? The therapist? Your friends on Snapchat? Or is your first call in time of trouble to the Lord?
Proverbs 7:4-5 — Which woman do you spend time with? Wisdom or the Strange Woman?
Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.
