Old Testament - Exodus 20:13-26 - April 22, 2022

 4/22/2022 – Exodus 20:13-26

#6 Thou shalt not kill. Harold B Lee wrote: “One of the most serious of all sins and crimes against the Lord’s plan of salvation is the sin of murder or the destruction of human life. It seems clear that to be guilty of destroying life is the act of ‘rebellion’ against the plan of the Almighty by denying an individual . . . the privilege of a full experience in this earth-school of opportunity. It is in the same category as the rebellion of Satan and his hosts….”

#7 Thou shalt not commit adultery. “Physical intimacy between husband and wife is beautiful and sacred. It is ordained of God for the creation of children and for the expression of love between husband and wife. God has commanded that sexual intimacy be reserved for marriage” (For the Strength of Youth) To keep the law of chastity before and during marriage, prophets have also taught that we are not to share, view, read, or listen to anything that depicts or describes the physical body or sexual conduct in an immoral or pornographic way. We must keep our thoughts, desires, words, and actions pure.

#8 Thou shalt not steal. Again, from the Strength of Youth booklet: “Stealing means taking something that rightfully belongs to someone else.” I think it’s important to look at this from two vantage points: 1) from the person considering stealing, and 2) from the person that is stolen from.  

# 9 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. “Bearing false witness against your neighbor means to give or support an untrue statement about someone else. “Be honest with yourself, others, and God at all times. Being honest means choosing not to lie, steal, cheat, or deceive in any way. . . . Dishonesty harms you and harms others as well. If you lie, steal, shoplift, or cheat, you damage your spirit and your relationships with others. Being honest will enhance your future opportunities and your ability to be guided by the Holy Ghost.” (Strength of Youth booklet)

#10 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, not his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.  From the student manual: “Coveting, in this context, means having a selfish, excessive desire for something that belongs to another person. Coveting can cause feelings of jealousy, envy, pride, and greed. Coveting can lead us to be ungrateful and never satisfied with what we have. We can admire what others have, and we can seek to improve our lives and circumstances, but we must do so with modest, humble desires and honest, appropriate efforts.”

As the Lord had given these 10 commandments to Moses on the mountain, the Israelites had seen and heard and felt the thunderings and lightnings, they had been fearful, but Moses told them to “fear not” (v 20) Instead of fear, Moses taught them to have reverence and awe toward God, and follow these 10 commandments He had given them. And in the final verses (22-26) Moses shares with the Israelites the information the Lord had shared with Moses about how they were to worship Him, and assuring them that if they did these things, then He would come to them and bless them (v24). The important thing for us is to remember that His promise to the ancient Israelites absolutely extends to us in our day.

The Prophet Joseph Smith said: “Happiness is the object and design of our existence; and will be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God. But we cannot keep all the commandments without first knowing them, and we cannot expect to know all, or more than we now know unless we comply with or keep those we have already received…. (Teachings, p 255-56)


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