Our Adam Hamilton lesson Sunday focused on the Ten Commandments and Mt. Sinai. Hamilton himself ascended the mountain on which Moses is said to have received the Commandments, etched in stone. Hamilton also paused to pray on Mt. Sinai.
Rev. David Severe explained how many individuals find they must spend time in the wilderness before committing to a spiritual call or other challenging change in their lives. Moses climbed Mt. Sinai many times to visit with God while his followers waited below. At different times over about eleven months, Moses returned with various instructions and mandates from God.
Some language in the Commandments is similar to other laws of the times, such as Hammurabi’s Code. However, the Ten Commandments differ in many respects, including their core allegiance to Yahweh, a single god for the Jews, without an image of that god. In fact, the name if God was not to be uttered or written. Many of the “Thou shall not” laws could be found in other legal codes, along with language as to how breaking those laws was to be punished. But other Commandments, such as honoring one’s parents, are aimed at guiding us in our personal lives and relationships.
Written by: Marie Price
