Where to Find God
I am the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, the house of bondage. Exodus 20:2 JPS
I am – Before we can look into this verse and this word (anoki), we have to step backward, to the first verse in the twentieth chapter. Why? Because there is something unusual about the first verse that sets the stage of this second verse. The first verse says, “Then God spoke all these words, saying.” What we don’t see in English is the connection between “spoke” and “words.” Both are from the Hebrew consonants D-B-R. Literally this says, “Then Elohiym spoke all the speakings.” Why is this important to notice? Because what God speaks is not simply the compilation of intelligent principles or the genius of creative insights. God speaks who He is. The words He speaks are an expression of His very being. The following Ten Words (the Ten Commandments) are not just good rules for proper behavior. They are the essence of what it means to be godly because they come from the character of God.
There is one other notable fact about this first verse. It is the only verse in the Tanakh that uses the verb dabar without specifying the indirect object of the verb. In other words, this verse does not tell us to whom these words were addressed. Sarna says, “The lack of specification satisfies an inherent complexity. On the one hand, it is ‘all the people’ as a corporate entity . . . on the other hand, each member of the community is addressed individually, . . .”[1]
Now let’s add this to an examination of Exodus 20:2. Because the commands are addressed to one and to all, they do not discriminate between any particular group within Israel. Furthermore, the use of anoki (“I am”) mimics ancient middle-eastern royal language, identifying the words as the divine decree over all who hear them. This royal formula “underlines the unimpeachable sovereign authority behind the ensuing pronouncements but it also emphasizes that the demands of the Decalogue have their source and sanction in divine will, not in human wisdom. Hence they remain eternally valid and unaffected by temporal considerations.”[2]
You might want to read that last sentence again, especially on your way to a Sunday service. According to the language of the Bible, God’s eternal will is expressed in these commandments. They can never be set aside or altered due to human circumstances or human progress. They are not just rules. They are what it means for God to manifest Himself in the world.
Where do we find God? Where is the Master of the Universe, the King of all kings? Right here – in these commands. Doing them draws us near. Changing them leaves us holding hands with Havvah in front of the Tree.
Topical Index: I am, anoki, dabar, commandments, Exodus 20:2
[1] Naham Sarna, The JPS Torah Commentary: Exodus, p. 109.
[2] Ibid.
Boker tov!!
Ten utterings in Genesis One, Ten utterings in Exodus 20. Why ten in each one??Quite interesting!!!
Something I noticed, in psalm 18 the man says 6 things and string in vs. 7 God responds with 10 things, leading to deliverance.
He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.
The same with the 10 plagues, 10 seems to be asociated with deliverance.
Here’s another striking use of the number 10 (which, btw, also has to do with confidence in God). The father (Abraham) sends the helper (Eliezer – “El is my ezer) to find a bride for his son (Isaac). Eliezer takes 10 camels. Rebecca comes to meet Eliezer at the well, draws water for him and all 10 camels, then invites him to stay. Then they return to Abraham and Isaac and the bride is riding on the 10 camels (figuratively speaking – of course she can physically only ride one at a time).
If Abraham represents the father YHVH, and Isaac represents His son (Yeshua), and Eliezer represents the Ruach HaKodesh (the Holy Spirit), then who is the bride? The one who responds to the call of the Spirit and returns to the Father and the Son on all 10 Commandments (the camels).
Why did Eliezer have confidence in God that He would answer his prayer? It has to do with the number 10. If we are keeping all 10, then we will be confident that God will keep his promises to us and bless us. If we’re only keeping 9, or 8, or we add a few more of our own, maybe not so confident…(I’m not speaking of salvation, but of blessing in terms of provision and answers to prayer).
Hi Rodney
I don’t know if you are familiar with the dvd series of Brad Scott of Wildbranch Ministries on The Camels and the Well. I am busy with a series of 5 paintings based on this theme. It is also about the paradigm of the bride and Rivqah being the model of the Bride. The bride surviving the wilderness while being served by the 10 camels. But most of the time, we would rather run barefoot, next to the camels, thinking we can do this journey by ourselves, knowing of the dangers you can step into, but taking your chances anyway!
Hi Luzette. Yes, I am familiar with Brad Scott’s teaching on this (although I haven’t seen the DVD’s). Monte Judah has also done some excellent teaching on it in his weekly Torah portions. I’d love to see the paintings when they’re done. Perhaps you could take some photos and pass them to Skip to post on the blog? (Just a suggestion). Shalom.
Hi Luzette,
Something to make you giggle as you paint Rivqah “dismounting” her camel. The text literally reads she “fell off” her camel.
Hi Pam
Was this when she saw Yitz’chak? Terrible what influence the (right) man can have on a woman!
For that matter, you might ask yourself what Yitz’chak was doing in the field. The word is a hapax legomenon, but has some interesting implications. Maybe that’s what caused her to “fall off”.
Simple Logic: Since the 10 Commandments are actually the 10 Words; since Yeshua is the Word; since the Word is GOD, then the 10 Commandments is the essence of what it means for men and women to reflect the image of GOD in everyday life. Now we know the 10 answers for cultures’ question – WWJD? Now we can stop asking the question and start living the answers.
PS: Since we now know the answer to WWJD, does that mean the trinket people will be manufacturing t-shirts, bracelets, and other stuff with the 10 Words? I mean since we now have solved the mystery and taken the guess work out of the equation, don’t we have an obligation to publish the solution? Just saying…
I wish there was a “like” button like facebook… 🙂
Better get busy Roderick, sounds like a money maker!
Between the 10 utterings in Genesis One and the 10 utterings in Exodus 20 we can find Adam and Eve’s Fall and the Flood. Does this 10 commandments means that “something” lost is renew it??
Does this mean that the communion lost in Eden was renew it at Sinai??
It is worth noting that the cherubim play a role in both the account of the Garden and the giving of the Torah. SInce these angelic beings rarely appear in Scripture, you might consider what they are doing in each of these accounts. I suggest that the answer will lead you to a connection between Torah and the Garden.
“Doing them draws us near”
Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.James 4:8
This verse makes more sense in light of understanding the rightful place of the Law in our lives as believers.
Just one of the reasons I like this site; ya just never know where the conversation is gonna go!
😀
Names or numbers? The name “I AM.” Christ identified Himself several times throughout the scriptures as “I AM.” “Before Abraham was, I AM” (John 8.58)
This is part of the story of Moses. “Then Moses said to G-d, “Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The G-d of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?” (Exodus 3.13) G-d replied to Moses, “I Am Who I Am. Say this to the people of Israel: I Am has sent me to you.” (3.14) This is no small potatoes here, G-d has just revealed His name unto Moses. (and unto us!) “I AM!”
I love this story found in John chapter 18. Yeshua, who knew everything that was going to happen to Him, went out and asked them, “Whom do you want?” “Yeshua from Natzeret,” they answered. He said to them, “I AM.” Also standing with them was Y’hudah, the one who was betraying Him. When He said, “I AM,” they went back ward from Him and fell to the ground.
I just love it! Did Yeshua, the son of man, “slip up?” Did He say- “oops?” lol! No, He never makes any mistakes, but rather I believe this was just another “glimpse of glory,” another illustration for us to know this is the chosen ONE who came to redeem, renew, refresh and restore us.
Yeshua said, “I AM.” My confession?- He is! Amein!
if God’s eternal will is Expressed In These commandments.
So why Sunday and not Saturday if this is your eternal will? Exo 20.8
I am waiting for your answer
Why Sunday? The Catholic Church and one pope in particular, with the help of Constantine, changed the day from Shabbat to Sunday. Who were they to suggest God’s word no longer applied? NO! It is Sabbath, not Sunday. Do you want to worship on Sunday? Great! Do so. And Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. But God’s day is Shabbat, not Sunday. Do some research on the institution of making Sunday the Christian day of worship. You might be surprised at what you find. And, by the way, it has nothing to do with the resurrection.
Besides, if sabbath is an appointment (moedim) then God may show up on the other days for other things (and He will), but for the things regarding sabbath, He shows up on sabbath. He’s the one who made the appointment! The question is not whether God will be there, (He’s always on time) only if we’ll choose to show up as well.