10 Commandments - Relationship with God - Exodus 20
On September 17, 1787, delegates gathered in Philadelphia and signed one of the most influential documents in American history: the U.S. Constitution. It began with three famous words: “We the people.”
That document was written to establish authority, create order, and define how a nation would live.
Thousands of years earlier, another “constitution” was given—not in a statehouse, but on top of Mount Sinai. There, God gave Israel the Ten Commandments. These weren’t merely rules carved into stone. They were God’s blueprint for human flourishing and the answer to a foundational question:
Who has the final authority?
In Exodus 20, God makes His answer unmistakably clear:
“I am the Lord your God.”
The buck stops with Him.
The Mountain of Authority
Before God speaks the Ten Commandments, Exodus 19 paints a dramatic scene: thunder, lightning, smoke, fire, a trumpet blast, and a trembling mountain. Israel stands at the foot of Sinai while Moses ascends to meet God.
This wasn’t divine theatrics. God was revealing His holiness and power.
God is not casual about His holiness.
The people were told to consecrate themselves and not approach the mountain carelessly. Obedience mattered.
God is the ultimate authority.
The thunder and fire signified His presence and power. Everything in creation responds to His command.
God’s authority is paired with grace.
Even after repeated warnings, God tells Moses to warn the people one more time. His holiness is real, but so is His mercy.
By the time Exodus 20 begins, Israel understands something essential: the God speaking to them is not a tribal deity among many. He is the living God who rules over all.
Why the Ten Commandments Still Matter
The “ten words” are often treated as ancient rules, but Scripture presents them as deeply relevant for every generation. Here are five reasons they matter today.
1. They reveal God’s character
Each commandment reflects who God is. If we are made in His image, then these commands show us the kind of people we are meant to become.
The issue isn’t simply whether the Ten Commandments are displayed on a wall. The real question is whether they are written on our hearts.
2. They protect human dignity
The commandments restrain exploitation, violence, dishonesty, and selfishness. They call us to honor both God and neighbor, creating a community where people are treated as image-bearers rather than tools for personal gain.
3. They show what pleases God
God is not vague about the kind of life He desires from His people. The commandments reveal His moral will and invite us into a life aligned with His goodness.
4. They offer a glimpse of shalom
Shalom is more than peace; it is wholeness, harmony, and flourishing. While we won’t experience it fully until God’s kingdom is complete, obedience to God’s ways gives us a foretaste of that coming reality.
5. They expose our need for grace
The law is like a mirror. It shows us our sin and our inability to save ourselves. As Galatians 3:24 teaches, the law points us to our need for Christ.
If reading the commandments leaves us feeling self-righteous, we’ve missed their purpose. They are meant to drive us toward humility and dependence on God.
“I Am the Lord Your God”
Exodus 20:2 begins with a declaration before any command is given:
“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery.”
God is not merely stating His title. He is asserting His authority and reminding Israel of His rescue.
Pharaoh is not the final authority.
Egypt is not the final authority.
Empire is not the final authority.
Moses is not the final authority.
God is the final authority.
The commandments flow from relationship. God first delivers His people, then He teaches them how to live as His people.
The First Commandment
God’s first command is foundational:
“Do not have other gods besides me.”
Positively stated, it means:
“I shall be your God.”
This command confronts both atheism and polytheism. It rejects the idea that there is no God and the idea that we can divide our allegiance among many gods.
Modern idols may not look like ancient statues, but they are just as real:
self-reliance
technology
political identity
money
career success
comfort and pleasure
Anything we treat as the ultimate source of truth, security, or meaning becomes a rival god.
A Jealous God?
The sermon made an important distinction about God’s jealousy. Human jealousy is often rooted in envy or insecurity. God’s jealousy is different.
He is not jealous of us. He is jealous for us.
Jealous of us would mean wanting something that belongs to someone else.
Jealous for us means protecting what already belongs to Him.
God knows that idols cannot satisfy us. They promise life but deliver slavery. His command is not controlling; it is protective and loving.
Who Is Your Final Authority?
The sermon ended with a searching question:
Who is your final authority?
The easy answer is “God.” The honest answer requires deeper reflection.
When you face uncertainty, where do you go first? What voice shapes your decisions most strongly? What do you trust to define your identity and future?
For some, the final authority is self: “I’ll decide what’s right for me.”
For others, it may be technology, politics, financial security, or career ambition.
The Shema in Deuteronomy 6:4–5 captures the heart of the first commandment:
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.”
To have no other gods before Him is to give God our ultimate allegiance, trust, and love.
A Practical Invitation
Take a few moments to reflect:
What has become your functional “god” in this season?
Where are you leaning on your own understanding instead of trusting God?
What would it look like for the buck to stop with God in your decisions, relationships, and priorities?
Confession is not condemnation. It is the doorway back to freedom. The God who gave the commandments is the same God who delivers people from slavery.
Conclusion
The Ten Commandments begin not with a rule, but with a revelation: “I am the Lord your God.” Before God asks for obedience, He reminds us who He is—the holy, powerful, rescuing God who desires to lead His people into life and peace.
The question is not whether we will have a final authority. Everyone does. The question is whether that authority will be something fragile and temporary, or the God who alone can lead us into true shalom.
Let the buck stop with Him.
