“So be careful to do what the LORD your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. Walk in obedience to all that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.” (Deuteronomy 5:32-33)
In approximately 1400 BC, Moses climbed to the top of Mount Sinai to seek the face of Almighty God. This is the story where God appears to Moses as a burning bush. During the 40 days and nights that Moses was atop the mountain God spoke forth His commandments and then forged them onto two stone tablets with His own finger. Now the Israelites were known by God to be a stiff-necked people who were impatient, stubborn and impulsive. Like most of us, they decided not to wait for Moses to return from Mount Sinai. They had Aaron collect all the gold in the camp and form for them a golden calf to worship.
How does this relate to us today? The Ten Commandments are no longer required yet still stand as God’s standard for living. As modern day believers should we adhere to them or not? When Christ died on the cross there was a thunder clap, a crisp crack of lightning which crossed the darkened sky and the veil in the Temple which separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies was torn in two from top to bottom. That action is symbolic of open access to God. We do not have to live by the Ten Commandments any longer; however, as we grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ do we not live them out simply by striving to be like our Lord? I believe we do. It is a subconscious event, something that we just begin to do as a result of surrendering our lives to God. Being a Christian isn’t following a list of do’s & don’ts, but rather allowing the Holy Spirit of God slowly mold you and change you within until you begin to live more and more like Jesus.
What the Lord said through Moses all those years ago holds true for us today. Follow God’s instructions, don’t veer off course, walk in obedience and He will see to it that you live and prosper in the land you possess. Prosperity doesn’t always mean wealth. As your soul prospers so shall you prosper (3 John 1:2). Like time, money is inconsequential to God. Our needs shall be met. Our job is to keep our eyes on the prize and that prize is heaven. Live for God, follow His commands as spelled out by Jesus in the New Testament and you will invariably live out the Ten Commandments and be pleasing in God’s sight.
WALK WITH THE KING TODAY AND BE A BLESSING!
NOTE: “The fifth book of the Bible, the book of Deuteronomy consists … of the discourses which Moses is represented as having delivered, immediately before his death … for the purpose of teaching the Israelites the laws which they were to obey, and the spirit in which they were to obey them, when they should be settled in the Promised Land.” [www.jewishencyclopedia.com]
