Well, it wasn't quite like that. Mel Brooks needs to get his hearing checked. God said to Moses, "I will give thee tablets of stone," NOT "I will give three tablets of stone." Here's the Bible's first mention of the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments:
"The LORD said to Moses, 'Come up to me on the mountain and stay here, and I will give you the tablets of stone with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction.'
Then Moses set out with Joshua his aide, and Moses went up on the mountain of God." Exodus 24:12-13 (TNIV).
What do the Ten Commandments command us to do? Here's what they say:
- "I am the Lord your God, ... You shall have no other gods before me."
- "You shall not make for yourself an idol ... You shall not bow down to them or worship them;"
- "You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God,"
- "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but [on] the seventh day ... you shall not do any work,"
- "Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord commanded you ..."
- "You shall not murder."
- "You shall not commit adultery."
- "You shall not steal."
- "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor."
- "You shall not covet ... anything that belongs to your neighbor."
The last five commandments (the second tablet) deal with our relationships with each other. These commandments are summed up by Leviticus 19:18, which teaches that you should "Love your neighbor as yourself." "Who is my neighbor," you may ask? Jesus answered that question in Luke 10:25-37. You can read it (or listen to it) here: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2010:25-37&version=TNIV
What impact have the Ten Commandments had on our culture? It's no overstatement to say that the Ten Commandments are a vital building block of morality and the rule of law in western society. Don't believe me? Look who is sitting at the center of the eastern pediment of the US Supreme Court Building in Washington, D.C.:
Yes, that's Moses with the two tablets of stone. You will also find Moses and the Ten Commandments depicted within the building's beautiful courtroom. I'm a big fan of the Court. You can find its website at: http://www.supremecourt.gov/Default.aspx This week they are hearing oral arguments in a little case about some health care law ;-) Some day I'll have a case there. I'm admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court just in case that ever happens!
Here are our Sunday school class nominees for Best Commandment:
Wes, our winner last week, picked No. 10 -- Thou shalt not covet. It's good that he picked that one ... He can practice it, because he didn't win.
Jake chose No. 5 -- Honor your father and mother. (His folks must be so proud!)
Paige selected the first commandment -- Thou shalt have no other gods before me. If God put it first, how can you argue with that?
Laura Jane chose the 6th Commandment -- Thou shalt not murder. Killer choice, if you ask me.
Angela got creative and went beyond the two stone tablets to the 22nd Chapter of Matthew, where Jesus says that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord with all your heart, all your soul and all your mind.
And the winner of the Wesley Award for Best Commandment, chosen through our scientific polling of Rolling Hills Youth, is the 4th Commandment -- Remember the Sabbath, and keep it holy! Congrats to Nick, who picked our winner.
Next week, we will be picking our favorite miracle from the Old Testament. Check us out on April 1 to see the winner!
P.S.: For a unique and light-hearted look at the Ten Commandments, check out this article, in which Lindsay, a reader of this blog, translates the Ten Commandments into text-talk:
http://www.landlinephoneservice.net/blog/2012/the-ten-commandments-translated-to-text-talk/
Just remember the 11th Commandment: THOU SHALT NOT TEXT WHILE DRIVING!
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