Today’s reading takes place only three months after God delivered His people from Egyptian slavery. The Lord spoke to Moses concerning the ways he was to lead Israel into their next season of life as God’s chosen and set-apart people. They were to worship God through holy lives that honored Him alone as God.
Why were the Ten Commandments necessary for God’s people? How do these commands show us our need for a Savior?
God reminded the Israelites of who He is and all He accomplished to free them from Egypt, drawing them away from slavery and into a place where they could freely worship Him as God. He instructed them to carefully listen to His commands, keep His covenant, and be His own special people. He decreed the Ten Commandments, explaining the lifestyle that would extend honor not only to Himself, but also to their neighbors. He explained how they were to revere Him as God and to love one another in all they said and did.
The external threat of slavery was not the only obstacle stopping the Israelites from freely worshiping God; they had to combat their internal inclinations to sin against Him and one another. God took great care to deliver His law to the Israelites in a way that evoked awe and reverence toward Himself. He presented these statutes to show His people how they were to be set apart or live differently from other people who didn’t follow Him. However, because of their sinful nature, the people could never achieve perfect obedience. So to fulfill His perfect law, God would send Jesus to do what sinners couldn’t—live in perfect obedience. Jesus offered Himself up for the forgiveness of sins, and defeated the power of sin so we could be made right before the Father through faith in His Son.
The giving of the law was never the end goal; it was always God’s plan to redeem a people for Himself through the death and resurrection of His Son. Help kids see that although they cannot measure up to the law’s requirements, our hope rests in Christ alone. Lead them to see God’s greatness and what He has done to offer them salvation.
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