72_The true meaning of Sabbath Ex 20:8-11 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. A traveler once came across a woodcutter cutting down a massive tree. The woodcutter was drenched in sweat, his face etched with exhaustion. His axe blade was no longer as sharp as it had been. The traveler paused and asked, “Why don’t you stop for a few minutes and sharpen your saw?” The woodcutter replied, “I can’t stop! I’m too busy cutting this tree!” The traveler shook his head and walked on, marveling at the irony. The woodcutter was so afraid to rest that he sacrificed his own wellbeing and compromised his ability to complete his task. This story reminds us of how often we neglect the importance of renewal through rest. The concept of Sabbath, instituted by God, is not just about ceasing work, but about living to His divine rhythm—a rhythm that brings us into line with his true purpose. The Sabbath first appears in Genesis 2 when God rested, having completed his work. This does not imply fatigue, for God neither slumbers nor sleeps. Instead, His rest signifies the satisfaction of a perfectly completed work. God ceased from His creative activity, not because He was weary, but because nothing more needed to be done. Creation was complete, flawless, and reflective of His divine intent. The Sabbath, therefore, is a symbol of accomplished perfection and abundant provision. The second mention of the Sabbath is found in Exodus 16, along with the appearance of manna. God commanded the people to gather double their daily portion on the sixth day so that they could eat it on the seventh day without having to work for it. The Sabbath was their day of rest, when they ceased all work. “On the seventh day, you will not find it in the field,” God declared. The Sabbath was not merely a day off work. It was an invitation to trust in God’s provision and enter His rest. It was a call to cease striving and affirm that in Him lay their true sustenance. In Exodus 20, the fourth commandment proclaims the necessity of the Sabbath: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” The Sabbath was to be set apart as a day distinct from the other six. Six days were allotted for work—specifically, “your work,” emphasizing personal labor and effort for their survival, enjoyment, and profit. But on the seventh day, the people were to rest, remembering that all they had and did was from the Lord’s bounty. The holiness of the Sabbath comes

71_Taking the Lord’s name in vain Ex 20:7 “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.” Words cannot capture the majesty of the view when one is standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon, gazing into its breathtaking expanse. Yet how easily we can trivialize one of nature’s most awe-inspiring wonders by snapping a photo and moving on, with a casual remark. This is a faint reflection of how we often treat the name of the Lord indifferently—a name more majestic, holy, and awe-inspiring than any earthly wonder. Many interpret this command simply as a prohibition against using God’s name as a swear word. While true, this command goes far deeper, addressing the heart of how we treat the revelation of God’s character and presence. Throughout Scripture, God reveals Himself through His name. After healing the bitter waters of Marah, He declares Himself as Jehovah-Rapha, the Lord our Healer. Following Israel’s victory over the Amalekites, Moses calls him Jehovah-Nissi, the Lord our Banner. To Moses, the Lord proclaims, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” (Exodus 34:6). His name is Holy (Isaiah 57:15), Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). And in Jesus Christ, he revealed himself in all his fulness: “You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21). He is “King of kings and Lord of lords.” (Revelation 19:16). Psalm 79:9 pleads, “Deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name’s sake!”—a reminder that God’s actions are consistent with His name, flowing from His unchanging nature. To take His name in vain is not merely about speech. It is an empty appeal to a God that the speaker does not acknowledge as worthy of reverence, trust, and obedience. When our lives contradict the character of the God we profess to serve, we take his name in vain. The Israelites boasted of the temple of the Lord in their midst. Yet they ignored His commands to practice righteousness, by living with mercy and justice towards men, and humility before God. We also use his name in vain when we call Him Jehovah-Jireh yet doubt his provision and live in constant anxiety. We blaspheme his name when we declare him to be the Holy One, yet defer to human approval more than to the will of God. Psalm 111:9 reminds us, “Holy and awesome is his name,” yet our actions betray this acknowledgment all too often. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees in Matthew 15:8–9, quoting Isaiah: “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” The two key failures of the Pharisees were their tendency to offer prayers and praises to God, though their hearts were devoid of love, reverence, and devotion to him. Second, when we replace God’s truth with human traditions, even our religious acts become

70_No other gods Ex 20: 1-3 And God spoke all these words, saying, 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 3 “You shall have no other gods before me. William Temple, a pious servant of God, once said, “Worship is the submission of all of our nature to God. It is the quickening of the conscience by His holiness; the nourishment of the mind with His truth; the purifying of imagination by His beauty; the opening of the heart to His love; the surrender of will to His purpose—all this gathered up in adoration, the most selfless emotion of which our nature is capable.” These words capture the essence of what God desires in our relationship with Him. Yet, as we look at the first commandment, “You shall have no other gods before me,” we realize how often our lives fall short of this calling. God had just delivered His people from slavery in Egypt. Exodus 20:1-2 declares, “And God spoke all these words, saying, ‘I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.’” Before giving the law, God reminded them of His faithfulness, deliverance, and power. Their obedience was not a means of earning His favor but simply the response of faith to their redeeming God. He had demonstrated himself to be worthy of their worship, loyalty, and trust. God is omniscient. This sets Him apart as the only one worthy of our worship. Scripture reveals that He knows all things: “God is greater than our heart, and He knows everything.” (1 John 3:20). Nothing escapes His knowledge. He knows our words before we think them (Psalm 139:4) and knew us before we were formed (Psalm 139:15-16). Such knowledge calls us to stand in awe of his constant presence and complete knowledge. God is omnipresent. There is no place without Him. David asks, in Psalm 139:7-10: “Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!” We can never be hidden from His care, but neither are our sins hidden from his sight. God is omnipotent. He directs all things and does all that he wants to do. Job humbly acknowledged this, “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” (Job 42:2). From creation to redemption, God’s unmatched power is on display. Revelation 19:6 declares, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty reigns.” The God of such limitless power and sovereignty deserves to reign over us. Even as we affirm these truths, we fail to live by them. The law of God reveals our sinful and rebellious nature, which refuses to submit to God’s good will. Paul writes in Romans 3:20, “Through the law comes the knowledge of sin.” The vague awareness of our shortcomings intensifies and condenses when faced with the clarity and breadth of God’s law. It