Through the Bible: Day 70, Exodus

It is vital that we spend time in God’s Word.

But it’s not always easy.

We read a chapter and we don’t know what to get out of it or even how to start to understand it.

I thought I could try to help you get a little something out of what you are reading by providing you with some questions to ask as you look at the text.  Good questions are a good start to understanding. Sometimes there will be more questions, sometimes less.

You can do this!

So, get a notebook, a pen, your Bible, and if you would like some help, take some time to answer the questions, and you may be surprised by all God teaches you.

Exodus 20

1. This is a big chapter. What is this chapter famous for?
2. What promise did God make to Israel back in 19:4-6? How might this chapter connect with what we read there?
3. We call these the ten commandments, but how do they actually begin in verse 2? Is that a command? If it is not a command, what is it? What is God saying there? Why do you think that what you read here might be important for understanding what is going on in the ten commandments?
4. I am trying to help you not make a mistake as we read the ten commandments. Many people think of these as the way Israel got right with God or saved themselves, but they are most definitely not that. We know that because God begins by talking about the way He has saved them, and He has graciously condescended to enter into a relationship with them. So what is going on here with these commands?
5. One of the things Israel was intended to do was point people back to Eden, and in a sense point people forward to the possibility of a new Eden. How does the very first command make sense in light of that?
6. Who was the image of God in the Garden of Eden? How does that help us understand verse 4? What is the reason God gives they should not worship idols? And what does that tell you about the character of God?
7. God says He is a jealous God. What do you think about that? What does it mean? How is it right for God to be jealous? Why can we be thankful God is a jealous God?
8. The name of God in Scripture represents who God is, His complete character. What would it mean to take the name of God in vain? What are some ways people can do this?
9. Why is Israel keeping the Sabbath so important? What are they doing when they rest on the Sabbath? What hint do we get about the purpose of this command in verse 11?
10. Someone has called the ten commandments Israel's bill of rights. But notice whose rights the ten commandments are concerned about. First of all God's. And then others. The writer begins with one's father and mother. What does it mean to honor one's parents and what blessing will they experience as a result?
11. Reflect on these ten commands. What insight does Jesus later give you into them when he speaks about them in the Sermon on the Mount?
12. As the people are looking a the mountain in verse 18 and 19, what do they see and what do they say to Moses?
13. Why is God approaching them this way? Even in this demonstration of his holiness and wrath and power, God is showing grace because he is teaching his people about his character in order to help them obey Him. Think about how God set up His people for success. What are some of the things He has done to help them obey these commands?
14. God has entered into a relationship with Israel, He is speaking with Israel, He is planning to use this nation in a great way, and as you look at verses 22-25, what is God most concerned Israel get right? What does this tell us about the way God views His people's priorities?