EXPLORE THE TEXT
God’s identity is the basis of our relationship with Him.
1 Then God spoke all these words:
2 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt,
out of the place of slavery.
The Decalogue
Israel was given many laws, commands, and statutes
to stipulate how God expected them to act as His people.
But none of those terms are used here.
Rather, the emphasis is on God personally communicating His will to His redeemed people.
In this way, God would impress on them that they must take Him seriously,
as well as the path of righteousness and peace that He was setting as they learned to enjoy their new freedom.
The Decalogue (literally, “Ten Words”) was foundational to the covenant, as indicated by
(1) its being written by God himself on stone,
(2) the covenant and the Decalogue being equated in Deuteronomy 4:13
(also the phrase “the tablets of the covenant” in Deut. 9:9,11), and
(3) the two “tablets” being placed in the ark, which represented God’s presence (Ex. 25:16)
and was kept in the most holy place (26:33).
Contrary to popular thought, the Ten Words were not spread over two tablets.
As was customary with ancient treaties, the tablets were duplicates,
one representing God’s guarantee of His covenant commitment to Israel,
and the other Israel’s promise to be faithful to God.
Each tablet was inscribed on both sides (32:15-16).
God was speaking directly to the people from Mount Sinai.
why is this prologue for the Decalogue (Ten Words) so important?
Note God’s claim on the people, especially the way He delivered them from slavery in Egypt.
God’s delivering the Israelites from slavery in Egypt was not the end of His concern for their lives.
Having established His authority, He was ready to reveal His expectations for them.