Deuteronomy 5-6; Psalm 41

Deuteronomy 5
1-21 Repeat of the 10 Commandments

• Made at Horeb
• Not with our ancestors, but with us

1. Have no other gods before me. This seems simple enough, but how often do we make the wrong choice when asked to decide between what we want to do and what God would have us do?
2. Make no idols. So many churches recite the 10 Commandments as a source of authority, yet have sculptured or painted depictions of Christ erected in the front of their "sanctuaries." Are those not idols? As they worship on Sunday morning, how do they distinguish between that man-made image and the God in heaven?
3. Make no wrongful use of the name of the LORD your God. Interesting words in the NRSV here, I think. "Wrongful use" instead of "in vain."
4. Observe the sabbath day. Your slaves must rest as well, too. And that appears here to be the reason for the day: "Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out...therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the sabbath day."
5. Honor your father and mother. The promise: Your days will be long, and it will go well with you.
6. Do not murder.
7. Do not commit adultery.
8. Do not steal.
9. Do not bear false witness
10. Do not covet your neighbor's wife, house, field...or anything that belongs to him. Do not envy the Joneses?

22-33 Moses the Mediator of God's Will

1. Moses speaks of himself in the third person
2. The people were afraid of the majesty of God, so they asked Moses to appear before God on their behalf, since no one else had ever been so close to God and survived.
3. God to Moses: They are right. Send them back to their tents, but you stand here by me, and I will tell you all the commandments.

Deuteronomy 6
1-8 The Great Commandment

• Moses to Israel: Keep these commandments when you enter the land
• Hear, O Israel:
• "The LORD is our God, the LORD alone."
• Love him with all your heart, soul, and might
• Keep these words, recite them to your children constantly, put before yourselves constant reminders

9-25 Caution against Disobedience

• Do not forget God once you have received:
• Fine, large cities you did not build
• Houses filled with goods you did not fill
• Cisterns you did not hew
• Vineyards and olive groves you did not plant
• Once again -- do not follow other gods!
• Do not test God. If you do what's right, it will go well with you
• Tell your children how God provided an escape from slavery and that obedience will result in "our lasting good."

Psalm 41
10 - "O LORD, be gracious to me, and raise me up, that I may repay them."
The gist of this psalm seems to be that David is showing weakness or is sick, and his enemies don't think he'll survive. Yet he knows God will raise him up again, and there's even a hope for revenge.