22<\/strong>. The Close of the Ten Words and the writing of them.<\/p>\n your assembly<\/em> ] or congregation<\/em>. The Heb. ahal<\/em>, lit. gathering<\/em>, technically used throughout the O.T. for any assembly of the people or its representatives for organised, national action: ( a<\/em>) In the earlier writings it is most usual of the solemn gathering before God of all capable of bearing arms, for consecration to war, Jdg 20:2<\/span>; Jdg 21:5<\/span>; Jdg 21:8 ; 1Sa 17:47<\/span>; similarly in E, Num 22:4<\/span>, where it is used by Balak of Israel ready for war against other nations; while in Ezekiel it is synonymous with army, Eze 17:17<\/span>, Eze 38:4<\/span>; Eze 38:15<\/span>. ( b<\/em>) Also of the people assembled to give their verdict or to execute justice, Jer 26:17<\/span>; Jer 44:15<\/span>; cp. Eze 16:40<\/span>; Pro 5:14<\/span>. ( c<\/em>) Also of the whole organised commonwealth or congregation of Israel, Mic 2:5<\/span>; and in the deuteronomic laws, Deu 23:1-3<\/span>; Deu 23:8<\/span>. But D specially applies the term to the gathering of Israel to the Covenant at oreb, so here (cp. the use of the verb in Deu 4:10<\/span>), the assembly, the day of the a<\/em>. Deu 9:10<\/span>, Deu 10:4<\/span> (Pl.), Deu 18:16<\/span> (Sg.). In the laws Deu 23:1-3<\/span>; Deu 23:8<\/span> (Sg.) it is called the a. of Jehovah<\/em>. To this assembly P, which also uses ahal<\/em>, applies his more favourite term ‘edah<\/em>, congregation of the sons of Israel<\/em>, Exo 35:1<\/span>; Exo 35:4<\/span>; Exo 35:20<\/span> (a term never used in JE or D, but occurring over 100 times in P, which also sometimes combines the two, cp. Pro 5:14<\/span>). Otherwise deuteronomic writers use ahal<\/em> only of peaceful gatherings of the people; to hear the Song of Moses, Deu 31:30<\/span>; to hear the Law read at Shechem, Jos 8:35<\/span>; and for the consecration of the Temple, 1Ki 8:14<\/span>; 1Ki 8:22<\/span>; 1Ki 8:55<\/span> (1Ki 12:3<\/span> is a doubtful instance; LXX omits it). For the post-exilic use of ahal<\/em> and ‘edah<\/em> see the present writer’s Jerusalem<\/em>, i. 380 ff.<\/p>\n fire cloud darkness <\/em> ] See on Deu 4:11<\/span>. Sam. and LXX add darkness<\/em> before cloud<\/em>. The comparison of E, Exo 20:18-21<\/span> is very instructive: thunderings, lightnings, mountain smoking<\/em>.<\/p>\n with a great voice<\/em> ] E, the voice of the trumpet<\/em>.<\/p>\n and he added no more<\/em> ] On this contradiction of E see above, p. 83.<\/p>\n two tables of stone<\/em> ] So Deu 4:13<\/span>; Deu 9:9-11<\/span>; Deu 10:1<\/span>; Deu 10:3<\/span>; the tables of the covenant<\/em>, Deu 9:9<\/span>; Deu 9:11<\/span>; Deu 9:15<\/span>; J, two tables of stone<\/em>, Exo 34:1<\/span>; Exo 34:4<\/span>; E, tables of stone<\/em>, Exo 24:12<\/span>; Exo 31:18<\/span> b<\/em>, P, two tables of the testimony<\/em>, Exo 31:18<\/span> a<\/em>, Exo 32:15<\/span> a<\/em>, Exo 34:29<\/span>. The statement of the writing of the tables is not really an anticipation of Exo 9:9<\/span> ff. and therefore to be deleted as secondary (Steuernagel), but is necessary here for the completion of the record of the Decalogue. See on Exo 9:9<\/span> ff.<\/p>\n He added no more – <\/B>i. e., He spoke no more with the great voice directly to the people, but addressed all other communications to them through Moses. This unique and sublime phenomenon, followed up by the inscription of the Ten Words on the two tables by the finger of God, marks not only the holiness of Gods Law in general, but the special eminence and permanent obligation of the Ten Words themselves as compared with the rest of the Mosaic enactments. The giving of the two tables did not take place until Moses had been on the Mount 40 days and 40 nights, as appears from the fuller account of Deu 9:9-12<\/span>.<\/P> <\/p>\n Deu 5:22<\/span><\/p>\n These words the Lord spake.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n The voice of God<\/strong><\/p>\n God spake. Think of it, worshipper of lust and greed, worshipper of self, worshipper of the many-headed monster of thine own evil desires, worshipper of no God! Think of it, Sabbath breakers who seek only your own pleasure on the Lords Day! Think of it, ye who dishonour and are ungrateful and disobedient to father and mother! Think of it, ye whose hearts are full of violence, cruelty, and malice! God spake these words and said. Try to realise what God is, and with it that He speaks and that He is still speaking these words to thee. What words? Very few! Men multiplied indefinitely the necessaries which God had not made many. The summary of the first table is the fear of God; of the second, the love to our neighbour. Brief, then, as they are, the commandments, and with them the whole scope and range, the origin and sum total of mans duty, are summed up in two monosyllables, Love, Serve. The Jews split the Ten Commandments into 613 positive and negative precepts and prohibitions. We can reduce them to one. St. Paul reduced them to the one word Believe. St. John reduced them men may, if they like, devote their whole souls to small observances, doctrinal technicalities: that which God requires as alone necessary for any one of us is righteousness, and righteousness depends on love. A young Gentile went to the great doctor, Shammai, and said to him, I will become a Jew if you will teach me the whole law while I stand on one leg, and the angry Rabbi drove him out of the house with blows. But when he went with the same words to the rival of Shammai, the sweet and noble Hillel, Hillel gently answered, That is easy, my son; never do to anyone what you would not like him to do to you. That is the whole law; all the rest is commentary and fringe. The Gentile was converted, but the Rabbi was wrong. Christ when He was asked by the young ruler, What must I do to inherit eternal life? did not thus dissever the Golden Rule from its force and sanction, He did not divorce the second table from the first; He said, Keep the commandments; love God with all thy heart–that is the first table; and thy neighbour as thyself–that is the second. He knew that man cannot love God his Father unless he loves man his brother; and that he cannot love man the brother aright or at all unless he loves his Father God. In conclusion then, so far as mans whole duty is concerned, all the rest of Scripture is but a commentary upon the Ten Commandments; it either exhorts us to obedience by arguments, or allures us to it by promises, or frightens us from transgressions by threatenings, or excites us to the one and restrains us from the other by examples recorded in its histories. And when all this has been in vain to keep us back from sin, still God does not leave us nor forsake us. The covenant of Jehovah-shammah, <\/em>The Lord is there, becomes the covenant of Jehovah-Tsidkenu, <\/em>The Lord our Righteousness. As the atoning blood is sprinkled before the broken tables of the Law it teaches us we have indeed all sinned, but that with God in Christ there is mercy, and with Him is plenteous redemption. Christ Himself is the end of the law unto righteousness to everyone that believeth. (Dean Farrar.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n He added no more. The completeness of the commandments<\/strong><\/p>\n These <\/em>words may be very sad, or they may be very joyous. They would be sad if the Lord had turned away in anger, saying, I will not speak again unto you; but they may be very joyous, yea, musical after a heavenly sort, when God has said just enough to meet the necessity and the weakness of man, and when He forbears to add one word that would overtax his strength and throw his dying hope into melancholy and despair. You have, then, something like completeness of law in these Ten Commandments. Certainly you have what may be called temporary completeness; that is, a completeness adapted to the circumstances under which they were delivered. God could have added more; He need never have stopped: He might have been writing now–but does He delight to overburden us with technicality, or even with legislation of any kind? His delight is to give us as little as may be needful for proper discipline and to secure loyal, loving, and sufficient obedience. Does He give law to vex you? To prove you, not to bewilder and distract your memory. Has He written all the universe over with commandments? He has written the universe over with promises and blessings, and here and there His commanding word is written; for too many promises and benedictions, untempered by those severer words, might lead us into presumption, might turn away all our attention from the deeper and severer studies and pursuits of life, and might end in making us molluscous, and not strong and grand. Now, this is the kind of authority before which I bow with love and thankfulness. (J. Parker, D. D.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Perpetual obligation of the moral law<\/strong><\/p>\n The <\/em>moral law is, from its very nature, unchangeable, and of perpetual obligation; nor can we read the history of its promulgation without seeing that the greatest care was taken to distinguish it from all other laws, and more especially from those judicial and ceremonial laws which were given for the special guidance of the Jewish people.<\/p>\n He added no more; <\/B>he ceased for that time to speak immediately, and with that loud voice unto the people, for the rest were delivered to Moses, and by him communicated to the people. This he did to show the preeminence of that law above the rest, and its everlasting obligation. <\/P> <\/p>\n 22. he added no more<\/B> (Ex20:1<\/span>). The pre-eminence of these ten commandments was shown inGod’s announcing them directly: other laws and institutions werecommunicated to the people through the instrumentality of Moses.<\/P><\/p>\n These words the Lord spake unto all your assembly in the mount<\/strong>,…. The above ten words or commands, which were spoken so audibly and loudly by the Lord himself on Mount Sinai, that the whole congregation of the people of Israel heard them:<\/p>\n out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness<\/strong>; in which the Lord was; see De 4:11<\/span>,<\/p>\n with a great voice, and he added no more<\/strong>; ceased speaking; after he had delivered the ten commands, he said no more at that time. The Targum of Jonathan is,<\/p>\n “with a great voice which ceased not.”<\/p>\n It ceased not until all were delivered, and then it did; it was a continued voice, yet clear and distinct:<\/p>\n and he wrote them in<\/strong><\/p>\n two tables of stone<\/strong>; marble stone, as the Targum of Jonathan; which is much more likely than what the paraphrase has on De 4:13<\/span>, this is an emblem of the duration of the law:<\/p>\n and delivered them unto me<\/strong>; to Moses, and by him to be delivered to the people, who though they had heard them would be apt to forget them; and therefore they were written, that they might read them, and meditate on them, and be careful to keep them.<\/p>\n Verses 22-27:<\/strong><\/p>\n This is a recapitulation of Exo 20:18-21<\/span>, preparing the way for Moses’ admonition to fear the Lord and to do all He had commanded. It identifies Moses as the intermediary between the awesome, holy God and the frightened people.<\/p>\n 22. These words the Lord spoke. That there may be no doubt about the authority of the law, and that it may not be depreciated by the people, Moses recalls to their memory that the presence of God, as He spoke it, was manifested by sure tokens; for this was the object of the fire, the clouds, and the darkness, whereby God’s voice was signalized, lest its source might be obscure. He adds, that it was “a great voice,” i.e., a voice which had, in an unwonted manner, penetrated far and wide. Nor are the witnesses few, whom he cites, but all that vast multitude, which for the most part would have been more disposed to extinguish the glory of God, unless it had been there made known by manifest proofs. The sum is, that there is no question as to who was the Lawgiver, whose majesty was then proclaimed by tremendous prodigies, and presented before the eyes of an immense multitude. It will be more convenient to speak elsewhere of the two tables. When Moses states that God “added no more,” he signifies that a perfect rule of life is contained in the ten commandments, and that, when their instruction is fully received, the whole body of wisdom is attained to, so that the people need seek to know no more; when God, then, made an end of speaking, he Himself laid down the bounds of legitimate inquiry. <\/p>\n b. ISRAELS REACTION: FEAR AND DEVOTION (Deu. 5:22-27<\/span>)<\/p>\n 22 These words Jehovah spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and he added no more. And he wrote them upon two tables of stone, and gave them unto me. 23 And it came to pass, when ye heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, that ye came near unto me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders: 24 and ye said, Behold, Jehovah our God hath showed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth speak with man, and he liveth. 25 Now therefore why should we die? for this great fire will consume us: if we hear the voice of Jehovah our God any more, then we shall die, 26 For who is there of all flesh, that hath heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived? 27 Go thou near, and hear all that Jehovah our God shall say: and speak thou unto us all that Jehovah our God shall speak unto thee: and we will hear it, and do it.<\/p>\n THOUGHT QUESTIONS 5:2227<\/p>\n 120.<\/p>\n Who wrote the words on the two tablets of stone?<\/p>\n 121.<\/p>\n Did God speak the ten commandments to the people before they were written?<\/p>\n 122.<\/p>\n Why did God use fire, smoke, earthquake, darkness in manifesting Himself to Israel? Is there an example in this for us today?<\/p>\n 123.<\/p>\n Why speak of dying, as in Deu. 5:25-26<\/span>?<\/p>\n AMPLIFIED TRANSLATION 5:2227<\/p>\n 22 These words the Lord spoke to all your assembly at the mountain out of the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, with a loud voice; and He spoke not againadded no more. He wrote them on two tables of stone, and gave them to me [Moses].<\/p>\n 23 And when you heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, you came near me, all the heads of your tribes, and your elders; COMMENT 5:2227<\/p>\n THESE WORDS JEHOVAH SPAKE UNTO ALL YOUR ASSEMBLY (Deu. 5:22<\/span>)It appears God spoke the words of the Decalogue to the congregation before they were engraven on the tables of stone. Hence their fear (Deu. 5:23<\/span>; Deu. 5:29<\/span>).<\/p>\n AND HE WROTE THEM UPON TWO TABLES OF STONE, AND GAVE THEM UNTO ME (Deu. 5:22<\/span>)God is said to have written the ten commandments in both instances (Deu. 4:13<\/span>, Deu. 10:1-4<\/span>). See also Exo. 31:18<\/span>; Exo. 32:15-16<\/span> (first set). Compare Exo. 34:1<\/span> (second sethewed out by Moses). But so is Moses: Exo. 24:4<\/span>; Exo. 34:27-28<\/span>. Our conclusion is, that what God instructed Moses to write, he did writeHe wrote precisely and exactly what he was told to. Thus the first tablets were said to have been written by the finger of God even though Moses did the writing. Regarding the statements of God writing and Moses writing, Francisco states, How is this to be interpreted? Do the statements contradict one another? Not if it is seen that when Moses wrote, it was just as if God was writing it with his own finger. Moses wrote the Decalogue word for word as God dictated it. It has been delivered by Moses just as it came from God.<\/p>\n Others would explain the passages concerning the writing and engraving thus: God wrote the ten commandments, Moses wrote the words in the book of the covenant (Exo. 24:7<\/span>) and other laws and ordinances. But Exo. 34:28<\/span> specifically tells us Moses wrote the ten commandments upon the tables of stoneunless the he refers to God in that passage, Rotherham translates that scripture and He [God] wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten words. The Newberry Study Bible also refers the he to Jehovah, citing Deu. 10:4<\/span>. If the latter translations are accurate, it would erase the difficulty. But whether God wrote with or without human instrumentality, his writings nevertheless represent his will.<\/p>\n NOW THERERFORE WHY SHOULD WE DIE (Deu. 5:25<\/span>)Such an overwhelming demonstration (fire, quaking of the mountain, Gods own voice speaking) they supposed to mean death. There was apparently a widely held view in Israel that any such revelation of Gods glory and might meant death to the observers.<\/p>\n (22) He added no <\/strong>more<\/em><\/strong>i.e., <\/em>He spoke no more in this manner; or, there were only ten commandments. So Deu. 5:25<\/span> : If we add to hear i.e., <\/em>in this fashion.<\/p>\n 22<\/strong>. <\/strong> He added no more <\/strong> No more to the people; but he said more to Moses, which he was to repeat to the people.<\/p>\n The Context of the Giving of the Covenant and The People’s Fear ( Deu 5:22-28<\/strong><\/span><\/strong> ). <\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n Having repeated the covenant he now sought to emphasise again the circumstances under which it was given. The twofold repetition of this before and after the basic covenant itself demonstrates how concerned he was to ensure that they recognised the solemnity of the covenant. See also Deu 4:10-24<\/span>; Deu 4:33<\/span>. <\/p>\n (Except when clearly used in words to Moses, when ‘thou, thee’ is used, which may be another reason for the change to ‘ye’, so as to bring out the distinction, all the verbs in this section are ‘ye, your’). <\/p>\n Analysis. <\/p>\n a <\/strong> Yahweh’s words were spoken to all the assembly in the Mount out of the midst of the Fire, of the Cloud, and of the thick darkness with a great voice, after which He added no more (Deu 5:22<\/span> a). <\/p>\n b <\/strong> He wrote them on two tables of stone and had given them to Moses (Deu 5:22<\/span> b). <\/p>\n c <\/strong> When the people heard the Voice out of the midst of the darkness while the Mount burned with Fire, their heads and their elders approached Moses (Deu 5:23<\/span>). <\/p>\n d <\/strong> They declared that Yahweh had shown them His glory and His greatness, and that they had heard His Voice out of the midst of the Fire, and that they had seen this day that God speaks with a man, and yet he continues to live (Deu 5:24<\/span>). <\/p>\n d <\/strong> But now they were afraid that they would die and that this great Fire would consume them, and that if they heard the Voice of Yahweh their God any more, they would die (Deu 5:25<\/span>). <\/p>\n c <\/strong> For who, they asked, of all living flesh had heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the Fire, as they had, and lived? (Deu 5:26<\/span>). <\/p>\n b <\/strong> So they asked Moses to go near and hear all that Yahweh their God would say, and then speak it to them and they would hear it and do it (Deu 5:27<\/span>). <\/p>\n a <\/strong> Yahweh had heard the voice of their words, and said to Moses, “I have heard the voice of the words of this people who have spoken to you. They have said well all that they have spoken” (Deu 5:28<\/span>). <\/p>\n Note that in ‘a’ He had spoken out of the Fire, Cloud and thick darkness with a great Voice and had ceased, and in the parallel He had heard His people’s voice (requesting no more) and responded to it favourably. In ‘b’ He had given His Instruction direct to Moses on two tablets of stone, and in the parallel this was in accordance with the request of the people that in future He alone would receive God’s Instruction. In ‘c’ the head and elders had approached Moses when they heard the Voice from the darkness and the Fire, and in the parallel they asked who of all living flesh had heard such things and lived. In ‘d’ they emphasised they still lived in spite of the greatness and glory and awesomeness of what they had seen, but in the parallel feared greatly that if it continued they would die. <\/p>\n Deu 5:22<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘<\/strong> These words Yahweh spoke to all your (your) assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice, and he added no more. And he wrote them on two tablets of stone, and gave them to me.’ <\/p>\n He draws attention to the fact, firstly that the words had been spoken to the whole assembly (Exo 20:22<\/span>), and no one had been omitted. Secondly that they had come from the Fire and Cloud and thick darkness that was on the Mount. They were from the very presence of God, the God of glory, in consuming power and mystery. Thirdly that they had come with a great voice, a voice that had directly spoken to them, and terrified them. Fourthly that nothing was added to the commandments. They stood there stark in all their brevity, and yet it was a brevity that in principle covered all men’s sins and responses. (Alternately the thought may be that He added no more to the people, the remainder coming through Moses). And fifthly they were recorded on stone by the hand of God so as to seal their permanence and importance, and handed over by the covenant Lord to His people through Moses His mediator. The fivefold description emphasises the covenant connection. <\/p>\n “Fire and cloud and thick darkness.”<\/strong> God had recently constantly revealed Himself to Israel in fire and cloud, in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night (Deu 1:33<\/span>; Exo 13:21<\/span>; Exo 14:19<\/span>; Exo 14:24<\/span>; Exo 40:38<\/span>; Num 10:34<\/span>; Num 14:14<\/span>). Now this experience was deepened. While they regularly used fire they knew also that it was mysterious and dangerous. It was not easily controlled. It lightened darkness, it shone gloriously, it could be awesome. It was here and then it was gone, no one knew where. It could destroy forests and cities. In intensity it was something to fear. It was a reminder of what God is like. The thick darkness emphasised His mystery and unapproachability. <\/p>\n Deu 5:23<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘<\/strong> And it came about, when you (ye) heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, that you (ye) came near to me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders,’ <\/p>\n He stresses the Fire again and that they had heard the voice from within the thick darkness even while they saw the surrounding fire, and had been deeply stirred. But they had not seen Yahweh in His essence. Nor could they. To experience Him in His full essence would have been to die. Yet even the voice had been terrible enough, and they had immediately tried to distance themselves from it. <\/p>\n He reminds them of the effect that this had had on their fathers, and on some of them as children. And how at what they had seen and heard they had been filled with fear and awe, so that they had approached Moses, through all their heads of tribes and their elders, pleading that they wanted no more of it. <\/p>\n Deu 5:24<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘<\/strong> And you said, “Behold, Yahweh our God has shown us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire. We have seen this day that God speaks with man, and he lives.” <\/p>\n They had been so moved that they had then spoken to him with awe of how Yahweh their covenant God had revealed to them His glory and His greatness in the Fire. Of course, they had in fact only seen the outskirts of His ways, but to them that had been moving enough, for what they had seen and heard had terrified them. And they had spoken in hushed tones of the voice that had spoken to them. They felt that they had done the impossible, heard the voice of God and lived. In a strange way they appreciated the fact. But it was not something that they wished to experience again. God had never come that close to them before and they thought of it in terms that no man could see God and live, for that was how they felt. To them it was not an experience that they wanted repeating. <\/p>\n Such experiences are the lot of very few. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had experienced the awe of the revelation of God Himself as manifested in theophanies. Moses had experienced them. Now they had experienced them. No wonder they were subdued. But in all these cases none had truly seen God. Such a beatific vision would have destroyed whoever saw it. Even Moses, after pleading to see God in His glory, was only permitted to see the tail end of His glory (Exo 33:23<\/span>). <\/p>\n Deu 5:25<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n “<\/strong> Now therefore why should we die? For this great fire will consume us. If we hear the voice of Yahweh our God any more, then we shall die.” <\/p>\n Yet limited though their experience had been they had not wanted it repeating. They had felt as though they had almost died. If it happened again they feared that they would die. That terrible Fire that they had seen would surely devour them. The awful voice of God would surely cause them to wither and be annihilated. They could not even bear the thought of it. <\/p>\n Deu 5:26<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n “<\/strong> For who is there of all flesh, who has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived?” <\/p>\n They had spoken with awe. They did not know of anyone who had ever had the kind of experience that they had had, God speaking to them out of the midst of the Fire, and had lived. It had shaken them to the core. And yet they recognised that it had made them special. Of course, Moses had experienced exactly that at the burning bush. But then he was Moses. They were speaking of ordinary men. <\/p>\n “Speaking out of the midst of the Fire.”<\/strong> Compare especially Deu 4:12<\/span>; Deu 4:24<\/span>; Deu 4:33<\/span>; Deu 5:4<\/span>. <\/p>\n Deu 5:27<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n “<\/strong> You go near, and hear all that Yahweh our God shall say, and you speak to us all that Yahweh our God shall say to you, and we will hear it, and do it.” <\/p>\n But the end result was that they had begged Moses to stand in for them, to be their mediator, to go in their place. Would he not approach Yahweh their God, and hear all that He had to say, and then pass on Yahweh’s covenant words to them? They were ready to obey, but let him be to them the voice of God. How like people to want the spiritual benefit without having to undergo the experience. They did not mind if Moses had to bear it, it was just that they could not bear it themselves. But it does demonstrate how they saw Moses as unique in his relationship to God. They were not being deliberately disobedient. They assured him that whatever he told them ‘we will hear it and we will do it’. But they did not covet too close a relationship with God for themselves. <\/p>\n “Yahweh our God.”<\/strong> Note the repetition of ‘Yahweh our God’ four times in Deu 5:24-27<\/span>. This was the name especially associated with the covenant. This term always designates Yahweh in His uniqueness and distinctiveness, the God of special occasions. Compare Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
<\/strong><\/p>\n
I. <\/strong>The law is our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. Leighton truly says, It is a weak conceit, arising upon the mistake of the Scriptures, to make Christ and Moses as opposites. No, Moses was the servant in the house and Christ the Son; and being a faithful servant, he is not contrary to the Son, but subordinate to Him. By showing us what God requires, the law discloses to us our own manifold transgressions, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. It conveys to us much and important instruction concerning God and concerning ourselves. It teaches us His holiness and our unholiness, His righteousness and our unrighteousness, His infinite perfections and our fallen and imperfect condition. Thus the law, when listened to in the spirit of reverence and godly fear, must produce conviction of sin, and prepare the soul for the reception of Christ. It is our schoolmaster for this great end, that by holy discipline and faithful teaching it may lead us to Him in whom alone salvation is to be found, and of whom we read that Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth.<\/p>\n
II. <\/strong>The law is the perpetual rule of duty to all who believe in Christ. In our Divine Surety we see that the law has been perfectly fulfilled, its honour maintained, and its demands fully satisfied. And through His Almighty power, whose purpose is from everlasting, the righteousness which the Lord Jesus presented to the law is imputed to His people–it is unto all and upon all them that believe. It is the spotless robe in which they are accepted now at the throne of grace, and in which they shall be presented hereafter faultless before the throne of glory. How vainly do they talk who speak of the abrogation of the moral law! They forget that He has said, and will perform it, I will put My laws into their minds, and write them in their hearts, and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to Me a people. Well, then, might the apostle triumphantly exclaim, Do we make void the law through faith? God forbid; yea, we establish the law. Trusting in the Saviour, the believer is secure; but if his faith is genuine and sincere, he will ever seek to have that mind in him which was also in Christ Jesus, and he will be constrained to say, as the Psalmist did, Oh, how love I Thy law: it is my meditation all the day! (W. Niven, B. D.<\/em>)<\/p>\nFuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
24 And you said, Behold, the Lord our God has shown us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice out of the midst of the fire; we have this day seen that God speaks with man and man still lives.
25 Now therefore why should we die? For this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of the Lord our God any more, we shall die.
26 For who is there of all flesh, who has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of fire, as we have, and lived?
27 Go near [Moses], and hear all that the Lord our God will say and speak to us all that the Lord our God will speak to you; and we will hear and do it.<\/p>\nFuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n