Tenth Commandment – No Coveting
Exodus
20: 17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s
house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor
his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your
neighbor’s.”
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GOD told Moses and the children of Israel
not to covet or want the stuff other people have.
My Observations:
- GOD
seemed to be fortifying the children of Israel against being able to be
tempted by the world’s treasures.
- GOD
knew that people could easily be bribed or bought to not follow HIM.
- JESUS
was tempted by Satan with the world’s treasures because Satan did not want
JESUS to die for the sins of mankind.
Ten commandments were given to everyone for a different
reason than I thought. I used to believe these were harsh rules that seemed
impossible to keep, or a checklist of measures to show how good I was. But this
is not a list of “Do as I say or else.” The Ten Commandments are a list of
protections against the attack of Satan.
It took ten plagues to disable the mindset of the Egyptians.
Now GOD provided ten commandments that would protect you and me from Satan.
This list is all about JESUS. When the HOLY SPIRIT led JESUS into the
wilderness to be tempted by Satan, worldly treasures were used as an attempt to
get JESUS to misuse HIS power.
The consequence would have been Satan winning all humans for
himself because the scrolls that sentenced Satan would not have been opened.
But JESUS overcame the temptation of the world’s treasures. You and I can do
the same. When we want more of the world’s finest, we can be tempted away from
GOD’s finest, namely JESUS.
Having stuff is not bad. Having needs, wants and desires is
also not bad. Trading in JESUS to get stuff is bad because you can gain the whole
world and lose your soul. I believe GOD recognizes jealousy over a missing
need. If I don’t have a need and I see someone who has the need, I am going to
ask GOD, “Can I have my need fulfilled?”
GOD will bring the right resource at the right time.
Challenge
- Why
does GOD remind Moses about HIS warning to not covet?
- Have
you ever been taken off of GOD’s path because you wanted something that
someone else had?
- Can
you place your desires, wants and needs before GOD and let HIM sort
through how and when HE will deliver you?
