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“The Lord said to me at that time, ‘Cut two stone tablets like the first ones and come to me on the mountain and make a wooden ark. I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets you broke, and you are to place them in the ark.’

Moses made the tablets the same as the ones God formed, and he wrote them down exactly as they were originally. Moses was not free to make his own interpretation or to clarify anything, it is God’s word. We too, do not have the freedom to change God’s word or to think it is an ever shifting and changing standard based on the situation at hand. It is God’s word. We submit to him. He is our Lord, and that’s a good thing.

But understand that today the Lord your God will cross over ahead of you

Never forget that God never calls you to go where he’s not already been. Jesus suffered trials, injustices, and every kind of temptation we go through. The Lord goes before you to prepare the way. He know’s your path and, if you’re following his will, has equipped you to respond to everything that comes your way. Trust him.

I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery.

1. Do not have other gods besides me.
2. Do not make an idol for yourself…
3. Do not misuse the name of the Lord your God…
4. Be careful to remember the Sabbath day…
5. Honor your father and your mother…
6. Do not murder.
7. Do not commit adultery.
8. Do not steal.
9. Do not give dishonest testimony against your neighbor.
10. Do not covet…

This is known as the 10-Commandments, but in reality, none of these are written in the “imperative.” If we are going to be God’s, this is how we will act. It’s not really “commandments” as in “do this” in order to be faithful… it’s written more like this “if you are faithful, you will not…” Put God first. Remember that he is your God, and the rest will follow. This is meant to be a guide of the kind of character God has. If you are being molded into Christ Likeness, this is how you will live. It’s a standard, a way to check yourself. So how are you doing?

“Now, Israel, listen to the statutes and ordinances I am teaching you to follow… You must not add anything to what I command you or take anything away from it, so that you may keep the commands of the Lord your God I am giving you.

God’s word is God’s word. We should never be so “smart” so as to go beyond what the word says. In 1Corinthians 4 Paul speaks to this when he says not to go beyond the word. The people were being too smart for their own good, they were wise in their own eyes, but Paul was willing to be foolish and stick to what the word of God has to say. Don’t be so “dignified” that you make rules of decorum which go beyond what the Scriptures command…

The Lord spoke to Moses, “Command the Israelites and say to them: When you enter the land of Canaan, it will be allotted to you as an inheritance with these borders

When the Lord gives us a blessing, it’s on His terms, and we should be glad. It seems like we have an idea of what we want, but we don’t know what we need. God knows how to bless us in the way that’s best for us. We need to trust Him. He doesn’t always, or even most of the time, bless us and set us loose. His gifts always come with boarders. We need to use His blessings His way.