~ 10 ~ Do Not Covet

In the past months we have posted the series "The Ten Commandments" (See Below for Links). Today we give you the final, and only "thought" commandment of "Do Not Covet".

Of all the 613 commandments, and in fact the entire Bible, this is the only one that regulates thought! The reason for this commandment is that when one holds "thoughts of coveting" this will almost always lead to the breaking others. Why is this so?

According to the Hebrew, coveting refers to "wanting to the point of seeking to take away and own" what belongs to another person. It is this type of "coveting thought" that leads to commission of more serious crimes.

There is only one Commandment that prohibits a thought, and it is this: "Do not covet." Why does the Bible, which is preoccupied with behavior, legislate a thought? Because to covet, to want what belongs to someone else, is the root of the preceding four commandments and often leads to evil. Before someone murders, steals, lies, or commits adultery, the desire to take what is rightly someone else's~coveting usually comes first...Dennis Prager

We hope you have enjoyed listening to the Ten Commandments. In these fast moving times, while many lament the number of bad things that appear on the internet, we hope this thought-provoking series will provide one example of how the "Word of the Lord" can be shared around the world.

~ 10 ~ Do Not Covet~The Last Commandment  

Links to Series:

The Ten Commandments~Introduction
~1~ Am the Lord Your God
~2~ No Other Gods
~3~ Do Not Misuse God's Name
~4~ Remember The Sabbath
~5~Honor Your Father and Mother
~6~Do Not Murder
~7~Do Not Commit Adultery
~8~Do Not Steal 

~9~ Do Not Bear False Witness

~ 8 ~ Do Not Steal

With all the bad things going on in the world, this is a good time to re-visit the Word of the Lord!

The eighth commandment, "Do Not Steal" covers far more than just taking a sweet from the candy store. There are many types of stealing~all of which cause damage. For those of you who have ever had their home burgled, you will probably never forget the feelings of violation. What about the other types of stealing? How do we recover from that? Do we ever truly get over it?

There is one commandment that, if followed by all of humanity, would instantly create a peaceful world: "Do Not Steal"...the Eighth Commandment, implicitly prohibits murder (stealing a life), slavery (stealing a person's freedom), adultery (stealing a spouse), humiliation (stealing dignity), and so many other sins laid out in the Bible. If there is one Commandment that summarizes the other nine, this one is it...Dennis Prager

As we listen to this short lesson, think about this single commandment, and consider the good that obeying it could create in this world...

~ 8 ~ Do Not Steal...Prager University

Links to Series:

The Ten Commandments~Introduction
~1~ Am the Lord Your God
~2~ No Other Gods
~3~ Do Not Misuse God's Name
~4~ Remember The Sabbath
~5~Honor Your Father and Mother
~6~Do Not Murder
~7~Do Not Commit Adultery

~ 7 ~ Do Not Commit Adultery

The last five commandments deal with how we must treat other human beings. We are familiar with the saying~treat others as you would treat yourself, but that does not always include the rules that God set down for us in the Ten Commandments.

Why do the Ten Commandments single out adultery as particularly harmful? Because adultery can destroy the foundational unit of a society~the family. If exposed, adultery leads to a sense of betrayal. If hidden, it forces the offending spouse to lie. Children are often the unintended victims. This may be one of the most difficult Biblical laws to follow, but it's also one of the most important...Dennis Prager

In the below video, we see a simple and easy to understand meaning behind the Seventh Commandment. In these days of free-thinking and acceptance of loose moral values, this commandment strives to protect the core of our civilization~The Family.

~7~ Do Not Commit Adultery

Links to Series:

The Ten Commandments~Introduction
~1~ Am the Lord Your God
~2~ No Other Gods
~3~ Do Not Misuse God's Name
~4~ Remember The Sabbath 
~5~Honor Your Father and Mother
~6~Do Not Murder

~6~ Do Not Murder

The Ten Commandments are always displayed as two tablets, each containing five statements. The five contained on the second tablet all refer to how we must treat our fellow human beings.

Most people would state that the sixth commandment is "Do Not Kill." This is understandable because the classic King James Bible translates it this way. But the English language has changed since 1610. Furthermore, Hebrew has two words for killing just as English does. The correct translation is "Do Not Murder." Once you grasp this, the meaning of the commandment changes entirely...Dennis Prager

Deliberately taking the life of an innocent person is the most terrible thing we can do...

~6~ Do Not Murder

Links to Series:

The Ten Commandments~Introduction
~1~ Am the Lord Your God
~2~ No Other Gods
~3~ Do Not Misuse God's Name
~4~ Remember The Sabbath 
~5~Honor Your Father and Mother

~5~ Honor Your Father and Mother

Now that the high holidays are over we will continue with the series on the Ten Commandments.

Although almost everyone is familiar with these basic rules of life, we often do not take time to actually think them through and contemplate their meaning. 

It is very easy to read a simple sentence and interpret it at face value, without seeing the deeper meaning. On the other hand it is all too easy to spend large amounts of time digging and trying to find a deeper meaning when in fact it is the simple rule that applies.

In this continuing series Dennis Prager tells us that children owe their parents one thing. Many will be surprised to learn that it is not love. The Bible does not direct us to do the impossible, and sometimes it's difficult or even impossible to love your parents. Be that as it may, it's almost always possible to honor them, and that is what the fifth commandment is all about. 

"If you build a society in which children honour their parents, your society will long survive. The opposite will lead to self-destruction."

In this short lesson we learn what the fifth commandment means and why it's so important. One important point from the lesson for you to consider: if your children see you honouring your parents they are much more likely to honor you. The importance of honour especially towards one's father is even mentioned by Sigmund Freud, the father of psychiatry~who was an aethiest. He theorized that one's attitude towards one's father largely shaped one's attitude towards God.

You can also view this Ten Commandments series at Prager University

~5~ Honor Your Father and Mother

Links to Series:

The Ten Commandments~Introduction
~1~ Am the Lord Your God
~2~ No Other Gods
~3~ Do Not Misuse God's Name
~4~ Remember The Sabbath

~4~Remember The Sabbath

In keeping with the fourth commandment we are posting this on Friday afternoon (Jerusalem Time) just before the Sabbath (Shabbat) begins. Anyone who has not been to the Holy Land may not remember that our calendar is slightly different from the rest of the world.

The week in Israel starts Sunday and ends Thursday. Friday morning the stores are open for half the day to allow people to do their last minute preparations for Shabbat. In Jerusalem a siren is sounded to announce sundown and the beginning of the Sabbath.

Basically, everything in the country closes down. Until recent years, even the roads were free of vehicles. Sadly, except for religious areas, the holiness of the Sabbath is all but forgotten.

The Sabbath is from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday~a mere 24 hours, some of which are spent sleeping~and yet, there are many who can't (or won't) observe this one day of rest. One day to be with family and friends, stroll the quiet streets free of traffic and simply "be".  Sadly, these people have no idea of what they are giving up!

You have been set apart as holy to the your God, and he has chosen you

from all the nations of the earth to be his own special treasure...Deuteronomy 14:2 (NLT)

Setting aside a day of rest each week was a revolutionary concept when it was first introduced as the Fourth Commandment. But this Commandment does more: it extends that day of rest to slaves and animals and thus set in motion the slow process of ending slavery and the compassionate treatment of animals. The power of the Fourth Commandment to change your life is no less real today than it was for our ancient ancestors. Just ask the spouse of a workaholic how she would feel if her husband took off a day each week to spend with family and friends...Dennis Prager

This weekend, as you enter into your Sabbath~whether it is Saturday or Sunday~think about the real meaning of this fourth commandment and give yourself 24 hours of total rest from the world!

You can also view this Ten Commandments series at Prager University

~4~Remember The Sabbath...

Links to Series:

The Ten Commandments~Introduction
~1~ Am the Lord Your God

~2~ No Other Gods

~3~ Do Not Misuse God's Name

~ 3 ~ Do Not Misuse God’s Name~The Worst of the Ten?

Many of us, religious and secular alike, often look at the Ten Commandments without complete understanding. With all the translations and points of view available these days it is no small wonder that people become confused.

In this lesson on the "third statement" we see how easy it is for a simple sentence to be taken out of context or just plain misunderstood. Throughout this series the idea of "differing translations" is used to explain the difficulty in divining a clear message from the Bible.

Not all sins are equal. Some are worse than others. The worst of one of all? Committing evil in the name of God. This commandment is often misunderstood because it's mistranslated. It's not concerned with saying God's name "in vain" like "God, did I have a terrible day at the office." It's about using God's name in the commission of evil. We see this today when Islamists invoke God's name while they murder innocent people...Dennis Prager

You can also view this Ten Commandments series as well as many other lectures at Prager University.

The Third Statement: Do Not Misuse God's Name

Links to Series:

The Ten Commandments~Introduction
~1~ I Am the Lord Your God
~2~ No Other Gods

~ 2 ~ No Other Gods

Continuing with the series on the Ten Commandments, we come to the second statement which deals with "Idol Worship". 

Have you ever really thought about how this commandment resonates in our world today?

Today, the idea of idol worship feels ancient and remote to many people. Thus, the Second Commandment, "You shall have no other gods," doesn't seem applicable in modern society. But the opposite is true. We have more false gods than ever--art, education, fame, money, to name just a few. Over the past century the worship of false gods has led to massive evil; Communism and Nazism are just two examples. On a personal level, the worship of false gods leads to unhappiness...Dennis Prager

You can view the full Ten Commandment series as well as many other interesting courses at Prager University.

~ 2 ~ No Other Gods...

Links to Series:

The Ten Commandments~Introduction
~1~ Am the Lord Your God
 

~ I ~ I Am the Lord Your God...

As stated in the Introduction to the Ten Commandments, we are proceeding with the first statement or "Commandment" that we were given three thousand years ago~I Am the Lord Your God...

Although the First Commandment ("I am the Lord your God") appears simple at first glance, it actually set into motion the most revolutionary idea in human history--ethical monotheism, the belief that there is one God whose main wish is that people treat each other decently...Dennis Prager 

Dennis Prager goes on to explain that without this commandment, the following nine mean little. With it, the Ten Commandments become world-changing. You can also view the full Ten Commandments series as well as many other interesting course on a variety of topics at Prager University.

~ I ~ I Am the Lord Your God...

The Ten Commandments: An Introduction

We are all familiar with the ten commandments, and perhaps we are also sure that we know the meaning behind each of them. 

In a very interesting series, posted online some time ago, Dennis Prager explains how the Ten Commandments led to the creation of Western Civilization and why they remain relevant to our life today.

The series is so interesting that we decided to post a commandment (or statement) each day over the next two weeks, and we encourage you to relax and take five minutes to contemplate their real meaning, and how you can use these simple rules in your life.

Humanity has everything it needs to create a good world. We've had it for 3,000 years. It's the Ten Commandments; ten basic, yet profound instructions for how to lead a moral life. If everyone followed the Ten Commandments, we would not need armies or police; marriages and families would be stronger; truth would be a paramount value...Dennis Prager

This video introduces the ten-part series. You can also view the full Ten Commandments series at Prager University.

Introduction to The Ten Commandments