“These words the LORD spoke 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 in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me.”
(Deuteronomy 5:22)
After their exodus from Egypt, God gave the Ten Commandments to His people Israel. Of these ten specific laws, to which God “added no more,” the first four speak to how man is to relate to God and the last six with how we are to live on the earth and with each other (Exodus 20:1-17).
The phenomenal manner in which God delivered the Ten Commandments to His people demonstrates not only their majesty but also their universal significance. It would not befit our Lord to prescribe laws in such a grand manner only for a small group of people. Instead, these laws were intended to govern all nations equally.
In addition to being universal, the writing of the law on stone signifies its permanence. While Joshua wrote some laws on stone, the moral law was written directly by God’s finger on stone tablets, not just once but twice (Exodus 34:1-10). (Moses broke the first set in his anger against the Israelites for their gross disobedience, Exodus 32:19). Writing His law on stone tablets speaks to both the law’s holiness and its enduring nature.
Some suggest that the writing on stone signifies the hardness of human hearts, which the law could not overcome. While this is true, writing on stone surely symbolizes the law’s continuity, as God promises to write His law on hearts that are stony by nature. This dual significance is crucial: the law is both a reflection of our natural state and a promise of its enduring presence.[1]
Further, these tablets were placed in the Ark of the Covenant to indicate their eternal honor and significance. And Psalm 40:6-7 speaks of Christ keeping the law and having it written on His heart, emphasizing the law’s fulfillment in Him and its role in making us righteous before God.
The primary purpose of the law is outlined in Galatians 3:24—the law is a “schoolmaster that leads us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” In other words, when we look at what God requires for righteousness as presented in the Ten Commandments, we realize we fail on all points and are utterly helpless to do what is right in God’s eyes because of the fall. As Romans 3:23 reminds us, “We have all sinned and fallen short…” and are therefore desperately dependent on His forgiveness through faith in Christ’s fulfillment of the law on our behalf (Romans 7:24-8:1).
The manner in which God delivered His moral law, the writing on stone, and the special honor given to it all underscore its unique importance. As Deuteronomy 5:22 reminds us, God spoke these words with great glory and authority, signifying their completeness and enduring relevance. Let us therefore honor these laws in both our heart and conduct, recognizing they are God’s directives and therefore occupy a place of eternal prominence.
Contemplations:
- The Majesty of God’s Proclamation. In reading Deuteronomy 5:22, I am struck by the majesty and authority with which God delivered His law. The open proclamation, accompanied by fire, cloud, and thick darkness, declares the awe-inspiring nature of the Giver as well as the universal importance of God’s moral laws and their place in guiding my life and conduct.
- The Enduring Nature of God’s Law. The writing of God’s law on stone tablets, as well as its designated placement in the Ark of the Covenant, signify both its permanence and its sacred nature. Reflecting on this, I am reminded of the law’s eternal relevance and my responsibility to uphold it in my life.
- The Unique Honor of Moral Laws. The divine origin and enduring significance of the Ten Commandments set them apart as a comprehensive summary of all our moral duties to God and our fellow man. This realization challenges me to prioritize God’s moral laws in my day-to-day life to ensure I honor their importance in a way that pleases my Lord.
- The Struggle to Uphold the Sabbath. Despite the ongoing attempts to diminish the Sabbath’s significance, God included it in the Ten Commandments which causes me to consider the importance of observing the Sabbath as a moral duty. Recognizing its divine origin from Deuteronomy 5:22, I am reminded of the enduring relevance of God’s moral law, including the Sabbath, and my responsibility to honor it in my life.
Prayer (Supplication):
O Lord, You are the holy God, whose law (delivered in glory as Deuteronomy 5:22 declares) reveals Your righteousness. And I come before You, seeking Your grace to honor Your law. Grant me a heart transformed by Your Spirit, as Jeremiah 31:33 promises, that I may love Your commands.
I plead for Your mercy, for I fail to keep Your law, as Romans 3:23 states: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Let Your law be my schoolmaster (Galatians 3:24) leading me to Christ’s righteousness. When I stumble, as Romans 7:24 cries, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” uphold me with Your grace.
I ask for strength to live Your law in heart and conduct, reflecting its glory, as Psalm 40:8 declares of Christ: “I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.” Guard me from neglecting Your commands, especially the Sabbath, and let me honor their eternal weight. And align my life with Your truth, making me a testimony of Your holiness.
Lord, bless Your church to cherish Your law, united in obedience. Raise up ministers to proclaim its glory, guiding us to Christ. Let our lives reflect Your righteousness, drawing others to Your grace.
Finally, Lord, make Your law my delight. Keep my heart pure, my actions holy, and my faith fixed on Christ who fulfilled Your law for me.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Further Scripture References for Deuteronomy 5:22:
Exod. 24:12, Deut. 4:11, Deut. 5:4, Deut. 9:10.
[1] Thomas Shepard, Theses Sabbaticæ, (London: T.R. and E.M. for John Rothwell .., 1650), 141.
