I.    Verse 1,2 - Introduction.

A. This is to be spoken to all the congregation. Everyone of the people should know what God expects of them.

B. They are to be holy before God. This is not just being holy before other people, or putting on a show for man, but being holy in their heart before God.

C. I am the Lord. This is the total reason for holiness, as He is the supreme example of holiness.

II. The following is a sundry list of commandments.

A. Verse 3 - Fear parents.

1. Fear doesn't necessarily mean to be afraid of, but to respect.

2. Eph. 6:1,2 - This is the first commandment with promise.

3. Keep Sabbaths - not only the regular 7th day worship, but also the holy days.

4. I am the Lord - This is the reason for keeping all these things. This is not a ritual of worship, but a true adoration of the Lord.

B. Verse 4 - Do not worship anything made by human hands.

1. John 4:24 - We must worship in spirit and in truth.

2. I am the Lord your God - This is the reason for worshipping in this fashion.

C. Verse 5-8 - The peace offerings.

1. For an explanation of these verses see chapter 3.

2. It is repeated here because this is the only offering that the giver also partakes of. They need to be very careful about giving things to God that He might give it back to them.

D. Verse 9,10 - God's welfare program.

1. The land owners should not reap all of the crop. This is not to encourage waste, but to leave some for the poor.

2. We will always have the poor with us. Some people are poor because they have never learned how to take care of material things.

a. Some people with good paying jobs never have enough money because they spend on impulse, not thinking they need the money for necessities.

b. This kind of people cannot be helped or made rich. Former President Johnson's "poverty program" would not work because of this.

3. An example of this being carried out and God blessing it is in Ruth. Boaz let Ruth glean close by the reapers.

4. "Glean" means to receive that which was missed in the first harvest. This is not to be done by the owner of the property, but the "gleanings" are to be left for the poor. If the poor don't get the gleanings, it is their fault.

5. Note: The poor must go into the fields and work. They should not remain in their homes and expect other people to bring their food to them. Today, many people want the benefits of the earth, but want other people to get it out of the gardens for them, then preserve it for them.

E. Verse 11 - No lying, stealing, or dealing falsely.

1. Note that lying, and stealing is the same thing as dealing falsely.

2. We put these things in different categories, but God says they are all the same.

F. Verse 12 - To swear falsely is to profane the name of the Lord.

1. This is not talking about swearing allegiance to the flag or country, but is swearing allegiance to things God is against (sin).

2. "I am the Lord" - This is the reason. God is not like the other "gods", but He is the creator of heaven and earth and the Saviour of our souls.

G. Verse 13 - No bankruptcy.

1. Rules for the employer concerning the employee. If these laws were followed, there would be no need for unions.

2. The word "defraud" means to oppress. God puts it in the same category as robbing him. Note that robbing a neighbor means to take away his goods, and oppress means to hinder him (either in his material goods, or any other way).

3. Wages - In those days a laborer was paid at the end of the day. Today, employees are paid at the end of a week, every two weeks, twice a month, or in some cases once a month. Regardless of the pay period, the employer should be careful to pay on time and not begrudge the wage.

H. Verse 14 - Don't hurt those that don't know you're hurting them.

1. Don't curse the deaf - they can't hear you and will never know what you are doing.

2. Don't put something in the way of the blind. They can't see you and will never know who caused them to stumble.

3. The reason. Even though the deaf can't hear and the blind can't see, God both hears and sees. He will judge.

I. Verse 15 - Righteous judgment.

1. Everybody is not a judge, but everybody judges. Let us judge righteously.

2. No one should have "pull" with the judge. We should judge things either right or wrong according to the Word of God. It is our neighbor we judge, whether the person lives close by us or far from us.

J. Verse 16 - We should not gossip.

1. "go up and down" - We look at this sometimes as a person doing nothing but going from house to house telling gossip about people. The truth is: as we go about our daily business, let us refrain from telling things on other people.

2. Stand against the blood of thy neighbor. Do not interfere with the course of justice.

a. Do not overly protect our neighbor when he is at fault.

b. Do not overly condemn him when he is in the right.

K. Verse 17 - Two unrelated things that the love of God will unite.

1. Hate brother. When we really love God, we will really love our brother (both fleshly and in Christ). This love comes from the heart.

2. Rebuke neighbor, suffer sin. If you see your neighbor doing something that you know will bring the judgment of God upon him, it is our duty in Christ (because of the love of Christ) to go to that neighbor, explain the situation to him, praying that God will give him light to avoid judgment. If he does not listen, it is our place to back off and pray for him. It may be we are wrong and can learn a lesson about God's Word.

3. The motivation is the love of God in our hearts.

L. Verse 18 - All vengeance belongs to God, not us. Even to those that have wronged us, let God judge them. Let us fear God and keep His commandments.

M. Verse 19 - No intermingling, not in animals, seed, or garments. The reason for this commandment is to help the Israelites remember that God expects them to be a particular people and a pure people. God didn't want them to mingle their seed with the people of this world.

N. Verse 20-22 - The commandment to not lie with a woman carnally. The special conditions are: (1) a bondmaid (2) betrothed to an husband (3) not redeemed [having no freedom].

1. She shall be scourged (whipped) because she was under orders, and not free to make her own decision. She was whipped because the thing she did was wrong and she knew it was wrong.

2. The man shall be forgiven only when he brings his trespass offering (a ram). This is a public confession of sin. It is not covered up or the sacrifice given in secret. The fact that the woman is whipped is not covered up, therefore the confession of the man is not covered up. It is impossible to cover up sin.

3. These things teach there is a consequence to be paid for sin regardless of who commits the sin.

O. Verse 23-25 - A means of thanking the Lord for the increase of the land. Don't eat the first of the fruits because that would show that we don't think God could provide more. Let us wait for the bountiful harvest.

P. Verse 26-28 - Some sundry laws.

1. Eat nothing with blood - as described in chapter 17:10- 16.

2. Enchantment - Ex. 7:11 - These are the devils tools.

3. Observe times - like astrology.

4. Round the corners of your heads or beard - This may allude to such a custom as that of the Arabs described by Herodotus. They used these haircuts to show honor to their deity Orotal by cutting the hair away from the temples in a circular form.

5. Cut flesh for the dead. Do not mourn like that.

a. I Kings 18:28 - The prophets of Baal cut themselves to get the attention of their god.

b. I Thess. 4;13 - We do sorrow for the loss of loved ones, but not as others which have no hope.

6. Marks in the flesh - like tattoos.

7. The reason for these laws: "I am the Lord".

Q. Verse 29 - It is up to every father to raise his own children, teaching them the ways of God and teaching them to avoid the ways of Satan.

1. It is the responsibility of each parent to keep their children from sin.

2. We often think that somebody else's daughter will be the prostitute, but the prostitute must be somebody's daughter.

3. This ought to teach us that our children could be guilty of doing any sin.

R. Verse 30 - This verse is a positive way of teaching your children. Note the repeat from verse 3.

S. Verse 31 - Pay no attention to Seances or sorcerers. These things will defile you and turn you from God.

1. The word "sorcerer" comes from the Greek word "pharmaheia" which means "druggings". We get our word "pharmacy".

2. Note that God does not deny the existence of Satan and His work. There are some today that deny these things, but they surely existed then and now. Satan has power to do many things, including some things related to filling the need to worship in the natural man. This will always draw natural man away from God and toward Satan, casting him deeper and deeper into the pit.

3. The reason for leaving these things alone: "I am the LORD your God". Note the addition of the words, "your God".

T. Verse 32 - Old age will be respected by the "Christian"!

1. In the late 50's and early 60's, young people said, "You can't trust anybody over 30." This led to a great downfall in the morals of this nation. We ought to respect the experience of those people who are older, knowing that they only wish the best for us.

2. I Kings 12 - Let us not be like Rehoboam who rejected the advice of the old men and lost the kingdom.

U. Verse 33,34 - This is for the stranger that dwells with them, not for every stranger who happens to visit with them. An example of the blessings God visited upon Israel in strangers is:

1. Joshua 2 - Rahab the harlot married into Israel and was in the line of Christ. See Matt. 1:5, Joshua 6:25.

2. Ruth - See the book of Ruth and Matt. 1:5 for the story of Ruth (a Moabite) who married Boaz (a Jew) and was included in the lineage of Christ.

V. Verse 35,36a - Be honest in everyday dealings.

1. meteyard - a measurement in distances.

2. weight - dry measurement, such as weighing a bushel of corn or wheat.

3. measure - liquid measurement.

4. all measurement - let everything be done right before God.

W. Verse 36b-37 - Conclusion:

1. The reason these things ought to be done is because God is their God.

2. He has brought them out of Egypt, given them freedom and a land that is all their own. Therefore, they ought to serve God.

3. The same thing is true for us. Christ has saved us from the sinfulness of this world and promised us a home in eternity with Him. Therefore, we ought to serve Him.