God is a God of order. Everything He does has a reason, is just, right, and good. When He gave the Ten Commandments He didn’t do it to keep His created beings from experiencing what was best for them. In fact, He wanted us to experience what’s best. That’s why He gave the commandments.
They express His righteousness and His righteous demands. They help us understand evil and its destructive consequences. They also explain elements of a healthy relationship with God and others.
If you did a “focus and amplify” study of Exodus 20:1-17, you might give the focus as: What God Knows Is Best. Then amplify it with two main points: In my relationship with Him, and in my relationship with others. Point one covers the first four commands. Point two deals with the other six.
Point two could be amplified more by pointing out that law five and seven deal with the family, law nine and ten deal with your neighbor and the others deal with others in general. Notice, with the fifth commandment there is a promise of long life. When we properly understand these commands and their intent it’s clear, God had our best interests in mind when He gave them.
Jesus Christ alone, among all who ever lived, fully kept these commands and God the Father blessed Him accordingly. It’s true, He suffered persecution and even death at the hands of His enemies, but the smile of God the Father was upon Him. On two occasions He declared, “This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.”
