10 Commandments Today, 14of14

~ Notice the Introversion of the Ten Commandments ~

The Introversion  ~  The Ten Commandments contain a beautiful symmetry: 

A.  Commands 1-2 – THOUGHT

     B.  Command 3 – WORD

          C.  Commands 4-5 – DEED

The first 5 commandments are built around the phrase “the Lord your God.”

The last 5 commandments are built around the word “you.”

          C.  Commands 6-7-8 – DEED

     B.  Command 9 – WORD

A.  Command 10 – THOUGHT

The Scripture  ~  In the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:2-17) the first five commands are built around the concept of “the Lord your God.”

Thought  ~  [1] I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.  You shall have no other gods before Me.  [2] You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them.  For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

Word  ~  [3] You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.

Deed  ~  [4] Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.  Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God.  In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates.  For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day.  Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.  [5] Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.

The second five commands are built around the concept of “you.”

Deed  ~  [6] You shall not murder.  [7] You shall not commit adultery.  [8] You shall not steal.

Word  ~  [9] You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

Thought  ~  [10] You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.  

Additional Comment  ~  If you enjoyed this post you may also appreciate some previous ALN posts: “Bible Introversion” (April 15, 2017); and “Bible Hourglass” (April 22, 2017); and “Defend Your Faith” – The 10 Commandments of Apologetics (March 22, 2011).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .

Bible Hourglass

~ This Bible Outline Encompasses All Time ~

Introduction  ~  The hour glass representation begins at the broad base of Creation and moves in ever narrowing fashion to the human family; to the covenant people; to the preserved remnant; and to Jesus Christ, the One in whom the purpose of God is fulfilled.

Then out from the One the story moves in ever expanding fashion to the Apostles; to the Church; to Mankind; and finally to the broad base of the New Creation.  (If you are reading this on a syndicated website and the text below does not communicate the introversion clearly you may have to go to the actual “Abundant Life Now” web page for clarity.)

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

……..……………………An Hourglass of Biblical Time…………………….

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………...…* * * * * * * * * *…………………..………………. 

The Christian……………...….*…………....……*………Original Creation …

takes his stand…………….….*...… B.C. …...*..…...Adam and Eve ………...

with Christ at the..……………...*…….…...*……..Abraham—Israel ….…...  

crossroads of history. ...…….… *…….*……...The Remnant ………….…...

Jesus Christ is the focal point! .....*…*…...The One—Jesus Christ! ….….

He looks back from Christ…......*.......*……...The Apostles ………….……

to creation and forward………*……..…*….....The Church ……………..…

from Christ to the………..…...*...... A.D. ......*…....Mankind ………………....

New Creation. …………....…..*…………....……*……...The New Creation ..

…………………………..……….…* * * * * * * * * * ……..………………………….....    

…………………………………………………………………………………………….……

Comment  ~  The parallels between the events B.C. and the events A.D. are not accidental.  As God created in the beginning and His creation was good so He will create a new heaven and a new earth.  As there was a beginning, so there will be an end; it will not be a dead end, but a new beginning.  All evil will be put down and God will reign forever. 

As the story of Adam and Eve clearly shows the involvement of all men in the problem of evil, so the gospel is directed to all men, for their predicament is essentially the same in all generations (Romans 5:19). 

As God called into being a special people, Israel, as the instrument of His saving purpose, so He called into being the new Israel (the Christian Church) as the body of Christ. 

As there was a remnant within old Israel, so there was a remnant that received Jesus as the promised Messiah and Savior and became the nucleus of the expanding church. 

Jesus is the One who is the key to the whole story of salvation.  

Reference  ~  If you enjoyed this post you may also appreciate a previous ALN post entitled “Bible Introversion” published April 15, 2017.

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .

Bible Introversion

~ Introversion Outline of the Bible ~

Introduction  ~  The Bible can be summarized as a symmetrical introverted outline.  (If you are reading this on a syndicated website and the text below does not communicate the introversion clearly you may have to go to the actual “Abundant Life Now” web page for clarity.)  

A. Original creation, heavens and earth – Genesis 1:1

..B. Ruin of creation, sin entered, Satan’s first rebellion – Genesis 1:2, Isaiah 45:18

….C. Earth blessed, then cursed – Genesis 3:17

……D. Mankind dealt with as a whole; Adam to Abraham – Genesis 4-11:

……..E. Israel called to be blessed – Genesis 12 - Malachi 4

……….F. First Advent of Christ, crucifixion – Matthew, John, Hebrews 9:26

…………G. Church taken out of the world – Acts 15:14

…………G. Church taken up from the world – 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

……….F. Second Advent of Christ, coronation – Hebrews 9:28, Zechariah 14:4

……..E. Israel recalled and blessed – Romans 11:25

……D. Mankind dealt with as a whole. – Acts 15:17

….C. Earth blessed, curse removed – Amos 9:13-15, Psalm 67:7

..B. Satan’s last rebellion, sin judged – Revelation 20:7-10

A. New heavens and new earth – Revelation 21:1

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .