The Ten CommandmentsSample

When God delivered Israel from Egypt, the Israelites traveled into the wilderness to the mountain where God had appeared to Moses in the burning bush, Mt. Sinai. Through Moses, God told Israel that they were his special people. God made a serious agreement, a covenant, with the people of Israel - God promised to give them the land he had promised to Abraham, to love them, and to be with them always. The people promised to follow God only. Then God gave them the 10 Commandments, which showed them how to live in a community with one another as God's people.

God wanted Israel to show all the other peoples of the world that he was the one true God and following the 10 Commandments (or the Law) was how they could do that. God warned them that if they didn't follow the Law and faithfully follow God that he would take away the land and send them into exile. But even if that happened he would not stop loving them or being their God! Today, we know that we can rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to help us follow God's commands.