WHAT IF GOD HAD GIVEN ONLY THE FIRST FOUR COMMANDMENTS

The first four commandments address man’s relationship with God; God is to be the sole object of worship, and He will not tolerate idolatry. His name is to be revered, and the Sabbath is to be a sign that God is Creator, and that man is His special creation. The other six commandments deal with man’s relationship with man.

But what if God had only given the first four Commandments on one tablet and had made the last six simply a part of the Book of the Law?

The fact that God made man’s relationship with man a part of the Great Code is exceptionally significant. First of all it reveals that God is not a self-absorbed creator. He could have placed only the first four Commandments in the “Great Code,” and He would have been totally justified in doing so. He is “The All,” and He deserves all the focus, being the source of everything. But He didn’t. By including the last six as well, He demonstrated that we, His children, have a high level of importance for Him as well. The last six commandments follow the first four, showing that what pertains to God is, obviously, primary. Nevertheless, the last six are on the same tablets showing that our well being has a top priority to God as well.

By commanding man to abide by the last six commandments, God made clear that the welfare of His children is very important to Him. He is not a Being that is merely interested in obtaining man’s worship; He wants humans to treat each other with utmost dignity. God wants humans to recognize that they are equally important before Him, and He will not tolerate that any human take advantage and abuse any other.

Of course there is a need to emphasize that even the first four Commandments were given to humans not because God needs our worship, but because man needs to be properly focused on His Creator, if he is to escape foolish religious ideas and be blessed.

Every time we read or think about the Ten Commandments, therefore, let’s not forget, that God commanded all Ten Commandments, because God loves humanity deeply and expects that each and every human being do the same.

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