Ten  I   Exodus 20

Yesterday marked ten days of fasting and praying on the Daniel Fast; today I want to take a look at the number ten. Some say there is a lot biblical significance in that number–I can’t say because I am not a bible scholar but what I can say is that the number ten is used a lot in the bible, starting with the Ten Commandments. (Ex. 20) The Ten Commandments are significant of the law that God gave to his people. Most people are familiar with the Ten Commandments, though we may not be able to quote them most everyone has heard about them.

They help us to deal with our relationships; our relationship to God, others and even ourselves. As part of the “law” they have three other purposes in Scripture. They show mankind his sinful condition. They show us that we are totally helpless to deal with our sin by ourselves and they point us to God’s plan of salvation through Jesus Christ. God knew we were in need of help and the only way we could be right in His sight is by a gift of grace. A gift I do not deserve or could ever merit.

We cannot work for this gift, but we can only receive it through faith in what Jesus has done for us. Once we have received the gift of forgiveness and righteousness we must continue in faith. Trying to be good or keep the Ten Commandments as a way to maintain our righteousness before God is just not possible because somewhere we will falter.

Paul tells us the purpose of the commandments in Romans 3:20–22: “Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.”

The Living Bible describes our freedom from the condemnation of the law this way: “In my mind I want to be God’s willing servant but instead I find myself still enslaved to sin.
So you see how it is; my new life tells me to do right, but the old nature that is still inside me loves to sin. Oh, what a terrible predicament I’m in! Who will free me from my slavery to this deadly lower nature? Thank God! It has been done by Jesus Christ our Lord. He has set me free” (Romans 7:24–25).

No one can be saved or made right with God by obeying the Ten Commandments. The only way to come to God is by receiving the gift of God’s grace by faith.

Today take some time and thank God for His gift His Son Jesus Christ who willing paid the penalty for our sins.