The Ten Commandments

00:00:00 Speaker 1: Previously on the Chosen People. 00:00:03 Speaker 2: Also tell them this now, if you will carefully listen to me and keep my covenant, you will be my own possession. Out of all the peoples, all throughout the whole earth, you will be my kingdom of priests and my holy nation. 00:00:26 Speaker 3: Are all our elders in place to monitor the boundaries when we called. 00:00:31 Speaker 4: Out, Yes, we are as prepared as possible. 00:00:36 Speaker 5: My God, you are the god of our fathers, of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the one who has brought us from our misery. 00:00:47 Speaker 3: Egypt, your servant and your people stand before you. 00:00:54 Speaker 2: Moses, my servant, come to me on the mountain. 00:01:01 Speaker 1: And so Moses took one step, another and another across the boundary line into the darkness that was gathered on the mountain, and stretching into the sky above. 00:01:18 Speaker 2: He began his climb. 00:01:24 Speaker 6: As the mountain quakes and the Chofar sounds. The Chosen People stand on the brink of a covenant that will bind heaven and earth. Cello, my friends, from here in the Holy Land of Israel, i'm ya l Ekstein with the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, Welcome to the Chosen People. We find ourselves standing at the edge of a monumental moment. The children of Israel have been delivered from the shackles of Egypt, a land soaked in the sorrow of slavery. They have journeyed through the wilderness, led by the mighty hand of God, witnessing wonders that defy human understanding. And now they stand at the foot of Mount Sinai, trembling with anticipation. The air is thick with expectation. A holy hush has fallen over the Chosen People as they prepare to receive something unparalleled, a revelation that will define their identity and shape their destiny. 00:02:24 Speaker 1: Aaron stood before the foot of the mountain with the nation of Israel in the dense smoke. Several hours had passed since his brother had ascended through the terrifying darkness, but no one dared move or turn away. Aaron would never have admitted the genuine fear he felt. The longer Moses absence stretched before him, he wondered what he ought to be doing. His lower back and the soles of his feet were starting to hurt. He eyed the boundary line before him and tentatively stole a look at the eldest They clearly shared his restlessness. There was still palpable fear in the air, and all the pent up anxiety sent a nervous energy that could be felt reverberating through the crowd. Aaron could sense that Miriam felt it too. They needed to act to get ahead of it. An unruly crowd must be appeased. 00:03:23 Speaker 2: Do you think we. 00:03:24 Speaker 3: Should continue to wait or should we send the people back to camp and wait for Moses there. 00:03:29 Speaker 4: I'm not sure nothing quite like this has ever happened before. The Lord didn't specify how long to wait or what to do after we stood before him. 00:03:38 Speaker 2: The people are growing restless. 00:03:40 Speaker 4: It falls to us to lead them in Moses' is absent. 00:03:43 Speaker 3: We understand that, Miriam, But what would you have louk? 00:03:47 Speaker 1: Aaron whipped his attention back upwards. Sure enough, there was movement in the smoky darkness on the slope of the mountain. The shape of a lamb was emerging, and the entire nation of his trail fixed its eyes. Moses materialized before them. He was unharmed, but his clothes and hair were covered in soot and grime. Aaron wrinkled his nose. He could only imagine the smoky Aroma that would linger on his purson and in his tent for days to come. Moses walked with purpose down the incline and made a bee line toward Aaron and Miriam. His expression serious. 00:04:29 Speaker 3: Aaron, Miriam, has anyone crossed the boundary lines? 00:04:32 Speaker 2: No, of course not. 00:04:33 Speaker 7: We've been waiting here for you to return. 00:04:36 Speaker 4: Why do you ask? 00:04:37 Speaker 3: Our God spoke to me again, in the holiness of his presence. He warned me again that no one is to break through to see him, or they will die. He also warned me that even priests must consecrate themselves or he will break out and anger against them. No one is to approach the mountain. He sent me back down to prepare the people to hear from him. 00:05:00 Speaker 4: He will speak to all of us. 00:05:02 Speaker 1: Moses nodded. He then addressed the people in a booming voice. 00:05:07 Speaker 7: Israel, stay where you are. 00:05:10 Speaker 3: Our God has sent me to warn you. 00:05:13 Speaker 7: Listen to the elders among you, and do not cross the boundaries we have laid for you. Our God is so holy and mighty that we must keep our distance. 00:05:27 Speaker 3: Do not approach the mountain. 00:05:30 Speaker 7: If you value your life, his hanger will burn against you if you cross the threshold We've laid till you understand. 00:05:38 Speaker 1: Aaron watched as the crowd murmured assent, and looks of concern passed through them. They were still on edge from the earlier display of power, but they did not seem keen to disobey the guidelines their elders had put in place for them. Many were still shuddering out of fear or pale at the prospect of being turned to ash. 00:05:58 Speaker 3: No, our God will speak to us. 00:06:04 Speaker 1: The Israelites stood in anticipation. Everyone held their breath as one. For a moment, all was silent. Everything went quiet except the low whistle of the wind above. They waited for their God to speak to them from the misty mountain above their heads. Then, just as he had spoken over the silent void in the beginning, God spoke. 00:06:29 Speaker 2: I am the Lord, your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery. 00:06:39 Speaker 1: Aaron's mouth fell opard, and he stumbled forward a step. The sound left him speechless, and his mind struggled to comprehend he was not alone. The Israelites were terrified. The latent anxiety quickly churned into a frenetic energy that pulsed through the columns of trembling. 00:07:00 Speaker 2: People do not have any other gods before me. 00:07:07 Speaker 1: Lightning split the sky, lighting the darkened world around them, and thunder shook the ground. Again, Aaron spied more than one burly man buckled at the knees. He turned and saw a warrior wetting his tunic in fear. Aaron had never seen any god, Egyptian or otherwise, do the things his God could do, But he had often wondered where these foreign gods fell in this divine hierarchy, or even if they truly existed, if they ever had at all. It was now unmistakable that the God they followed into the willness reigned above them all. 00:07:43 Speaker 2: Do not make an idol for yourself, whether in the shape of anything in the heavens above, the earth below, or the waters under the earth. 00:07:54 Speaker 1: More lightning, thunder, and terror. But Aaron wondered at the outlawing of idea. Creating an idol was a common practice, the most natural thing in the world. In his experience, people could not understand the spiritual alone. They craved something physical, tangible, something they could touch and comprehend. It was comforting for their faith and essential for their belief. 00:08:19 Speaker 2: Do not bow in worship to them, and do not serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous god, bringing the consequences of the father's iniquity on the children. To the third and fourth generation of those who aid me. But show him a faithful love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commands. Do not misuse the name of the Lord your God, because the Lord will not leave anyone unpunished who mis represents his name. 00:09:00 Speaker 1: Aaron could understand that one names were a powerful thing. 00:09:05 Speaker 2: Remember the Sabbath day to keep it wholly. You are to labor six days and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath. To the Lord your God. You must not do any work, either you, your son or daughter, your male or female servant, your live stock, or the resident alien within your gates. For the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything in them in six days. Then he rested are the seventh day. Therefore, the Lord blesses the sabbath day and declares it wholly. 00:09:45 Speaker 1: Now this was truly unique. In all their toiling in Egypt, they had never known a day free from work. A day that would be kept holy, a day dedicated entirely to worship. Aaron had never heard of such a thing, and certainly not for an entire nation, men, women and children, and for everyone, not just priests or elders or leaders. 00:10:09 Speaker 2: Honor your father and mother so that you may have a long life in the land the Lord, your God has given you. 00:10:19 Speaker 1: Miriam noted the shift in their God's commandments, for that is what these were. The Lord was providing the newly liberated, fledgling nation with the laws that would guide and shape their society. He had begun with their relationship with him, how subjects relate to their ruler, But now it seemed he would outline how they were to live together in their society. 00:10:44 Speaker 2: Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, Do not give false testimony against your neighbor. Do not covet your neighbor's house, nor his wife, his male or female servant, his ox, his donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. 00:11:07 Speaker 1: Miriam beamed to herself. She was right. These statutes would become the bedrock of their administrative and judiciary systems, caring for the elderly, outlining capital offenses and preserving the purity of the family unit. At the end of their God's words, another great flash of lightning the roll of thunder crack through the sky. It reverberated into the rock below their feet, cutting short Miriam's self satisfaction and discerning the purpose of the commandments. The sound was so great it blocked out all thought besides the noise and light. She struggled to keep her footing as the ground trembled. The mighty display continued without their God's voice, and Miriam glimpsed at the people around her. They were crouched in fear, covering their ears and eyes with their hair. It was as if they were inside of the very storm itself. The ground was still shaking and rolling beneath their feet, and as one stepped back, the columns of over two million souls stepped back. Some ran, some crawled, but all shrank away from the mountain's base. Then the chauffeur resumed its triumphant rhythmic blasts, the lightning, thunder horn, and earth quaking beneath its strange, immersive orchestra. Miriam was lost in its alien melody, and its presence was all consuming. It was terrible, wonderful, and other worldly, And as suddenly as it had begun, the storm and the music cut out. Absolute silence hung in the air, like the dense clouds above. Miriam tentatively lifted her hands away from her ears and looked around. The Israelites were in various stages of their attempts to flee. She saw that more than a few tears, sweat, and urine had swept through the terrified throng. Miriam's own hands were shaking uncontrollably. She breathed deeply in and out, trying to calm her frantic nerves. She saw that her brothers had not fared much better. The three of them had remained in their places at the boundary lines, though the crowd had shrunk back significantly. Aaron looked as shaken as she felt, but was quickly smoothing his face and his clothes. Moses was still holding his staff and staring up at the mountain in the direction, silently communicating with an unheard voice. Miriam knew the look. Sure enough, Moses turned to face them and strode confidently toward the stunned masses. Miriam and Aaron flanked him like silent shadows. The people were murmuring frantically amongst themselves as they approached. They quieted as the trio approached. 00:13:58 Speaker 3: Speak, my brothers, you've just heard the word of our God, Moses. 00:14:04 Speaker 1: Words were met with silence. For a long moment, the air was charged with frantic thoughts. The feeling in the air was so palpable you could almost taste it, but no words were being formed aloud. Fear pure and unadulterated. After what felt like a lifetime, the closest and boldest looking man finally stepped forward to address their leader. 00:14:33 Speaker 8: We all agree, you speak to us and we will listen. But don't let the Lord speak to us. 00:14:44 Speaker 3: HOHU will do I? 00:14:47 Speaker 1: Moses looked surprised at his response. He then took in the trembling united faces throughout the crowd. He sighed, but addressed them half heartedly, unable to keep the disappoint ointment from his face. 00:15:01 Speaker 2: Do not be afraid. 00:15:05 Speaker 3: Our God has come to test you, so that the fear of Him will be in you, and you will not sin, For the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. 00:15:17 Speaker 1: Predictably, the crowd remained unmoved. They did not approach Moses or even glance toward the mountain behind him. Miriam watched her brother wrestle silently for a long moment as he stared out at the chosen people of their God. Miriam would not admit it readily, but she was relieved by the people's desire to keep Moses as their God's mouthpiece. She still honored her God and held her faith in her heart like a steady flame, but something about the presence of their God had shaken her to the core in a way she was not ready to comprehend. And more importantly, she did not fear a man. She could understand the commands and leadership a man. The supernatural and unpredictable nature of their God unsettled her so deeply. Moses concluded whatever war was waving in his mind and turned away from the people, seemingly accepting their request. As he departed in the direction of the mountain. He steadily walked into the growing darkness as he once again climbed the darkened mountain to meet with their God. Almost a full day passed since Moses approached the mountain to receive further instruction from their God, and several more past since he relayed those instructions, recorded the words, and set up an altar with twelve pillars, one for each tribe. Moses was nothing if not a productive man. A new silence settled over the people, and Moses turned, motioning for the elder to follow him. They climbed the slope away from the crowd, and Aaron felt himself pulled into a strange, heavy calm as he walked beside his brother, knowing full well what was to come. They reached the place Moses had marked for the covenant, a rough altar he had built from unworked stones, simple yet solemn, with grim ceremony. He took up a basin of blood from the sacrificial bulls and began to sprinkle it upon the altar. He spoke the words of the Covenant aloud, sealing the laws they had just heard, and then, with slow deliberation, he turned to the elders and cast the blood upon them as well. Aaron felt the warm droplet spatter his face, the metallic scent filling his nostrils. Blood trickled down his cheek, streaking his robes and his skin. He glanced at his son's nadab and Abayou, who stood in quiet reverence, their faces pale but resolute. Nadab shifted slightly, his face flickering with uncertainty, but he quickly steadied himself. Meeting his father's gaze. Moses lifted his hands, his voice carrying over the assembly. 00:18:18 Speaker 3: This blood seals the covenant the Lord has made with you. 00:18:23 Speaker 1: The elders murmured their assent, each face solemn, each man bound by the blood now streaking his skin. Nadab glanced at his father, a question lingering in his eyes, but he did not speak it aloud. After the sacrifice, Moses led them further up the mountain, motioning for the elders to follow him. Aaron felt Nadab's hand upon his arm, steadying himself. He could see the flicker of fear in his son's eyes, the hint of something close to dread. 00:18:55 Speaker 2: I think we are to ascend further. Stand up straight, son, This is an important moment. 00:19:01 Speaker 1: They climbed higher, leaving the murmurs of the people behind. As they reached a high plateau, a strange, otherworldly light broke through the clouds above, casting an eerie sapphire glow upon the ground. Aaron squinted and for a moment, he thought he saw something vast and terrible far above them, a throne, it seemed, set upon a pavement of sapphire, clear as the sky, blazing with an unearthly light. Aran fell to his knees, unable to bear the sight of it, the awe and terror mingling in his heart. And beside him, the elders did the same, their faces pale and reverent. They stayed in that posture until Moses finally broke the stillness, calling them to the covenant meal. Aaron tore a piece of bread, eating silently, his hands still trembling. But just as he lifted the cup to his lips, her voice rang out again, voice that shattered all thoughts and bound them as surely as the blood upon their skin. 00:20:06 Speaker 2: Moses, come to me upon the mountain. I shall give you the tablets of stone, which are written my law of commandments. 00:20:18 Speaker 1: Moses rose, his face set. He looked out over the gathered elders, and his gaze lingered upon Hoshier, his young aide, who stood trembling at the rear. 00:20:29 Speaker 3: Come, Hosher, you shall go further with me. 00:20:34 Speaker 1: Hoshier's eyes widened, his face pale, but he nodded Aaron watched as the young man gathered himself, his face a mixture of fear and awe, and took his place beside Moses. Moses looked back at his brother and the other elders. Aaron's heart began to race with questions. Would Moses be safe, when would he return? What would become of him when he had the frame. Moses, sensing his brother's anxiety, turned to him and nodded, so you sm Aaron opened his mouth to speak, but for once he was at a loss for words. He simply nodded and watched the two figures begin to climb, vanishing slowly into the swirling clouds, drawn up into the smoke and fire that burned on Sinai's heights. As Aaron watched them go, the silence fell once more heavy and final, and he felt in his heart the weight of the covenant, the blood and fire that would buy them not just as a people, but as a promise, a promise sealed in fear, law, and sacrifice. 00:21:56 Speaker 6: The Ten Commandments inscribed by God's finger. These aren't just ancient decrees. They're living words that continue to shape our lives. They remind us that we are people set apower. We are a people set apart bound by a divine calling, and we have to ask, how can we, in our modern lives embody the spirit of the law given at Sinai. This episode wasn't just recounting of history. Was an invitation, an invitation to live out the principles that were handed down to us, to let them shape our actions and our hearts. With the Bible story echoing in our hearts, let us strive to be a light into the nations, faithful to the covenant that began at Sinai. Picture a wedding where vows are spoken. These commandments are those vows, the sacred terms of our relationship with God given to his chosen people, the first three commands and shape our bond with God. No other gods before me. This commandment is one of exclusive allegiance to the God who let us out of Egypt and claimed us as his own. No idols. Well, we've witnessed the Chosen people see God appear in the cloud of fire, not as an image, creating idols as a betrayal, reducing our infinite creator to a finite form. And quote, do not misuse the name of the Lord. End quote. This is about carrying his name with reverence. Our actions and words must reflect His holiness. And these first three commandments lead us to the fourth. In the Jewish candace of the week, one day stands apart Shabbat, the Sabbath. Have you ever wondered why this day is so pivotal to the Jewish faith. It's not just a day of rest, no, at so much mon More than that, the Sabbath is the heartbeat of the Jewish people's existence. It's the anchor that has kept us grounded through the very uncertain waves of history. For Millenniashabad has been our sanctuary, the sacred time that has preserved Judaism vibrant and unyielding, and for these thousands of years, it has been the essence of our very survival. By following this commandment, the Jewish people passed on our faith and God's laws to the very next generation through times of persecution. By following this commandment, the Jewish people have passed on their faith and God's law to the next generation. Even through times of persecution and hardships. Through the Sabbath, the Chosen people have survived. And it says quote six days you shall labor end quote. These words from Exodus twenty nine hold a profound mystery. In Hebrew, the word for you shall labor is said to avode, but it also means you shall serve. What if I told you that our sages interpret this to avode for six days, you should to avode to mean that for six days our work is our service to God. For six days, every mundane task that we do, every effort, is actually an act of worship. And on the seventh day our service transforms. By resting on the Sabbath, we serve God in a deeper, more profound way. Our worth isn't tied to our productivity when it comes to the Sabbath. No, our value lies and our identity as the chosen people. Isn't that a radical thought in today busy world, that for six days we serve God by working, but on the seventh day we serve God simply by being the rabbi and physician. My Mandodes had a beautiful teaching about the Sabbath. This is what he said. If a person sleeps in order to allow his mind to rest and to give rest to his body, so that he should not become sick and unable to serve God, because of illness. In this case, his very sleep is service to God. You see, sometimes we serve God by working hard at contributing to his purpose of bettering this world. And sometimes the greatest thing that we can do for the glory of God is to do nothing at all. Now, let's talk about the final commandment. Coveting the tenth Commandment touches a nerve, doesn't it. The Jewish sage is offered this stark wisdom on the matter. Whoever desires something that is not his not get what he wants, and actually he'll lose what he already has. Think about that. How often do we chase what others possess only to lose sight of our own blessings? What have you lost in the pursuit of what isn't yours? We risk so much when we covet. We have everything to gain by cherishing what God has already given us. Contentment is truly a gift from God, isn't it. It's really something to think that God gave these commandments to the chosen people at Sinai, isn't it? And it's truly a responsibility for all of us today, as the chosen people, to keep this covenant made in the Bible. I want to take a look at a couple of these laws beyond the ten commandment that this episode brought to mind. In Exodus twenty two to twenty one, God commands us, quote, do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were once fore foreigners in Egypt. 00:28:02 Speaker 1: End quote. 00:28:03 Speaker 6: We have to look at this verse and say, what does this mean for us today? Our history of oppression in Egypt instills in us a deep, unyielding empathy. It binds us to a convenantal responsibility to protect the vulnerable in our society, something that the Fellowship is able to do because of compassionate Christian friends like you. We're able to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, shelter the poor, help the elderly. Because Christians have taken this verse seriously, Jewish tradition extends this command to care for everyone who's marginalized. Who are the foreigners among us today? In Exodus twenty two twenty two, it says, do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless. Here the Hebrew word for take advantage is te anu, and this all so translate says make suffer. This command is not just a call for us not to exploit others, but we see from the Hebrew word that it uses that it's a command to us from God to actively prevent suffering. At the Fellowship, we are dedicated to ensuring that the suffering, the elderly, the widows, the Holocaust survivors, the orphans, the needy children, that they do not endure pain and neglect, that they have dignity and joy because they know that they're not alone. We are called to this work by God. I'd like to close today with something the Bible says. After God had given the Ten Commandments, the Bible tells us quote the people remained at a distance while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was. It makes me think we all go through dark times, don't we? Financial difficulties, painful relationships with the spouse or with a family member. Maybe it's the loss of loved one, or maybe you're experiencing illness or someone that you cherishes ill. The question is how do we react to this thick darkness? Do we keep our distance from God or do we get closer to him? Going through dark times can make us feel far from God. But the Bible teaches us an amazing lesson in these verses that God is in the darkness. A dark time isn't the time to turn away from God, It's actually the exact moment to draw closer to Him. 00:30:39 Speaker 1: You can listen to The Chosen People with the Isle Eckstein add free by downloading and subscribing to the Prey dot Com app today. This Prey dot Com production is only made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Katina, Max bod Zach Shellabaga and Ben Gammon are the executive producers of the Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, Edited by Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced by Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold, Sylvia Zaradoc and the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Bree Rosalie and Aaron Salvato. Special thanks to Bishop Paul Lanier, Robin van Ettin, kayleb Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller, and the team at International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. You can hear more Prey dot com productions on the Prey dot Com app, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. If you enjoyed The Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, please rate and leave a review.