Exodus chapter 20 Part 1

After reading chapter 20:

*Then God spoke. He said he was Yahweh who brought them out of slavery in Egypt. No other gods were to be worshipped before him. (It doesn't say no other gods existed.) They were not to make any idols or bow down to any idols, because he is a jealous God. Jealousy is a human emotion. Why should an all powerful God be jealous?

*He punishes the children for the sins of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate him and rewards those who love him for a thousand generations. That certainly doesn't seem fair by human standards. Also, what if someone loves god but that person's grandchild hates God, does the love nullify the hate, or vice versa?

*No one shall misuse god's name. Is he talking about the name Yahweh or does the generic word God also count as his name? Apparently anyone who misuses the name will be guilty, but we are not told what the punishment is.

*Next, the Israelites were to keep the seventh day of the week holy. On that day, no one was to work, not even slaves and strangers. The reason given was that God worked at making everything that existed for six days, and on the seventh day he rested. That makes it a holy day. Here we encounter a small problem. Unless we know the exact date of the first day of creation, how can we know when we are currently on a day that is a true multiple of seven? Did Adam and all his descendants keep track of the days of the week? What happens if the day people call the Sabbath is really the third day if the week?

*Honor your father and mother so you will have a good long stay in Canaan. (What if you are abused?) Do not murder. Do not commit adultery. (Not even for abuse?) Do not steal. Do not  be a false witness against your neighbor.

*You can't even wish you had your neighbor's house, his wife, or slaves, or animals, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor. Though how anyone would know, is a mystery. Thoughts have always been private. Uh, oh. Is this telling us our thoughts are not private to God? This a disturbing new development. If I can't even be alone in my thoughts, I'm toast.

*While God was saying these things, he was also making thunder, lightening, smoke, and trumpet sounds. This understandably scared the Israelites. They asked Moses to speak to God alone, in person, because they were afraid of dying. Moses told them not to be afraid. It was just a test to instill a fear of sinning in them. The people stayed back and Moses went toward the thick darkness where God was.