An Overview of the Ten Words or Commandments

Exodus 20:1–17,

The Ten Words or Ten Commandments by which they are more commonly known are but the mighty cornerstone of the 613 commandments of the Torah. The Jewish sages teach that all 613 are implied in the Ten; or that the Ten can be expanded into 613. The Tanakh (Old Testament) and Jewish writings contain a number of phrases that express the quintessential essence of the Torah. One of these best-known passages naming several of these phrases is in the Jewish Talmud: “[R.] Simlai said, ‘613 commandments were given to Moses—365 negative mitzvot (commandments), the same as the number of days in the year, and 248 positive mitzvot, the same as the number of parts in a man’s body. David came and reduced them to eleven (Ps 15), Isaiah to six (Isa 33:15), Micah to three (Mic 6:8), Isaiah again to two—“Observe and do righteousness” (Isa 56:1). Then Amos came and reduced them to one, “Seek me and you shall live” (Amos 5:4)—as did Habakkuk, “The righteous one will attain life by his trusting [or by faith] faithfulness (Hab 2:4)”’ (Makkot 23b–24a, abridged, from the Jewish New Testament Commentary, by David Stern, p. 565). 

We see some of these same Torah summation-type statements in the Testimony of Yeshua. For example, the phrase, “the just shall live by faith” is found in three passages of the Testimony of Yeshua (Rom 1:17; Gal 3:11; Heb 10:38); In Leviticus 19:18, we find the phrase, “you shall love your neighbor as yourself,” which is the summation of the last five of the famous Ten Commandments. This in itself is a summation of all of the 613 Torah commandments that relate to human relationships, which we see in Yeshua’s famous “Golden Rule” passage of Matthew 7:12, “Therefore all things whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you even so to them, for this is the law and the prophets.” Paul echoes this concept in Romans 13:8, “Love does not do harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fullness of the Torah.” Love is the foundation and quintessential concept behind the Torah-law of Elohim. Yeshua states this in Mark 12:29–31, 

“And Yeshua answered him, ‘The first of all the [Torah] commandments is, Hear, O Israel; YHVH our Elohim is one Master: And you shall love YHVH your Elohim with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is none other commandment greater than these.’”

Love must be the motive behind all our righteous deeds or else our actions count for nothing (1 Cor 13:1–13). The concept of love and the keeping of YHVH’s Torah-law are codependent actions. One cannot exist without the other. John, in his epistle, discusses this idea at length in 1 John 2:7–11; 3:11–24; 4:7–21 where he states that “Elohim is love” (1 John 4:8, 16), and that one’s love of Elohim and man is linked to obedience to the Torah commandments (1 John 2:3–11; 3:11–18). As YHVH first loved us, we should love our fellow man (1 John 4:7–11), in word, deed and in (Torah) truth (1 John 3:18). This relates to Yeshua’s admonition to his disciples in John 14:15, “If you love me, keep my Torah-commandments.”

Lest one recoil at the thought of having to keep 613 commandments of the Torah please be advised of the fact that there are approximately 1050 commandments in the Testimony of Yeshua!

The 18 Benefits of Studying and Obeying YHVH’s Torah

The Scriptures reveal that the Torah is much more than a list of dos and don’ts as many people have been led to believe, and is therefore, in their mind, a negative thing. Deuteronomy 4:6 says that the Torah is our wisdom and understanding before the nations of the world. In Deuteronomy 11:8, we learn that the Torah makes us strong. The word strong in Hebrew is chazaq meaning “to be strong, grow strong, to prevail, to be firm, be caught fast, be secure, to grow stout, grow rigid, to restore to strength, give strength, sustain, encourage, make bold, encourage, to repair or to withstand.” This sounds like a good thing!

Here is a list of the other benefits of studying and obeying YHVH’s Torah:

  • The Torah defines what sin (1 John 3:4) and righteousness are (Ps 119:172).
  • The Torah shows us what YHVH expects from man (Deut 10:12–13). 
  • The Torah convicts man of sin or lawlessness and brings us to Yeshua by way of the cross (Gal 3:24).
  • The Torah brings temporal and spiritual rewards; life and blessing when followed; curses when disobeyed (Deut 28; Matt 5:19).
  • Obeying the Torah helps deepen a loving and intimate relationship with YHVH-Yeshua and helps us to abide in Yeshua (John 14:15; 1 John 2:3–6).
  • Obeying the Torah helps us to stay spiritually pure (1 John 3:3–6).
  • Obeying the Torah protects us from the influence of the devil (1 John 3:8).
  • The Torah provides a framework or basis for YHVH’s divine justice or judgment (Deut 17:11; John 12:48; Heb 4:12 cp. Rev 1:16; 2:16; 19:15, 21).
  • The Torah forms the basis for the jurisprudence system of civil government (Deut 17:11).
  • The Torah is heaven’s revelation of divine grace. It reveals how sinful man can be reconciled to a righteous Elohim; it reveals the path of redemption or salvation from slavery to sin through the idea of substitutionary sacrifice. This all points to Yeshua the Messiah, the Redeemer or Savior of the world.
  • The Torah reveals the concept of covenant between YHVH and man involving YHVH’s chosen people—the nation of Israel. Only through covenantal relationship with the Elohim of Israel and by being grafted into the Israel of Elohim can one have eternal life (Eph 2:11–19). 
  • The Torah will guide and keep us on the path of righteousness and lead us into YHVH’s everlasting kingdom and spiritual divine family. It acts as a protective guardrail to keep us on the road leading to eternal life. It keeps man from falling into the spiritual ditches or off the spiritual cliff along the side of the road of life.
  • The Torah is our light in a dark world; the answer to life’s questions and dilemmas (Ps 119:99, 105; Prov 6:23).
  • Through Yeshua the Living Torah, the Torah helps us to become the person that YHVH wants to live with forever. It prepares us to be the spiritual bride of Yeshua (Rev 19:7–8).
  • Obeying the Torah brings us eternal rewards (not eternal life, which is by grace through faith alone, see Eph 2:8) in the world to come (Matt 5:19).
  • Obeying the Torah helps deepen a loving and intimate relationship with YHVH-Yeshua and helps us to abide in Yeshua (John 14:15; 1 John 2:3–6).
  • Obeying the Torah-Word of YHVH helps to perfect YHVH-Yeshua’s love in us (1 John 3:6).
  • The Torah shows us how to love Elohim and our neighbor (Mark 12:29–31).

What Are the 15 Enemies of Torah-Obedience? 

In the Book of Deuteronomy, YHVH through Moses lays out the wonderful blessings that will come when YHVH’s people obey his Torah commandments. In stark terms, he also lays out the curses that will come as a result of disobedience. Throughout Deuteronomy, it’s almost as if YHVH is pleading with his people to choose to obey him, so he can outrageously bless them. What a deal for the people! At the same time, he clearly shows that ultimately it is the choice of each person to choose which path they will follow: the path of obedience and righteousness that leads to blessings and life, or the path of disobedience and sin that leads to curses and death (Deut 30:15–20).

With the two paths so clearly laid out before men, you’d think that men would choose the path of blessings and life. Yet this isn’t the case. Most men will choose the path of sin and rebellion. Why is this? This is because man has several enemies that are working against YHVH to draw men away from him into a path of sin and rebellion. Who and what are these enemies?

Enemy Number One: Our Flesh Nature

The fallen nature, carnal heart of man (Jer 17:9; Rom 8:7). Man’s heart is naturally rebellious, stiffnecked and hard toward anyone or anything that tells it to do something it doesn’t want to do. The rebellious pride and stubborn hard-heartedness of the human mind, will and emotions is the greatest force working against one to obey YHVH’s commandments. What makes this enemy so lethal is that he’s inside of us — in our heart (how we feel) and in our mind (what we think). This enemy is very hard to detect, since it is so well camouflaged within each of us.

Enemy Number Two: The World

The influences of the world are a snare to us (Exod 34:12; Deut 7:16). The allurements of the pagan practices of the surrounding nations was ancient Israel’s downfall. The ways of the heathen are enticing because they appeal to and satiate the carnal nature within each man. This is why it is so hard for us to resist. The enemy outside of us is seducing the enemy within us and together they are warring against word or truth of Elohim in our spirit man (our conscience).

Enemy Number Three: Satan

Satan the devil, the adversary, is YHVH’s arch-rebel and is seeking to undermine everything that is good, true and righteous (1 Pet 5:8). He’ll use the world to draw man away from Elohim. He’ll use demonic, and lying spirits to tempt man to sin against YHVH. He’ll shoot fiery darts into man’s thinking (Eph 6:16) to deceive man and to lead him astray spiritually (Rev 12:9). He is the original sinner (1 John 3:8). He is the father of all lies (John 8:44) and he lies about and rebels against the truth of Elohim.

Enemy Number Four: Church Traditions

Church traditions or doctrines of men by which make the word of Elohim is made of non-effect is a major force keeping man from obeying all of YHVH’s Word including his Torah-commandments (Matt 15:6–9; Mark 7:8–9).

Enemy Number Five: Family and Friends

Family members and friends who are opposed to obedience to the Word of Elohim is a strong deterrent to one’s keeping YHVH’s commandments. After all, what will they think? How will that affect my relationship with them? 

Other Reasons Why People Refuse to Obey YHVH’s Torah

  • They think it’s too difficult to do.
  • It requires lifestyle changes.
  • They’re afraid of what others may think.
  • They’re afraid they might lose their friends.
  • People have become a victim of spiritual complacency. They don’t want to leave their spiritual comfort zones.
  • They’re too busy with the cares of this life to want to make any major spiritual changes.
  • They’re really not in love with YHVH enough to want to obey his Word.
  • They lack the fear of YHVH, and therefore obeying his Word isn’t really that important.
  • They don’t take the Word of Elohim seriously enough.
  • They have succumbed to a faith of easy-believism when it comes to obeying YHVH’s Word where actions don’t have to back up one’s belief or fatih. 

Does one really think that any of these reasons and excuses will pass muster with YHVH Elohim on judgment day when he’s determining a persons level of rewards in his kingdom?

Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Matt 5:19)

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Messiah, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. (2 Cor 5:10)

And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. (Rev 22:12)

 

5 thoughts on “An Overview of the Ten Words or Commandments

  1. What about people who are convinced that there is no God because they have no evidence of His existence? I know they are called fools. Unfortunately, this is the case with my own children; I only came to ‘real faith’ when they were already teenagers and therefore didn’t teach them anything about God.
    I trust that they might come to know the truth through my prayers.
    Sonja

    • All we can do is to prayerfully intercede for them, and “kill” them with the love of Yeshua. Hopefully they’ll be drawn to him by our loving example and by our love, joy, peace and the hope that we have. When hard times hit their lives and they’re at the bottom of their own personal pit, hopefully they’ll have nowhere to look but up, and will find HIM! When that happens, we’ll be their to love and help guide them to Him. As the saying goes, “Our life may be the only ‘Bible’ that some people read.” May our lives be a good read for them!

      • Thanks, Natan; I was hoping for some encouragement like that. Fortunately, I have a loving relationship with them and they at least respect my belief and I am able to talk to them about it.
        Blessings, Sonja

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