patriarchs and prophets-第56章

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fourth　generation　of　them　that　hate　Me。〃　It　is　inevitable　that　children
should　suffer　from　the　consequences　of　parental　wrongdoing；　but　they　are　not
punished　for　the　parents'　guilt；　except　as　they　participate　in　their　sins。
It　is　usually　the　case；　however；　that　children　walk　in　the　steps　of　their
parents。　By　inheritance　and　example　the　sons　become　partakers　of　the
father's　sin。　Wrong　tendencies；　perverted　appetites；　and　debased　morals；　as
well　as　physical　disease　and　degeneracy；　are　transmitted　as　a　legacy　from
father　to　son；　to　the　third　and　fourth　generation。　This　fearful　truth　should
have　a　solemn　power　to　restrain　men　from　following　a　course　of　sin。

〃Showing　mercy　unto　thousands　of　them　that　love　Me；　and　keep　My
commandments。〃　In　prohibiting　the　worship　of　false　gods；　the　second
commandment　by　implication　enjoins　the　worship　of　the　true　God。　And　to　those
who　are　faithful　in　His　service；　mercy　is　promised；　not　merely　to　the　third
and　fourth　generation　as　is　the　wrath　threatened　against　those　who　hate　Him；
but　to　thousands　of　generations。

〃Thou　shalt　not　take　the　name　of　the　Lord　thy　God　in　vain：　for　the　Lord　will
not　hold　him　guiltless　that　taketh　His　name　in　vain。〃

This　commandment　not　only　prohibits　false　oaths　and　common　swearing；　but　it
forbids　us　to　use　the　name　of　God　in　a　light　or　careless　manner；　without
regard　to　its　awful　significance。　By　the　thoughtless　mention　of　God　in
common　conversation；　by　appeals　to　Him　in　trivial　matters；　and　by　the
frequent　and

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thoughtless　repetition　of　His　name；　we　dishonor　Him。　〃Holy　and　reverend　is
His　name。〃　Psalm　111：9。　All　should　meditate　upon　His　majesty；　His　purity　and
holiness；　that　the　heart　may　be　impressed　with　a　sense　of　His　exalted
character；　and　His　holy　name　should　be　uttered　with　reverence　and　solemnity。

〃Remember　the　Sabbath　day；　to　keep　it　holy。　Six　days　shalt　thou　labor；　and
do　all　thy　work：　but　the　seventh　day　is　the　Sabbath　of　the　Lord　thy　God：　in
it　thou　shalt　not　do　any　work；　thou；　nor　thy　son；　nor　thy　daughter；　thy
manservant；　nor　thy　maidservant；　nor　thy　cattle；　nor　thy　stranger　that　is
within　thy　gates：　for　in　six　days　the　Lord　made　heaven　and　earth；　the　sea；
and　all　that　in　them　is；　and　rested　the　seventh　day：　wherefore　the　Lord
blessed　the　Sabbath　day；　and　hallowed　it。〃

The　Sabbath　is　not　introduced　as　a　new　institution　but　as　having　been
founded　at　creation。　It　is　to　be　remembered　and　observed　as　the　memorial　of
the　Creator's　work。　Pointing　to　God　as　the　Maker　of　the　heavens　and　the
earth；　it　distinguishes　the　true　God　from　all　false　gods。　All　who　keep　the
seventh　day　signify　by　this　act　that　they　are　worshipers　of　Jehovah。　Thus
the　Sabbath　is　the　sign　of　man's　allegiance　to　God　as　long　as　there　are　any
upon　the　earth　to　serve　Him。　The　fourth　commandment　is　the　only　one　of　all
the　ten　in　which　are　found　both　the　name　and　the　title　of　the　Lawgiver。　It
is　the　only　one　that　shows　by　whose　authority　the　law　is　given。　Thus　it
contains　the　seal　of　God；　affixed　to　His　law　as　evidence　of　its　authenticity
and　binding　force。

God　has　given　me　six　days　wherein　to　labor；　and　He　requires　that　their　own
work　be　done　in　the　six　working　days。　Acts　of　necessity　and　mercy　are
permitted　on　the　Sabbath；　the　sick　and　suffering　are　at　all　times　to　be
cared　for；　but　unnecessary　labor　is　to　be　strictly　avoided。　〃Turn　away　thy
foot　from　the　Sabbath；　from　doing　thy　pleasure　on　My　holy　day；　and　call　the
Sabbath　a　delight；　the　holy　of　the　Lord；　honorable；　and　。　。　。　honor　Him；　not
doing　thine　own　ways；　nor　finding　thine　own　pleasure。〃　Isaiah　58：13。　Nor
does　the　prohibition　end　here。　〃Nor　speaking　thine　own　words；〃　says　the
prophet。　Those　who　discuss　business　matters　or　lay　plans　on　the　Sabbath　are
regarded　by　God　as　though　engaged　in　the　actual　transaction　of　business。　To
keep　the　Sabbath　holy；　we　should　not　even　allow　our　minds　to　dwell　upon
things　of　a　worldly　character。　And　the　commandment　includes　all　within　our
gates。　The　inmates　of　the

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house　are　to　lay　aside　their　worldly　business　during　the　sacred　hours。　All
should　unite　to　honor　God　by　willing　service　upon　His　holy　day。

〃Honor　thy　father　and　thy　mother：　that　thy　days　may　be　long　upon　the　land
which　the　Lord　thy　God　giveth　thee。〃

Parents　are　entitled　to　a　degree　of　love　and　respect　which　is　due　to　no
other　person。　God　Himself；　who　has　placed　upon　them　a　responsibility　for　the
souls　committed　to　their　charge；　has　ordained　that　during　the　earlier　years
of　life；　parents　shall　stand　in　the　place　of　God　to　their　children。　And　he
who　rejects　the　rightful　authority　of　his　parents　is　rejecting　the　authority
of　God。　The　fifth　commandment　requires　children　not　only　to　yield　respect；
submission；　and　obedience　to　their　parents；　but　also　to　give　them　love　and
tenderness；　to　lighten　their　cares；　to　guard　their　reputation；　and　to　succor
and　comfort　them　in　old　age。　It　also　enjoins　respect　for　ministers　and
rulers　and　for　all　others　to　whom　God　has　delegated　authority。

This；　says　the　apostle；　〃is　the　first　commandment　with　promise。〃　Ephesians
6：2。　To　Israel；　expecting　soon　to　enter　Canaan；　it　was　a　pledge　to　the
obedient；　of　long　life　in　that　good；　land；　but　it　has　a　wider　meaning；
including　all　the　Israel　of　God；　and　promising　eternal　life　upon　the　earth
when　it　shall　be　freed　from　the　curse　of　sin。

〃Thou　shalt　not　kill。〃

All　acts　of　injustice　that　tend　to　shorten　life；　the　spirit　of　hatred　and
revenge；　or　the　indulgence　of　any　passion　that　leads　to　injurious　acts
toward　others；　or　causes　us　even　to　wish　them　harm　（for　〃whosoever　hateth
his　brother　is　a　murderer〃）；　a　selfish　neglect　of　caring　for　the　needy　or
suffering；　all　self…indulgence　or　unnecessary　deprivation　or　excessive　labor
that　tends　to　injure　healthall　these　are；　to　a　greater　or　less　degree；
violations　of　the　sixth　commandment。

〃Thou　shalt　not　commit　adultery。〃

This　commandment　forbids　not　only　acts　of　impurity；　but　sensual　thoughts　and
desires；　or　any　practice　that　tends　to　excite　them。　Purity　is　demanded　not
only　in　the　outward　life　but　in　the　secret　intents　and　emotions　of　the
heart。　Christ；　who　taught　the　far…reaching　obligation　of　the　law　of　God；
declared　the　evil　thought　or　look　to　be　as　truly　sin　as　is　the　unlawful
deed。

〃Thou　shalt　not　steal。〃

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Both　public　and　private　sins　are　included　in　this　prohibition。　The　eighth
commandment　condemns　manstealing　and　slave　dealing；　and　forbids　wars　of
conquest。　It　condemns　theft　and　robbery。　It　demands　strict　integrity　in　the
minutest　details　of　the　affairs　of　life。　It　forbids　overreaching　in　trade；
and　requires　the　payment　of　just　debts　or　wages。　It　declares　that　every
attempt　to　advantage　oneself　by　the　ignorance；　weakness；　or　misfortune　of
another　is　registered　as　fraud　in　the　books　of　heaven。

〃Thou　shalt　not　bear　false　witness　against　thy　neighbor。〃

False　speaking　in　any　matter；　every　attempt　or　purpose　to　deceive　our
neighbor；　is　here　included。　An　intention　to　deceive　is　what　constitutes
falsehood。　By　a　glance　of　the　eye；　a　motion　of　the　hand；　an　expression　of
the　countenance；　a　falsehood　may　be　told　as　effectually　as　by　words。　All
intentional　overstatement；　every　hint　or　insinuation　calculated　to　convey　an
erroneous　or　exaggerated　impression；　even　the　statement　of　facts　in　such　a
manner　as　to　mislead；　is　falsehood。　This　precept　forbids　every　effort　to
injure　our　neighbor's　reputation　by　misrepresentation　or　evil　surmising；　by
slander　or　tale　bearing。　Even　the　intentional　suppression　of　truth；　by　which
injury　may　result　to　others；　is　a　violation　of　the　ninth　commandment。

〃Thou　shalt　not　covet　thy　neighbor's　house；　thou　shalt　not　covet　thy
neighbor's　wife；　nor　his　manservant；　nor　his　maidservant；　nor　his　ox；　nor
his　ass；　nor　anything　that　is　thy　neighbor's。〃

The　tenth　commandment　strikes　at　the　very　root　of　all　sins；　prohibiting　the
selfish　desire；　from　which　springs　the　sinful　act。　He　who　in　obedience　to
God's　law　refrains　from　indulging　even　a　sinful　desire　for　that　which
belongs　to　another　will　not　be　guilty　of　an　act　of　wrong　toward　his　fellow
creatures。

Such　were　the　sacred　precepts　of　the　Decalogue；　spoken　amid　thunder　and
flame；　and　with　a　wonderful　display　of　the　power　and　majesty　of　the　great
Lawgiver。　God　accompanied　the　proclamation　of　His　law　with　exhibitions　of
His　power　and　glory；　that　His　people　might　never　forget　the　scene；　and　that
they　might　be　impressed　with　profound　veneration　for　the　Author　of　the　law；
the　Creator　of　heaven　and　earth。　He　would　also　show　to　all　men　the
sacredness；　the　importance；　and　the　permanence　of　His　law。

The　people　of　Israel　were　overwhelmed　with　terror。　The　awful　power　of　God's
utterances　seemed　more　than　their　trembling　hearts　could　bear。　For　as　God's
great　rule　of　right　was

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presented　before　them；　they　realized　as　never　before　the　offensive　character
of　sin；　and　their　own　guilt　in　the　sight　of　a　holy　God。　They　shrank　away
from　the　mountain　in　fear　and　awe。　The　multitude　cried　out　to　Moses；　〃Speak
thou　with　us；　and　we　will　hear：　but　let　not　God　speak　with　us；　lest　we　die。〃
The　leader　answered；　〃Fear　not：　for　God　is　come　to　prove　you；　and　that　His
fear　may　be　before　your　faces；　that　ye　sin　not。〃　The　people；　however；
remained　at　a　distance；　gazing　in　terror　upon　the　scene；　while　Moses　〃drew
near　unto　the　thick　darkness　where　God　was。〃

The　minds　of　the　people；　blinded　and　debased　by　slavery　and　heathenism；　were
not　prepared　to　appreciate　fully　the　far…reaching　principles　of　God's　ten
precepts。　That　the　obligations　of　the　Decalogue　might　be　more　fully
understood　and　enforced；　additional　precepts　were　given；　illustrating　and
applying　the　principles　of　the　Ten　Commandments。　These　laws　were　called
judgments；　both　because　they　were　framed　in　infinite　wisdom　and　equity　and
because　the　magistrates　were　to　give　judgment　according　to　them。　Unlike　the
Ten　Commandments；　they　were　delivered　privately　to　Moses；　who　was　to
communicate　them　to　the　people。

The　first　of　these　laws　related　to　servants。　In　ancient　times　criminals　were
sometimes　sold　into　slavery　by　the　judges；　in　some　cases；　debtors　were　sold
by　their　creditors；　and　poverty　even　led　persons　to　sell　themselves　or　their
children。　But　a　Hebrew　could　not　be　sold　as　a　slave　for　life。　His　term　of
service　was　limited　to　six　years；　on　the　seventh　he　was　to　be　set　at
liberty。　Manstealing；　deliberate　murder；　and　rebellion　against　parental
authority　were　to　be　punished　with　death。　The　holding　of　slaves　not　of
Israelitish　birth　was　permitted；　but　their　life　and　person　were　strictly
guarded。　The　murderer　of　a　slave　was　to　be　punished；　an　injury　inflicted
upon　one　by　his　master；　though　no　more　than　the　loss　of　a　tooth；　entitled
him　to　his　freedom。

The　Israelites　had　lately　been　servants　themselves；　and　now　that　they　were
to　have　servants　under　them；　they　were　to　beware　of　indulging　the　spirit　of
cruelty　and　exaction　from　which　they　had　suffered　under　their　Egyptian
taskmasters。　The　memory　of　their　own　bitter　servitude　should　enable　them　to
put　themselves　in　the　servant's　place；　leading　them　to　be　kind　and