Exodus 20:1-2 And God spoke all these words, saying,… Bearing in mind the universality of the Decalogue, this "land of Egypt" and "house of bondage" must have a far deeper and wider signification than the valley of the Nile. Egypt is a synonym for an ungodly world, which captivates the heart of man, and from which the grace of God releases the renewed soul. The Law of God is, therefore, in its holiness, justice, and goodness, held up to those who have been delivered from the bondage of sin. It is not so held up to the ungodly — they cannot love it, they cannot see its beauty. By the Lord's telling us that He has already brought us out of Egypt and bondage, He does not say when He gives us the Law: "Do this and live," but "Since ye live, do this"; "Since My grace has redeemed you, and you rejoice in the liberty of the children of God, use My Law, the reflection of My perfections, as your beloved guide." There is one other expression in this preface which should be noted. It is the use of the second person singular, "which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt." There are two thoughts connected with this use. 1. The first is that God deals with all Israel as one man. He expects them to be one, of one mind and one heart, before Him. There must be no antagonisms among God's people. He has taken us out of the contentious world, not that we should be only another contentious world, but that we should show our distracted earth the harmony of heaven. He wishes to reconcile all things unto Himself. Sin divides men, grace unites them. 2. The other thought regarding the use of the second person singular here is this: God treats man individually. Man enters heaven or hell, not in companies or battalions, but in naked individuality. It was thyself personally that wert delivered from that dark Egypt of condemnation, was it not? And so you can say: "Who loved me and gave Himself for me." (H. Crosby, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: And God spake all these words, saying, |
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