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From Eternity Past
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
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falsehood may be told as effectually as by words. Even the statement
of facts in such a manner as to mislead, is falsehood. Every effort
to injure our neighbor’s reputation by misrepresentation, slander or
talebearing, the intentional suppression of truth by which injury may
result to others is a violation of the ninth commandment.
(10) “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, pro-
hibiting the selfish desire, from which springs the sinful act. He who
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.
God proclaimed His law with exhibitions of His power and glory,
that His people might never forget the scene. He would show to all
men the sacredness and permanence of His law.
God’s Law Is a Law of Love
As God’s great rule of right was presented before them, the people
realized as never before the offensive character of sin and their own
guilt in the sight of a holy God. 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.”
Blinded and debased by slavery and heathenism, the people were
not prepared to appreciate fully the far-reaching principles of God’s
ten precepts. Additional precepts were given, illustrating and applying
the principles of the Ten Commandments. These laws were called
“judgments” because the magistrates were to give judgment according
to them. Unlike the Ten Commandments, they were delivered privately
to Moses.
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The first of these related to servants. A Hebrew could not be sold
as a slave for life. His service was limited to six years; on the seventh
he was to be set at liberty. The holding of slaves not of Israelitish birth
was permitted, but their life and person were strictly guarded. The