Devotion:
Read Exodus 19:1-2, 16-18; 20:1-20.
For the Israelites, very recently released from slavery in Egypt and on their way to their Promised Land, it had been an eventful three months! God had parted the Red Sea to save them, provided manna and quail, gave them water to drink when there was none, and defeated the Amalekites who attacked them. Now, as they camped in the desert near Mount Sinai, Moses summoned them to pay attention. God was about to speak to Moses on the mountain. The people were instructed not to come near, because the mountain was set apart as holy ground. Smoke billowed from the mountain, the earth trembled, and a trumpet blasted -- what a dramatic backdrop to the events that were about to unfold!
Moses came down from the mountain with ten commandments to guide the Israelites’ relationship with God and with one another. Those commandments would not only establish their covenant with God, but they would also help to set the Israelites apart from other people along their journey and when they finally arrived in their Promised Land. The people would remember this mountain and associate it with God’s presence and the covenant.
Adult Challenge:
The Bible is full of special places where God did something memorable or where God’s presence was dramatically shown. What place in the Bible is your favorite? Perhaps more importantly, what place in your own life has special meaning for you as a place where you have experienced God? I can remember praying in certain places and feeling God’s presence in a powerful way. Those places are special, but we know that God is in all places!
Youth Challenge:
I can’t imagine how it must have felt to experience something of that magnitude. I definitely would have been a little nervous, but I think another reason why they were trembling in fear was because they knew that they hadn’t been as loyal to or trusting in God as they should have. Then Moses gives them the commandments from God. These commandments are to help guide their relationship with God and with others. Which commandments are…or appear to be easiest for you to follow and honor? Which ones are more difficult and why?
Children's Challenge:
What You Do:
You are the leader and the only one who gets to decide about points, who’s in or out, and essentially anything going on in the game. Simply tell your family you are all going to play a new game. Then throw a bunch of soft balls or other toys in the middle of the room. Next, say: “Ready, set, go!”
(You will get lots of blank looks. That’s exactly what should happen).
As people start moving, picking up toys, or even asking questions, randomly shout out consequences or award points. “You asked a question! 5 points!” “You didn’t say anything. 10 points!” “Picking up toys—Negative 500 points.” “No movement within time limit. You’re frozen forever!” “You’re wearing red! Sit out for 2 minutes!”
Be as random as you want to be. No doubt you will start hearing shouts of “That’s not fair!” and “Hey! You didn’t tell us that was a rule!” or even “AAAAhhh! Stop the madness!”
After a few minutes of this intentional chaos, have everyone sit down. Explain that playing a game without knowing the rules can be confusing, frustrating, and even end up eventually hurting people.
Ask your family members to imagine what would happen if there were no traffic rules. (You can do a Google search for “traffic chaos” and find video clips of traffic scenes from some countries where there seem to be no laws … or where everyone ignores them. These may be intriguing for your kids to see.)
After they give you some ideas about what could happen with no road rules, ask them to give you their reasons for why rules are important in general. They will probably come up with some very good reasons!
Children often have a strong sense of what’s fair or not—often well before they are old enough to get the concept of principles such as sharing and telling the truth.
It can be helpful to talk about the benefits of rules before introducing the “Ten Good Rules” God gave His people, because that is exactly what children should see about the Ten Commandments. These were ten good rules God gifted to His people.
Rules that would bring about good results for anyone who followed them.
Rules that would help keep people safe and at peace.
Rules that would show them how to love and respect one another and God.
Rules that would help them stay close to the One who wanted to give them every good thing.
God knew His people very well. He knew their hearts. He knew they were human—that they often made mistakes, chose poorly, and acted without thinking.
God gave His people these rules as reminders of what was good and right—as reminders of who He created them to be.
Ten Commandments for Kids
(Exodus 20:1-17)
1. Have no other gods but God.
2. Do not worship statues.
3. Be careful with God's name.
4. Keep the Sabbath day special.
5. Honor your father and mother.
6. Do not murder.
7. Keep your marriage promises.
8. Do not steal.
9. Do not lie.
10. Do not covet.
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