Information Related to "Were the Ten Commandments Known Before Mount Sinai?"
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When God spoke the Ten Commandments, did He reveal something entirely new to the Israelites and through them, to the gentile nations and peoples of the world?
by Ken Graham Sr.
ometime around 1400 to 1500 B.C., God spoke directly to the Israelites from Mt. Sinai, located in a desert region south and west of modern-day Israel. Exodus chapters 20 through 24 chronicle the establishing of a covenant, or agreement, between God and the descendants of Abraham; his son, Isaac; and grandson, Jacob.
God gave the Ten Commandments, and He spoke from the mountain directly to the people. They were so frightened by the sound that they pleaded with Moses for God not to speak to them, but that they would hear from Moses what God wanted.
When God spoke the Ten Commandments, did He reveal something entirely new to the Israelites, and through them, to the gentile nations and peoples of the world? Or did God "codify," or write down and then include in a specific covenant with Israel, preexisting definitions of sin and righteousness?
Many say that the Ten Commandments were simply the "old covenant." They also say that when the old covenant passed away, so did the need for obeying the Ten Commandments, unless they were specifically repeated in the new covenant.
Others say that God has had a standard of righteous conduct that began at the time of the creation of Adam and has not changed since. Let's study this together and see what we can discover about God's intention for how His people should act toward each other and toward Him, and whether His standards of sin and righteousness have changed through the years.
Going through the Bible together:
Exodus 20:1-20 (Hint: Ask someone to read these verses out loud.)
Discussion: Why are the Ten Commandments important? (Hint: You might explore the following questions with your family.)
Related Information on UCG Sites:
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Other Articles by Ken Graham
God's law, before Moses: