Nagcarlan Bible Study - Hosted by Carina SC Orilla

When Moses wrote the covenant: “And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments (Exodus 34:28). When Moses came down from the mountain Sinai with two tables of testimony, he did not know that his face shone while he was talking with the people.

The scene of Moses talking to the people carrying the tables of instructions is like a picture of what Proverbs 6:23 is saying: “For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:”.

“The LORD is exalted; for He dwelleth on high: He hath filled Zion with judgment and righteousness. And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the LORD is his treasure (Isaiah 33:5-6).”

The apostle Paul gave some insight about this treasure which is the light of the knowledge of the glory of God. He said: “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken, cast down, but not destroyed; (2 Corinthians 4:7-9).”

This is the reason why, “A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: (Matthew 12:35).

In the second month, of the second year after the exodus of Israel from Egypt, the LORD spoke to Moses to take a census of the entire assembly of the entire assembly of the children of Israel by father’s household, every male, twenty years and up. This will be done with the help of Aaron together with one leader of each of the twelve tribes.

The first name on the list of leaders was Elizur which means ‘GOD is the Protector’. The last name on the list , the father of Ahira , is Enan, which is synonymous with ‘eye’.

These names recall the verse: “He protected them like the pupil of His eye” (Deuteronomy 32:10), an allusion to the Clouds of Glory that surrounded the nation in the wilderness (Baal Ha Turim).

Another verse of interest is Zechariah 2:8 “ For this is what the LORD says: ……for he that toucheth you toucheth the pupil of His eye.”

The “pupil” is commonly translated as “apple”.

The Ten Commandments were written on two stone Tablets. The five commandments on the First Tablet are between man and GOD; they can be used as metaphor for Godliness. The five on the second Tablet are between man and his fellow man: thus they represent humanness. Through the medium of the gate of understanding, one can elevate his humanness and connect himself to Godliness (Keli Yakar).

This truth has been reflected in the answer of Jesus when he was asked by the scribes which is the first commandment of all. He simplified the relationship between humanness and Godliness in just two commandments as the love of GOD and love of fellow man.

When the scribes asked Jesus which is the first commandment of all, he answered: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our GOD is one LORD. And Thou shalt love the LORD with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is…Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself….” (Mark 12:29-31).

Jeremiah 7:23 “But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.”

Well- Hebrew yatab - a verb meaning to be good, to be pleasing, to be well.

The Nagcarlan Bible Study FB Group will explore the original meaning of words in the Bible — from the Old Testament’s Hebrew and Chaldee text and the New Testament’s Greek. We will study within the framework of history and culture during the biblical period that includes anthologized commentaries from rabbinic writings.