WEEKEND RECHARGE!

March 21, 2026

Monday, March 16—Exodus 19:10 The Ten Commandments Intro
Tuesday, March 17—Exodus 20:2-3 Commandment #1
Wednesday, March 18—Exodus 20:4-5 Commandment #2
Thursday, March 19—Exodus 20:7 Commandment #3
Friday, March 20—Exodus 20:8-11 Commandment #4 

Following today’s overview, I included a review of the ten signposts of Scripture: CAMDE—400—CALY. I hope this is a helpful tool for remembering the sequence of God’s story in his people.

OVERVIEW OF THIS WEEK’S TEACHING 

EXODUS 19: THE TEN COMMANDMENTS: INTRODUCTION
God Reminds His People of His Grace Before Giving His Law (Ex. 19:3-4)

• God delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt. 
• God carried them “on eagles’ wings.” 
• God brought them to himself. 

God Calls His People to Covenant Obedience (Ex. 19:5-8)

• Obedience was the condition of covenant blessing.
• Israel would become God’s treasured possession.
• Israel was called to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

God Reveals His Holiness to His People (Ex. 19:9-25)

• God descended in power and glory.
• Boundaries around the mountain emphasized God’s holiness.
• The fear of God was meant to guard them from sin.

The Law Points to Christ

• The law reveals God’s holy character (Rom. 7:12).
• The law exposes human sinfulness (Rom. 3:20).
• The law ultimately leads us to Christ (Gal. 3:24).
• Jesus fulfills what the law pointed toward and enables believers to live in obedience through grace. 

EXODUS 20:2–3: THE TEN COMMANDMENTS: FIRST COMMANDMENT
God’s Authority Is Rooted in His Redemption (Ex. 20:2)

• God introduces himself by reminding Israel of his saving work.
• Obedience begins with remembering what God has already done.
• Our relationship with God is grounded in grace before commands.

God Demands Exclusive Worship (Ex. 20:3)

• God does not share his throne with anything or anyone.
• Every culture creates substitutes that compete for our loyalty.
• Idols are often good things elevated to ultimate things.

The First Commandment Is a Daily Heart Examination (Ex. 20:3).

• The question of “who or what is first” must be revisited regularly.
• Our hearts naturally drift toward trusting created things.
• Spiritual disciplines help us realign our hearts with God.

EXODUS 20:4-6: THE TEN COMMANDMENTS: SECOND COMMANDMENT
God Forbids Images in Worship (Ex. 20:4)

• Any physical representation of God reduces the infinite Creator to a created object.
• Man-made images shift worship from God himself to something visible and controllable.
• Objects used to represent God eventually decay, reminding us they cannot reflect the eternal nature of God.

Worshiping the True God in False Ways Still Dishonors Him (Ex. 20:5)

• Idolatry is not only worshiping false gods but also approaching the true God through unauthorized means.
• Physical symbols can subtly become the focus of devotion instead of God himself.
• God desires worship shaped by his revelation rather than by human imagination or tradition.

God Reveals Himself Through His Word (Deut. 4:11–12)

• Israel encountered God through his voice, emphasizing the authority of his spoken revelation.
• Faith grows through hearing and responding to God’s Word rather than relying on visual representations.
• True worship is rooted in listening, trusting, and obeying what God has revealed. 

EXODUS 20:7: THE TEN COMMANDMENTS: THIRD COMMANDMENT
God’s Name Represents God’s Person (Ex. 20:7; Matt. 6:9)

• A name represents a person’s character, authority, and reputation.
• Using God’s name casually treats the Creator as ordinary or insignificant.
• Followers of Christ should approach God’s name with reverence and worship.

God’s Name Must Be Honored in Our Words and Commitments (Ps. 15:4 NIV; Acts 11:26)

• Christians carry the name of Christ and represent him in the world.
• Our promises and commitments reflect the integrity of the God we serve.
• Careless speech or broken promises can dishonor the name we bear.

God’s Name Must Be Honored in Our Teaching and Beliefs (2 Pet. 2:1-2; John 17:17).

• False teaching misrepresents God and distorts his truth.
• Believers must know what they believe and why they believe it.
• Sound doctrine protects the reputation of God’s truth before the world.

EXODUS 20:8-11: THE TEN COMMANDMENTS: FOURTH COMMANDMENT
The Sabbath Reveals God’s Creation Rhythm (Ex. 20:11; Gen. 2:1-3)

• God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh.
• God’s rest was not because he was tired but because his work was complete.
• The rest of God celebrates the perfection and completion of his creation.

The Sabbath Reveals Humanity’s Need for Grace (Ex. 20:8-10; Ex. 16)

• Israel first practiced Sabbath observance during the manna provision in the wilderness.
• God provided a double portion on the sixth day so his people could rest on the seventh.
• The Sabbath reminded Israel that provision ultimately comes from God.

The Sabbath Points to Christ Our True Rest (Heb. 4:9-11; Col. 2:16-17; Luke 6:5)

• The Old Testament Sabbath was a shadow pointing to something greater.
• Jesus fulfills the meaning of the Sabbath by providing peace with God.
• Salvation and rest with God come through faith, not works.

CAMDE-400-CALY
Creation. Abraham. Moses. David. Elijah. 400. Christ. Apostles. Letters. Yet-to-Come.

“CAMDE-400”—HANDHOLDS THROUGH THE OLD TESTAMENT

CREATION (Genesis 1-11) 
We considered this part of God’s story in the first month of our study. It is foundational to understanding the whole story. We learned about Yahweh Elohim, the powerful and personal God who breathed the breath of life into humanity. Sin disrupted God’s fellowship with Adam and Eve, so God graciously began the story of redemption by promising a Savior (Gen. 3:15). After the flood, the earth was populated by Noah’s descendants. 

ABRAHAM (Genesis 12-50) 
God had promised a Savior. He chose Abraham as the founder of a nation through which the Savior would come. This promise was passed down to the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In this section, common issues such as lying, jealousy, envy, betrayal, and mockery of God persist as God continues to reveal his plan for his people. Finally, through a series of events, Jacob’s small clan ends up in Egypt and, over time, becomes a feared nation. 

MOSES (Exodus—Joshua)
For four hundred years in Egypt, the nation of Israel grew strong. Eventually, the pharaoh forced Israel into slavery and ordered the killing of all male Israelite newborns. Moses was spared, raised in Egypt’s royal courts, and educated at its finest universities. But when he took matters into his own hands by killing an Egyptian who was mistreating a fellow Israelite, he was forced to flee for his life. Forty years later, God called Moses to free Israel from slavery. Because of Israel’s blatant disobedience, the nation wandered in the desert for forty years. Moses died, and Joshua was appointed to lead Israel into the promised land. 

DAVID (Judges—Song of Solomon)
David represents the period of the judges (forerunners of the kings) and the kings of Israel, who ruled over the united and divided kingdoms. The Davidic Covenant promised that David’s throne would be established forever (2 Sam. 7:16). This promise was ultimately fulfilled in Jesus, the King of kings (Rev. 22:16). This section includes Ruth, Esther, Ezra, and Nehemiah, significant leaders in God’s story, as well as books of poetry and proverbs. 

ELIJAH (Isaiah—Malachi)
In Matthew 17:1-5, Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus while he was with Peter, James, and John on the Mount of Transfiguration. Moses represented the law, and Elijah represented the prophets. Prophets appeared before, during, and after the exiles.[1] They warned Israel of the consequences of disobedience and looked forward to the promised Messiah. 

400 (Years between Old Testament and New Testament)
After the Old Testament closes with the book of Malachi, four hundred years passed before God spoke again through the last prophet, John the Baptist. This period is known as the Intertestamental Period or the Silent Period.  

“CALY” –-HANDHOLDS THROUGH THE NEW TESTAMENT

CHRIST (Matthew-John)
The Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke), along with John’s Gospel, provide the story of Jesus on earth—the incarnation, his teaching, the crucifixion, the resurrection, and the post-resurrection appearances. 

APOSTLES (Acts)
The Acts of the Apostles begins with the ascension of Jesus and the coming of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit lit the flame that ignited the church. In Acts, we follow Peter and Paul, learn how Jews and Gentiles came together into one body, and watch churches begin throughout Europe and Asia. 

LETTERS (Romans-Jude)
The New Testament contains twenty-one letters. Paul wrote thirteen of them. Most of the letters are addressed to churches, while a few are addressed to individuals. a

YET-TO-COME (Revelation)
The Revelation of Jesus Christ was given to an angel, who then revealed it to the apostle John while he was exiled on the Island of Patmos. The Revelation begins with letters to seven churches and then describes the judgments that will end life as we know it, ultimately ushering us into the eternal kingdom.