March 20, 2022 – Deuteronomy 5

Lesson Date: March 20, 2022

Focal Scripture Passage: Deuteronomy 5:1-21, 32-33

AIM: To lead students to memorize the Ten Commandments, and to commit to obeying them.

Before class: Read the notes on Deuteronomy 5 found in the Sunday School Teacher Book.  Get enough copies of the “Ten Commandments” worksheet for your anticipated attendance.  Bring some blank half sheets of paper and pens or pencils for the introductory activity.

INTRODUCTION (Create Learning Readiness): Give everyone a blank half sheet of paper and a pen or pencil if they need one.  Tell the students they are going to begin today’s class with a pop quiz.  Ask: “Did you ever have a pop quiz in school?” (undoubtedly everyone did).  Tell the students to close their Bibles and quarterlies, and to number from 1 to 10 down the left side of their paper.  Next, ask them to list from memory the Ten Commandments on their paper.  Tell them they don’t have to use King James English or write a long description, just a few words that tell what each commandment is.

Allow the students 2-3 minutes to write the Ten Commandments, and then ask if anyone got all ten.  Ask everyone to count how many they got, and then compare their score to a school grading scale (90 = A, 80 = B, 70 = C, etc.).  Ask: “Did you pass the Ten Commandments test?”

Tell the class the Ten Commandments used to be well known in our country: they were posted on schoolhouse and courthouse walls for everyone to see.  These days, however,  the devil and his liberal helpers are trying to remove the Ten Commandments from our society.  Ask: “Why do you think this is happening?” (because they are God’s rules for right behavior and sinful man hates rules).  Tell the students if the Ten Commandments were universally obeyed, there would be no war, murder, divorce, crime, or false religion.  Today’s lesson is about God’s Rules for Living.

HEART OF THE LESSON (Bible Study):

1. Review.
   • Remind the class that we are studying the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy.
   • The book consists of messages God inspired Moses to preach to the Israelites shortly before they entered the Promised Land.
   • Ask: “What was last week’s lesson about?” (the danger of forgetting what God has done).
   • Ask if any volunteer would recite last week’s memory verse (Rom. 2:4).
2. Moses Reviewed the Ten Commandments.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Deuteronomy 5:1.
   • Ask: “Why did Moses call all the Israelites together?” (to remind them of God’s laws).
   • Tell the class Moses stated four purposes for this review; he wanted the Israelites to:
     • Hear (hear intelligently) the Law of God,
     • Learn (become expert in) it,
     • Keep (hedge about, guard; protect, attend to) it, and
     • Do (accomplish, execute, perform, practice) the things God commanded.
   • Read Deuteronomy 5:2-5.
   • Explain the following:
     • Moses reminded the Israelites that forty years earlier God had given them His Ten Commandments.
     • That took place at Mount Horeb (an alternate name for Mount Sinai – locate on the Map of Egypt, Sinai, and Canaan) shortly after God delivered Israel from Egypt.
     • The people were afraid of God, so Moses stood between them and the Lord, serving as an intermediary.
   • Summarize: Moses assembled the Israelites to remind them of the Ten Commandments God gave them forty years earlier.
3. Rightly Relating to God.
   • Give everyone a copy of the “Ten Commandments” worksheet.
   • Tell the students that the first four commandments were designed to keep the Israelites in right relationship with God.
   • Read Deuteronomy 5:6-7.
     • Ask: “What’s the first thing God reminded the Israelites of?” (that He is the Lord their God, who brought them up out Egyptian bondage).
     • Ask: “What is the first commandment?” (No other GODS).
     • Ask everyone to write this on their worksheet.
     • Ask: “How would our world be different if everyone obeyed this commandment?” (there would be no false religions, such as the worship of Allah, Buddha, Krishna, etc.).
     • Ask: “Why do you think the devil doesn’t want people to learn this commandment?” (he loves false religion and wants everyone to follow it so they can go to hell).
   • Ask a volunteer to read Deuteronomy 5:8-10.
     • Ask: “What is the second commandment?” (No IDOLS).
     • Ask everyone to write this on their worksheet.
     • Ask: “How would our world be different if everyone obeyed this commandment?” (people would worship God, instead of things and other people).
     • Ask: “Why do you think the devil doesn’t want people to learn this commandment?” (he wants to confuse people into thinking there are many ways to eternal life).
   • Ask a volunteer to read Deuteronomy 5:11.
     • Ask: “What is the third commandment?” (No VAIN use of God’s NAME).
     • Ask everyone to write this on their worksheet.
     • Ask: “How would our world be different if everyone obeyed this commandment?” (people would not curse or irreverently use God’s name: “oh my God,” “OMG,” etc.).
     • Ask: “Why do you think the devil doesn’t want people to learn this commandment?” (he wants God’s name to be taken lightly, so people will not respect the Lord).
   • Read Deuteronomy 5:12-15.
     • Ask: “What is the fourth commandment?” (Keep the SABBATH).
     • Ask everyone to write that on their worksheet.
     • Ask: “Why did God give Israel this commandment?” (He wanted them to set aside one day a week for rest and worship).
   • Explain the following:
     • This is the only one of the Ten Commandments not repeated in the New Testament in some form.
     • The early church adopted the first day of the week (Sunday) as the day of worship in honor of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
     • Modern Christians are not bound by Jewish Sabbath restrictions, but we should still set aside one day a week for rest and worship.
   • Ask: “Why do you think the devil doesn’t want people to learn this commandment?” (he doesn’t want people to worship God or honor Him with their time).
   • Summarize: God gave the Israelites rules to follow to keep their hearts right with Him.
4. Rightly Relating to One Another.
   • Tell the students that the rest of the commandments were designed to keep the Israelites in right relationship with one another.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Deuteronomy 5:16.
     • Ask: “What is the fifth commandment?” (Honor your PARENTS).
     • Ask everyone to write this on their worksheet.
     • Ask: “How would our world be different if everyone obeyed this commandment?” (children would respect and obey their parents and care for them when they grow old).
     • Ask: “Why do you think the devil doesn’t want people to learn this commandment?” (he wants to destroy families and cause hurt and pain).
   • Read Deuteronomy 5:17.
     • Explain that the Hebrew word translated kill literally means murder; this commandment does not forbid war, capital punishment, hunting, or the eating of meat.
     • Ask: “What is the sixth commandment?” (No MURDER).
     • Ask everyone to write this on their worksheet.
     • Ask: “How would our world be different if everyone obeyed this commandment?” (there would be no violent crime).
     • Ask: “Why do you think the devil doesn’t want people to learn this commandment?” (he loves death, anger, and heartache).
   • Ask a volunteer to read Deuteronomy 5:18.
     • Ask: “What is the seventh commandment?” (No ADULTERY).
     • Ask everyone to write this on their worksheet.
     • Ask: “How would our world be different if everyone obeyed this commandment?” (there would be no broken homes, abortions, or sexually transmitted diseases).
     • Ask: “Why do you think the devil doesn’t want people to learn this commandment?” (he wants to destroy home and lives and make people live under guilt).
     • Stress the fact that this is the only way to true happiness and contentment; the New Testament echoes this commandment in very clear terms in 1 Thessalonians 4:3.
   • Read Deuteronomy 5:19.
     • Ask: “What is the eighth commandment?” (No THEFT).
     • Ask everyone to write this on their worksheet.
     • Ask: “How would our world be different if everyone obeyed this commandment?” (we wouldn’t need locks on our doors, bank vaults, or security cameras in stores).
     • Ask: “Why do you think the devil doesn’t want people to learn this commandment?” (he wants people to hurt others and to devalue work).
   • Ask a volunteer to read Deuteronomy 5:20.
     • Ask: “What is the ninth commandment?” (No LYING).
     • Ask everyone to write this on their worksheet.
     • Ask: “How would our world be different if everyone obeyed this commandment?” (people could be trusted; we wouldn’t need lie detectors or lawsuits).
     • Ask: “Why do you think the devil doesn’t want people to learn this commandment?” (he is the father of lies and wants people to lie to each other).
   • Read Deuteronomy 5:21.
     • Ask: “What is the tenth commandment?” (No COVETING).
     • Ask everyone to write this on their worksheet.
     • Ask: “How would our world be different if everyone obeyed this commandment?” (there would be no theft or adultery).
     • Tell the students this commandment deals with the thoughts and desires that lead to violation of the other commandments.
     • Ask: “Why do you think the devil doesn’t want people to learn this commandment?” (coveting leads people to violate all the other commandments).
   • Summarize: God gave the Israelites rules to follow to keep their hearts right with one another.
5. Obey and Be Blessed.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Deuteronomy 5:32-33.
   • Ask: “What did God expect of the Israelites?” (complete obedience).
   • Ask: “What blessings did God promise if they obeyed the Ten Commandments?” (He promised, “that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess”).
   • Stress the fact that it is wise to obey the Ten Commandments and foolish to disobey
   • Summarize: God promised blessings to those who obey His commands.

PERSONAL APPLICATION: Review the Ten Commandments by having the class read them aloud from their worksheets.  Lead them to recite the Ten Commandments several times, until they can successfully do it from memory.

Stress the fact that the Ten Commandments are God’s code of conduct, but keeping them will not get a person to heaven.  That is because no human being can ever fully obey all the Ten Commandments all the time.  The Bible says we are all sinners who need a Savior to pay for our sins.  Salvation comes only through trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  A person who is saved will have a desire to obey the Ten Commandments in his or her outward behavior, as well as his or her inward thoughts and passions (Matt. 5:21-22, 27-28).

Ask: “Will you make a commitment to God right now to obey the Ten Commandments?”  Ask everyone to bow their head and close their eyes.  Ask them to privately make their commitments to God.  Voice a closing prayer.

CONCLUSION: Remind the students that the devil is doing all he can to keep people from knowing the Ten Commandments.  Tell them to look for opportunities to work the Ten Commandments into conversation this week.