Covenantal Marriage Vows

Exodus 20:1-11- Marriage Vows

The first table of the Law of the Ten Commandments, the section we refer to as the Love God commands, are essentially marriage vows. God has vowed to take on His bride and He asks her to commit to Him by taking these vows.

 

Marriage Vows

Ex. 20:1   And God spake all these words, saying,  2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.  3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 

Me only. No others. Our relationship is now exclusive. Do you understand what I am saying to you? No other lovers. Got it? Do you take only me?

I do.

4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:  5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;  6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. 

Do not make any images of me. I am that I am and that should be enough for you. Do not construct an image of me in your mind or one that is fashioned after wood, gold or brass. If you do this, then you are not loving me but some image that will always be less than me. And do not worship me through some image. Then you will also always be limiting me to some image in your mind.

I am a jealous husband. I will not allow you to go around with other husbands and I will not allow you to imagine that I am something other than what I really am. Do you understand this?

I do.

7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. 

This day you are taking my name on you. You are becoming my one and only wife. I am giving you my name. This changes who you are. You used to be an unfaithful woman. Those days are now over. I am a faithful husband and I expect a faithful wife. Therefore, you may not take my name and then act as if you are not married to me. You know me. You know that I am a faithful and perfect husband. You know that I am holy and righteous. So, you must do all that I say and obey all my commands. If you do not do this, then you are taking my name on you without the intent on following up with the expectations of your new family. Do you understand what I am saying to you?

I do.

8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.  9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:  10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:  11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Okay, great now that you have become my wife, I want to issue my first command. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

On Sabbath, we worship in Spirit and Truth. I will speak to you and you will hear my voice and obey. If you have sinned, you will confess it and I will forgive you. You will gather with my people and I will give you rest.  Do you understand what I am saying to you? Will you follow my commands and remember the Sabbath?
           I will.