To what Commandment are the closing words of the Commandments connected?

The closing words of the Commandments are connected to the First Commandment, which in fact includes all the other Commandments. The closing words reveal that God’s Commandments can only be obeyed by a heart that above all fears and loves God and trusts alone in Him.

What is the purpose of God´s gracious promise?

God’s gracious promise and great goodness exhorts us to love God, to trust in Him and gladly to obey His Commandments.

1 Joh. 5:3: This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.

How long does God´s blessing last?

God blesses the children of God-fearing parents for thousands of generations, in other words, endlessly.

Luke 1:50: His mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.

Assignment: Read Gen. 15:5-6: God blessed the Israelites because of Abraham. Consider: What blessings you have received through your parents or grandparents.

How does God fulfill this promise?

God fulfills this promise in those, who confess their sins and trust in Christ’s grace, and who desire to keep His Commandments both in the area of doctrine and life. We can, you see, love God only if we believe in Jesus. God blesses solely through His grace, not because of the works of believers, for their obedience is not perfect, but very deficient.

Heb. 11:6: Without faith it is impossible to please Him (God).

Ps. 103: 17-18: But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him, and His righteousness unto children’s children, to such as keep His covenant, and to those that remember His commandments to do them.

What does God promise to those who love Him and keep His Commandments?

God promises to richly bless and reward, both in this life and in eternity, all those who love Him and keep His Commandments.

Luke 10:28: This do, and thou shalt live.

1 Tim. 4:8: Godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

What is the purpose of God´s severe threat?

The purpose of God’s severe threat is that we would fear God’s righteous wrath because of every sin, and that we would be afraid to sin.

Matt. 7:19: Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

How does God´s punishment affect even the descendants of those who hate Him?

God tells us that His righteous punishment of the sins of ungodly parents, will also affect their descendants for several generations, if they, like their parents, despise God and lead ungodly lives in unbelief.

Lev. 26:39: Also in the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine away with them.

Assignment: Read Gen.9:25: Ham caused a curse to fall on his ungodly son, Canaan and his descendants, and Matt. 27:25: the Jews caused their unbelieving descendants to be cursed.

God-fearing children also are often made to suffer the consequences of their parents sins. This, however, is not punishment for them, but rather God’s good and fatherly discipline, which finally works for their good.

Rom. 8:28: We know that all things work together for good to them that love God.

Assignment: Read 1 Sam. 15:26-28: Jonathon lost his right to ascend to the throne, because of his father Saul’s ungodliness, even though Jonath on himself enjoyed God’s favor.

Whom will God punish?

God will punish every unrepentant and unbelieving sinner, each, because of his own sins.

Deut. 24:16: The fathers shall not be put to death for their children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers. Every man shall be put to death for his own sin.

What awaits everyone who hates God and defiantly breaks His commandments?

God’s unavoidable punishment awaits everyone who hates Him and defiantly transgresses His commandments. This punishment is God’s wrath and displeasure, temporal death and eternal damnation.

Deut. 27:26: Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them: and all the people shall say: Amen.

Rom. 6:23: The wages of sin is death.

Assignments: Read Gen.6-7: the flood, Gen. 19:1-19: the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and Luke 19:43-44: the destruction of Jerusalem. Read what the Bible says of eternal damnation or hell: Matt. 8:12, 11:16-24, 13:49-50, 25:41, Mark 9:43-44, Luke 16:23-24, Rom. 2:9.

Luther: “These are the ones God has in mind, when He says “them that hate me”, namely, those who remain defiant and proud.”

What does God inpress upon us with the words: “I am a jealous God”?

With the words, “I am a jealous God”, God impresses upon everyone, that He strictly observes the manner in which His Commandments are obeyed, and most assuredly punishes those who transgress them, but rewards those who keep them.

James 4:12: There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy.

Of what does God remind us with the words: “ I, the Lord, thy God”?

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, and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me and keep My Commandments. What does this mean? God threatens to punish all that transgress these Commandments. Therefore we should fear His wrath and not act contrary to them. But He promises grace and every blessing to all that keep these Commandments. Therefore we should also love and trust in Him and willingly do according to His Commandments.

With the words: “I, the Lord, thy God”, God reminds us of the fact that He has the full right to give us these Commandments, and demands unconditional obedience to them.

Deut. 5:32: Ye shall observe to do therefore as the Lord your God hath commanded you; ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.