The Meaning Of Life

https://biblehub.com/nkjv/deuteronomy/5.htm

First Commandment – Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Second Commandment – 8‘You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 9you shall not bow[c] down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, [d]visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 10but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and [e]keep My commandments.

Third Commandment – 11‘You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him [f]guiltless who takes His name in vain.

Fourth Commandment – 12‘Observe the Sabbath day, to [g]keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. 13Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 14but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your ox, nor your donkey, nor any of your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you. 15And remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.

Fifth Commandment – 16‘Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may be well with you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you.

Sixth Commandment – 17‘You shall not murder.

Seventh Commandment –18‘You shall not commit adultery.

Eighth Commandment – 19‘You shall not steal.

Ninth Commandment –20‘You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

Tenth Commandment – 21‘You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife; and you shall not desire your neighbor’s house, his field, his male servant, his female servant, his ox, his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.’

Merriam Webster defines “covet” as “to wish for earnestly”. And whether we realize it or not, we covet every single day.

My neighbor recently got a brand new pickup and it’s a very nice pickup. The adult special needs male that I am guardian of and that lives with me said, “I bet you wished you had a pickup like that.” And I replied, “Actually not, because that we be coveting which is against the Tenth Commandment.”

Don’t get me wrong, I’m far from righteous, in fact, I’m far from being a good Christian, but I do try to honor the Ten Commandment.

Once you know what the word “covet” means, the Commandment is pretty cut and dried.

“Don’t covet your neighbors wife”. This is at the first because this is probably the one most violated. Your neighbor’s wife may be very attractive, and you wish she was your wife. And to go a step further, if you lust after her, you’re breaking two Commandments, because God says if you’ve murdered someone in your heart, you’ve actually committed murder, and if you have lusted after someone, you’ve committed adultery. So lusting after your neighbors wife violates both the Seventh and the Tenth Commandments.

It continues to read, do not covet your neighbors “house”. That is applicable today.

Coveting a “field” can be considered the same as coveting not only your neighbors house, but their entire property as well. And while we don’t usually have “servants” today, some people do have maids or hire cleaners to come in and clean their house for them. If you’ve ever been envious of someone that can afford these services, you are guilty of coveting.

And translated into today’s setting, coveting your neighbors donkey or oxen would be the same as coveting your neighbors tools, or riding lawn mower, or some other type of equipment.

The best advise is, be happy with the blessings you have, and don’t be envious of others. I see a lot of coveting going on with young people who graduate and can’t find the job they want. They see others with well paying jobs, nice houses, and nice cars, and they want that lifestyle, complaining that they can’t have it.

We don’t teach our children patience today, to teach them that good things come with time.

If you’re going to “covet” something, covet the faith and self-discipline you see in another Christian that you admire. There is nothing in the Tenth Commandment about coveting a better relationship with God.

If you’re further interested in learning about the Ten Commandments, I highly recommend the DVD set and study guide by the Amazing Facts Ministry. I can be purchased here. https://www.afbookstore.com/products/the-ten-commandments-dvd-and-guide-set-by-doug-batchelor

God bless.