by Gary L. Evans
The Tenth Commandment — Part 1
Exo 20:17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.
The word “covet” is from the Hebrew “khaw-mad'” which means “to delight in.”
We must never delight in something owned by someone else, in the sense that we desire it for our self.
Rom 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
The word “covet” is from the Greek “ep-ee-thoo-meh’-o” which means “to set the heart upon, that is, long for.”
We must never set our heart upon anything that belongs to someone else.
Note that the word “lust” is from “ep-ee-thoo-mee’-ah” which means “a longing (especially for what is forbidden),” which has ep-ee-thoo-meh’-o as its root word.
We can learn from this fact that “covet” is not wrong in itself, but only when it applies to something forbidden, that is, something that belongs to someone else, and in that case we often use the word “lust” to connote a sinful desire.
Mat 5:27-28 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
There is nothing wrong in general with a man looking at a pretty woman and admiring her beauty, and even wondering if she might be attracted to him as well, that is, if he is single and she is single and both are of mature age. The problem Jesus speaks of then has to do with adultery, that a man lay with another man’s wife, which is unlawful.
And what does our Lord say? That the moment a man begins to desire another man’s wife he is already guilty of two transgressions, one against The Tenth Commandment and another against The Seventh Commandment. How can he be guilty of adultery? Because sin begins in the very thoughts and desires in our minds.
1Co 10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
Referring to the children of Israel after Moses brought them out of Egypt, Paul explains that that “rock” they carried with them, Jacob’s Pillar, was in a similitude Christ Himself. And when Moses smote the Rock water gushed out from which the people drank.
1Co 10:5-6 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
The older generation died in the wilderness because they kept wanting to go back to Egypt, even back into slavery! Why? Because they “lusted” after the things of Egypt, the way things used to be. They complained about everything, even though The Lord took good care of them. And they also rebelled about going into the Promised Land to take it.
The word “lusted” is from “ep-ee-thoo-may-tace'” which means “a craver.”
They craved anything but what they had and what they were being given and had no respect for The Lord’s promises. So what they craved was against God’s Will to take them into the Promised Land according to His oath to Abraham, which was a transgression of The Tenth Commandment. We must never long for what is against God’s Will.
Let us not be guilty of this transgression in our own lives, my friends.
The Tenth Commandment — Part 2
Moses’ father in law gave him wise counsel about how to oversee all of the children of Israel. Note that when they came out of Egypt and were in the wilderness, they were probably more than a million in number.
Exo 18:19-22 Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God: And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do. Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens: And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee.
The word “covetousness” in verse 21 is from the Hebrew “beh’-tsah” which means “plunder; by extension gain (usually unjust).”
Moses was to select men who were able, that is, intelligent enough to take charge and make fair decisions, men who reverenced God, men who sought the truth of every matter, and finally, men who hated ill-gotten gain, which is covetousness.
It is so simple to recognize the wisdom in making such selections from among the people to take charge over them in various capacities. Sadly one thing seems prevalent among our politicians today, that almost all of them are covetous for personal gain, which makes them unfit to be in charge over our nation and people. Men and women of any religion may be trusted to rule if they possess the good character traits just listed, and particularly the trait of hating ill-gotten gain. We can trust men and women like that.
Psa 10:2-3 The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined. For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth.
The word “covetous” is from “baw-tsah'” which means “to break off, that is, (usually) plunder.” This is the root word of “beh’-tsah” used above in Exodus 18:21.
The lawless people of this world are happy to be around other people who are covetous just like themselves.
Psa 119:33-36 Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart. Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight. Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.
The word “covetousness” here is also from “beh’-tsah” which means “ill-gotten gain.”
Psalm 119 was probably written by King Hezekiah. We should all keep these thoughts in our prayers each day, so that our Lord will watch over us and give us an unction to keep us from going astray.
The Tenth Commandment — Part 3
Pro 21:25 The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.
The word “slothful” is from the Hebrew “aw-tsale” which means “indolent,” which Webster defines as “habitually idle or indisposed to labor; lazy; listless; sluggish; indulging in ease.” So it simply means lazy and unwilling to work.
And the word “killeth” is from “mooth” which means “to die (literally or figuratively); causatively to kill.”
So the desires of a lazy person kill him, at least figuratively. How?
Pro 21:26 He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not.
The word “coveteth” is from “aw-vaw'” which means “to wish for.”
Because a lazy person continually longs for things all day long but can never have anything. The reason he cannot have anything is obvious. He’s just too lazy to work for it.
But those who obey God’s Law are able and inclined to give without holding back anything, because they have worked hard and have an abundance of everything they need.
Pro 28:16 The prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor: but he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days.
A prince is a son of the king and is therefore an heir to the throne. But a prince that lacks understanding becomes a bully or tyrant. He is contrasted with someone who hates covetousness, who will live a long life. This implies that that a dim witted prince will be a covetous tyrant and probably won’t live long, which makes common sense.
Jer 6:10 To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it.
This use of the word, “uncircumcised,” figuratively means that the people are “arrogant.”
Who should The Lord warn? Who will hear? These people are arrogant and cannot hear because God’s Word is considered an embarrassment to them. They do not enjoy studying The Word of God morning and night as they ought to. So they won’t listen.
Jer 6:11-12 Therefore I am full of the fury of the LORD; I am weary with holding in: I will pour it out upon the children abroad, and upon the assembly of young men together: for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him that is full of days. And their houses shall be turned unto others, with their fields and wives together: for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD.
Because of The Lord’s anger against them, other men will rob them of their houses and property including their wives. They will lose everything they own in this world and go into slavery.
Jer 6:13 For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.
The word “covetousness” is from “beh’-tsah” which means “plunder; by extension gain (usually unjust).”
Why are they going to lose everything? Because they are all greedy for ill-gotten gain, every last one of them including the preachers and teachers of God’s Word so-called. They are all a bunch of liars and crooks, hypocrites, and because of their covetousness they will lose everything and become enslaved.
Whosoever has eyes to see and ears to hear, let him hear.
The Tenth Commandment — Part 4
Luk 12:13-14 And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?
Jesus refused to cooperate with this man who insisted on getting a share of his brother’s inheritance.
Luk 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
Jesus warned the disciples to beware of “covetousness,” which is from the Greek “pleh-on-ex-ee’-ah” which means “avarice, that is, (by implication) fraudulency, extortion.” Webster defines “avarice” as “an inordinate desire of gaining and possessing wealth; covetousness; greediness or insatiable desire of gain.”
The subject of our Lord’s teaching here is COVETOUSNESS.
Luk 12:16-21 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
The things of this world are transient, just as we are, since we are only passing through this place. Thus coveting anything here will not bring us any lasting benefit.
The greatest wealth we can gain during this brief time of testing in the flesh is to please God. Our Father is pleased with us when we sincerely seek to enter into His Kingdom.
Luk 12:22-23 And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.
Jesus taught that we should not worry from day to day.
Luk 12:24-26 Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?
God feeds the birds. And we cannot grow taller just by thinking about it, so why should we worry about tomorrow? That would be foolish.
Luk 12:27-28 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?
God even takes care of the flowers and grass. They live and die in their season just like we do. But God loves each of us much more than them.
Luk 12:29-30 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.
The Gentiles worry about things all the time, but we should not do that. We should not long for anything, because God knows about what we may need.
Luk 12:31-32 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
By doing our best every day to obey The Tenth Commandment, we in turn guide our minds away from the empty things of this world and all the worry that goes with them, and instead focus on what is the most important thing of all, our fellowship with The Father and The Son, and our Entry into The Kingdom of Heaven, which is the greatest treasure of all.
Whosoever has eyes to see and ears to hear, let him hear.