Remember the movie that starred Charlton Heston called “The Ten Commandments”.  For the year it was made in, the special effects were top of the line.  I remember two scenes from that movie.  The first one being the mass exodus of the Israelites through the Red Sea.  I watch it now and I cannot believe how cheesy the effects are – but back then it was considered the best.  They left Egypt because they were slaves.  All they did was make bricks.  And I also remember Moses holding the Ten Commandments on the mountain.  Awesome!

Well, the reason for the whole movie (and the bible story) is this:  Israel were brick making slaves, and now they are not.  The Ten Commandments were a guide for how this new community were going to live.

Now, when Moses finished getting the 10 Commandments from God, God had a couple more things to say to Moses and Israel.  God told them “Don’t build any altars with cut stone”.  What does that have to do with anything?

Well, let me tell you!  Israel is going to worship God.  Worship takes place somewhere – in their day it was at altars.  If they start making fancy altars they will be doing what they did in Egypt as slaves, making bricks.  In other words God says “You were slaves in Egypt, you will not be slaves again – even religious slaves”.  God sets a standard here – he wants a relationship, not a religion.

Hundreds of years later a guy named Paul (who was an Israelite) wrote a letter to a group of people who had the same struggles as ancient Israel did – that religion verses relationship struggle.  Do you know what he wrote?  Paul said “There is nothing that can separate you from the LOVE of God”.  Love is a relationship word.  God is looking for a relationship – not a religion.

This Sunday we are going to look more closely at this command by God and how Israel always seemed to want to be back in slavery.  Check in later for the audio!

A classic for your viewing pleasure!