The 4th Commandment that we are to remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy is parallel to the 9th Commandment to not bear false witness against your neighbor . Exodus 31:12-17 explains that the Shabbat is a sign between Adonai and the children of Israel , as in a testimony of witness to the truth that the Creator of the whole universe chose Israel . Keeping the Shabbat is being a true and faithful witness of the Creator , and lying is bearing a false witness of Adonai who made us in His image . Truth should dictate practice and our practice should be truth , because what we do is a witness of what / who we believe and trust .
The 5th Commandment that we are to honor our father and mother is connected to the 10th Commandment to not covet anything of our neighbor . This parallel brings everything home to the beginning in multiple ways . First , the other parallels start with our behavior towards Adonai and then move to our behavior toward others , yet this parallel starts with our behavior towards others and then moves into the attitude of our hearts rather than outward behavior . It is an indication that all of the 10 Commandments are issues of the heart to begin with . Second , the more direct connection between coveting and honoring your parents is common but not commonly understood . Consider that most of the circumstances in your life are dependent on your parents and their choices , blessings , and one ’ s role in life .
So , when we covet something else in life , we are in effect wishing that we were born to someone else . Similarly , it is wishing Adonai had chosen something different for us — bringing us back to the fact that this is the God who brought us up out of Egypt ( i . e . His choices not ours for our lives ). In Isaiah 45:9-10 the prophet compares those who strived with Adonai as reflective of the clay rebuking the potter or a child rebuking his parents for giving him birth . Again making the connection between coveting and the dishonoring of one ’’ s parents .
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