WEEK 7 LESSONS

As the story goes, God produced miracles of ten plagues in Egypt due to the stubbornness
of the Pharoah. The plagues came one after another which caused harm and even death.
Pharoah was not easily convinced until the tenth plague. Even before the ten plagues,
Moses and his brother Aaron, performed a miracle in front of the Pharoah but he was not
impressed since his magicians could produce the same trick. With that, the plagues had to
start. Let us review the series of the TEN PLAGUES.

 AARON’S WALKING STICK (Exodus 7:8-13)

“If the king demands that you prove yourselves by performing a miracle, tell Aaron to
take his walking stick and throw it down in front of the King, and it will turn into a snake. So
Moses and Aaron went to the King and did as the Lord has commanded. Aaron threw his
walking stick down in front of the King and his officers, and it turned into a snake. Then the
King called for his wise men and magicians, and by their magic they did the same thing. But
Aaron’s stick swallowed theirs. The King however, remained stubborn and, just as the Lord
has said, the King would not listen to Moses and Aaron.

 DISASTERS STRIKE EGYPT (THE 10 PLAGUES)

1. BLOOD
- Then say to the King, “The Lord, God of the Hebrews, sent me to tell you to let his
people go, so that they can worship him in the desert. Look, I am going to strike the
surface of the river with his stick, and the water will be turned into blood. The fish will die
and the river will stink so much that the Egyptians will not be able to drink from it. There
was blood everywhere in Egypt, then the King’s magicians did the same thing by the
means of their magic, and the King was stubborn as ever.”

2. FROG
- Go to the King and tell him that the Lord says, “Let my people go, so that they can
worship me, If you refuse, I will punish your country by covering it with frogs. They will
jump up on you, your people and all of your officials.” So Aaron held it out over all the
water, and they also made frogs to come up on the land. Then Moses and Aaron left the
King, Moses prayed to the Lord to take away the frogs which he had brought on the King.
When the King saw that the frogs were dead, he became stubborn again.

3. GNATS
- So, Aaron struck the ground with his stick and all the dust in Egypt was turned into
gnats, which covered the people and the animals. The magicians tried to use their
magicians and said to the King, “God has done this!” But the stubborn and just as the
Lord has said, the King would not listen to Moses and Aaron.

4. FLIES
- tell him that the Lord says, “Let my people go, so that they can worship me, I warn
you that if you refuse, I will punish you by sending flies on you, your officials, and your
people.” The Lord sent great swarms of flies into the King’s palace and the houses of his
officials. The whole land of Egypt was brought to ruin by the flies. The King said, “I will let
you go to sacrifice to the Lord, your God, in the desert if you do not go very far. Pray for
me.” Moses left the King and prayed to the Lord. The flies left the King, his officials, and
his people; not only fly remained. But even this time, the King became stubborn, and
again he would not let the people go.

5. DEATH OF THE ANIMALS/PESTILENCE

- “Go to the king and tell him that the Lord, God of the Hebrews, says, “Let my
people go, so that they may worship me. If you again refuse to let me go, I will punish
you by sending a terrible disease on all your animals.” The next day, the Lord did as
what he said, and all the animals of the Egyptians died, but not the animals of the
Israelites died. The king asked what had happened and was told that none of the
animals of the Israelites had died. But he was stubborn and would not let the people go.

6. HAIL
- the Lord, The God of Hebrews, says, “Let my people go, so that they may worship
me. This time I will not punish your people, but I will punish you as well, so that you may
know that there is no one like me in all the world. Tomorrow I will cause a heavy
hailstorm, such as Egypt has never known in all its history. Hail will fall on the people
and animals left outside unprotected, and they will all die.” The king sent for Moses and
Aaron and said, “This time I have sinned; the Lord is in the right, and my people and I
are in the wrong. Pray to the Lord! We have had enough of this thunder and hail! I
promised to let you go; you don’t have to stay here any longer.” When the King saw what
had happen, he sinned again. He and his officials remained as stubborn as ever and just
as the Lord had foretold through Moses, the King would not let the Israelites go.

7. BOILS
- So, they got some ashes and stood before the King; Moses threw them into the air,
and produced boils that became open sores on the people and the animals. The
magicians were not able to appear before Moses, because they were covered with boils,
like all the other Egyptians. But the Lord made the king stubborn and, just as the Lord
and had said, the king would not listen to Moses and Aaron.

8. LOCUSTS
- Then the Lord said to Moses, “Raise your hand over the land of Egypt to bring the
locusts. They will come and eat everything that grows, everything that has survived the
hail.” …By morning it had brought the locusts. They came in swarms and settled over
the whole country. It was the largest swarm of locusts that had ever been seen or that
ever would be seen again. Then the king hurriedly called Moses and Aaron and said, “I
have sinned against the Lord your God and against you. pray to the Lord your God to
take away this fatal punishment from me. Moses left the king and prayed to the Lord.
And the Lord changed the east wind into a very strong west wind, which picked up the
locusts and blew them into the Gulf of Suez. Not one locust was left in all of Egypt. But
the Lord made the king stubborn, and he did not let the Israelites go.

9. DARKNESS
- Moses raised his hand toward the sky, and there was total darkness throughout
Egypt for three days. The Egyptians could not see each other, and no one left his house
during that time. But the Israelites had light where they were living. The king called
Moses and said, “You may go and worship the Lord; even your women and children may
go with you. …… The Lord ade the king stubborn, and he would not let them go.
 THE PASOVER MEAL
- Before the 10th Plague which is the death of all the first born of the Egyptians
whether persons animals, God Instructed the Israelites to make the pass over meal.
The lamb offering which they burn on top of an altar as a sacrifice also called burnt
offering to the Lord will no longer be done as such. Instead, they will take the blood of
the lamb offering and put it at their doorposts and lintel of their houses and they
will eat the roasted lamb with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. They will eat it in a
hurried manner as if they are ready for a journey. After eating the pass over meal, they
will enter their houses since during the night, God will strike the Egyptians with the 10th
Plague. The blood on their doorposts and the lintel of their houses will be the sign that
they will them from the plague so that it will only strike the Egyptians.

 SACRIFICE / BURNT OFFERING

- After the Pass Over Meal and the Israelites entered their houses and locked their
doors, then the 10th plague came.

10. DEATH OF THE NEW FIRST-BORN

- At midnight the Lord killed all the first-born sons in Egypt and all the first-born of
their animals. There was loud crying throughout the Egypt, because there was not one at
home in which there was not a dead son. That same night, the king sent for Moses and
Aaron and said, “Get out, you and your Israelites! Leave my country, go and worship the
Lord, as you asked. Take your sheep, goats, cattle and leave. Also pray for a blessing.
The Egyptians urged the people to hurry and leave the country; they said, “We will all be
dead if you don't leave. So the people filled their baking pans with the unleavened dough,
wrap them in clothing, and carried them on their shoulders. The Israelites had done as
Moses had said, and had asked the Egyptians for gold and silver jewelry and for clothes.
The Lord made the Egyptians respect the people and give them what they asked for. In
this way the Israelites carried away the wealth of the Egyptians.

- If you recall, the name of the Pharaoh during the time of Moses was Rameses. This
name has its meaning. “Ra” means son, and “Ses” means sun. Therefore, for them the
Pharaoh is the son of the god of the sun. For the Pharaoh, it was so difficult to accept
that there is another God. So, who is really the true God? The problem with him was his
stubbornness despite all the signs that the God YHWH was giving. So, the plague was
imminent.

- After the 10th plague, the Pharaoh conceded and allowed the Israelites to go.
Finally, the Israelites had their exodus from Egypt. The exodus of the Israelites will be
culminated by their crossing of the red/reed sea since the Pharaoh changed his mind
and pursued the them with his soldiers who were all drawn when they also tried to cross
the red sea. This is where the Israelites saw and experienced that it was really
God/YHWH who freed them from Egypt and protected them along the way from the
Egyptian soldiers who were pursuing them.

THE PASSOVER AS THE MOST IMPORTANT FEAST OF THE ISRAELITES

Passover and Exodus are two events which are closely related with each other. The
Passover meal always reminds the Israelites on the day that God freed them from their
slavery in Egypt. Exodus means departure; that after the Pharaoh conceded, the Israelites
started their departure/exodus from Egypt going to the land that God promised to their
forefathers. The Israelites celebrates the feast of the Passover every year. It is their
“Independence Day” with the help of the God YHWH. Later, when they will settle in the
promised land, they will celebrate this in the temple in Jerusalem with the rituals of
slaughtering a paschal (Passover) lambs in the temple; and the consumption of its meat in a
domestic meal. This feast is called “Pesah” in their language which is Hebrew.

WEEK 8 LESSONS

FIRST THREE COMMANDMENTS CALL US TO RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

The first three of the Ten Commandments point to the primacy of God in our lives, summed
up by Jesus as He quotes the central teaching of the Hebrew Scriptures, “You shall love the
Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”

Since God the Father created and sustains us, Jesus saves and forgives us, and the Holy
Spirit is dwelling within us, our love relationship with the Lord is our origin, our purpose and
our destiny. God has an absolute claim on us as His adopted children and we will only
discover joy, peace, love and eternal life in union with Him.

Throughout the history of Israel, the people periodically abandoned God-YHWH and turned
to idols. The clearest example of this occurred in Exodus Chapter 32 when Moses was on
Mount Sinai, speaking to the Lord and receiving the Ten Commandments. The people below
became impatient waiting for Moses and under Aaron’s leadership, they made and
worshipped a golden calf, created from their own jewelry. With God’s plan of molding them
as His chosen people whom He will also use in starting to carry out His plan of salvation for
humanity, He will give the Ten Commandments as their fundamental norms or rules for their
lives.

MOSES RECEIVES THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

 After leaving Egypt, the Israelites reached the Sinai Desert. They spend two days
preparing to meet God at the ‘mountain of God’.
 On the third day, Moses receives the Ten Commandments at Mt. Sinai (near to where
God appeared to Moses in the burning bush – see Exodus 3:1).

THE FIRST COMMANDMENT

The First Commandments is: “I am the Lord your God: you shall not have other gods
beside me.” God’s covenant with the Israelites is clearly implied in this first commandment,
that it is no longer between Him and Abraham or with the patriarchs but now it is a covenant
with the Israelites as His chosen people.

For this first commandment, there is an additional warning which says “You shall not carve
idols for yourselves in the shape of anything in the sky above or on the earth below or in the
waters beneath the earth. You shall not bow down before them or worship them”. (Exodus
20: 2-4)
Obeying the First Commandment means adoring and worshipping God alone. We cannot
place anything in our lives before Him, not our material wealth, ambition, or even our
relationships with others. Because God is the source of everything we have and love; to
place anything before Him also distorts our relationship with Him and also with other people.
We can keep the First Commandment through constant acts of faith, hope, and love.

POSSIBLE SINS OF THE FIRST COMMANDMENT:

1. Idolatry – worshipping someone else or something other than God.
2. Divination and Magic – putting our faith and in trust in spiritual powers that do not
belong to God. This includes putting faith in fortune-tellers or others who claim to have
special magic powers.
3. Tempting God – putting God’s goodness and power to the test.
4. Sacrilege – the act of treating holy objects/places with disrespect.
5. Simony – buying or selling the things that God offers.
6. Atheism – refusing to believe in God.
7. Agnosticism – not sure about God or indifferent to God.
8. Syncretism – joining two opposing beliefs into one belief.
9. Heresy – is a belief or action at odds with what is accepted, especially when the
behavior is contrary to religious doctrine or belief. For example, a Catholic who says
God does not exist.

CLARIFICATION ON THE MEANING OF THE WORD IDOLS, AND THE

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WORSHIP AND VENERATION

Idols that God prohibits in the context of the first commandment refer to anything like
image/statue or even animals, person, or object which people worship as a god. Worship is
adoring or praising. The Catholic practice of respecting sacred/holy place, sacred things like
the Bible or sacred images/statue is called Veneration.

The Catholic faithful do not worship these sacred things or sacred place or images, but they only respect
them. They do it by touching, even kissing which are culturally based. If you observe the priests during
Holy Mass, there are only two things that he will venerate by kissing. These are the altar since it
symbolizes the Body of Christ and the Bible after he proclaimed the Gospel; the Bible of course
symbolizes the Word of God. Some might say that this practice of veneration is not found in the Bible and
there is no other thing which is holy except God. Anything that God uses as His instrument is holy; like
things, place and others. What did God tell Moses at the burning bush? “Do not come closer and remove
your sandals since the ground where you stand is holy”. (Exodus 3:5) So here, even the ground where
God appeared to Moses became holy. Another good example of this is, when Jesus got angry with the
people at the Temple in Jerusalem since they did not respect the Temple which is a holy place for the
Israelites. (Matthew 21:12-13). Another question that some people are asking is whether having stature or
image is a sin? They will again claim that there are no statues in the Bible. Well, if you really read your
Bible carefully, we can give you three examples of statues that God made or asked the people to do. One
is in Genesis 3:24, where God put a cherubim (statue of an angel) to guard the Garden of Eden. The
other good example is in Exodus 25:10-22, when God asked the Israelites to make the ark of the
Covenant (something like a box) where He will command them to keep the Ten Commandments and put
two statues of angels on top of it. So, the Ten Commandments are guarded by two statues of angels.
hope it is now clear to us that the Church’s practice of having sacred images or statues of Jesus and the
saints is not a violation of the First Commandment. The only strong reminder for all of us is, as long as
you do not worship them as gods! I hope it is alsoclear that veneration which is clearly a biblical practice is
not the same with worship or adoration. The Catholic faithful are not worshipping the images of Christ and
the saints but only venerating them.
 THE ARK OF THE COVENANT
(which housed the Ten Commandments is guarded by two images(statues) of angels)

 Commands: Adoration prayer, sacrifice, honoring promises, vows

 Practices: regular prayer time, offering day to God, inviting God to work in our lives,
being faithful to our vows and promises to God, helping our faith to grow by participating
in the Eucharistic and other sacraments, reading, guarding religious liberty in civil law.

THE SECOND COMMANDMENT

You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God in vain. (Exodus 20:7)

Name as we all know stands for one’s identity. This is why when your peers are making fun
of your name, you feel insulted since it is not your name, but you are the one whom they are
mocking. The name really stands for the person’s identity and even to one’s dignity. So,
when you use the name of God in vain, then you are really insulting God Himself. The
Second Commandment teaches us that we love God by always using His name with great
reverence/respect. We should not to use God’s name in an improper way.

POSSIBLE SINS OF THE SECOND COMMANDMENT:

1. BLASPHEMY - Speech, thought or action that shows disrespect to God, the Church, or
persons dedicated to God.

2. PERJURY - Lying under oath. If we take an oath to tell the truth and even using God as a
witness “(promise to God”) but we do not fulfill it then that is perjury; we even include God in
our foolishness. This is a serious sin since God is always true to His promises and never lies!
For this reason, false oaths and perjury seriously offend God.

3. PROFANITY/CURSING - Uttering offensive words in anger or annoyance especially

when using God’s name.

 COMMANDS: Respect God’s name (sacred, holy, same as his word), for saints, holy
objects, confession of faith, promises and vows that honor God

 PRACTICES: naming our children after saints, only taking oaths in grave situations
(court), acting in Jesus’ name When we come to know God through our personal
experience, we respond with an ever-deepening reverence, awe, joy and respect for the
holiness, mystery and love of God. We reflect this relational stance through our speech
and actions.

THE THIRD COMMANDMENT

 REMEMBER TO KEEP HOLY THE SABBATH DAY. Six days you may labor and do all
your work but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. No work may be
done then either by you or your son or daughter or your male or female slave, or your
beast or by the alien who lives with you…on the seventh day God rested… and blessed
it and made it holy. (Exodus 20: 8-11)
 There are two things that this commandment is conveying to the human person -- the time for
God and the respect for the human person. How does one show this respect for God and the
human person? This is shown primarily by going to worship God as one community, as His
people, and by respecting others in providing their physical bodies a time to rest. Aside from
worshiping God and resting, what are other implications of the Third Commandment? Is this
done only in the chapel or church? Some people attend the Holy Mass but after their
participation, they go back to their usual lifestyle which is often not consistent with Christian
living. So aside from worshiping God in the church, do people also make the day of the Lord holy
in their homes, in their dealings with others, and in their dealings with nature? The Second
Plenary Council of the Philippines (PCP II) stresses that all of life is worship or the whole of life
must be an act of worship as St. Paul also pointed out in his letter to the Romans (167-168).
Worship should not be separated from the totality of life. There should be no dichotomy between
the two.

VIOLATIONS AGAINST THE THIRD COMMANDMENT

 The teachings of Jesus Christ are clear such that anything that does not amount to
honoring God and not giving ourselves and others a time to rest is a direct of violation of
this commandment. Anything that does not glorify God and respect the dignity of others
must be avoided.

THE SHIFT OF THE SABBATH DAY FROM SATURDAY TO SUNDAY

 The Israelites observed the Sabbath day on the seventh day of the week (Saturday),
which marked the completion of God’s creation of the world. For us Christians, we
celebrate the Lord’s Day on Sunday, the first day of the week since it was on that day
that Jesus rose from the dead. This is why we call it the Lord’s Day. It reminds us of His
Resurrection, and how He created the whole world new! This practice of worshipping on
the first day of the week was started by the Apostles (Acts 20:7) which we followed. This
is why, one of the names/titles of our Church is Apostolic. Another implication of this is,
we also give God the first day of our week. For the Israelites’ symbolism, seven (7) is a
perfect number, that is why they give it to God.

 COMMANDS: observing Sunday as a day set aside for God, as a day of rest, day of
prayer, Mass on Sunday and holy days of obligation.

 PRACTICES: attending mass on Sunday, spending time with family, in reading, prayer,
or works of charity.

As spiritual beings, we need time to feed and replenish our minds, hearts and spirits. Even in the Middle
Ages, the harsh lot of the serfs in the fields was mitigated by observance of the Church’s many holy days
and feasts, sacred times when they did not have to work. In our insomniac, workaholic, 24-7 society,
maybe one of the greatest ways we can evangelize others is to simply keep holy the Sabbath.

IMPLICATION OF THE FIRST THREE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD

 These first three commandments of the Decalogue call us to right relationship with God
as the source and foundation of right relationship with others, expressed in the following
seven commandments. When we truly desire and attempt to love God with every fiber of
our being, life becomes full for us and we discover joy, love and peace. God’s rules exist
only to make us happy and bring us to the glory of eternal life. The Ten Commandments
serve as an infallible road map to the Kingdom of God. But all the commandments are
intertwined. For instance, you cannot love God without loving His children—our fellow
 human beings. The next seven commandments act as signposts to guide our treatment
of our neighbor.

WEEK 9 LESSONS

THE FOURTH, FIFTH, AND SIXTH COMMANDMENTS OF GOD

In the first three commandments, we received the gifts of God’s self-revelation to

humanity. We also learn what constitutes a proper response to this self-revelation and
thereby a proper relationship with God. The final seven commandments are gifts that
primarily reveal God’s will for us in our relationships with each other.

After the first three commandments prescribing our duties toward God comes seven others
laying down our obligations toward ourselves and our fellow human beings. There is first a
special commandment regarding the important duties of children toward their parents, and of
parents toward their children. This is the fourth of the Ten Commandments. In a general way,
Commandments 5th, 6th, and 7th are concerned with actions, 8th is concerned with
words and 9th and 10th are with our desires.

THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which the
Lord your God gives you.” (Ex. 20:12)

The fourth commandment opens the second table of the Decalogue. It shows us the order
of charity. God has willed that, after Him, we should honor our parents to whom we owe life
and who have handed on to us the knowledge of God. We are obliged to honor and respect
all those whom God, for our good, has vested with His authority. (CCC, #2197)

The fourth commandment is addressed specifically to children in their relationship with

their father and mother, because this relationship is the most foundational. It likewise
concerns the ties of kinship between members of the extended family. It requires honor,
affection, and gratitude toward elders and ancestors. Finally, it extends to the duties of
pupils to teachers, employees to employers, subordinates to leaders, citizens to their
country, and to those who administer or govern it. This commandment includes and
presupposes the duties of parents, instructors, teachers, leaders, and magistrates, those
who govern, and all who exercise authority over others or over a community of persons.
(CCC, #2199)

DUTY OF CHILDREN:

 Respect for parents (filial piety) derives from gratitude toward those who, by the gift of
life, theirlove and their work, have brought their children into the world and enabled them
to grow in stature, wisdom, and grace. "With all your heart honor your father, and do not
forget the birth pangs of your mother. Remember that through your parents you were
born; what can you give back to them that equals their gift to you?" (CCC, #2215)

 As long as a child lives at home with her/his parents, the child should obey her/his
parents in all that they ask of her/him when it is for her/his good or that of the family.
"Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord." Children should
also obey the reasonable directions of their teachers and all to whom their parents have
 entrusted them. But if a child is convinced in conscience that it would be morally wrong
to obey a particular order, she/he must not do so. (CCC, #2217)

SOME MORTAL SINS THAT GO SPECIFICALLY AGAINST THE 4TH COMMANDMENT:

1. Serious failure to care for aged parents/Failure to carry out the last will of a
deceased parent
 The commandment is very clear that we are to honor our parents. That would
include taking care of them in their time of need. Our parents nurtured us during our
childhood and possibly even up to our college years as well. It makes sense for us to
take care of them, and as long as their last will is not immoral, to follow that up for
them.

2. Serious disrespect for or disobedience to parents, superiors or authorities

 We have to respect our parents. We also are to respect superiors (boss, supervisors,
managers, etc.) as well as authorities (judges, police, etc.). Again, it has to be moral.
Obviously, we do not have to listen if it breaks the law, and especially if it breaks
moral law.

3. Wishing death or evil on parents

 We are not to wish death or evil on anybody, but most importantly to our parents.

4. Abuse or serious neglect of children

 This is where some people will think it goes a little different. Yes, we are to honor our
parents, but parents must also take care of their children. It is a mortal sin for
parents to abuse or seriously neglect their children since they are individuals that
God has given them to take care of. They do not belong to them forever, nor are
their property. Some abuses would be beating their own children especially treating
as if they already adult ones, starving their children for lengthy period of time.
Serious neglect would also include abandonment, failure to take care of their
children, and other such parenting failures.

THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT

“Thou shall not kill.” (Exodus 20:13)

The “fifth word” of the Decalogue primarily reveals to us the sacredness of all human life.
The human person is made in the image and likeness of God and, therefore, has an
inalienable dignity and worth. However, this sacredness rests fundamentally on the fact that
every human person is freely created by God out of love in order to share eternal life in
communion with God. In other words, the human person is sacred because the human
person is both made by God and made for God.

The Fifth Commandment prohibition against killing clearly forbids direct and intentional
killing. Murder is always gravely sinful, regardless of the form it takes. In a similar way,
indirectly bringing about a person’s death, when done intentionally, is also a clear violation of
the commandment.

SOME MORTAL SINS THAT GO SPECIFICALLY AGAINST THE 5TH COMMANDMENT:

1. Homicide - the crime of killing another person or human.

2. Murder - the same with homicide but with intentions (pre-planned).
3. Infanticide - the crime of killing a child within a year of birth.
4. Fratricide - killing of one’s brother or sister.
5. Suicide - it is the act of taking one’s own life may it be voluntarily or intentionally.
6. Parricide - the killing of a parent or close relative.

7. Self-Defense - What shall we say about death that occurs when an individual is
protecting him or herself from an attack? In this case we need to consider what the Church’s
moral theologians name the Principle of Double Effect. St. Thomas Aquinas explains this
very simply when he writes, “The act of self-defense can have a double effect: the
preservation of one’s own life; and the killing of the aggressor… The one is intended, the
other is not.” (ST, II-II, 64.7)

8. Euthanasia - It is the act of killing an individual for reasons considered to be merciful.

Euthanasia is sinful for the same reason that abortion is sinful: it violates the rights of an
individual. On its surface, euthanasia may seem quite attractive, as it offers a solution to end
human suffering, but our Catechism observes it as a murder gravely contrary to the dignity of
the human person and to the respect due to the living God, our Creator.

9. Abortion - An abortion is a procedure to end a pregnancy. It uses medicine or surgery to

remove the embryo or fetus and placenta from the uterus.

A NOTE OF CONSOLATION:

Here we need to remark that while the Fifth Commandment forbids murder, and, thus, the
taking of our own life, we must leave to God’s mercy the judgment of those who have
committed suicide. At the same time, we must remember our life is a gift given in trust. We
do not exercise complete control over it; God expects us to give it back. Thus, the Catechism
teaches: “Everyone is responsible for his life before God who has given it to him. It is God
who remains the sovereign Master of life. We are obliged to accept life gratefully and
preserve it for his honor and the salvation of our souls. We are stewards, not owners, of the
life God has entrusted to us. It is not ours to dispose of.” (CCC, #2280)

We should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. By
ways known to him alone, God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance. The
Church prays for persons who have taken their own lives. (CCC, #2283)

THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT

“Thou shall not commit adultery.” (Exodus 20:14)

 Adultery is when a person gives to another the love that belongs to a husband and wife.
This is forbidden by the 6th Commandment. But implicit in the commandment is any
form of undue sexual activity that leads oneself or another into sin. So, it covers a wide
variety of subjects. Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and we should therefore
respect them and cover them modestly. We must also respect those of the opposite
sex.The 6th commandment forbids all impurity and immodesty in words, looks, and
actions, whether alone or with others. Examples of this would be: touching one's own
body or that of another without necessity simply to satisfy sinful curiosity, impure
conversations, dirty jokes, looking at bad pictures, and undue familiarity with the
opposite sex.
 The Sixth Commandment summons spouses to practice permanent and exclusive
fidelity to one another. Emotional and sexual fidelity are essential to the commitment
made in the marriage covenant. Godestablished marriage as a reflection of His fidelity to
us. The vows made by the spouses at their wedding to be faithful to one another forever
should witness the very covenant God has made with us.

 All people—married, single, religious, and ordained—need to acquire the virtue of

chastity. “Chastity means the successful integration of sexuality within the person and
thus the inner unity of man in his bodily and spiritual being” (CCC, #2337). Chastity
unites our sexuality with our entire human nature. It approaches sexuality as related to
our spiritual natures so that sex is seen as more than a physical act. Sexuality affects the
whole person because of the unity of body and soul. Jesus is the model of chastity.
“Chastity includes an apprenticeship in self-mastery which is a training in human
freedom” (CCC, #2339). The acquisition of chastity depends on self-discipline and leads
to an internal freedom, which enables human beings to temper sexual desires according
to God’s plan for the appropriate expression of love in the marital relationship of a man
and a woman.

ACTS THAT GO AGAINST THE 6TH COMMANDMENT:

1. Adultery - a voluntary sexual activity (as sexual intercourse) committed by a wife to a

married man and should be charged together.
2. Concubinage - a voluntary sexual activity (as sexual intercourse) committed by a
husband to an unmarried woman and should be charged together
3. Fornication - voluntary sexual intercourse between two unmarried persons or two
persons not married to each other.
4. Bigamy - the act of going through a marriage ceremony while already married to another
person
5. Polygamy - state of marriage to many spouses
6. Polygyny - having more than one wife is not God's will. Jesus said that a man has only
one wife.
7. Polyandry - having more than one husband is not God’s will. Jesus said that a woman
has only one husband.
8. Sex partners - is against God’s will as well. It demeans the sex act which reflects God’s
love and the fact that we are temples of the Holy Spirit.
9. Homosexuality - two men having sex is immoral in God's eyes.

NOTE: (The Church teaches that Homosexuality is not a sin but the activity ‘sex acts’ are
sinful.) In conclusion, any sex outside of marriage is wrong in God's eyes. No matter
how"right" it feels at the moment.

 Therefore, it is important to remember that these commandments imply much more than
they expressly command. For example, the fourth commandment explicitly prescribes
only honor for one's parents, but under this heading are included love, obedience and
service. Moreover, as the Church interprets it, this same commandment refers to the
duties of all those in any position of subordination toward lawful superiors; it also
imposes on those who rule others, particularly parents, the obligation to provide for the
welfare of those in their charge. Similarly, the fifth commandment, though it explicitly
forbids only killing, is to be extended to the prohibition of any unjust injury to the body,
and even to the soul, whether of oneself or of other human beings. The sixth
 commandment is explicitly directed against adultery - the gravest sin of impurity that can
be committed by or against a married person. Yet, it really forbids every external act
against the noble virtues of chastity and modesty.

WEEK 10 LESSONS

THE 7TH, 8TH, 9TH AND 10TH COMMANDMENTS OF GOD

 The Seventh and Eighth commandments are concerned primarily with our duties toward
two possessions of our neighbor - their material goods and their good reputation. Since
human beings have the tendency to be selfish and neglectful of the rights of others, God
considered it necessary to lay down the explicit commands: "Thou shalt not steal" and
"Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor". Like the other commandments,
these two commandments prescribe more obligations than those which they explicitly
assert. The seventh commandment forbids not only stealing but every type of dishonest
dealing; the eighth forbids not only falsehood but also many other sins of the tongue
such as gossiping, the unlawful revelation of secrets, and the likes.
 The Ninth and Tenth commandments are closely related with the Sixth and Seventh.
The Ninth forbidding interior sins regarding matters of purity, while the Sixth forbids
external acts; the Tenth forbidding those internal sins the external performance of which
is forbidden by the Seventh commandment. In our days there is much dishonesty, due
largely to the excessive desire of people for riches and luxuries. In business, in politics,
even at home, many people are so anxious to enrich themselves that they are entirely
unconcerned with the rights of their fellow human beings. Moreover, crimes of theft and
robbery, often accompanied by violence or even murder, are becoming prevalent.

THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT

“Thou shall not steal.” (Exodus 20:15)

The “seventh word” of the Decalogue primarily reveals to us that God wants us to act justly
and with charity in our relationships with one another. In this way, we are able to live in
communion with God, who is just and loving. Specifically, the Seventh Commandment
“commands justice and charity in the care of earthly goods and the fruits of men’s labor.” It
forbids the unjust taking or keeping of goods belonging to one’s neighbor and the wronging
of another as regards his/her goods.

The seventh commandment forbids unjustly taking or keeping the goods of one's neighbor
and wronging him/her in any way with respect to his/her goods. It commands justice and
charity in the care of earthly goods and the fruits of men's labor. For the sake of the common
good, it requires respect for the universal destination of goods and respect for the right to
private property. Christian life strives to order this world's goods to God and to fraternal
charity. (CCC, 2401)

 Justice is the moral virtue that “consists in the constant and firm will to give what is due
to God and neighbor.” In terms of one’s neighbor, justice requires respect for the rights
of each person and working for harmony in human relationships so that equity with
regard to persons and the common good is promoted.

 Charity is the theological virtue by “which we love God above all things for His own sake,
and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God.”
 In other words, charity is both the new commandment and the virtue by which we keep the
commandments that Christ gave us. It is the greatest of the virtues because it disposes us to
participate most intimately in the life of God, who is love itself.So here we can begin to see the
relationship that must exist between justice, the human virtue, and charity, the theological virtue. As
stated above, justice “consists in the constant and firm will to give what is due to God and neighbor.”
What is due to God and neighbor? In a word, love is. Charity, then, makes justice possible. The 7th
and the 10th commandments go together. The Tenth makes it easy to keep the Seventh by telling us
not even to desire the property of our neighbor.

REMEMBER:

Christ's warning on the danger of riches. Anyone who desires to be rich, that is, to have
more material possessions than what he needs will find it hard to respect the property of
their neighbor. And the more we love the things of this earth, the harder we shall find it to
love God.

SOME OF THE SINS AGAINST THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT:

The Seventh Commandment expressly forbids: Theft, robbery, cheating, usury, injuring the
property of another, detention of goods that have been found or lent, and the non-payment
of debts.

1. THEFT - the act or crime of stealing

2. ROBBERY - Robbery is a theft accompanied by personal violence.
3. CHEATING - consists in injuring one’s neighbor in his possessions by crafty means.
4. USURY - the illegal action or practice of lending money at unreasonably high rates of
interest.

THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT

“Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor.” (Exodus 20:16)

The eighth commandment forbids misrepresenting the truth in our relations with others. This
moral prescription flows from the vocation of the holy people to bear witness to their God
who is the truth and wills the truth. Offenses against the truth express by word or deed is a
refusal to commit oneself to moral uprightness; they are fundamental infidelities to God and,
in this sense, they undermine the foundations of the covenant. (CCC, #2464)

JESUS & US: REFLECTIONS OF TRUTH

 Throughout the gospel, the evangelists portray Jesus as the embodiment of God’s truth.
He, himself, says, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life,” (Jn. 14:6) and this truth
sheds God’s light upon the world and provides the example for all our actions. If we
consider the matter, this is no more than we should expect of beings created in God’s
image: if we look like God, we ought to act like God. Mark Twain, somewhat cynically
observed, “If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.” In his
Sermon on the Mount, Jesus expresses the notion somewhat more nobly when he
teaches, “Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more comes from evil.”
(Mt. 5:34)

WHAT IS TRUTH?
 Before we continue, we might do well to ask what truth is. The dictionary defines truth as
“Conformity to fact or actuality.” St. Thomas Aquinas teaches, “…truth resides primarily
 in the intellect, and secondarily in things as they are related to the intellect as their
principle.” (ST, 1, 16.1) This is somewhat abstract, so let us consider the example St.
Thomas uses, which is that of a house. The house is “true” to the extent it corresponds
to the image in its architect’s mind. Likewise, in the natural and moral sphere, God
knows what things ought to be – whether they are rocks or moral principles. Individual
things are true to the extent they correspond to the ideal vision of the object in God’s
mind. We have little difficulty identifying “true” rocks; moral truths, however, which are
fundamental to our relations with one another, may, at least occasionally, be somewhat
more difficult to determine. The Catechism then provides synonyms for truth,
“truthfulness, sincerity, or candor. Truth or truthfulness is the virtue which consists in
showing oneself true in deeds and truthful in words, and in guarding against duplicity,
dissimulation and hypocrisy.”

HERE ARE SOME OF THE OFFENSES AGAINST TRUTH:

1. Lie - An assertion that is believed to be false, typically used with purpose of deceiving
someone.
2. Perjury - Lying under oath. If we take an oath to tell the truth but then we lie, we are
telling God that we want Him to lie for us. God is always true to His promises and never lies!
For this reason, false oaths and perjury seriously offended God.

OTHER LIES:
1. Rash judgment
 which assumes – without proof – someone has done wrong

2. Detraction
 which is telling the faults of another to those who have no reason to know the information

3. Calumny
 which is lying about another, and causing others to form false negative opinions of the
individual.
 the making of false and defamatory statements about someone in order to damage their
reputation;(synonymous to slander and defamation)

THE NINTH COMMANDMENT

“Thou shall not covet thy neighbor.” (Deuteronomy 5:21)

The Ninth and Tenth Commandments sound so similar – “Thou shalt not covet thy
neighbor’s wife… Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s goods” – we may wonder what
distinguishes them. Our theology teaches that concupiscence is the distinguishing
characteristic.

By the 9th commandment we are commanded to be pure in thought and desire. Mere
thoughts about impure things are not always sinful in themselves, but such thoughts are
dangerous. Thoughts about impure things become sinful when a person thinks of an
unchaste act (thoughts of sex) and deliberately takes pleasure in so thinking, or when
unchaste desire or passion is aroused and consent is given to it.
The 9th commandment forbids all thoughts and desires contrary to chastity. That is to say, it
forbids all willful thoughts. We know that no thought can be a sin unless it is willful. A willful
thought is one we want, one we take deliberate pleasure in and do not try to put out of our
minds.

An unchaste thought that we do not want and try to get rid of is not a sin but a temptation. It is not
possible to avoid all temptations. When the devil wants to put an unchaste thought in our minds, he is
usually able to do so. But this is nothing to worry about and will never be a sin as long as we do not
want the thought and do our best to put it out by a little prayer and by keeping busy. The best remedy
against this type of temptation is prayer and flight. Run away from it by thinking about something else
as much as you can. Above all, avoid idleness, as the devil has trouble tempting busy people.

 CONCUPISCENCE

In Latin, the word “concupiscence” means “to desire strongly”, and our Catechism defines
concupiscence as “…any intense form of human desire. Christian theology has given it a
particular meaning: the movement of the sensitive appetite contrary to the operation of
human reason.” (CCC, #2515)

Concupiscence is one of the results of Original Sin. It is not sinful in itself, but its presence
within us can incline us to make poor moral choices when faced with certain attractive
options. Concupiscence is what St. Paul has in mind when he employs the very apt image of
the flesh rebelling against the spirit.

YOUTH CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH (YOUCAT)

 The erotic attraction between man and woman was created by God and is therefore
good; it is part of a person's sexual nature and biological constitution. It ensures that
man and woman can unite with one another and descendants can spring from their love.
The 9th commandment is meant to protect this union. The shelter of marriage and family
must not be endangered through playing with fire, in other words, through reckless
indulgence in the erotic energy that crackles between man and woman. This is why it is
a good rule, especially for Christians: "Keep your hands off married men and women."
When we turn to God with a sincere intention, he transforms our hearts. He gives us the
strength to correspond to his will and to reject impure thoughts, fantasies, and desires.
Many young Christians live in an environment where it is taken for granted that
everything should be on display and people are systematically trained to ignore feelings
of shame. But shamelessness is inhuman. Animals experience no shame. In a human
being, in contrast, it is an essential feature. It does not hide something inferior but rather
protects something valuable, namely the dignity of the person in his capacity to love. The
feeling of shame is found in all cultures, although it assumes different forms. it has
nothing to do with prudery or a repressive upbringing. A person is also ashamed of his
sins and other things that would demean him if they were made generally known.
Someone who offends another person's natural feeling of shame by words, glances,
gestures, or actions, robs him of his dignity.

FORBIDDEN ACT BY THE NINTH COMMANDMENT:

1. ACT OF LASCIVIOUSNESS
 It is an act of making a physical contact with the body of another person for the
purpose of obtaining sexual gratification other than, or without intention of sexual
intercourse.
 having impure thoughts and desires
THE TENTH COMMANDMENT
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods, his land, and his slaves, his animals or
anything else that he owns.” Deuteronomy 5:22

The Tenth commandment unfolds and completes the Ninth, which is concerned with
concupiscence of the flesh. It forbids coveting the goods of another, as the root of theft,
robbery, and fraud, which the Seventh commandment forbids. "Lust of the eyes" leads to the
violence and injustice forbidden by the Fifth commandment. 319 Avarice, like fornication,
originates in the idolatry prohibited by the first three prescriptions of the Law.

320 The Tenth commandment concerns the intentions of the heart; with the Ninth, it
summarizes all the precepts of the Law. (CCC, #2534)

The Tenth commandment forbids greed and the desire to amass earthly goods without limit.
It forbids avarice arising from a passion for riches and their attendant power. It also forbids
the desire to commit injustice by harming our neighbor and his temporal goods. (CCC,
#2536)

SPECIFIC SIN THAT GO AGAINST TO THE 10th COMMANDMENT:

1. AVARICE
 extreme greed for wealth or material gain.

 To sum it up, in our days there is much dishonesty, due largely to the excessive desire of people for
riches and luxuries. In business, in politics, even in the home, many people are so anxious to enrich
themselves that they are entirely unconcerned with the rights of their fellow men. Moreover, crimes of
theft and robbery, often accompanied by violence or even murder, are becoming more and more
common. Sometimes people buy stolen goods knowingly, and apparently do not realize that they
have no right to claim them but that they must give them back to the real owner. Indeed, even if a
person buys stolen goods without realizing that they have been stolen, he may not keep them when
he finds out that they were stolen if he knows the owner. If the owner appears and proves his right to
the goods, the man who has bought them must restore them, even though the owner makes no
recompense for the price the recipient has paid; but the latter has a right to get his money back from
the thief who sold him the goods. The civil law is unable to accomplish much toward preventing these
violations of the Seventh commandment. True, people are sent to prison for theft when they are
captured. But many escape the law; many others commit sins of dishonesty in so clever a way that
there is no civil law to cover their case. But they do not escape the all seeing eye of God. And no
matter how successfully a person may have acquired dishonest gain, no matter how prosperous he
may have made himself at the expense of his fellow men, death will come in a few brief years to
separate him from his riches and to summon him to judgment before the throne of an all just God.
Many persons, by not paying their just debts, are guilty of sins against the Seventh commandment.
Some claim that they are unable to pay, yet they continue to buy luxuries, a fact which shows that
they are not sincere. There are even some who deliberately refuse to pay a debt even though they
know it was contracted, if the creditor has no written proof of his claim. God's law of justice is not
limited to what can be proved in a civil court.Sins of the tongue which injure others are also prevalent.
Without the least qualm of conscience men lie to their fellow men. There are many who gravely injure
the reputation of their fellows by their uncharitable, often false, remarks and stories. Backbiting, tale
bearing, the violation of secrets that one should keep, rash judgments - how common these are today!
Catholics or Christians, followers of Our Lord who was so attentive to the rights of others. Should try
to lead men to observe these commandments _ and the best way is to inspire them by good example.
We must be strictly honest in our dealings with others. Even when there is a question of something of
slight value, we must never take it or keep it if it belongs to another. How many, for example, seem to
think that if they find something on the street they are entitled to keep it without an attempt to find the
owner! Similarly, we must watch over our speech, rejecting every form of falsehood, carefully
avoiding anything that might wound our neighbor's character, shunning rash and harsh judgments
about our neighbor. "Do not judge, that you may not be judged" (Matt. 7:1).
 RESOLUTION: Resolve to be strictly honest both in deed and in word.

WEEK 11 LESSONS

THE STORY OF JOSHUA AND THE BOOK OF JUDGES

CONCLUSION TO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

The 10 commandments reflect the Love of God and the Love of Neighbor

Our Gospel reading last October 25, 2020 found in Matthew 22: 34-40 is the perfect
summary of the 10 Commandments. In response to the question of the pharisees on which
is the greatest commandment of the Law? Jesus said …, 'You must love the Lord your God
with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first
commandment. The second resembles it: You must love your neighbour as yourself. On
these two commandments hang the whole Law, and the Prophets too.'

The Ten Commandments were given in a treaty format since they are the basis for our right
relationship with God, and with others. Others includes our environment and many other
things around us which we should take care.

The 10 commandments are not prohibitions and limitations of our freedom as some would
see it but rather on the proper perspective, these are the means for us to achieve total
freedom. These serve as guiding paths for us to experience real and total freedom and
healthy lifestyle where there are no crimes, no hatred, no enemies and most importantly no
war among different nations and different sectors.

REVIEW OF SOME SYMBOLIC NUMBERS IN THE BIBLE

You might have personally read Biblical passages such as “Jesus fasted for 40 days”,
“Moses stayed on the mountain for 40 days”, God rested on the Sabbath/seventh day, Jesus
resurrected on the 3rd day, David had 700 wives and 300 concubines, “will I forgive him 7
times” etc. The numbers 3, 7, 40 when used in the Old Testament are not literal or actual as
others would understand it but symbolic. 7 symbolizes perfection, that is why they always
give it to God like the Sabbath/seventh day. 3 stands for few if they refer to numbers and
short span of time if about duration. So, king Solomon did not really have 700 hundred wives
since nobody made a research about it, but it simply means he had numerous wives and he
still had few concubines. 40 stands for long span of time and time for purification. The
Israelites did not literally stay for forty years in the desert but simply means that they stayed
there for a long period of time. Another example is “40 days of the dead person”, means you
pray for her/his soul to be purified so that on the 40th day he/she should be freed from
his/her sins; and it is not just about eating.

ISRAELITES IN THE DESERT

After their exodus from Egypt, the Israelites first settled in the desert for “forty” years; “40”
years of wandering as part of their journey to the Promised Land. They experienced a lot of
struggles such as shortage of food and water and other basic needs. This was where God
had to give them manna bread from heaven and water. There were even times that they
complained to God and they repented after they were punished. “40” years in the desert
means they stayed there for a long period of time since it was their time for purification as
God was molding them as His chosen people to start His salvific plan for all people.

INTRODUCTION:

THE STORY OF JOSHUA: ENTRY TO THE PROMISED LAND (CANAAN)

The book of Joshua speaks about the conquest and settlement of the household of
God/Israelites in the Promise Land. God through the leadership of Joshua will now finally let
His people settle in the land He promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This is the “land
flowing with milk and honey” (Exodus 13:5), in other words, a very fertile land.

After Moses had died, the Lord said to Joshua, son of Nun: “My servant Moses is dead. So
prepare to cross the Jordan here, with all the people into the land I will give the Israelites. As
I promised, I will deliver to you every place where you set foot. Your domain is to be all the
land of the Hittites, from the desert and from Lebanon east to the great river Euphrates and
west to the Great Sea. No one can withstand you while you live. I will be with you as I was
with Moses: I will not leave you nor forsake you. Be firm and steadfast, so that you may give
this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers I would give them. Above all,
be firm and steadfast, taking care to observe the entire law which my servant Moses
enjoined on you. Do not swerve from it either to the right or to the left, which you may
succeed wherever you go. Keep this book of the law on your lips. Recite it, by day and by
night that you may observe carefully all that is written in it; then you will successfully attain
your goal. I command you: be firm and steadfast! Do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord,
your God, is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:1-9).

THE CROSSING OF THE JORDAN RIVER

From the desert, the Israelites need to cross the Jordan River for them to enter Canaan
(Promised Land). How did they do this? They crossed it with the Ark of the Covenant carried
by the priests. When the soles of the feet of the priests carrying the ark of the Lord, the Lord
of the whole earth, touched the water of the Jordan, it ceased flowing until all Israelites
crossed over on dry ground. (Joshua 3:5-17)

After crossing the Jordan River, the Israelites camped in Gilgal on the eastern limits of
Jericho. At Gilgal Joshua set up the twelve stones, saying to the Israelites, “In the future,
when the children among you ask their fathers what these stones mean, you shall inform
them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan with the help of the Lord just as the Lord, your God, had
done in the Red Sea, in order that all the peoples of the earth may learn that the hand of the
Lord is mighty, and that you may fear the Lord, your God, forever.” (Joshua 4:19- 24)

With the leadership of Joshua, God allowed the Israelites to conquer Jericho and other cities
in the Promised Land. When they conquered most part of Canaan/promised land, Joshua
divided the land among the twelve tribes of Israel. The tribe of Levi was not given since it
was dedicated to the priesthood/priestly clan. This means that the people will take care of
their priests. Before his death, Joshua renewed Israel’s covenant with the Lord. He told the
Israelites to remain faithful to the Lord/YHWH and keep His statutes/Commandments or else
they will perish. (Joshua 24)
Since the Israelites are now settled in Canaan/promised Land, the only thing they need to do
was to remain faithful to the Lord/YHWH. If there are problems or disputes among the tribes
or if they are being attacked by their enemies and they cry out to the Lord, leaders would
come out to deliver them from these adversaries. With this situation, leaders would only
come out when needed; so, leaders just come and go. These leaders will be called the
Judges.

THE BOOK OF JUDGES

The Book of Judges tell the story of the Israelites after the death of Joshua of which the
pattern was, when they obeyed God's commands, they were victorious over their enemies,
but when they rebelled against Him, they were defeated and oppressed. Judges was the title
of the leaders of the Israelites during this time. They were the transition leaders before the
emergence of the kings. There were 12 judges in all; Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, Deborah,
Gideon, Tola, Jair, Jephthah, Ibzan, Elon, Abdon and Samson. Including Barak and Samuel
in some category, there will be 14.

These Judges served as military leaders in times of crisis, rather than judges in the legal
sense of the world. The great lesson of these books is that Israel’s survival depended on
Fidelity/faithfulness to God, while unfaithfulness always leads to disaster. But there was
something more than this: even when the nation was unfaithful to God and disaster came,
God was always ready to save his people when they repented and turned to him again.

LET US LOOK ON THE DIFFERENT MESSAGES OF THE STORY OF SOME OF THESE

JUDGES

1. DEBORAH
 She is the only female judge, and a prophetess. Her name means “honey bee,” Having a
woman leader was contrary to most people’s thought that only men should rule.
Deborah is the example that leadership can be exercised by both men and women. God
can used anybody as His instrument to accomplish His mission. Man and woman are
equal in dignity.

2. GIDEON
 was known to be one who came from a least tribe/clan, but God called him, and he
defeated the many enemies with only 300 soldiers. This means that God can choose the
least to cast down the powerful or to defeat a great enemy. Gideon earned the
name—Jerubbaal—for destroying the altar of Baal who was the god of the Canaanites.
Baal was a god of fertility for the Canaanites.

3. SAMSON
 is one of the most well-known among the Judges. This was because of his gift of
strength which he used to defeat the enemies of the Israelites or to create havoc among
them. Samson was a Nazarite which means a person“dedicated”/offered to God from
the time he was born. As part of his vows, he never cut his hair or not allowed to drink
much wine. As commonly known, he revealed his secret to an unworthy person which
caused his downfall. The great lesson here is, keep your secrets holy and be faithful to
your vows.
4. SAMUEL
 was the last Judge though he was more of a prophet. He answered God’s calling when
he was young, and He will be the one who will anoint King Saul and King David later
when he grew as a prophet. He was in a transition time between the Judges and the
Kings. So, God calls anyone whether young or old for the mission.

PATTERN OF LIFE OF THE ISRAELITES DURING THE TIME OF THE JUDGES

 The people are unfaithful to Yahweh, they will experience disaster such as falling into
the hands of their enemies; the people repent and entreat Yahweh for mercy, He saves
them by sending a leader (judge), and the judge delivers the Israelites from oppression
and they are back to God but later this pattern will be repeated.

WEEK 12 LESSONS

INTRODUCTION:
The prosperous life of the Israelites in the Promised Land/Canaan had some negative effect.
They had forgotten or become unfaithful to the God of their ancestors especially with their
marriage to Canaanite women which resulted in the worship of the Canaanite god (Baal:
their god of fertility). Their faith in God-YHWH which was the only uniting force/element was
no longer there. They were no longer strongly united as people of God/YHWH. This situation
often caused their defeat and oppression from their enemies. During this period, the
Israelites saw that the Canaanites/Philistines were so great that they needed to be united
under one military leader or king. Such demand was directed to Samuel, who was the last of
the judges of Israel.

CLARIFICATION OF SOME TERMS

Philistines is a modern term for the Canaanites. The Philistines or Canaanites were the first
migrants in Canaan, the land which God promised to the ancestors of the Israelites. The
Canaanites/Philistines are composed of different tribes such as the Hittites, Amorites,
Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, etc. Palestine is the modern term for the land of Canaan.
The Israelites are called such since they were the descendants of Jacob whose name is
also Israel. Judah was one of the twelve sons of Jacob/Israel. Later the whole land of
Canaan will be called Israel and later the southern part of the land will be called Judah or
Judea where the Israelites will get their modern name Jews.

SAMUEL: Prophet, Last of the Judges and Anointer of Kings

Samuel was a man chosen by God from his miraculous birth until his death. He is known
by answering God’s call when he was still young by saying: “Speak Lord, your servant is
listening”. He served in several important positions during his life, earning God's favor
because he knew how to obey.

Israel’s often oppression from their enemies made them demand for a king to Samuel. At
first Samuel was hesitant since this was a sure evidence of their unfaithfulness and not
acknowledging God/YHWH as their King. Later Samuel will give in to their demand
with great conditions; The king must still acknowledge and be faithful to God/YHWH as
the Highest King and the king should be faithful to the Israelites’ covenant with God. If the
king and the people will again be unfaithful to God, they will be wiped away or perish.

LESSON PROPER: The First Three Kings of Israel

As the Lord granted the Israelites’ demand, Samuel anointed Saul as their first king. He
was a tall and handsome man from the tribe of Benjamin.
“Then, from a flask he had with him, Samuel poured oil on Saul’s head; he also kissed
him, saying: “The Lord anoints you commander over his heritage. You are to govern the
Lord’s people Israel, and to save them from the grasp of their enemies round about.” This
will be the sign for you that the Lord has anointed you commander over his heritage: (1
Samuel 10:1)
“Now you have the king you want, a king the Lord has given to you. If you fear the Lord
and worship him, if you are obedient to him and do not rebel against the Lord’s command, if
both you and the king who rules you follow the Lord your God – well and good. But if you do
not obey the Lord and if you rebel against his command, the Lord will deal severely with you
and your king.” (1 Samuel 12: 13-15, 21-25
At the beginning of his reign, Saul appeared to be a meek and humble king, and a great
blessing for Israel. He had some good achievements like freeing Israel from their enemies
and extending their territorial boundaries, but soon did not live as expected of him by God.
He would greatly disobey God by listening more to his own desires and to the people around
him. He did not follow God’s plans especially in dealing with some enemies but implemented
his own desires. God was so displeased with Saul’s disobedience and regretted making him
king. This led to his rejection by God.

Before the rise of David, there is a story of a woman named Ruth. Ruth was a Moabite or
non-Israelite who was married by Boaz. Boaz was the father of Obed, who was the father
of Jesse who became the father of David. So, Ruth who was a non-Israelite became the
great grandmother of the icon king David. The strong message is, anybody can
become/join the people of God so long as you believe in and be faithful to Him. God is not
just a God for the Israelites. Recall Ruth’s very remarkable words to her mother in law
Naomi: “Your people will be my people and your God will be my God”.
This story of Ruth is also the same with the story of Rahab, a woman from Jericho
who saved the two spies of Joshua and later joined the Israelites when they conquered
Jericho. This will again remind us that God’s salvific plan is intended for all people.
After Saul’s rejection, God asked Samuel to look for a new King. Samuel went to
Bethlehem and anointed the young shepherd David, son of Jesse. At first Samuel was
confused on whom to anoint since the sons of Jesse were all handsome or good
looking. God told Samuel, “God does not look at the appearance but the heart of a person”.
David rise to stardom began when he killed the giant Philistine warrior Goliath. With
complete trust in God’s protection, the young David eventually defeated the giant warrior.
David was on the rise while Saul was falling. The jealous Saul often attempted to kill David
who was also his son in law but failed. David on the other hand would spare Saul if Saul is
cornered by David’s men since David respected Saul as his father in law and most
especially being the first anointed by God. So, David really had this fear of the Lord. Saul’s
end came when he died in a battle with the enemies. David asked the people to mourn for
Saul and later the people will “anoint”/proclaim David as their king. Since David was
anointed by Samuel while still young, his kingship was realized fully after the death of Saul.
DAVID’s ACHIEVEMENTS:
In his reign as the King of Israel, David was very successful as he defeated all their
enemies from every side. The peak of his kingship was his settlement in Jerusalem which he
captured from the Jebusites. He named Jerusalem as the City of David, the City of
God. David was overwhelmed and humbled by God’s graciousness to him as the king of
Israel. As a sign of gratitude, David brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, in the
midst of singing and dancing. The Ark was placed in a tent prepared for it, and David offered
sacrifice before the Lord. David was also a psalmist and a player of a harp.
In Jerusalem, David wanted to build a house for the Lord (temple) since he was
somewhat guilty by living in a palace as a king while the Ark of the Covenant was just
staying in a small simple tent. God did not accept such plan, but rather promised David a
“house” for his faithfulness. This “house” would later mean an eternal dynasty; that after
him, his descendants would be the next kings to reign until the end.
David was not all righteous during his reign as king. He also had his weaknesses.
Though he was a great conqueror, he was not able to conquer his own selfish desires,
especially the desire of the flesh. After his triumphs over his enemies, David succumbed to
the temptation of the flesh. He became obsessed with a beautiful woman named Bathsheba,
the wife of Uriah, one of his soldiers. To get her, he sent Uriah to the forefront of the battle
that led to his imminent death. Thus, David committed the sins of adultery and murder by
planning the death of Uriah and marrying Bathsheba. Through the prophet Nathan,
David realized his sins and asked God’s forgiveness. (read Psalm 51, David’s asking God’s
for forgiveness)
The death of the first son of David with Bathsheba was conceived by some as his
punishment for his sin. His son Absalom revolted against his father David due to his ambition
to become the next king but failed. He was killed in the end by the general of David. David
still mourned for his son Absalom.
Remember, David will not be defeated since he was the king chosen and anointed by
God through the prophet Samuel.

SOLOMON: Man of Wisdom or Man of Foolishness?

Solomon became the ruler of Israel after the death of his father David. He became
famous for two outstanding achievements: his wisdom and the building of the temple. At the
start of his reign, Solomon prayed to God for wisdom. This was generously granted by God.
Such wisdom was shown in the story of how he discovered the true mother of a baby whom
the two women both claimed to be theirs. He is believed to be the author of many sayings
and proverbs found in the Book of Proverbs.
Solomon answered: “You have shown great kindness to your servant, David my father,
because he walked before you with fidelity, justice and an upright heart; and you have
continued this great kindness toward him today, giving him a son to sit upon his throne. Now,
Lord, my God, you have made me your servant, king to succeed David my father; but I am a
mere youth, not knowing at all how to act. I, your servant, among the people you have
chosen, a people so vast that it cannot be numbered or counted. Give your servant,
therefore, a listening heart to judge your people and to distinguish between good and evil.
For who is able to give judgment for this vast people of yours?” (1 Kings 3:6-9)
King Solomon fulfilled David’s plan to build a temple for the Ark of the Covenant. The
temple was very large and impressive; it was made of the best and finest materials. It
became the visible sign of God’s presence and served as a strong reminder of the covenant
between God and the Israelites. The temple became the center of Israel’s worship, faith and
hope in God. The Ark of the Covenant was placed inside the Holy of Holies, the innermost
and sacred part of the Temple. The temple was built in the City of Jerusalem. Because of the
belief that God dwells in his temple, Jerusalem became the City of God.

The Temple built by King Solomon

THE FALL OF THE KINGDOM OF SOLOMON

1. The Sins of Solomon

King Solomon’s reign was not all an impressive success. He used forced labor for his
ambitious building projects like the walls of Jerusalem and others. He lived in luxury, out of
the heavy taxes that he imposed on the people. He married the daughters of neighboring
kings to assure their support and friendly relations. He had 700 wives of princely rank
and 300 concubines. He succumbed to the request of some of his foreign wives to build
temples for their gods. Thus, Solomon committed the very serious sin of idolatry. This sin is
very much against the First Commandment. The punishment of Solomon’s grave sin will
come later by God allowing Jeroboam, Solomon’s servant to rule most of the kingdom of
Israel.