The Beauty of the Word, The Glory of the Scriptures

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”
Exodus 20:17, NKJV

Unlike the preceding nine, the final Commandment is very broad.  And it makes a lot of sense.  We generally have a strong hunger for “things”, and especially for things that are not ours.  This is why there are sayings such as “the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence”.  Rarely is someone truly satisfied with what they already have.  Even more rarely is someone found that is satisfied with the most important “thing” in life – a relationship with the Living God.  And it is often this dissatisfaction (as we will explore later) that leads to sin and rebellion.  Covetousness is truly a dangerous sin.  As is our habit, let’s examine the main word in this command: covet.

The word for covet is  חָמַד (ḥâmaḏ).  This word, a primitive root, means “to delight in”, but it is also used as an adjective, used to describe things that are beautiful, delectable, pleasant, etc.  In this way, it is not always a negative word; used in a Godly sense, חָמַד is good.  In fact, the first mention of חָמַד is used in just such a way.

The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant (חְמָ֥ד) to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Genesis 2:8-9, NKJV

In this passage, we see that trees were meant to be pleasant to man.  Pleasant both to the eyes and to the stomach.  God gave the trees as a gift to His creation.  When God bestows a gift, it is good and honorable.  However; when He has not given, and the object is not ours, then our dwelling on its pleasantness quickly transitions to the act of coveting.  In fact, it took only one chapter for Adam and Eve to demonstrate this act of sin.  And the transition was facilitated by Satan himself.

​Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ”

So God had given ALL trees to Adam and Eve but one – the tree of knowledge of Good and Evil.  By all accounts, Adam and Eve should have been more than satisfied with the great variety of fruit and trees that God had freely given them.  But it is always that thing that is not ours that becomes the most desirable.  And desire quickly turns to covetousness, and covetousness to sin:

Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable (חְמָ֥ד) to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.
Genesis 3:1-7, NKJV

The final Commandment is so important, and so powerful is the enticement, that we get no further than the third chapter of the entire Bible before we see its devastation on our race.  As an aside, it is of great interest that the first mention of (חְמָ֥ד) occurs in reference to a tree.  We will explore this later in the blog.

But coveting is not a sin reserved for mankind.  In fact, God gives us a glimpse of history’s single most impactful act of covetousness in the 14^th chapter of Isaiah:

“How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit.
Isaiah 14:12-15, NKJV

Do you see it?  While the actual word for coveting is not used, the act is clearly apparent in each of the “I will” statements:

• “I will ascend into heaven” [coveting God’s domain],
• “I will exalt my throne above the stars of God” [coveting God’s throne];
• “I will also sit on the mount of the congregation” [coveting God’s people]
• “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds” [coveting God’s honor],
• “I will be like the Most High.” [coveting God’s very nature].

In our last blog, we recognized Satan as the father of lies, and in this one we see that he is the father of covetousness as well, desiring to spread the sin of coveting to all of God’s people.  We will return to this thought.

At this point, it is reasonable to explore the dangers of coveting, as seen in the following scripture passages:

Coveting leads to being ensnared by things that are an abomination to God.  Upon entry into the promised land of Canaan, and the cleansing of the land of the sin of the Canaanites:

You shall burn the carved images of their gods with fire; you shall not covet the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it for yourselves, lest you be snared by it; for it is an abomination to the Lord your God.
Deuteronomy 7:25, NKJV

​Coveting leads to the obvious act of stealing what is not ours:

Woe to those who devise iniquity, And work out evil on their beds! At morning light they practice it, Because it is in the power of their hand. They covet fields and take them by violence, Also houses, and seize them.
Micah 2:1-2, NKJV

Coveting leads to sexual sin and bodily destruction:

For the commandment is a lamp, And the law a light; Reproofs of instruction are the way of life, To keep you from the evil woman, From the flattering tongue of a seductress. Do not lust (חְמָ֥ד) after her beauty in your heart, Nor let her allure you with her eyelids. For by means of a harlot A man is reduced to a crust of bread; And an adulteress will prey upon his precious life.
Proverbs 6:23-26, NKJV

And, in the gravest of all sins thus far committed by man, it led to the betrayal of the very Son of God:

Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor [here we see the act of coveting]?” This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it [here, the act of stealing – the result of coveting]. But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.”
John 12:1-8, NKJV

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself.
John 13:1-4, NKJV

When Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.” Then the disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom He spoke. Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke. Then, leaning back on Jesus’ breast, he said to Him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it.” And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him.
John 13:21-27, NKJV

Then Judas, having received a detachment of troops, and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons.
John 18:3-4, NKJV

And while He was still speaking, behold, a multitude; and he who was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them and drew near to Jesus to kiss Him. But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”
Luke 22:47-48, NKJV

So through these passages, we see that in Judas’ heart, the act of coveting led to stealing, which led to further coveting, which led to Jesus’ rebuke, which led to a deadly pride, which ultimately led to the betrayal of the Savior of Mankind.

What does Jesus, our Savior have to do with this Commandment?  Did He fulfill it?  The scripture makes it clear that Jesus was also tempted in all things – even tempted to covet:

Therefore, in all things [Jesus] had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.
Hebrews 2:17-18, NKJV

For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Hebrews 4:15, NKJV

And how was He tempted to covet?  By being offered something that was not His.  An extremely precious thing – the world!

Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’
Matthew 4:8-10, NKJV

​In this passage, we see that Satan offered Jesus the kingdoms of the world.  Were they Satan’s to give?  Yes.  We know that Jesus is the ultimate owner of the kingdoms of the earth, but this has not always been the case.  In order to rightfully own them, He had to buy (redeem) them with His perfect blood.  Satan tried to use the powerful temptation of coveting to convince Jesus to take a shortcut – to gain ownership through the sacrilegious worship of a created being.  But thank the Living God that He withstood the temptation and purchased us the hard way!  And how did the Savior purchase us?  By giving Himself up to death – even death on a tree:

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Galatians 3:13-14, NKJV

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
Philippians 2:5-8, NKJV

If desiring a pleasant thing that belongs to someone else is sinful, what, then, shall we desire?  The scripture has an answer!

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired (חְמָ֥ד) are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Psalms 19:7-10, NKJV

What shall we desire?  God’s law, His testimony, His statutes, His commandments and His judgements!  They are to be deeply desired!  But if the object of the Old Covenant (the Law) is to be desired, how much more the object of the New Covenant (Christ)?

But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
1 Corinthians 15:20, NKJV

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
Titus 2:11-14, NKJV

Did you see it?  Think very carefully…  What are these passages saying?  Jesus is the firstfruits of righteousness.  And we should look for and hope for His glorious reappearing.  Do you see it?

Man caused the fall of the world (relinquishing control to Satan) by coveting fruit from a tree that was not his.  And in the single most impactful turnabout in the history of mankind, God has given man the redeeming, lifegiving firstfruit picked from death on the tree of the cross!

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 1:18, NKJV

Through dying on the cross, Jesus completely fulfilled the last Commandment – by not giving in to covetousness, but instead purchasing the world through His blood shed on the tree.  And in so doing, He gave to us what we could never otherwise receive His righteousness and redemption!  Selah!

And with this, we have completed our study of Christ’s fulfillment of the ten Commandments.  But we have by no means completed our study on His fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets!  It might be appropriate, at this point, to go back and review the first few sessions in this current study regarding Jesus’ life and ministry.  And as you do, may God richly bless your continued study of His Word!

YouJi