(Deuteronomy 5:17). “You shall not murder.”

In one of the greatest Hollywood epics of all time, the silver screen vividly portrays Charlton Heston being given the two tablets of stone on which were written, by the finger of God, the Ten Commandments. The “Ten Commandments,” however, represent far more than a four-star motion picture blockbuster. They represent the ten moral laws given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai when the Israelites were in the desert.

Their importance to Christians, Jews and Moslems throughout the world cannot be underestimated. These ten statements of behavior form the core of ethics for 1.5 billion people. These ten basic laws, found in the Holy Scriptures, also form the basic code of behavior by which the rest of the world intrinsically lives.

As the lightning flashes through the heavens, Charlton Heston, as Moses, is treated to a magnificent display of holy engraving as God permanently etches in stone these monumental words: “You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, and you shall not desire your neighbor’s house…” (Deuteronomy 5:17-21)

This portion of the Decalogue, written 3,500 years ago, forms the basic tenets on which our legal system is based. It is often contended that everybody knows that these commandments should be obeyed. When we break one of them, our consciences clearly let us know about it. On the surface, this statement seems quite valid. But if it were not for these ancient guidelines, our sense of right and wrong, our morality, and our legal system could have turned out quite differently.

Those of us who have raised children know that constantly hammering home these principles is crucial to bringing up children. The beauty and innocence of our precious tiny babies quickly fade as they reach toddlerhood. By the time your little angel has reached three years old, examine how many times you have had to say: “No,” “Don’t do that,” “That’s wrong,” “Stop that,” and a host of other words of warning.

A little baby has no real sense of right or wrong. How babies view things, interact with people and react to situations are to a great extent the product of what we teach them. If we never said no or administered appropriate punishments in these critical first years of life, the little monsters we turn out would be a nightmare too horrifying to contemplate. They have fortunately had the wisdom and knowledge of right and wrong taught to them by parents who in turn have had the insights of the Bible passed down to them through countless generations before them.

If the only thing the Bible ever gave to mankind was these wonderful moral teachings to live by, that alone would make this one book of unquestionable value. But, as we have seen, this is just one of many facets possessed by a book that, the more you examine it, the more it examines you.