THY GOD. These words express God's good-will toward us. He is _our God_ who loves [Jer 31:3+] us and cares for us. [I Pet 5:7] He said to Israel, "I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." He has delivered _us_ from the still greater bondage of sin, death, and the devil through His Son Jesus Christ, [Col 1:13+] and has a right to expect our gratitude and love. THE LORD THY GOD. He who gives us these commandments is a Spirit [John 4:24+] of infinite majesty and goodness. He is: 1. _Eternal_; He always was and always will be. [Ps 90:2] 2. _Unchangeable_; He always was and always will be the same. [Mal 3:6] 3. _Omnipresent_; He is present everywhere at the same time and all the time. [Ps 139:7-11] 4. _Omniscient_; He knows all the past, present, and future, and is acquainted with every thought, desire, and purpose of our hearts. [Ps 139:2] 5. _Omnipotent_, or Almighty; He is able to do all things which He wills to do. [Luke 1:37] 6. _Holy_; He is perfectly pure, and separate from all that is evil. [Isa. 6:3] 7. _Just_; He will bless those who keep His law, and punish those who break it. [Rom. 2:6] 8. _All-wise_; He always knows what is the best thing to do, and the best way to do it. [Col. 2:3] 9. _Good_; He is Love itself. [I John 4:8] He is kind even to the unthankful, [Matt. 5:45] merciful to the penitent soul for Jesus' sake, [John 3:16] and longsuffering toward the impenitent in order to lead them to repentance by His goodness. [II Pet. 3:9, Rom. 2:4] 10. _Faithful and True_; He can be absolutely relied upon to do all that He has promised or threatened. [Numb. 23:19] Because of the Majesty and Goodness of the Lord our God, we should FEAR and LOVE HIM, and KEEP His commandments. QUESTIONS--1. What do the introductory words show? 2. Of what do the words "I am" remind us? 3. What is the meaning of the Hebrew word translated "Lord"? 4. What do the words "thy God" express? 5. From what bondage has God delivered us? 6. Name and define God's attributes? 7. Why should we fear and love God? SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Exod. 3:14. And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM. Isa. 44:6. Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his Redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God. Ps. 90:1, 2. LORD, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. Mal. 3:6. For I am the LORD. I change not. Tit. 2:14. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Jer. 31:3. I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.