What God Really Wants Through His Commands

When we read the bible, what is noticeable is the commands of God. We can see the Ten Commandments. Also we can read all the laws and regulations for the animal sacrifices in the Law of Moses. In the New Testament, we can see the commands of God: Love one another, be joyful, give thanks all the time, etc..

Then why does God give the commands and laws throughout the bible? Why did God command animal sacrifice to the people of God in the Old Testament? Why did Jesus command his disciples to keep the Passover? Why does God give all the laws and regulations that we have to keep as people of God?

When people see the commands of God, sometimes they tend to think that God gave the commands for Himself. Is it true? When we keep the commands of God, does God enjoy any benefit because of that? For example, when God commanded his people to sacrifice animals for the forgiveness, can he have any profit out from those sacrificed animals? Definitely not.

Psalm 50:7 “Listen, my people, and I will speak; I will testify against you, Israel: I am God, your God. 8 I bring no charges against you concerning your sacrifices or concerning your burnt offerings, which are ever before me. 9 I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens, 10 for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. 11 I know every bird in the mountains, and the insects in the fields are mine. 12 If I were hungry I would not tell you,     for the world is mine, and all that is in it. 13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?

God does not need anything from us. As the bible describes, compared to the whole universe, this earth is like a dust on a scale or a drop in a bucket. God considers the earth as less than nothing. Then with what can we offer God for the benefit of God? Nothing. Whatever we do, does not affect God in any way?

Job 35:6 If you sin, how does that affect him? If your sins are many, what does that do to him? 7 If you are righteous, what do you give to him, or what does he receive from your hand? 8 Your wickedness only affects humans like yourself, and your righteousness only other people.

In fact, our righteousness or lawlessness does not affect God in any way. Then why does God give us commands and laws as if He needs something from us? Why does God regulate obedience as if our obedience is something essential and indispensable for His existence? Does he actually need our obedience? If we rebel against God, our rebellion can undermine the authority of God. These questions are foolish and nonsensical. Nothing we do on this earth can affect God. Then why does God give the commands and laws to the people?

The commands are not given for His benefit, but for ours. Even though the human beings living on this earth are nothing in the eyes of God, God somehow has pity and compassion for mankind. God wants to bless them and save them. For this reason, God gives commands to human beings.

Deuteronomy 8:1 Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors. 2 Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.

After God led the Israel people from the Egyptian slavery, God tested them with his laws and command during the journey in the desert. When they disobeyed the laws of God by committing sins such as idolatry or complaining, they got punished and many died in the desert. It seems that God sought obedience from them because it could be beneficial to him one way or another. But God reveals the reason later in the chapter.

Deuteronomy 8:16 He gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known, to humble and test you so that in the end it might go well with you.

In another version, it is written that God tested them with his commands “to do good to them in the end.” God gave them commands to give them blessings in the end.

It is the same to us who are living in the Age of the Holy Spirit. God gave us commands and laws that we have to keep. We are keeping the Sabbath Day and the Passover according to the commands of God. However, sometimes we forget the reason why God gave us the commands and we become reluctant in keep the commands of God. We complain and grumble and sometimes there are even those who think that they are doing something good to God by keeping the commands. These are wrong. The reason God gave us commands are for our benefit and our blessings. God has had pity for the sinners destined to die and he gave them some medicines that they may follow and live. When we keep this in mind, we can be thankful to God in whatever circumstances we are.