Commandment Series: The Tenth

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” Exodus 20:17

Scientists theorize the existence of what's known as black holes:

"A Black hole is an area in space in which the pull of gravity is so great that not even light can escape it once it enters. Since the escape velocity from a black hole is greater than light, escaping it is impossible." (1)

Coveting is a black hole, and almost all of us are guilty of it. It is the sin that can easily beget other sins. If you covet, you may steal for it, kill for it, pray to another god for it, commit adultery for it, dishonor your parents for it, etc. When you're pulled into the black hole of envy and forbidden desire, it's hard to see the light and it's hard to escape the drug of your obsession.

"How you have fallen from heaven,
morning star, son of the dawn!
You have been cast down to the earth,
you who once laid low the nations!
You said in your heart,
“I will ascend to the heavens;
I will raise my throne
above the stars of God;
I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,
on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon.
I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High.”
(Isaiah 14:12-14)

The first sin, noted in the Bible, to hit the universe was Satan coveting God's power. It didn't take long for humanity to fall.

"'You will not certainly die,' the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves." Genesis 3:4-7

Eve coveted the fruit of the tree and the wisdom she believed she would gain by eating it, and sin was ushered into the world. Generation after generation.

"...but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell." Genesis 4:5

Cain broke almost all of the ten commandments the day he killed Able, but the catalyst was jealousy. He coveted Able's favored position with God.

"Now when evening came David arose from his bed and walked around on the roof of the king's house, and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful in appearance. So David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, "Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" David sent messengers and took her, and when she came to him, he lay with her; and when she had purified herself from her uncleanness, she returned to her house." 2 Samuel 11:2-4

David coveted a married woman, committed adultery, stole her from her husband, and had the husband killed. The catalyst of greed was passed on through every generation, and there are too many stories in the Bible detailing the trail of blood and tears that it caused. Suffice it to say, this sin might be under the last commandment, but it isn't the last in its impact upon the world.

Do you struggle with coveting? You may have experienced desiring something or someone which or who is unattainable, at least without sinning. This may be a straightforward passage for you. However, some "things" are not material or even physical. Have you ever desired respect from people who'll never give it to you? Have you ever felt bad looking at other people's lives on Facebook, wondering why yours isn't as exciting or your family isn't as cooperative? Have you ever stared at flat-bellied models in magazines, spurring yet another diet phase? Looking further, have you ever had to work overtime or hold down two jobs just to keep up with the non-essentials in your life? Let's be honest here: they really are non-essentials aren't they?

"A man who is all alone with no companion, he has no children nor siblings; yet there is no end to all his toil, and he is never satisfied with riches. He laments, “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is futile and a burdensome task!" Ecc. 4:8

Coveting is a black hole that is never satisfied. The man in Ecclesiastes realized an important lesson. What exactly is he working for? He covets endless riches, but he'll never be able to keep them without living in unending work and misery. His wealth doesn't even go toward building others up as he has no one. Are you sweating for something you'll never really gain?

I believe God wants us to not be blinded by the things or people we don't have. You're blessed in innumerable way daily, and coveting not only leads us to other painful sins, but we're too focused on the things we don't have that we don't find joy in the things we have. As much as He loves for us to be hard workers, He also loves for us to rest. He wouldn't have built a Sabbath into His ten commandments if rest wasn't important. Rest in your blessings, open your eyes to the joy already in your life, and you'll find peace.

What is coveting but a misplaced yearning for something to fill an emptiness inside? We are meant to be filled with the peace that can only come from God, and this world can't satisfy us even if we had everything we wanted. God, and God alone, can give us everything we need or want if we only seek Him and His love.

As we come to the end of the commandment series, we should remember the basis of the commandments and all of God's laws.

"For this, "YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET," and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law." Romans 13:9-10

Sources other than Bible:
1)http://hepguru.com/blackholes/characteristics_frame.htm
2)https://algundiamereiredeesto.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/hole_in_my_chest_by_thesearchingeyes.jpg (picture)