How Can We Bind The Law of God Upon Our Fingers?
"Keep my commandments and live, and my law as the apple of your eye. Bind them upon your fingers, write them upon the tables of your heart" (Proverbs 7:2-3).
"...you shall love the LORD your God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, always" (Deuteronomy 11:1).
"...bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes" (verse 18).
How can we bind the commandments of God upon our fingers?
Start with the left hand.
Start with the thumb of the left hand. Holding the thumb up means "All systems go!" It is a positive sign. The thumb represents the first commandment.
"You shall have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3). Thumbs up. All systems go! We have only one true God.
If we obey the first commandment and have no other gods before us, that means we look only to the Creator God. All the other gods had to be created by man. But the Creator God is the one who created us. And that makes all the difference! Our perspective on life can only be positive when we are linked to the Creator God.
The next finger is the index finger. It is represented by the second commandment.
"You shall not make unto you any graven image...You shall not bow down to them nor serve them...." (Exodus 20:4-5).
People who use idols or aids to worship (including icons) will use the index finger to point to the idol or icon or statue or picture and say "that is my god". We are not to do that. We are not to use idols for false gods and we are not to use idols as aids to worship the true God.
The next finger is the middle finger. It is represented by the third commandment.
"You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that takes his name in vain" (Exodus 20:7).
Christ expanded on this principle because there is the concept of swearing (both taking an oath and using profanity). Christ said "...Swear not at all..." (Matthew 5:34).
But, unfortunately, people do swear. This present age is filled with profane people who curse and use blasphemy. This behavior is, at times, accompanied by the raising of the middle finger, a profane gesture toward the person being cursed at.
The next finger is the ring finger of the left hand. It is represented by the fourth commandment.
"Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy" (Exodus 20:10).
The New Jerusalem will be the bride of the lamb (Christ) (Revelation 21:2). Those allowed in the New Jerusalem will, symbolically, be married to Christ. Just as a ring on the ring finger is symbolic of marriage, obedience to the test commandment -- the Sabbath -- is symbolic of the link between the people of God and their Savior, the Son of man, who is Lord of the Sabbath (Matthew 12:8, Mark 2:28, Luke 6:5).
"Six days shall you labor and do all your work" (Exodus 20:9).
The Sabbath command is applicable to the entire family. No one who is within your gates (inside your house) should be working.
"But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD your God: in it you shall not do any work, you nor your son, nor your daughter, you manservant, nor your maidservant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger that is within your gates" (Exodus 20:10).
The next finger is the little finger. It is represented by the fifth commandment.
"Honor your father and your mother that your days may be long upon the land that the LORD your God gives you" (Exodus 20:12).
Just as the little finger appears insignificant, many had thought that this command was an insignificant one. However it is not. It is so important that your life expectancy will be shortened if you disobey it!
Most of the religious leaders during the time of Christ's ministry thought this was a little command that didn't have to be obeyed. They had a system called "Corban", in which a man could turn his back on his parents as long as he was of some benefit to the temple. Christ let them know otherwise (Mark 7:11-13). Christ let them know they were sinning by reasoning within themselves that disobedience to God was okay. Many religious leaders in today's world do the same, telling their members that it is okay to disobey because they are in the grace dispensation (time period). Christ would condemn the leaders of the cheap grace movement today just as he rebuked the Pharisees for their use of "Corban" in the old days.
Now we go to the right hand.
The thumb of the right hand is represented by the sixth commandment.
"You shall not murder" (Exodus 20:13).
When gladiators would fight in the large outdoor arenas and begin to get the best of their fighting partner, they would look to the emperor, at times, for instructions. If he gave a signal of his thumb pointing down, that meant "kill him!"
The index finger of the right hand is represented by the seventh commandment.
"You shall not commit adultery" (Exodus 20:14).
People who are married may use the index finger to point out a person who happens to be their mate.
The middle finger is represented by the eighth commandment.
"You shall not steal" (Exodus 20:15).
The middle finger is sometimes called the sticky finger when people are shop lifting, although all the fingers are used in the crime.
The ring finger is represented by the ninth commandment.
"You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor" (Exodus 20:16).
The expansion of this command is, of course, to not lie. This is also a test commandment. If a person can be determined that they are going to live their life honestly (refusing to lie, no matter how embarassing or how painful the result is) then that person can generally start pulling their life together and start being obedient to the other commandments.
The little finger is represented by the tenth commandment.
"You shall not covet..." (Exodus 20:17).
Just as the little finger is small, many might presume that this is an insignificant command. However it is very significant. It is the only commandment that is totally spiritual. The letter of the law of the tenth commandment does not exist. It is totally spiritual. However it can lead to the breaking of the other nine commandments when it is out of control. Coveting can lead to stealing, killing, committing adultery, and dishonoring parents.
Sin is the transgression of the law (1 John 3:4).
Two of the most troublesome sins are those resulting in adultery and idolatry represented by the two index fingers. Children will, at times, rub these two fingers together and say, "naughty, naughty, naughty",
The first 4 commandments show us how to love God. The last 6 commandments show us how to love each other.
"For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous" (1 John 5:3).
-- wilyelder
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