The Ten Commandments are really all about freedom, Marsh Moyle says in this fascinating and easy-to-read book.
Rumours of a Better Country reflects on each of the commandments. Moyle shows how, one after another, they are laying the foundations for a better type of community, one that is built on trust and love, and that stands in stark contrast to the selfishness and competition that characterise so many of our relationships.
The first commandment is an invitation to know God personally, he writes, the second an instruction on how to use our imaginations properly and the third a reminder to say what we mean and mean what we say. Working systematically through the instructions first given to the Israelites in Exodus 20:1-17, each idea is clearly explained and overflowing with wisdom.
There is a lot of the author’s personality in the book and, therefore, whether you like it will largely depend on what you think of him.
Moyle lived and work in East Central Europe for many years before settling in the UK, where he now works at L’Abri Fellowship.
Reflections on his time on the continent appear on almost every page, and every few chapters he pauses his teaching to jump to ‘the Café Now and Not Yet’. Here, fictional characters discuss the ideas among themselves while tempting us with their coffees and cakes. Some readers may enjoy these fun, short interludes, but others might find that they distract from the real work of understanding the Bible.
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