THE ADVENT TRUTH Were the Commandments Given Before Sinai? Joseph Proves YES. Many argue the Ten Commandments didn’t exist before Mount Sinai in Exodus 20—that they began with Israel. But if that’s true, explain Genesis 39. Joseph is in Egypt, tempted by Potiphar’s wife day after day. No written law. No tablets. No Moses—yet Joseph says: “How then can I do this GREAT WICKEDNESS and SIN against God?” (Genesis 39:9) Question: How could Joseph call adultery sin if no law existed yet? Because God’s law already existed—before Sinai. Joseph knew adultery was wrong because it violated the 7th Commandment (Exodus 20:14). Sin is transgression of the law (1 John 3:4). No law = no sin. But Joseph said it was sin. Which means—God’s commandments were already known. And if one commandment existed, they all existed. God doesn’t change (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8). ✅ Cain murdered—sin before Sinai (Genesis 4) → Commandment 6 ✅ Laban accused Jacob of stealing idols (Genesis 31) → Commandment 8 ✅ Pharaoh condemned lying (Genesis 12, 20) → Commandment 9 ✅ People called God “Lord” and worshiped Him alone (Genesis 4:26) → Commandment 1 ✅ And the Sabbath? God blessed and sanctified it at creation before sin even entered (Genesis 2:2–3). The word sanctified means set apart for holy use—and only God’s moral law is sanctified. Exodus 16 (before Sinai) proves Israel already knew the Sabbath: • They were already expected to keep His law including Sabbath. Sin existed before Sinai. Morality existed before Sinai. Covenant loyalty existed before Sinai. Why? Because God’s law is a revelation of His character—and His character is eternal. The idea that the Sabbath began at Sinai is false theology used to dodge obedience. Truth is—God always had a people who honored His law long before Moses. The Sabbath didn’t start with the Jews. It started with God. It was given to humanity (Mark 2:27). The question is—will you walk in obedience now? (Revelation 14:12)