The First, Second, And Third Commandments Series

THE FIRST COMMANDMENT

“You shall have no other gods before me.” (Exodus 20:1 ESV)

Human beings have worshiped many gods since time began. Judaism, Islam, and Christianity worship only one God. Hinduism has 33. Buddhism has three deities depending on what region of the earth. Throughout recorded history, there are estimated to be between 8,000–12,000 gods, but most narrow down to around nine different theological differences.

The Bible teaches that there is one, and only one, God (Deuteronomy 6:4; Malachi 2:10; 1 Corinthians 8:5-6; Galatians 4:8; Ephesians 4:6), who is the creator of the entire universe (Genesis 1:1; John 1:3; Romans 11:36; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:2).

The Commandment was explicitly addressed to each person and was not a generalized request for the entire nation. The purpose of this commandment is so that God would alone be pre-eminent among His people and exercise complete authority over them. God wants people to worship Him alone and respond with exclusive love and commitment.

God established that there is only one true God in the Universe, which was the basis of the national covenant with Israel. God wants us to worship Him alone because He is the Creator of all things and deserves our worship, praise, adoration, thanksgiving, obedience, and trust.

God forbids the worship of any graven images of wood, stone, or metal in any likeness of people, animals, fish, birds, creatures, stars, moon, or planets in the heavens above (Exodus 20:4; Deuteronomy 4:15-19; 2 Kings 17:16; 21:3; 2 Chronicles 33:3). People throughout history have worshiped idealizations or personifications of deities that embody human characteristics, thoughts, and feelings. Human beings prove by their actions what is at the center of their heart and what they worship such as possessions, sports, hobbies, politics, other people, etc., rather than God. God demands that nothing should come in the way of our relationship with Him, including our spouse and children.

God asks for love and trust, and what a person does and how they live their lives should express and cultivate them. Anything or anyone that hinders them or gets in the way of having an intimate relationship with Him is considered a false god.

Jesus declared that no person “can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money” (Matthew 6:24 ESV).

The ONLY way a person can learn to live completely satisfied with God and experience daily His presence and anointing of power is to place ALL of their trust in Him.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.” (Proverbs 3:5-8 ESV)

The word "understanding" in Hebrew includes the thought of a person's intellect, knowledge, ability, and experience. To truly and fully trust God, the Christian must not rely on anything or anyone but Jesus. The only way to prove one’s trust in Him is through obedience.

"Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king." (1 Samuel 15:22-23 ESV)

When a person receives Jesus as Lord and Savior and repents of their sin, they are given the Holy Spirit who comes to dwell within, and He promises never to leave or forsake them (Hebrews 13:5). They now have the ability to love God with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength.

THE SECOND COMMANDMENT

“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.” (Exodus 20:4-6 ESV)

The Second Commandment differs from the First because, in worship, the Christian is not to diminish God into a physical form. It commands how to worship God in spirit and truth. Doing so is unquestionably unacceptable to God. This Second Commandment explicitly forbids the use of inanimate or lifeless imagery in worshiping the living God.