Ethics 1st & 2nd Commandment

I am the Lord your God!

Exodus 20:1–3 (NASB 2020)

1 Then God spoke all these words, saying,

2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.

So, lets look at these three passages!

Just like in the Garden of Eden, when God spoke directly to Adam, Eve and the serpent in Genesis, God is speaking directly to Moses and the people can hear God. Look what Exodus 20:18-19

Exodus 20:18–19 (NASB 2020)

18 And all the people were watching and hearing the thunder and the lightning flashes, and the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it all, they trembled and stood at a distance. 19 Then they said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen; but do not have God speak to us, or we will die!”

God is speaking directly to the people of Israel and he is declaring who he is and what he has done. All of Heaven, Earth and Hell heard this declaration!

God is declaring who he is: “I am the LORD your God!” This declaration is awesome! The use of three of his names: “I AM”, “LORD”, and “God”

You may be saying “Well Robert, God is speaking to the nation of Israel.” and you would be correct, but he is also talking to every future Christ follower as well. Remember we have been grafted into the nation of Israel.

Romans 11:17 (NASB 2020)

17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree,

The words following this pertain only to the nation of Israel: I am the one “who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.”

God makes this declaration, so that there will be no misunderstanding of who he is, he declares his authority, he makes a promise! “I am the LORD your God!”

Now to the first commandment.

Exodus 20:3 (NASB 2020)

3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.

God has declared, “I am the LORD your God” “I am your creator!” So he demands that the Nation of Israel and future Christ followers “shall have no other gods before me!”

That means no other gods in My presence, beside me or except Me (meaning you will not exclude me, I am the only True living God!). This is not a request. God did not state “should have” he states “Shall”

Sadly satan is still twisting the word of God.

Genesis 3:5 (NASB 2020)

5 For God knows that on the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will become like God, knowing good and evil.”

Sadly people are believing him!

No Other God's No Other Gods By David Feddes

"If everyone was taught one basic spiritual law, your world would be a happier, healthier place. And that law is this: everyone is God. Everyone." Thus spoke Shirley MacLaine after a trip to the Andes Mountains.

No Other God's No Other Gods By David Feddes

"Be still and know that you are God." Thus says Maharisha Mahesh Yogi, who founded Transcendental Meditation.

No Other God's No Other Gods By David Feddes

"To put it plainly, our unconscious is God. God within us. We were part of God all the time... Since the unconscious is God all along, we may further define the goal of spiritual growth to be the attainment of godhood by the conscious self... We are born that we might become, as a conscious individual, a new life form of God." That's what psychiatrist M. Scott Peck says in his best-selling book, The Road Less Travelled.

Satan know us very well, he uses these people to nudge our vanity, that deep down we want to be in control, that we want to be like God or like a god. They use all the right words: spiritual growth, or throw in Christ, or Holy Spirit. It is important that we know scripture that we can spot a lie.

God does not lie. When he states “I am the LORD your God” He declares I am the creator and you are my created. There are no fuzzy areas, no grey areas. This is as straight forward as it gets. You either accept this or you don’t. God is not going to meet you half way on this!

As such God has every right to demand the next commandment.

Exodus 20:4–6 (NASB 2020)

4 “You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not worship them nor serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, inflicting the punishment of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing favor to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

God is telling the Nation of Israel and future Christ followers: I am the Lord your God and you shall have no other Gods before me. You shall not make an idol for yourself.

What is an idol?

Study.com defines an idol as: an image or a statue that is regarded as equal to or greater than God.

Pastor Tim Keller defines an idol as: anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, and anything that you seek to give you what only God can give.

Oxford Dictionary: an image or representation of a god used as an object of worship.

a person or thing that is greatly admired, loved, or revered.

Do you have any idols in your life?

How much time do you spend on the following vs time spent with God? Smartphone watching movies, social media, playing games, etc.

What about TV, sports, do you know more about your favorite athlete, sports team than the word of God?

What about work, social events. Does going out and partying bring you more happiness than spending time with God? How many times have you complained that church went over 15 minutes, but you have no problem sitting through a 2 hour movie, binge watching a show for 5 hours, or a 3 hour football game, etc. Do you seek happiness from these things or do you seek happiness from God?

In reference to the graven images:

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible Chapter 20

Under the auspices of Moses himself, figures of cherubim, brazen serpents, oxen, and many other things in the earth beneath, were made and never condemned. The mere making was no sin—it was the making with the intent to give idolatrous worship

God states he is a jealous God. This is not sinful jealousy.

Got Questions? Bible Questions Answered Why Is God a Jealous God?

When we use the word “jealous,” we use it in the sense of being envious of someone who has something we do not have.

Got Questions? Bible Questions Answered Why Is God a Jealous God?

it is not that God is jealous or envious because someone has something He wants or needs.

Got Questions? Bible Questions Answered Why Is God a Jealous God?

God is jealous when someone gives to another something that rightly belongs to Him

Got Questions? Bible Questions Answered Why Is God a Jealous God?

Perhaps a practical example will help us understand the difference. If a husband sees another man flirting with his wife, he is right to be jealous, for only he has the right to flirt with his wife. This type of jealousy is not sinful. Rather, it is entirely appropriate. Being jealous for something that God declares to belong to you is good and appropriate. Jealousy is a sin when it is a desire for something that does not belong to you. Worship, praise, honor, and adoration belong to God alone, for only He is truly worthy of it.

The following verse has been misinterpreted throughout the ages: I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, inflicting the punishment of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me,

What is being stated here is that there will be logical consequences. Fathers that hate God will not instruct their children in the ways of God. If the fathers hate God, they will not have faith in God, nor will they be repentant of their sins. This will result in eternal separation from God. Typically children will follow in the ways of their fathers as it relates to religion and the results will be the same. God is not going to punish a baby or a child not of the age of accountability, because their father hated God.

Ezekiel 18:20 (NASB 2020)

20 The person who sins will die. A son will not suffer the punishment for the father’s guilt, nor will a father suffer the punishment for the son’s guilt; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.

Now some children will not refuse the drawing of God.

John 6:44 (NASB 2020)

44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.

They will come to know God and his son and will be loved by them. They will spend eternity with God whom they love!

Do you love God? Do you want what God promises in verse 6?

Exodus 20:6 NASB 2020

6 but showing favor to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

The NASB 2020 uses the word favor or faithfulness. The NASB95, NIV, ESV and ASV uses the word “Love” or “Loving kindness”

Faithlife Study Bible (Chapter 20)

The Hebrew term used here, chesed (ses-sed), is variously translated as “steadfast love,” “grace,” or “lovingkindness.” It denotes loving favor, and is tied to the covenants. The translation “loyal love” may capture the meaning best.

Do no wait. God wants to be your Lord. He wants to be your God, your Abba-your Father, he wants you to know his son Jesus Christ, to be your savior. So that you will be with him for all eternity!

Let’s Pray!