Sermon Tone Analysis

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22:20 the gods—not This highlights the polytheistic nature of the historical and religious context out of which Israel emerged.

The law does not deny the existence of other gods; it does, however, assert that Yahweh is the only god that Israel is to worship.

The worship of one particular god, without denying the existence of others, is called monolatry.

23:13 other gods The issue here is not whether other gods exist, but which god has Israel’s loyalty.

This reflects the polytheistic context out of which ancient Israel emerged.

Promoting the worship of one particular god, without denying the existence of others, is called monolatry.

This is a step between polytheism and monotheism that is witnessed in various parts of the OT (e.g., 15:11; Psa 82; compare Exod 20:3; 22:20).

Israel was to be loyal to Yahweh alone, the creator of all.

In Genesis 12 God calls Abraham out of a polytheistic background.

The Ten Commandments call on Israel to have no other gods than YHWH (Exod 20:3), and Joshua instructs the people to choose which god(s) they would serve: the gods of Mesopotamia, the gods of Canaan, or the God who was giving them the land of Canaan (Josh 24:15).

Belief in and worship of one God among many is called monolatry.

Monotheism is the belief in and worship of one God, combined with the denial of the existence of all other gods.

Monolatry Belief in and the worship of one God out of all the gods.

It does not deny the existence of other gods, but declines to worship them.

Limiting the recipient of worship to a single person or item does not necessarily make for monotheism.

It can be called a “monolatry,” the worship of one entity.

Monotheism implies monolatry, but monolatry does not imply monotheism.