No God But Me

Introduction

There are no other words that have had the influence of the ten commandments. They stand unique in the biblical canon in that these are the only ‘words’ spoken directly by God to His people and writing by His finger. They are also quite succinct. “The Ten Commandments contains 297 words. The Bill of Rights is stated in 463 words. Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address contains 266 words. A recent Federal directive to regulate the price of cabbage contains 26,911 words.”[1] “Someone once figured out that we have about thirty-five million laws and regulations to enforce the few lines of guidance contained in the Ten Commandments.”[2] A 1929 article in the White Plains (NY) Reporter states: “No man in more than two thousand years has been able to improve upon the Ten Commandments as the rule of life. To no other origin than to Divine Revelation can they be ascribed. Man constantly improves upon his own handiwork. There never will be a need for an Eleventh Commandment. The Ten contain all there is to guide human conduct in the proper channels.”[3] Martin Luther states: “Thus we have in the Ten Commandments a summary of divine instructions, telling us what we have to do to make our whole life pleasing to God and showing us the true source and fountain from and in which all good works must spring and proceed; so that no work or anything can be good and pleasing to God, however great and costly in the eyes of the world, unless it is in keeping with the Ten Commandments.”[4]

What we have here are the ten words of God. Yahweh spoke these words directly to Moses and the people together. These are the only words which were written in stone by the finger of God. They reveal the character of God. They tell us things about Him we can’t know from creation alone, such as the reality of “His sovereignty, jealousy, justice, holiness, honor, faithfulness, providence, truthfulness, and love.”[6] This is to only time the people would be addressed directly. After hearing Yahweh speak the people trembled in fear and begged Moses to be their intermediary (Exod. 20:19). These commandments provided the framework for maintaining the relationship between Yahweh and them and their fellow Israelite. They also drew the lines Israel where not to cross.

What is taught in the ten commandments was true before they were given. For example:

The first commandment is illustrated by the LORD’s command to Jacob to put away the false gods in his midst (Gen. 35:2)

The fourth commandment, concerning the sabbath, is illustrated before Israel reaches Sinai (Ex. 16:27-29)

The seventh commandment, against adultery, is illustrated by Joseph and Potiphar’s wife when he refuses to commit adultery with her (Gen. 39:9).

What is taught in the ten commandments is also repeated in the New Testament. To use the first three commandments as an example:

The first commandment, no other gods before me, is reaffirmed in Ac. 14:15; 1 Co. 10:14; and 1 Jn. 5:21.

The second commandment, prohibiting idolatry, is reaffirmed in Ac. 17:29; Ro. 1:22–23; 1 Jn. 5:21; 1 Co. 10:7, 14.

The third Commandment, concerning the vain use of God’s name is reaffirmed in James. 5:12; Mt. 5:33–37; 6:5–9.[5]

In studying the ten commandments there are four things we will be doing to ensure we develop a proper understanding and use proper application:

The ten commandments mustn't be treated as laws, rather as broad principles that reveal the heart of God

The ten commandments must be considered in light of the whole counsel of God

The ten commandments require negative and positive actions

The ten commandments require inward ascent, not just outward obedience

Background

According to John Walton: “The type of law found in the Ten Commandments that prohibits or requires certain types of behavior is called apodictic law and is rarely found in the legal collections of the ancient Near East.”[6] The other type of law is caustic, or case law. These are laws that prescribe action ‘b’ if situation ‘a’ occurs. This type of law is found in the book of the covenant (Ex. 21 - 24).

Exposition

The Basis of the Covenant

Again we see that Israel is called to obedience based upon the grace of God. They are at Mt Sinai and destined for the promised land because Yahweh came and rescued them. He broke their chains and set them free. They couldn’t deliver themselves and no other power came to their aid. It was the God of creation who saved them. He has also claimed them for Himself. Alexander MacLaren put it wonderfully: “The manifestation in act of His power and of His love precedes the claim for reverence and obedience. This is a universal truth. God gives before He asks us to give. He is not a hard taskmaster, ‘gathering where He has not strewn.’ Even in that system which is eminently ‘the law,’ the foundation is a divine act of deliverance, and only when He has won the people for Himself by redeeming them from bondage does He call on them for obedience. His rule is built on benefits. He urges no mere right of the mightier, nor cares for service which is not the glad answer of gratitude.... The great gospel principle, that the Redeemer is the lawgiver, and the redeemed are joyful subjects because their hearts are touched with love, underlies the apparently sterner system of the Old Testament. God opens His heart first, and then asks for men’s.”[7]

No Other Gods?

What is meant by the command to have no other God? The world of the ANE was very polytheistic. In our discussion of the plagues of Egypt we mentioned that Egypt had around 80 deities, male and female. In all ANE societies the setup was a pantheon of ‘gods’ with a chief god at the top. Often times the male and female ‘gods’ mated with their offspring being other gods, blessings, or other things in creation. These gods had various levels of strength and power and usually a negative view of humans. ANE creation stories are replete of examples of gods battling each other for supremacy and viewing humans as substitutes for work they didn’t want to do. This was not to be the way of Israel. Israel was Yahweh’s exclusive possession. Worshiping other gods alongside Yahweh, but with the LORD receiving chief adoration and obedience was expressly forbidden. Even the acknowledgment of these other gods was foreclosed by Yahweh. He rescued them and was entitled to and required absolute loyalty to Himself. Monotheistic Israelite religion was a unique undertaking in this environment. What about people today?

Most of us in the west don’t have physical idols but that isn’t to say we don’t have gods. To cite MacLaren again: “After all, our God is that which we think most precious, for which we are ready to make the greatest sacrifices, which draws our warmest love; which, lost, would leave us desolate; which, possessed, makes us blessed.”[8] Whatever we are most devoted to, cherish the most, place our hopes in, consider deadly to lose, and / or give our souls to is our God.

The Positive side: Love God Alone

Eight of the ten commandments are stated negatively. They are commands not to do something. Yet each negative command reveals a positive affirmation to be made. In our case here this is best summed up in the Shema, found in Deut. 6:4-5 and repeated by Christ in Matt. 22:36-38. We are to Love God exclusively. He is to receive our undivided loyalty. We are to reciprocate His great love towards us. We are to trust in Him alone, the God whom has manifested great love for us. The greatest affection of our hearts and our supreme obedience is rendered to Him. This means taking the time to learn about Him by reading His word. It means spending time in prayer to Him and providing praise and adoration. It means giving Yahweh the esteem He is due and recognizing our proper position and place in relation to Him. It means trusting in His love for us and ability to provide for us. The Heidelberg Catechism states put it this way: “That I, as sincerely as I desire the salvation of my own soul, avoid and flee from all idolatry, sorcery, soothsaying, superstition, invocation of saints, or any other creatures, and learn rightly to know the only true God, trust in Him alone, with humility and patience, submit to Him, expect all good things from Him only: love, fear, and glorify Him with my whole heart: so that I renounce and forsake all creatures, rather than commit even the least thing contrary to His will.”[9]

Bibliography

1. Tan, P. L. (1996). Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (p. 1075). Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc.

2. Galaxie Software. (2002). 10,000 Sermon Illustrations. Biblical Studies Press.

3. Rooker, M. (2010). The ten commandments: ethics for the twenty-first century. Nashville, TN: B&H Academic.

4. ibid.

5. Leadership Ministries Worldwide. (1996). Exodus, Part II (Chapters 19–40) (Vol. II, p. 45). Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide.

6. Ryken, P. G., & Hughes, R. K. (2005). Exodus: saved for God’s glory (p. 527). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

6. Matthews, V. H., Chavalas, M. W., & Walton, J. H. (2000). The IVP Bible background commentary: Old Testament (electronic ed., Ex 20:1–17). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

7. MacLaren, A. (2009). Expositions of Holy Scripture: Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers (p. 98). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

8. ibid. Pg 101

9. Good, J. I. (1904). Aid to the Heidelberg Catechism (p. 51). Cleveland, OH: Central Publishing House.