EXODUS 20
And 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.4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousandsof those who love me and keep my commandments.7 “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
– Exodus 20:1-11
EXODUS 19 ON IDOLATRY AND THE SABBATH
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
God spoke to his people all his requirements and laws through Moses
He commanded them not to make an image of the Lord their God
They are only to bow down to him and no one else, for he is jealous
He reminded them to remember that it was him who rescued them
If they disobey these laws, their children will bear the consequences
From third to fourth generation, they shall experience God’s wrath
But to those who follow his laws and praise and honor God
They will receive God’s blessings and will receive his steadfast love.
God emphasized the importance of faithfulness to him and to his laws. One cannot say they are true believers and disobey the commands of God. These two commands reveal who he is and how he hates sin. He wants complete faithfulness from his people.
REFLECTION
- Why do you think God didn’t want images of him made as verse 4 says?
