Exodus 20:1-3

Today, I want to look at the first three verses. My goal is to hopefully take the time to study the ten commandments at a slower pace. Just take it one step at a time, no rushing... Just enjoying His Word. What does Jesus have to speak to me in the midst of this passage where we are reminded of how He has delivered Israel, saving them from their enemies, and given them instructions that would literally save and be an instrument of change in their lives if they would follow the ten commandments?

Exodus 20:1-3 says:

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.

The other day, I was able to center myself a little bit on verses 1-2. God giving the Israelites the ten commandments is an act of protection. God seeks to protect us. It cannot be about us constantly going the wrong direction in disobedience, and expecting God to get us out of our mess. What kind of love relationship is that? Often times, this is how we behave: God desires and deserves much more than that! A sincere, love relationship and honestly seeking Him! We need to take our relationship with God seriously, putting God at the center of our lives!

God spoke these things to the Israelites. They clearly knew what God was telling them. It was not foreign or over their heads. They knew clearly what it was that God said. The Israelites struggled with following through. Before too long, they would be seen breaking many of these things. We see many of the ten commandments broken repeatedly- worse than ever! Many are not taking God's promises and His Words seriously!

Look!!

God delivered the Israelites. He gave them things to follow. Was it out of meanness? No. Was it out of protection? Yes! So often we just see the ten commandments as "rules". The oh and no's come crawling out. We fail to realize something: God has given us the ten commandments to protect us, to keep focused on Jesus Christ, and to eye the prize and hope we have in Christ! Thank Him for His grace and seek to be obedient with your eyes focused on your love relationship to Christ! We are not to have any others gods. God loves us greatly. His mercy is far greater than anything we will ever experience in our lives. He loves us like no one else will. He forgives us like no one else will. Others can show us who He is, by their actions...but they fail in comparison. No one and nothing can compare to the greatness of God. We fail to understand who He really is! 

Does it mean we stop seeking, because God's ways are unfathomable? No, keep seeking and praying He will show you who He is, because He will show you who He is. He shows us through His holy word (the Bible)! Our prayer needs to be for clean hearts (Psalm 51) and to see a bigger glimpse of who God is, leaving behind our futility of understanding, trading it for trusting in Him, allowing Him to transform us~ seeking to put Him first! Seeking to choose Him and not put anything before our relationship with Jesus Christ! Removing all the stumbling blocks- things that clash with our walk with God.

We need to recognize the spiritual battle that is set before us, and choose to glorify God. We need to recognize that sin brings death and hurt! We need to come to a place of godly sorrow and genuine repentance, humbly coming to Him undeserving, but knowing His abundant grace is enough. Jesus Christ went to the cross (not because of what he did, but what we did) bearing all of our sins and inequity. All we have to do is come to Him, knowing He desires to give us life and free us from our chains (of sin, of our past...). He holds the keys to victory! Proverbs 22:1 states:

The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the LORD.

On Exodus 20:3, Westley writes these words:

"The first commandment is concerning the object of our worship, Jehovah, and him only, Thou shalt have no other gods before me - The Egyptians, and other neighbouring nations, had many gods, creatures of their own fancy. This law was pre - fixed because of that transgression; and Jehovah being the God of Israel, they must entirely cleave to him, and no other, either of their own invention, or borrowed from their neighbours. The sin against this commandment, which we are most in danger of, is giving that glory to any creature which is due to God only. Pride makes a God of ourselves, covetousness makes a God of money, sensuality makes a God of the belly. Whatever is loved, feared, delighted in, or depended on, more than God, that we make a god of. This prohibition includes a precept which is the foundation of the whole law, that we take the Lord for our God, accept him for ours, adore him with humble reverence, and set our affections entirely upon him. There is a reason intimated in the last words before me. It intimates, That we cannot have any other god but he will know it. That it is a sin that dares him to his face, which he cannot, will not, overlook."

See Isaiah 40 on the Greatness of God!

In view of God's greatest and knowing what He has done for us, why would we want to worship any other god? Why would we want to serve another god? It is God and God alone that we should seek to serve. Serving God, not sin. Serving God, not people pleasing. Serving God, not our stomachs. Make the decision to serve God and Him alone! Evaluate your walk with Christ, knowing everything in your life will either bring you closer to Christ or draw you away from Him!