This is the chapter where God gives the Israelites the 10 commandments for the first time. First of all, Verse one says that God SPOKE all of these words of the commandments. These commands did not come from the mind of men, but rom the wisdom and perfect will of God. He didn't impress onto Moses' mind to inspire Moses to write these commands. God TOLD Moses audibly. It think this is significant. God wanted to make it plain that it was Him and Him alone who determined these commandments. And since He is the originator of these commands and the true God, He alone has the right to demand obedience to them.
He clearly states that He is THE LORD (the Supreme One) who brought the Israelites out of Egypt. It was he Who performed the great miracles and deliverance for the people, not Moses. Moses was His instrument that He worked through. We should always remember that it is God Who is at work in us to do His will and works. God brought them out of bondage. They are now free, but this freedom must be used to obey God and serve Him alone. Verse 3 commands that the Israelites are to refuse to accept any other gods but Himself. They were familiar with the many gods of Egypt and will encounter the polytheism of the Canaanites soon enough. In our society today we are being pressed to "accept" the religious beliefs and practices of non-Christians as being "on par' with Christianity. We are to not compromise on this! Not tolerate, nor accept anything pagan.
Verse 4 absolutely prohibits the manufacture of any graven image to be used as an idol in worship, even if it is an "image" for Himself. They are not to carve or mold anything in the likeness of any created thing, either of heaven or of earth. So, this leaves out images of angels, animals, ancestors, idealized humans, hybrid creatures, or any image of the imagination. We are to not give any form of worship to such things, whether bowing down, setting up in a niche. NO, NO, NO! NEVER
This is the chapter where God gives the Israelites the 10 commandments for the first time. First of all, Verse one says that God SPOKE all of these words of the commandments. These commands did not come from the mind of men, but rom the wisdom and perfect will of God. He didn't impress onto Moses' mind to inspire Moses to write these commands. God TOLD Moses audibly. It think this is significant. God wanted to make it plain that it was Him and Him alone who determined these commandments. And since He is the originator of these commands and the true God, He alone has the right to demand obedience to them.
He clearly states that He is THE LORD (the Supreme One) who brought the Israelites out of Egypt. It was he Who performed the great miracles and deliverance for the people, not Moses. Moses was His instrument that He worked through. We should always remember that it is God Who is at work in us to do His will and works. God brought them out of bondage. They are now free, but this freedom must be used to obey God and serve Him alone. Verse 3 commands that the Israelites are to refuse to accept any other gods but Himself. They were familiar with the many gods of Egypt and will encounter the polytheism of the Canaanites soon enough. In our society today we are being pressed to "accept" the religious beliefs and practices of non-Christians as being "on par' with Christianity. We are to not compromise on this! Not tolerate, nor accept anything pagan.
Verse 4 absolutely prohibits the manufacture of any graven image to be used as an idol in worship, even if it is an "image" for Himself. They are not to carve or mold anything in the likeness of any created thing, either of heaven or of earth. So, this leaves out images of angels, animals, ancestors, idealized humans, hybrid creatures, or any image of the imagination. We are to not give any form of worship to such things, whether bowing down, setting up in a niche. NO, NO, NO! NEVER
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