A Study Of The First Commandment

By Pastor Bruce K. Oyen
Email: bk_oyen@hotmail.com

This is a simple study of the first of the ten commandments.

    The ESV (English Standard Version) is quoted in this article, unless noted otherwise.

Where the command is found, and what it says. 

   This command is found in Exodus 20:3 and in Deuteronomy 5:7. It says this: “You shall have no other gods before me.”
The first commandment prohibits idolatry. But why?

    It is significant that this is the first of the ten commandments. But why does it head the list? Perhaps there are at least three answers to the question:

    1) It heads the list, first of all, because of who God is. The next command tells us that God is a jealous God. He tolerates no rivals. But his jealousy is not the petty jealousy of a self-doubting, controlling lover. Rather, God’s jealousy is based on the fact that he is the one true God. Because of who he is, he is worthy of absolute devotion from the human race. Not only is he the one true God. He also is good, loving, gracious, and wise, to name a few of his attributes. And because of these attributes, he deserves our absolute devotion. But there is another reason this command heads the list.

   2) It heads the list because the Hebrew people needed it. Those persons were sinful creatures, just like the rest of us. They were easily drawn into sins of one kind and another, one of which was idolatry. Psalm 106 gives us some insight into their sinful tendencies. Verses 6 - 12 tells us of many good things God had done for his people by saving them from death at the hand of their Egyptian enemies. Verse 13 says: “But they soon forgot his works; they did not wait for his counsel. But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness, and put God to the test in the desert…..” Verse 19 - 21 say: “They made a calf in Horeb and worshiped a metal image. They exchanged the glory of God for the image of an ox that eats grass. They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things for them….”

    God, being omniscient, perfectly understood those persons’ potential for falling into idolatry. In fact, it was while Moses was with God on Mt. Sinai receiving the ten commandments that Aaron and his people made the golden calf to worship. Ex. 32 and Deut. 9 tell us of Moses descent from Mt. Sinai, only to learn the people had become idolatrous. They had broken the first commandment even before they had received it from Moses! But there is a third reason this command heads the list.

    3) This prohibition of idolatry heads the list because of what the Hebrews would face in their new homeland: rampant idolatry. The Egyptians whom they left behind were idolatrous, and so were the ones living in the place to which they were moving. So, they had to be very careful not to get drawn into idolatry.

    Note the warnings against going down that path of destruction. They are found in Ex. 34:11 - 16; in Deut. 11:16; and in Deut. 12:29 - 31. In spite of these warnings, the people went into idolatry, and Psalm 106, quoted above, had as one of its purposes the retelling of that sad fact. Consider what Psalm 106:34 - 36 says: “They did not destroy the peoples, as the LORD commanded them, but they mixed with the nations and learned to do as they did. They served their idols, which became a snare to them.”

    Here is what commentator John Gill said on Psalm 106:36: “They served "their" idols, the idols of the Canaanites, who were dispossessed of their land for their idolatries and other sins; and these Israelites were put in their place. They served those which they were ordered to destroy; they who knew the true God, whose servants they were, or ought to have been, and professed to be, and were so called; and yet served the idols of the nations driven out before them. Which were a snare unto them; either the Canaanites were, who were left in the land, with whom they mixed, and whose works they learned; these ensnared them, and drew them into idolatry, (Joshua 23:13), or the idols they worshipped, which were the cause of many evils and calamities, (Judges 2:3) , or the act of serving and worshipping them, (Exodus 23:33) (Deuteronomy 7:16) . They were by these means like a bird or beast in a snare, and brought into trouble and distress, out of which they could not extricate themselves.” .

      God knew in advance what they would be up against. He knew their potential to sin. He knew they would be drawn into idolatry. No wonder, then, that this command heads the list.
The New Testament also prohibits idolatry.

    The Old Testament has many strong statements against idolatry. But so does the New Testament. Let us consider some of them, seeking to learn practical truths from them. I will quote the verses. You think them over. Their lessons are easy to see.

    1 Corinthians 5:11 says: “But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler - not even to eat with such a one.”

    1 Corinthians 6:9 and 10 says: “Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters…….will inherit the kingdom of God.”

    1 Corinthians 10:14 says: “Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.”

    Galatians 5:19 and 20 tell us of the works of the many flesh. Paul made this statement about all these sins, including idolatry: “I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

   Ephesians 5:5 and 6 says: “For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.”

   1 Thessalonians 1:9 tells us Paul told the newly-converted Thessalonians: “….you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.”

   1 Peter 4:3 tells us the non-Christian Gentiles of Peter’s day were known for their “lawless idolatry.”

( The KJV says: “abominable idolatries.” The Greek word for “abominable“ is also translated in Acts 10:28 in the KJV as “unlawful.”)

   1 John 5:21 says: “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.”

   Revelation 21:8 says this about unrepentant sinners, including idolaters: “…..their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

There are three practical truths to be learned about idolatry from these verses:

1) The New Testament condemns it just as strongly as the Old Testament.

2) God will certainly punish unrepentant idolaters.

3) Converts to Jesus Christ are expected to turn from idolatry.
An important lesson for Americans. 

     There is an important lesson about idolatry for us Americans to learn. It is this: Idolatry is very deceptive to us, because in our culture it is more inward than outward, more unintentional than intentional. What I mean is, we don’t often bow down to outward idols, but to inward ones. We don’t intentionally practice idolatry, but our wrong priorities displace God from the center of our lives.

    Did you notice that Ephesians 5:5 says a covetous person is an idolater? How susceptible we are, then, to idolatry in a nation where we want to enjoy “the good life” of pleasure and material prosperity, even if those things take priority over more important issues such as family and character, and even if they take priority over the most important issue, that is, God himself. Whenever we make life revolve around ourselves, we have a problem with idolatry, though we do not like to think of it in that way.
The way out of idolatry.

    Whether we bow down idols, or whether we, as it were, bow down to ourselves by making life revolve around us, we need to know how to find our way out of the problem. Here are some things we must do to change for the better:

1) Admit the problem to ourselves, and confess and forsake it. Proverbs 28:13 says: “Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.” We might do well to confess it to a trusted Christian friend who will pray with us about it. See James 5:16.

2) Claim Christ’s power over it. Philippians 4:13 says: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (New King James Version)

3) Flee from it. “Therefore my beloved, flee from idolatry.“ 1 Corinthians 10:14.

4) Keep ourselves from it. “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.” 1 John 5:21.

5) Don’t blame God or someone else for your idolatry. James 1: 13 - 15 gives good teaching about temptation. Those verses say: “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” God won’t tempt us, but others might do so. But even then it is our responsibility if we fail to resist the temptation. See 1 Corinthians 10:13.

Idolaters can be saved.

     This is a grievous sin, but God will save anyone who does what the Bible says must be done to be saved: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved." Acts 16:31.