Aware of it or not, the law always reflects and reveals the character of the lawgiver. Hence the Ten Commandments actually reveal the character of God. So, we see that each and every one of the commandments given at Mount Sinai bear the nature and attribute of our Great God. The first four govern our relationship with Him, and the next six our relationship with men. Let’s look at the first four that govern our relationship with Him.
The first commandment recorded in verse 3 says, “You shall have no other gods before me.” Because He is the one and only true God, He would not share His glory with any other false gods. As far as we can see, all others who claim to be gods are phonies and counterfeits. We would be foolish to acknowledge and venerate them. To do so will incur the wrath of this one and only true God. Let this truth be forever sealed and etched in our heart. Yahweh alone is God, and there is none besides Him.
The second commandment stated in verse 4 commands us saying, “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.” He is the only true God and He wants to be worshipped in the right way. He is not as many other religions depict Him to be. Look at the idols that men had created, seeking to reflect what God looks like. Egypt, where they came out from, had a whole host of them ranging from flies to frogs, and bulls to dogs and, etc. But God explicitly said that we are not to make Him into any likeness of the creatures He had made, be it from the earth, or the sky above the earth, or one in the water beneath the earth. The impression we are given here is that God has no form. He, as we are told in the Gospel of John, is a Spirit, and we must worship Him in spirit and truth. From this commandment, we can see that He is the Creator God, the one who made everything.
Worshipping and venerating idols made in the similitudes of His creation, only shows how confusing a person who does that truly is. We must never confuse God for His creatures. Verses 5-6 tell us why we should only revere Him, and not any other god that man had made. It’s because the true God is a jealous God and “…visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.” How do we make out of what He is saying here? These two verses tell us that the God who gave these laws holds the right to define moral distinctions. He will punish sinners but will be gracious and merciful to those who keep His Word and walk in His ways.
In verse 7 we see the third commandment. He said, “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.” God refuses to allow us to misuse His name. The key is to honour God and be obedient to Him. To violate His commands will make one guilty of dishonouring Him. The implication we get here is that the true God is holy and honourable, and He deserves to be well-regarded, esteemed and respected.
The fourth commandment is stipulated in verses 8-10. Here we are told to “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labour and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the Lord your God….” The issue here is about God being sovereign over every aspect of our daily life. He is the Lord of our lives seven days a week. We are to emulate Him. It took God six days to bring about creation and on the seventh day, He rested from His work. Hence like Him the working and resting God, we must also learn to be diligent at work and then enjoy the Sabbath rest.
How do we relate with this Holy God? We must honour only Him and not any other man-made gods. He refuses to share the honour due to Him with any other imposters. Hence, it behoves us to love Him with all our heart, and soul and mind and strength.
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