Scripture: And God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.”
Exodus 20:1-3 ESV [Click here to read the entire chapter.]
Observation: Recapping Yesterday’s Daily Focus, Yahweh informs Moses he will draw near Moses, shrouded in a dense cloud within hearing distance of the people, to spur their belief in Moses as his chosen leader. After Moses relays these words to Israel, Yahweh instructs Moses to consecrate the people so they may draw near to him on the third day. Meanwhile, Yahweh warns Israel three times via Moses not to approach their holy Lord presumptuously until the trumpet blasts. Even then, they or any of their livestock must not go onto or even touch this sacred mountain lest they face the death sentence by stoning or shooting.
On the third morning, Yahweh reveals his presence through thunderous lightning, a trumpet blast, and a thick cloud. The people cower as the trumpet sounds crescendo. Then Moses speaks to the Lord, who responds to Moses, boomingly commanding him to come to the top. Once there, Yahweh instructs Moses to:
- Return to his people.
- Set limits for the people and priests around the mountain and consecrate it.
- Command the priests to consecrate themselves before approaching the Lord, lest they incur God’s wraith.
- Keep Israel away from the mountain lest they die.
- Return to the mountaintop with Aaron.
So Moses did as commanded.
Today’s reading (along with the following nine devotions) presents each of the Ten Commandments given to Israel’s intermediary, Moses. They may be grouped by the first four addressing Israel’s (and our) relationship with God, while the remaining six concern interactions with fellow humans. The first (no other gods before the one true God) sets the tone for the rest because if Israel adheres to the first, the rest will fall in line.
Takeaway: Presented in the form of a typical Middle Eastern suzerainty-treaty, the Ten Commandments begin with a preamble that identifies the suzerain (ruler), his relationship to his vassals, and a remembrance of his benevolence toward his subjects. Here, the ruler is Yahweh, the Lord their God; his servants are Israel, his chosen people; and he has shown compassionate care by delivering Israel from the land of Egypt under the oppression of slavery. So, the first and utmost commandment requires Israel to place God first in their lives.
Our takeaway? This first command reveals one aspect of the character of Yahweh and his people. The Lord is a jealous God (20:5, 34:14). Here, we must pause and not impose our human-oriented understanding of jealousy onto God. He is sinlessly jealous of our love and affection. His jealousy moves him to great lengths to save us from self-destruction—whoring after the lifeless gods of this world that would turn us away from the only One who perfectly loves us and gave his all for us in the sacrifice of his only begotten Son. This first commandment also implies that God’s chosen people are unique, set apart for him to be holy as he is holy (1 Peter 1:15). Hence, like Israel, we must not follow the idolatrous ways of our neighbors but live upright lives, solely bowing to worship our glorious King.
Our part? The same as that for Israel—with one exception. While Israel had a limited understanding of the Triune God, we see the once-shrouded path of uprightness in Christ in this post-resurrection era. His law written on our hearts (Jeremiah 31:31-34) abounds in grace. As such, his Helper (the Holy Spirit) exposes the wayward desires that bend us to the knee under the yoke of idol worship. Thus, we must cooperate, receive, and worship. We agree with the Holy Spirit when he convicts us of idolatry, we receive the Lord’s forgiveness, and we bow and worship our King alone.
Prayer: Father God, thank you that you are a jealous God who will not share our love and affection for you, which we might otherwise devote to false gods who would lead us to sin’s bondage and ruin. And we thank you for offering the incredible sacrifice of your Son who became sin for us that we might become your righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). So would you please help us live upright lives, bowing to and worshiping only you? Amen.
Rev. Gordon Green, M.Div., M.A. Counseling
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