The Ten Commandments
Two/Second
“Do Not Make an Idol for Yourself”
The Israelites, fresh out of Egypt, thought it was quite normal to create a “golden calf” (Exodus 32) to represent the God that had just delivered them from slavery. They wanted God to have a “face”. They may have thought the calf was a form of worship, but God made it clear that even their apparent sincerity was no substitute for obedience.
Our great temptation today is to still try to shape God into our liking. To make Him easy to obey or ignore. Idolatry is anything or anyone that is more important than God. This can be anything from people (family), work, money, hobbies and even ideologies.
God cannot work in us when we elevate anything above Him.
By the way…this is the commandment where God included our children and grandchildren. “punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations, of those who love me and keep my commandments.” Exodus 20:4b So we better fully grasp this one.
Jesus on the 2nd Commandment:
- “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” Matthew 6:24 & Luke 16:13
Jesus is making it clear that God wants us to be one with Him, to have intimacy with us, to have us lean on Him and Him alone.
We often worship our blessings instead of thanking the One who gave them to us.