Exodus 20:3

3             You must not have any other god but me.

Introducing the First Commandment

The first commandment. The one that shows that our worship should be to God and God alone. It shouldn’t be to any of the other gods that were present during this time in history. What does this mean to us? How does this ancient command apply to us in our modern world today? Let’s talk about this.

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: How do you apply this verse into your everyday life?

Focusing Solely on God

This is a non-negotiable command for God. This is something that should be always observed by the Israelites, and by all who follow God. This command establishes exclusive worship of YHWH as the foundation of Israel’s faith. (since early Israel likely assumed other gods existed but demanded loyalty to YHWH alone) of Israelite religion. God refers to any entity or object that could be worshiped or revered in place of the one true God – idols, celestial bodies, or another human. No other gods can be in His presence or in opposition to Him. God is aware of everything we think and do, and nothing can be hidden from Him. It’s a call for His followers to be completely devoted to God without any competition. God is powerful and He has a rightful place as our sole focus on worship.

In our world, those ‘other gods’ can also look like nationalism, money, whiteness, or success—any loyalty that asks us to harm our neighbor instead of loving them. Think of the many things we tend to focus on instead of God: our jobs, our relationships, our families, our vacations – there’s so much we often have running through our minds instead of God Himself. I’m not saying we shouldn’t care about these things. God created us to do good works, be fruitful and multiply if you so choose, do community together, and things of the same accord. We can often get so focused in on the different facets of life, that we leave God out. We try and take control in our own hands and that doesn’t work. Our journey with God should be led by Him in those areas. We are called to submit our works, relationships, and goals to God to see if they align with His will for us. When we don’t, we risk consequences, hurts, and potential harm to our future. When we do submit these things to God, and wait on His timing, we find His blessing and provision shine brighter than ever before.

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: Think about those things that you’re focused on right now. Submit them to God and see where He guides you.

Living Out This Commandment

This commandment connects to Jesus’ commandment in Matthew 23:37 (a quote from Deuteronomy 6:5): Jesus declared, ‘Love the Lord your God with your heart, and with all your soul, and with your mind.’  This was a response to a question from the Pharisees about the greatest commandment in the Law. This declaration brings back the monotheistic belief that Yahweh is the only God to worship in Israel.

To love God with our heart means that we prioritize God above everything. To love God with our soul means to live a deeply devoted life. Our lives should be affected by God in every way possible. Loving God with our minds shows an intellectual commitment to knowing and understand God’s will and teachings.

We avoid placing our heart, soul, and minds into the other gods of our lives, when we create that intentionality and dedication with God first. Our hearts are the center of who we are – showcasing our emotions, will, and intellect. Our minds need to remain centered on God, giving ourselves the ability to check in with our emotions. Our souls are about why we get up in the morning. God teaches us that our two focuses should be loving God and loving our neighbor. How can we go out and do that every day?

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: The same question I ended with: How can we go out to love God and neighbor every day?

Next part: The Danger of Idolatry || I Command You || Part 2