1. You shall have no other gods before me. (Exodus 20:1-3)
We know that God is a jealous God, he doesn't want to share his glory with anyone. The term '...no other gods before me' relates to a Hebrew term which means no other gods before my face or beside me. God is telling us not to have any other gods in addition to him.
The Egyptians worshipped several gods, as did the other nations. However, God wants his people to look to him and him alone. He is the one true God, who provides all that we need. He choose Israel as his own people and brought them out of bondage.
They already believed that there was only one God, but this principle had to be set in stone in order to set them apart from everyone else, Egyptian practices had to remain in Egypt. Israel had to know what was expected of them and that they were different to the other nations. They were his people (we are his people) and he didn't (doesn't) want to share them (us) with anyone else.
In worshipping other gods we give glory that is due to him to someone else, he is our creator the beginning and end of all things. Everything we have, want and need comes from him and him alone.
Comments
Post a Comment