Examining the First Commandment

The First Commandment- Two Parts, A Closer Look

Posted by lora Guthrie on October 21, 2010 at 10:06 AM

The difference between the first and the second commandment is defining the two commandments.

In the first commandment God tells us simply " Exodus20:3Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

In the second commandment he sets the ground rules down by telling how to keep from falling into idol worship.Exodus 20 3 tThou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth

The second commandment needs to be looked at with more careful scrutiny. He tells us in Mathew 5 17-19 that he will fulfill the law, every jot and tittle, and we are not to diminish his commandments but to teach them. Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.19Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Because of the words of Mathew 5:17-18 I am going to examine the second commandment and what it means for us today.

Commandment 1 is that we are to have no other gods before HIM!3Thou shalt Have no other gods before me.

Commandment 2 is connected to the first commandment and has a clear message and meaning for the reader and hearer. There is 4 parts to the second commandment as follows:Commandment in Parts: 4Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image,or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.5Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them:for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate meLooking at Part 1, Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven images.This passage is very clear, he simply is asking man not to make any images, he describers these in other passages as carved in stone or wood. The word MAKE first appears in Genesis 1:26, I do believe it is relevant to the passage of Thou shall not make unto thee any graven images.THE WORD MAKE: Strongs #6213The word make is first found in the scriptures in Genesis 1:26, I believe this is a clue what is behind the 2nd commandment and WHY WE ARE NOT to make images, it has to do with creation and creating and God giving man dominion over the creature on earth, sea and sky

Gen 1:26 And God said , Let us make 6213 man in our image , after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea , and over the fowl of the air , and over the cattle , and over all the earth , and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth .

God has made man in his image and has given dominion to man over all the fish of the sea and every thing that creeps on earth. Because he has given dominion to man he does NOT WANT MAN to give back his dominion by making something that creeps and bowing down to it, in doing so he is forfeiting his dominion that was given to him by GOD, in doing so he is reversing the order of things that creeps/fly/swim, man, God, instead of God first, man second and living things that creepeth third. Clearly commandment 2 establishes order of God to man to beast. The meaning in Hebrew of the word Graven Image:GRAVEN IMAGE STRONGS ROOT WORD:Strong's H6458 - pacal The meaning in Hebrew of the word GRAVEN IMAGE- Idol, image=1) to cut, hew, hew into shape a) (Qal) to hew, hew out, quarryGraven image is a dimensional object! it takes on a FORM, it is cut, hewed, or shaped, or quarried.

Part 1 of this commandment is this, We are not to make any graven images ( to cut hew into shape).

Wood or stone

Deu 4:28 And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.

MY PERSONAL NOTE: I believe there is a reason why he does not want us to make with our hands any living things. There appears to be more then meets the eye, and it goes all the way back to creation. If a man creates something with his hands, a beast, a bird, a fish, a person, then it puts him in the creation process, even if it is just out of wood or stone. In man/his heart it appears to be placing himself in the place of the creator, by saying "look what I have done with my hands, I have created this, bird, fish, man, beast...etc" One could possibly pollute oneself by coping a creation of God. In doing so, it places man in a position of creation, admiring the works of his hands, a place of pride and elevation. Creating appears to corrupt him by admiring the works of his hands. Let me continue.....

Clearly his words have said do not make these images of stone and wood. Notice he did not say not to draw them. (Perhaps in drawing it is only 1 dimensional, but in carving or hewing it becomes more dimensions which takes on a true form.) The key for corruption in the making of these objects is found in the WORKS of MANS HANDS.

The works of mans hands:There is a warning in Revelations given to man who repented not of the works of their hands.

Rev 9:20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk Also in Isaiah

Isa 2:8 Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made: Today we see a worship of the work of mans own hand in many ways, in many forms. It may be a business they have made or created, a home, something they have built that has priority or a hold on them, this too is an idol. However, the scripture are clear that God is not pleased with those who worship the works of their own hands, he tells man NOT TO DO IT in the second commandment!THE CONSEQUENCES .... Corrupting oneself

Deu 4:16 Lest ye corrupt [yourselves], and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, The result of making such a image is considered corruptible and there are consequences!Romans 1 :23-26 list the results of the works of mans hands!23And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.24Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:25Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: (it continues on in Romans 1)

In kings we also see the results of Images leading to sexual corruption.

1Ki 14:23

For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree. And there were also sodomites in the land: [and] they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.1 Kings 14:24

Part 2 of Commandment 2

WE ARE NOT TO WORSHIP THE LIKENESS OF ANYTHING

or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

The word "Likeness" found in is Strongs # H8544 1 means: form, image, likeness, representation, semblance.

In Leviticus we see also a two part command, you shall not make idols or graven images. Idols and graven image. It is two part, do not make an idol, do not make a graven image.... PERIOD! Lev 26:1 Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up [any] image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I [am] the LORD your God.

The passage goes on to say... neither rear up a standing image, neither set up an image of stone. AND... also.... to bow down unto that image. So in essence it is really three part, do not make them, do not rear them up, and do not bow down to them.

Lev 21:1

Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up [any] image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I [am] the LORD your God.

A COMING SOON .... FUTURE GRAVEN IMAGE TO BE WORSHIPED

In Revelations13:14-15 the world will be given over to the worship of the image of the beast, the anti-Christ, and the image of the beast would speak and the beast will be worshiped. The result of worshiping the image is eternal death. The result of not worshiping the graven image is eternal life and is the patience of the faith of the saints, but also death to those who do not receive the image , the mark of the beast. Life and power was given to the IMAGE of the beast!

14And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.15And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

THE IMAGE OF THE BEAST IS NOT TOO FAR OFF AND THE RESULT IS DEATH. In Revelation we see that idol/image worship will take place once again. Rev 14:9 says that man will worship the beast and HIS IMAGE!

Rev 14: 9And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,10The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

PART 3 IS THAT WE ARE NOT TO BOW DOWN TO THEM NOR SERVE THEM

Deut. 4: 5Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: RECAP PARTS 1-3, Do not make any graven images, do not make likeness of any thing, do not bow down to them or serve them.

4Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image,or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.5Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them:We commanded not to make them, any likeness and NOW we are commanded not to BOW DOWN to them or SERVE THEM! Bowing down to them is the third part in the fourth part of the 2nd. Commandment. This third part, not to bow down or serve them is perhaps the most obvious part we all seem to get. But do we as a Christian community take the first parts 1-2 as serious. I know that the Jews take the first parts, (not making graven images, or likeness of anything ) serious. I know when you visit Israel statues or likeness are hard to be found.

Part 4 GOD IS A JEALOUS GOD! WHY WE DO NOT MAKE IMAGES OR LIKENESS

The fourth part tells us the result of making images or likeness of living things, or bowing down to them. He is a jealous God, and he will cast or visit the iniquity of the fathers sins upon his children 3 and 4 generations for NOT keeping this commandment!

Part 4: Exodus 20:5 for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.

Making Images provokes him to jealousy and it is evil in his sight!In Kings God is provoked to Jealousy when Judah built images and groves on every high hill, this was evil in the lords sight!

And Judah did evil in the sight of the LORD, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they had committed, above all that their fathers had done. Kings 14:22 For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree 1 kings 14:23

THE BREAKING DOWN OF ALTERS

King Hezekiah, he did what was right in the sight of the lord, he removed the images and cut down the groves

2 Kings 18..3And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did. 4He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.

Hezekiah,kept the commandments, he prospered, the lord was with him, 5He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him.6For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses.7And the LORD was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth: and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not.

A PROMISE A BLESSING FOR THOSE WHO KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS

Deut 11

26Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;

27A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day:

A CURSE FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT OBEY THE COMMANDMENTS OF THE LORD

28And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.

My concussion is this, the difference between the first and the second commandment is specifics, God gives the details out, he says , Exodus20:3Thou shalt have no other gods before me. OK we get that we are to have no other Gods before him, now he tells us more, there are more parts to this commandment, they are clear, they are cut and they are dry, they are understandable. Let us be without excuse, he has spelled out what is evil, what provokes him, and what corrupts man. Just as there are images tangible, there are the not tangible, the untouchable images, idols. The images and idols of ones heart. Perhaps it is self worship which is pride, or perhaps holding ones own thinking norms above what his word says to be true. An idol can be any person or thing that is regarded higher then the lord God.

A call to ALL, for all and every alter to be turn over and crushed, tangible and seen and the unseen. A call to be as Hezekiah, who did what was right in the eyes of our lord.

let his commandments stand, that we are not to diminish one word, one commandment. Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish [ought] from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. Deut4:2

And a reminder from Jesus in Mathew 5 :18For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

LET HIS COMMANDMENTS STAND, WORD FOR WORD, EVERY YOT EVERY TITTLE!

Exodus20:3 Commandment 1 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. The Second Commandment is this: ( broken down into 4 parts)

4Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image,or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.5Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them:for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me