Exodus 20:4-6 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
The second commandment has three distinct parts: forbidding the Israelites from making images that represent gods, God’s omnipresence, and God’s judgments.
- Exodus 20:4“You shall not make for yourself an image …
The first part of Exodus 20:4 illustrates a major distinction between the Israelites and their neighbors: the Israelites are forbidden to make images representing a god. Idols were images made by engraving, carving, or casting metal or wood. This command was in total opposition to the religious practices of the world in Moses’ day. It is little wonder that God elaborated upon this commandment more than the obvious commands like “do not murder”. In fact, the two commandments that are elaborated upon the most; idols and the Sabbath, were the ones that were completely different than anything the world was accustomed to.
Israel was not forbidden to make any statues and paintings, only those designed as objects of worship. God commanded them to make golden cherubim for the Ark of the Covenant and Solomon’s temple was filled with decorations of palm trees, lions, oxen, and cherubim. Moses even made a bronze snake at God’s command (Numbers 21:8-9). However, the bronze snake was destroyed when it became an object of worship (2 Kings 18:4).
One of the principles behind the command to not make idols is that God is not revealed by some visible form but through words. Deuteronomy 4:12 Then the Lord spoke to you out of the fire. You heard the sound of words but saw no form; there was only a voice. Remember how the Ten Commandments are introduced in Exodus 20:1 “And God spoke all these words”.
The idols of other nations had visible forms but could not speak. Listen to the words of the psalmist, inspired by God.
- Psalm 115:3-8 Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him. 4 But their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands. 5 They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. 6 They have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell. 7 They have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but cannot walk, nor can they utter a sound with their throats. 8 Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.
The one true God is in heaven and does whatever He wants to do. The idols of the pagans may have looked good but they were useless because they couldn’t do anything.
The psalmist closes by saying that all who put their trust in these idols will be just like them. The idols were lifeless, in other words they were dead. Likewise, all who put their trust in these worthless, lifeless idols were also lifeless, in other words spiritually dead.
God would not and will not give His glory to another. Isaiah 42:8 “I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols”,He is a jealous God. Exodus 20:5 “for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God”.
The word jealous as used in Exodus 20:5 does not suggest the pettiness and nastiness that we often associate with jealousy. He is not jealous of the success of others, but very jealous when the honor that is due Him is bestowed on anything or anyone other than Him.
- Exodus 20:4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.
The second half of Exodus 20:4 assumes the three-tiered universe of heaven above, earth beneath, and water below. Israel’s God is unique in that He is the God of all these regions, in contrast to polytheistic religions, which pictured many gods populating the universe. Jeremiah 23:24: “Do not I fill heaven and earth?”declares the Lord. Since God is everywhere, humans can never adequately represent the divine nature.
- Exodus 20:5-6 I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
The problem most people have with the 2nd commandment is not the command itself, but with the implied consequences of disobedience found in verse 5: “punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me”. Some say this contradicts other verses such as Deuteronomy 24:16? Parents are not to be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin. This passage in Deuteronomy has to do with capital punishment under the Law of Moses. What about Ezekiel 18:4? The one who sins is the one who will die. This verse is saying that God holds individuals responsible for their sins and He does and this does not contradict with what God is saying in Exodus 20:5. Exodus 20:5 has to do with the physical consequences facing a nation who has forgotten God.
The best way to understand the threat of Exodus 20:5 is to see how God carried it out. God often endured the sins of a nation with great long-suffering. However, His patience had a definite limit. When He finally punished the later generation, it was not only for their own sins but also the sins of past generations. He only did this to the descendants who continued to walk in sin. To those who honored Him, he showed kindness and mercy (the exiles sent to Babylon).
Jeremiah 29:11 says “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
In the proper context of this verse, God was punishing the nation of Judah for their idolatry, for the sins of past generations. Those that continued to walk in the sins of the unfaithful would suffer God’s wrath. But those that were faithful to God would be taken care of.
How does the second command relate to Christians? Each of the Ten Commandments appears multiple times in some form, in the New Testament. We are going to look briefly at 5 passages from the New Testament that deal with idolatry.
- 1 Corinthians 10:14 Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.
Idolatry was the major expression of religion in Corinth. There were several pagan temples in the city, and they were very popular. The statues of wood and stone were not evil in themselves, but people gave them credit for what only God could do. Paul, inspired by God told them to flee from idolatry. To flee means to run away from danger or evil, to escape it and avoid it at all costs.
- 2 Corinthians 6:14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?
While this verse doesn’t specifically have the word “idolatry” the heading above it in the NIV does read “warning against idolatry”. Here, Paul, inspired by God, urged his audience not to form binding relationships with nonbelievers, because this could weaken their Christian commitment, integrity, and standards. Simply put, it could and can lead to idolatry. This is exactly what caused Solomon’s fall (1 Kings 11:1-13).
- 1 Kings 11:4 As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been.
Solomon’s unbelieving wives led him into idolatry. When we form binding relationships with nonbelievers we are more likely to be lured into putting our hope and trust into the things they do. This is why it so important to make sure our closest relationships are with other Christians.
- Galatians 5:19-21 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Here, Paul inspired by God, lists idolatry as an act of the flesh or the “sinful nature”. It is lumped in with a host of other sins. We must recognize that idolatry is a big deal to God, it was in the O.T. it was in the N.T. and it is today and we must take it seriously because those who live like this will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
- Colossians 3:5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
When we are motivated by our earthly nature we are practicing idolatry. Therefore, God tells us to put to death whatever belongs to our earthly nature.
- 1 Peter 4:3 For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.
Peter, inspired by God, calls idolatry detestable and states this is what pagans choose to do. People of this world that are not in Christ, choose to put their hopes and trust in things that cannot really help them. We are different, we are set apart and we are not to live like the rest of the world and this means not following after all the idols this world worships.
What’s the relevance of the second commandment for us? Idolatry is still a major problem today, but it takes a different form. When we understand the contemporary forms of idolatry, the New Testament warnings we just looked at become much more meaningful. Make no mistake about it; this world is consumed with idols. Money, popularity, power, career, education, relationships (see Matthew 10:37), political movements and politicians, science, and pleasure can become idols. Perhaps the biggest idol in our world today is the idol of self. When our selfish desires override God’s will for our lives we are practicing idolatry.
Even religion can become an idol when we allow the work to override the purpose. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day fell into this trap. Religious traditions, movements, leaders, and works can become idols when we start to place them above the principles of God’s inspired Word.
No one sets out with the intention of worshipping these things. But by the amount of time we devote to them, they can grow into idols that ultimately control our lives. Trusting anyone or anything for what only God can provide is idolatry. Letting the one true God hold the central place in our lives keeps the things of this world from turning into idols.
The second command addresses the heart of worship. Exodus 20:5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them. Too many people today bow down and worship the idols of this world. Romans 12:1 says to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. How you live your life is your true and proper worship and when we live our lives focused and consumed with the things of this world, we are practicing idolatry.
- 1 Corinthians 10:14 Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.
As Christians we must choose to flee from idolatry. We need to run away from it, escape from it, and avoid it at all costs because the dangers of idolatry are just as real as they were when Moses delivered the Ten Commandments to the nation of Israel.