The Ten Commandments: The Second Commandment

THE DECALOGUE:
A SUMMARY OF GOD'S PRECEPTS FOR GOD'S PEOPLE

The Second Commandment:
On Idolatry (Exod 20:4-6)
pdf
Dr. Paul Manuel—2005

(There are different divisions of the Commandments in different traditions: In Protestantism (for the most part), v. 2 is the introduction and v. 3 is the first command. In Judaism, vv. 2-3 together are the first command. In Roman Catholicism and Lutheranism, vv. 2-6 are the first command, and v. 17 contains two commands. This study follows the primary Protestant division, recognizing that v. 2 is declarative and v. 3 contains the first imperative.)

When we encounter a problem, especially if it is something we know is wrong, it is important that we not simply give in or give up, but that we take a stand.

A Pastor went to his church office on Monday morning and discovered a dead mule in the churchyard. He called the police. Since there did not appear to be any foul play, the police referred the pastor to the health department. A department representative said that since there was no immediate health threat, he should call the sanitation department. The manager from that department said he could not pick up the mule without authorization from the mayor. The pastor felt he was getting the run around, and the latest dodge did not look promising. The mayor had a temper and was generally hard to deal with, but the pastor called him anyway. The mayor did not disappoint. He immediately began to rant and rave at the pastor, finally asking, "Why did you call me any way? Isn't it your job to bury the dead?" The pastor paused for a moment, then said, "Yes, Mayor, it is my job to bury the dead. . . but first I like to notify the next of kin!"

When we encounter a problem, it is important that we not simply give in or give up. When the Israelites enter Canaan, they will encounter a pagan culture that serves other gods, and they will be tempted to give up or give in, but they will have to take a stand, especially On Idolatry.

When the Lord chose Israel as the people through whom He would manifest His glory, the biggest challenge was not the opposition of other nations. Egypt, one of the greatest empires in the Ancient Near East, had already proven to be no match for Him. The biggest challenge was the competition of other gods. It did not matter that the ability other nations had to harm Israel was real and the ability other gods had to help Israel was illusionary. If the people believed another god had power, then what was illusionary became reality for them.

At Sinai, the Lord does not try to make this distinction. He does not say that other gods are phony and that His people would be foolish to give them any credence. The Egyptian magicians Moses and Aaron encountered had power, indicating that some false gods may represent real supernatural beings.¹ Rather than having the Israelites try to separate powerless false gods² from powerful false gods, the Lord condemns all false gods (in v. 3) along with their images (in v. 4).

Exod 20:4 You shall not make for yourself an idol 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 fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing [mercy] to a thousand [generations] of those who love me and keep my commandments. [= Deut 5:8-10]

People in the Ancient Near East are very ecumenical, in that they worship all manner of things, from the stars in the sky³ to the fish in the sea.⁴ God's people are to have none of this, because it divides their attention and their devotion. The Lord says...

I. You must reject the various aspects of idolatry (vv. 4-5a).

Has idolatry been a problem for Israel? Does God have reason for concern? Despite the Lord's having chosen Abraham and his descendants to be the people of God, they were not always loyal to God.⁵

• Abraham's father, Terah, was an idolater.
• Jacob's wife, Rachel, and others in his household were idolaters.
• Several of Isaac's descendants in Egypt were idolaters.

The images they used became family heirlooms, passed from one generation to the next and, perhaps, worshiped by each generation as well, including by some of those who recently left Egypt.

God does have reason to be concerned, and He wants to stop the practice by addressing the problem on two fronts, supply and demand. On the supply side, He prohibits the manufacture of idols. Evidently, there are craftsmen in Israel who make and sell them.⁶ That enterprise has to cease, so God says in v.4...

A. Do not fashion an image.⁷

Those engaged in that trade will have to find another source of income.⁸ On the demand side, He prohibits the use of idols.⁹ God's people are not to give them any special regard...¹⁰

B. Do not favor an image.

...and He cites the two most common ways this is done: through obeisance and obedience, bowing before them¹¹ and submitting to them. Whatever Israelites may have practiced before, either in a public place or in the privacy of their tents, it can no longer involve idols.

By eliminating both supply and demand, God hopes to curtail idolatry in Israel. It does little good to forbid something, though, unless you are also prepared to enforce the prohibition. Some laws need teeth—consequences for violating them—before people take them seriously. Two chapters after issuing this command, God indicates the penalty for violating it. In a terse statement, amidst several other legal pronouncements, He says...

Exod 22:20 Whoever sacrifices to any god other than the LORD must be destroyed.

Is He serious,¹² or is this hyperbole, the kind of exaggerated speech people use for emphasis—like naming a dessert Death by Chocolate? The point of the name is not to prevent people from eating it but to caution them against eating too much of it. Perhaps God is simply trying to keep His people from too much idolatry. ...By "destroyed," does God mean financially ruined because other Israelites will not do business with an idolater, or does He mean socially shunned because other Israelites will not invite an idolater to the best parties?¹³ You see how unclear it is. This command against idolatry may actually be more of a suggestion than an outright prohibition. What do you think?

How seriously would you take a given law if the government simply presented it as a suggestion? . . . Not too long after I started driving, I parked my car in town and returned to find a ticket on the windshield. The problem was not that I had parked illegally or had neglected to plug the meter. The car's inspection sticker had expired. A meter maid noticed my oversight and issued a thoughtful, $55 reminder. Needless to say, I now pay closer attention to that little piece of paper on the corner of my windshield.

Despite the strong tone of "Thou shalt not" and the stringent penalty for disobedience,¹⁴ the Israelites may still think this prohibition of idolatry is just a suggestion. Soon after God issues the command, the people test it by making (and worshiping) a calf idol—the supply side is still functioning. The Lord is not pleased, and He tells Moses that this command has teeth.

Exod 32:8a They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf.... 10a Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them.

Only the intervention of Moses prevents the nation's complete destruction. Nevertheless, "that day about three thousand of the people died" (Exod 32:28b).¹⁵

A generation later, the Israelites seem to forget about this command, as I forgot about the inspection sticker, and some join the Moabites in worshiping their gods—the demand side is still strong. Again, the Lord is not pleased, and He reminds Moses that this command has teeth.

Num 25:4 . . .Take all the leaders of these people, kill them and expose them in broad daylight.., so that [My] fierce anger may turn away from Israel.

Despite this measure, some remain defiant and invite further judgment from God. Only the intervention of Phinehas, one of the priests, prevents the death toll from rising further. Nevertheless, "those who died in the plague numbered 24,000" (Num 25:9).

What will it take for the people to recognize how important this command is and how God will treat their disregard for it? In case they are still unsure, God reiterates the penalty for disobedience just before they enter the Promised Land.

Deut 17:2 If a man or woman living among you... is found doing evil in the eyes of the LORD your God in violation of his covenant, 3a and contrary to my command has worshiped other gods... 5 take the man or woman who has done this evil deed to your city gate and stone that person to death.

The penalty for idolatry is not a formal reprimand or a heavy fine. It is not even a lengthy jail sentence and forced labor. Idolatry is one of the most serious offenses a person can commit. As such, it carries one of the stiffest penalties a person can receive.

Are graven images a danger today?¹⁶ Some Protestants wonder if the veneration of icons common in certain Christian traditions is contrary to this command.¹⁷ Do photographs of people violate this precept, as some Amish believe? Do sports idols or movie idols fall in this category? At what point does an image shift from art to idol?¹⁸

The problem (and the prohibition) is not making images but worshiping them.¹⁹ On other occasions, God has no objection to representations of various kinds. In fact...²⁰

• He commissions the ark of the covenant with twin statues of cherubim.
• He commissions the curtains of the tabernacle with woven images of cherubim.
• He approves the construction of the temple with additional representations, including palm trees, flowers, lions, and bulls.²¹

Perhaps the best illustration of the distinction is a later image God commissions. In response to Israel's rebellion in the wilderness, God punishes them with poisonous snakes. When they finally repent and plead for relief...

Num 21:8 The LORD [says] to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live." 9 So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.

Israel keeps the image, either as a reminder of this incident or in case the people should ever need another cure for snake bite. For hundreds of years, there is apparently no problem... until the image becomes an object of worship, at which point...

2 Kgs 18:4b [King Hezekiah] broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the sons of Israel burned incense to it....

The point is that an image can be an aid to faith, but it must not become an object of faith.²²

As I mentioned before, certain Christian traditions employ visual aids: icons of Mary and assorted saints.

• Roman Catholics use statues.
• Byzantine Catholics and Greek Orthodox use pictures.

A person honors the individuals these icons represent by kneeling before the icons or by kissing them. At that time, a person may also seek what help these individuals supposedly can give by praying to them.

Many Protestants view the use of such aids as violating this second command, but these groups distinguish between the veneration of icons and the adoration of God. What do you think?

The biblical authors do say that it is appropriate to honor others, to show them respect.²³ One's first priority, of course, is what...

• Solomon says: "Honor the LORD" (Prov 3:9a).²⁴

By the way, there is a wonderful perk that goes with heeding this admonition, for...

• God says, "Those who honor me I will honor" (1 Sam 2:30c).²⁵

 Beyond that, however...

• God says, "Honor your father and your mother" (Exod 20:12)²⁶
• Paul says, "[Honor] widows who are... in need" (1 Tim 5:3), and honor "elders who direct the affairs of the church" (v. 17).
• Peter says, "[H]onor the king" (1 Pet 2:17d).

Therefore, it is appropriate to honor others. Nevertheless, in all the biblical examples where this word applies to people, the honor we must show extends only to the living.²⁷ Saints who have passed on are looking forward to much more important things than you could give, things only God can give—their physical resurrection and their eternal reward. There are also no biblical examples of individuals praying to those who have passed on.²⁸ In fact, God expressly forbids necromancy, which is consulting the dead for guidance or appealing to them for help.²⁹ The Lord advocates our coming directly and solely to Him. As He says in...

Isa 8:19 . . . should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?

Moreover, there is a thin and, often, uncertain line between the veneration of saints and the adoration of God. (It seems to be an artificial distinction without an actual difference.) There are probably few who grasp the semantic subtleties of this doctrine, which places those who do not at risk of violating the second commandment.

Images are a problem today only when they interfere with your relationship to God. There is no biblical mandate against collecting pictures of the family, and the advantage of such an activity is that it can preserve your history as well as your memory. There is no biblical merit, however, in venerating icons of the saints, and the disadvantage of such an activity is that it can divert your attention from the Lord, who alone deserves your praise and who alone hears your prayers.

The Lord wants His people's complete devotion, but He knows they will encounter powerful distractions—images of other gods. To preserve their loyalty and prevent their apostasy, His people will have to sever whatever ties they may have to idols and avoid all future contact with them. You probably do not have any wood or stone idols, but do you have a problem with idolatry? The answer may be in what distracts you and turns your attention away from God. Keep your focus on Him, and He will keep your future on track.

Part 2

Some developments raise in us mixed emotions that may make us wonder how best to respond.

A soldier serving overseas received a letter from his fiancée, breaking off their engagement and asking for her photograph back. At first, he was hurt, then upset, and finally annoyed over this unpleasant turn of events. After some thought, he decided to collect from his buddies all the unwanted photographs of women that he could find. He then bundled them together and sent them back with a note saying, "I regret to inform you that I cannot remember which one is you.... Please keep your photo and return the others."

Some developments raise in us mixed emotions that may make us wonder how best to respond. Some developments raise in God mixed emotions, but there is no uncertainty on His part how best to respond. Such is the case whenever His people are attracted to false gods, as He indicates in the second commandment of the Decalogue, On Idolatry. Please turn to...

Exod 20:4 You shall not make for yourself an idol 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 fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing [mercy] to a thousand [generations] of those who love me and keep my commandments. [= Deut 5:8-10]

Although the Israelites left behind their bondage in Egypt, they did not leave behind their baggage, at least not all of it, including their ancestors' exposure and attraction to false deities, both before Egypt and in Egypt. God condemns any such involvement with other gods, especially as people might represent them in some physical form. So He says...

I. You must reject the various aspects of idolatry (vv. 4-5a). 

To this end He addresses the supply side of the problem—

A. Do not fashion an image.

 —as well as the demand side of the problem—

B. Do not favor an image.

—in order to curtail the problem.

To clarify that God intends His remark as an outright prohibition is not just a friendly suggestion, He confirms the seriousness of His intention when later some of the people decide to indulge in idolatrous practices with a pagan neighbor, and God kills 24,000 Israelites with a plague.

Are graven images a danger today? At what point might depictions in photography or iconography cross the line into idolatry? The problem (and the prohibition) is not making images but worshiping them. A good illustration of the proper and improper use of an image is the bronze serpent, which initially served to focus people's attention on God but subsequently became the focus of worship itself. The point is that an image can be an aid to faith, but it must not become an object of faith.

Images are a problem today only when they interfere with your relationship to God. There is no biblical mandate against collecting pictures of the family, and the advantage of such an activity is that it can preserve your history as well as your memory. There is no biblical merit, however, in venerating icons of the saints, and the disadvantage of such an activity is that it can divert your attention from the Lord, who alone deserves your praise and who alone hears your prayers.

This command is as relevant today as when God first gave it, because we live in a visual age. TV has conditioned us to expect sound bites with lots of pictures. That is how we get our news, sports, and entertainment. Why should our worship be any different? Speaking of television...

Probably the closest thing to an [idol] we have in our homes is the television.... If [someone] were to walk into your home... into the central room of your house, the room where you... spend [much of] your time, in the center of that room is [probably] a television.... [I]f [that visitor] were... from another culture or another time, [he] would probably assume... it is some form of worship! . . . Because of the television people stay away from church.... Because of television people fail to read their Bible, and [neglect] to pray. Because of television people fail to get involved with Christian service. They get attached to some image.... (Smith 1999)

Does that describe the place TV holds in your life? Does it cause you to neglect the things of God?

Back to our penchant for images, many people want a visual aid. If they cannot actually see the one they worship, then they want a representation of Him, something they can point to and say, "There He is." Nevertheless, one of the key elements in worship is faith, which the author of Hebrews describes as "being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see" (Heb 11:1; emphasis added). In the last days, Satan will give people what they want. The apostle John writes in his revelation that a false prophet will appear and will...

Rev 13:14b-c . . .deceive[] the inhabitants of the earth. He will order[] them to set up an image in honor of the [antichrist].... 15a-b He [will have] power to give breath to the image of the [antichrist], so that it [can] speak and [he will] cause all who refuse[] to worship the image to be killed.

God has revealed Himself to us in several ways (e.g., creation)³⁰ and we must be satisfied with what He has provided, without trying to add to them. Besides, if we had a picture or a statue of God, people would be saying, "That doesn't do Him justice—or—"He looks taller in person, and His beard should be whiter." That is, of course, true: No representation we might make—no painting or sculpture, no matter how talented the artist—could do God justice. It would misrepresent God and misdirect man. What does inform our understanding of God is His attributes, two of which He describes in the next verse.

As God makes clear later in the book (Exod 22:20), idolatry is a capital crime. The reason the penalty is so severe is that idolatry diverts one's attention from God and divides one's devotion to God. Even in this passage, however, the command includes a not-so-veiled set of consequences, for He goes on to say...

II. You will realize (recognize) the various attributes of deity (vv. 5b-6).

If someone were to ask these former slaves for a description of the God who recently delivered them, they would probably say that He is powerful, which is certainly true, given the miracles they have witnessed. They might also say that He is dependable, because their freedom is the fulfillment of a promise God had made to their ancestors. What they would probably not say is that He might be inclined against them. After all, given what He did to help His people, surely He would not hurt His people. That may, indeed, be what some of them think. If so, they are wrong, because He says here...

A. I am a jealous God.

This Hebrew word describes a strong and, usually, negative emotional reaction when someone's position is threatened or usurped by another.³¹

• Rachel, who bore no sons to Jacob, was jealous of her sister, because she bore four sons to Jacob and said, "my husband will become attached to me" (Gen 29:24).
• Joseph's brothers, who saw their father's great affection for their younger sibling, "were jealous of him" (Gen 37:11).
• A husband who suspects his wife is having an affair may have "feelings of jealousy come over" him and compel her to certify her faithfulness before the priest (Num 5:14).

These common examples of jealously do not, however, indicate that it is a right response to a perceived offense.

• In the case of Rachel, the fact that Jacob labored fourteen years for the privilege of marrying her should have confirmed her priority in his eyes, giving her little reason to fear the loss of his affection and to be jealous of her sister.³²
• In the case of Joseph's brothers, they let a seventeen-year-old's visions of grandeur provoke them to sell him into slavery, which is not a good testimony to the rightness of jealousy.
• In the case of the husband who thinks his wife has committed adultery, it is merely suspicion on his part; he has no proof and, so, no valid reason to be jealous.

In the NT, Paul repeatedly condemns jealousy as unrighteous and as unworthy of God's people. It is one of the acts of the sinful nature in Gal 5, along with immorality, fits of rage, selfish ambition, drunkenness, and more.³³ So, how can God exhibit such an ungodly trait?

Where the Lord is concerned, what makes Him jealous is when the Israelites, those He redeemed, pursue other gods. This is not envy or covetousness. God does not wish He could be as popular as idols. He is not put out because Baal has an attractive wife. The Lord is not like other gods, which is part of the point in this command: Do not fashion or favor an image because nothing man makes can compare with God, and nothing man makes may compete with God. When His people violate this precept, it angers God,³⁴ another emotionally charged word that appears in many of the same contexts. Commenting on their disobedience of this command, He says later...

Deut 32:21a They made me jealous by what is no god and angered me with their worthless idols.

In other words, when God is jealous, it is for good reason...

• It is not when He is uncertain about His people's affection.
• It is not when He notes that people have an inflated view of their own importance.
• It is not when He suspects their unfaithfulness but has no proof.

God is jealous when His people demonstrate their disloyalty to Him by worshiping other gods.

This is not the way we usually talk about God. We prefer to describe Him as good and loving, faithful and true, what we consider His best qualities. To speak about God as jealous might offend the sensibilities of some people. Is He not above such pettiness? Yes, He is above all pettiness, but idolatry is not petty; it is apostasy. It is taking devotion that rightfully belongs to God alone and giving it to another.³⁵ Such behavior He will not abide, and it provokes Him to jealousy.³⁶

Do you ever give God reason to be jealous? You may not worship an idol, but are you wholeheartedly devoted to Him, or are your loyalties sometimes divided?³⁷ ...Whatever your answer, realize that bad behavior has a negative residual affect on succeeding generations. When God says, "[I will punish[] the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me," He means that children will perpetuate the pattern of their parents' sin, including their parents' contempt for God,³⁸ and that, left unchecked, it will continue for generations.³⁹ So the question, are you wholeheartedly devoted to God, is not just about you. It is also not just about parents, because the children in our midst are also watching other adults. If your loyalties are divided, if, for example, you allow other activities to affect your attendance in church, they will assume that is okay and, when they are older, they will divide their loyalties as well, perhaps even more than you do.⁴⁰

Sometimes people choose their worship according to how it agrees with their values. That may have been the case for some Israelites, who found the fertility rites of Baal more to their liking than the puritanical rules of God.

Occasionally, people who claim to worship the true God remake Him into a deity that agrees with their own preferences or prejudices.⁴¹ Even some Christians, when they encounter passages in scripture that contradict their view of God—whether it concerns His character or His conduct—instead of altering their opinion, they try to alter God, at least, their perception of Him. The trend in some mainline denominations to be open and affirming toward those whose sexual orientation attracts them to individuals of the same gender illustrates this point. To accommodate their preferences, which the Bible clearly condemns, they alter their perception of God (Manuel 2002).

Just like those Geico commercials, though, there is good news, and it involves far more than saving money on your car insurance. While the Lord says, "I am a jealous God," He balances that by saying also...

B. I am a gracious God.

This Hebrew word describes a strong and, invariably, positive response when someone is in need of help.

• Ruth showed "grace" or kindness to her mother-in-law by returning to Israel with her and helping to support her (Ruth 3:10).
• Rahab showed "grace" or mercy to the Israelite spies by hiding them from the enemy search party (Josh 2:12).
• David showed "grace" or favor to Mephibosheth, Jonathan's son, by restoring his ancestral lands (2 Sam 9:7).

These examples demonstrate gracious human actions. The grace God shows is far greater, able to meet any need His people might have, even in the most difficult circumstances.

• He showed "grace" to Joseph while the young man was in prison by giving him a position of authority and responsibility (Gen 39:21).
• He showed "grace" to David by helping the king subdue all his enemies (2 Sam 22:5 1).
• He showed "grace" to the Ninevites by sparing them from destruction when they turned to Him in repentance and faith (Jon 4:2).

These are but some of the ways God is gracious. People have only to meet the two simple requirements He lists here in Exod 20:

• They must love God.
• They must obey God.

The Bible does not give God's attributes equal coverage. While His jealousy gets more treatment than you might imagine (15x), His grace gets greater treatment still (200+x). There are also indications that He does not always exercise these attributes in equal measure.⁴²

• God says here...

Exod 20:5 . . .I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand of those who love me and keep my commandments.

• David, after experiencing God's grace for himself, writes in...

Ps 103:10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.

• Ezra, after the exile, when God graciously allowed His people to return to the land, prayed gratefully...

Ezra 9:13b you have punished us less than our sins have deserved and have given us a remnant like this.

• James has the most succinct summary of this principle when he says that...

Jms 2:13b Mercy triumphs over judgment!

How has mercy triumphed over judgment in your life? If you come to Him in repentance and faith, you will experience the grace of His pardon for every sin. If you cleave to Him in love and obedience, you will experience the grace of His presence in every situation.

For centuries, an attraction to false deities plagued the nation. From the people's entrance to Canaan until their exile from Canaan, the struggle between worship of the true God and worship of other gods was unrelenting. Only the Babylonian Captivity, and the shock therapy of that momentous event, put God's people back in sync with God's plan.⁴³ Had they heeded this second commandment, On Idolatry, they would not have experienced His judgment. However stern and uncompromising the ordinance appears, though, it ends on a positive note (Plaut 1983:227). Those faithful to God can expect a promising future from God.

For the Bibliography and Endnotes see the pdf here