Exodus 20:3-11 You shall have no other gods before me. I. GOD'S DEMAND. "Thou shalt have no other," etc. All else is emptiness and falsehood. There must be nothing even of our holy things put between the soul and God. His presence must be the soul's life, the very air it breathes. II. How THE DEMAND MAY BE FULFILLED. 1. By keeping ourselves from idols. Our daily avocations, our interests, affections, pleasures, may lead to our esteeming something our chief good and making it to be instead of God to us. God must be seen behind his gifts, and be more to us than all besides. 2. By watchful fear and hope. We bring evil not upon ourselves only, and the blessings which rest upon obedience are an everlasting heritage. We sow seeds of evil or of blessing which yield many harvests (vers. 5, 6). 3. By reverence (ver. 7). God's name must not be emptied of its power to touch the heart by our lightness or hypocrisy. 4. By keeping sacred the sabbath rest (vers. 8-11). (1) It will be a day of self-revelation, of rebuke for the evil in us, of strengthening to the good. (2) It will be a day for the remembrance of God; and (3) of participation in his rest. - U. Parallel Verses KJV: Thou shalt have no other gods before me. |
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