The Ten Commandments, stand as a monumental and foundational text, not just for the Israelites at Mount Sinai, but for all who seek to understand God's will and live a righteous life. More than a simple list of "dos and don'ts," these commandments are a divine blueprint for flourishing human existence—they detail how we are to rightly relate to our Creator and how we are to rightly relate to one another. As we embark on this study, we are invited to look beyond the surface rules and engage in the continuous process of self-reflection and alignment with God's guidance. Our goal is to uncover the deep wisdom, the sacrificial love, and the enduring relevance of these ten statements, allowing them to shape a stronger, more Christ-centered foundation in our own faith and priorities.
Today's study in centered the second commandment which forbids the creation of physical representations (carved image or any likeness) of Himself or of anything in creation for the purpose of worship. Exodus 20:4 NIV 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.
Exodus 20:1-3 NIV [1] And God spoke all these words: [2] “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. [3] “You shall have no other gods before me.
Last week we learned that the 10 Commandments is what is called a decalogue. The word "Decalogue" comes from the Greek term deka logoi, meaning "ten words" or "ten sayings," which is also a direct translation of the original Hebrew phrase.
More generally, the term can be used to describe any fundamental set of rules or principles that carries binding authority or serves as a foundational moral or ethical code. This set of rules were divinely revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai and inscribed on two stone tablets. We know the story.
We also said that the commandments are broken up into 2 groups: commandments 1-4 cover the vertical relationship between man and God, and commandments 4-10 cover the horizontal relationship between our neighbor.
The Ten Commandments are still seen as vital for Christians because they summarize God's unchanging moral will for humanity.
Jesus said at Matthew 5:17-18 NIV [17] “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. [18] For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
The statement, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them" is central to understanding the relationship between Jesus, the Old Testament Law, and Christian life today.
Here is a breakdown of what "fulfill" means in this context and its implications for the Ten Commandments:
1. Jesus fulfilled the Law in three primary ways:
A. Perfect Obedience (The Moral Standard)
Jesus perfectly obeyed the Law, an achievement no other human could manage. (Romans 6:23)
By living a sinless life, he met the Law's perfect moral demands entirely. This includes the spirit and intent of the Ten Commandments, not just the letter, raising the standard to the heart level.
B. Ultimate Goal (The Prophetic Fulfillment)
The Law and the Prophets pointed forward to the need for a Savior and detailed the coming of the Messiah.
Jesus fulfilled all the Old Testament prophecies and typologies (foreshadowings). He is the ultimate High Priest, the perfect sacrifice, and the promised King—the very reality to which the Old Testament rituals and sacrifices were pointing.
Here’s what Paul wrote about the law
Galatians 3:23-25 NIV [23] Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. [24] So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. [25] Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.
Christians are not bound by the Law (including the Ten Commandments) as a means of salvation or justification, but they are bound by the moral principles contained within them as a standard for living out of love for God and neighbor.
By offering himself as the final and perfect sacrifice on the cross, Jesus completed the purpose of the ceremonial law. Because of His atonement, those ritual laws are no longer binding on believers today.
Last week we started with the first commandment
Exodus 20:3 NIV You shall have no other gods before me.
We said that his commandment serves as the foundation and summary for all ten. If you break the First Commandment, you automatically set yourself up to break the others, and we are going to see that as we study the second commandment at;
Exodus 20:4-6 NIV [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. [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.
This commandment addresses two critical aspects of worship: the method and the motive.
A. The Prohibition: Image Creation
God forbids the creation of physical representations (carved image or any likeness) of Himself or of anything in creation for the purpose of worship.
Exodus 20:4 NIV 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 prohibition is not against art itself, but against the idolatry of using physical representations in worship. God is Spirit
John 4:19-24 NIV [19] “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. [20] Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” [21] “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. [22] You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. [23] Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. [24] God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
John 4:24 NIV[24] God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.
As Spirit God cannot be accurately contained or represented by anything physical.
1 Kings 8:27 NIV [27] “But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!
To create an image is to attempt to limit the limitless God, shrinking Him down to a manageable, visible form. It inevitably leads to worshipping the creation (the image) rather than the Creator.
B. The Prohibition Bowing and Serving
Exodus 20:5 NIV You shall not bow down to them or worship them; …. We’ll get to the why in a couple of minutes
It's not enough to simply not make the image; we are forbidden from bowing down to them or serving them. This emphasizes that the focus is on the act of worship. Any act of reverence directed toward a created thing is idolatry. We talked about idolatry last week and we said that idolatry isn't limited to physical statues. The New Testament expands the definition to include anything that takes the place of God in our hearts or priorities.
Colossians 3:5 NIV [5] Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
This redefines the sin from simply bowing to a statue to giving your heart's devotion to something created (like wealth, possessions, or status) instead of the Creator. The entire list—immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed—shows that anything that becomes an all-consuming desire or priority in your inner life, replacing God's will as the ultimate purpose, is functionally an idol.
II. The Motivation: God's Jealousy (v. 5b-6)
The reason given for the command reveals the depth of God's desire for an exclusive relationship.
Let’s read the end of verse 5 and verse 6
Exodus 20:5-6 NIV [5]... 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.
A. A Jealous God
God declares Himself to be a "jealous God." This is not the petty, self-seeking jealousy found in humans. It is a righteous jealousy—the protective fervor of a faithful husband (God) toward his bride (His people) His desire is to see His people secure and fulfilled only in Him, the one true source of life
We talked about this a little last week.
Exodus 34:10-14 NIV [10] Then the Lord said: “I am making a covenant with you. Before all your people I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world. The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the Lord, will do for you. [11] Obey what I command you today. I will drive out before you the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. [12] Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land where you are going, or they will be a snare among you. [13] Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and cut down their Asherah poles. [14] Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.
His jealousy is rooted in the covenant He has established. He knows that turning to idols is turning away from the source of life and love itself.
Exodus 20:1-3 NIV [1] And God spoke all these words: [2] “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. Dividing our heart between God and an idol is the ultimate act of unfaithfulness.
Deuteronomy 6:5 NIV Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
Just before that in Deuteronomy 5:6-21 is Moses’ second reading of the 10 Commandments to the people. We talked about that last week.
Deuteronomy 5:6-21 NIV [6] “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. [7] “You shall have no other gods before me. [8] “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. [9] 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, [10] but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. [11] “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. [12] “Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you. [13] Six days you shall labor and do all your work, [14] but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns, so that your male and female servants may rest, as you do. [15] Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day. [16] “Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving you. [17] “You shall not murder. [18] “You shall not commit adultery. [19] “You shall not steal. [20] “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. [21] “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. You shall not set your desire on your neighbor’s house or land, his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
B. Exodus 20:5-6 NIV [5]... 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.
Also give us the a stark contrast between the consequences of disobedience and the rewards of obedience:
This does not mean God punishes innocent descendants for past sins, but rather acknowledges the social and spiritual consequence of deep-seated sin like idolatry. Idolatry creates a harmful culture that is naturally passed down through generations.
The blessing of love extends to thousands (literally, the thousandth generation), demonstrating that God's desire to bless and extend His steadfast love is vastly greater and more enduring than His judgment.
Psalms 30:5 NIV For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.
Psalms 103:8-10 NIV[8] The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. [9] He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; [10] he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.
Isaiah 54:8 NIV In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,” says the Lord your Redeemer.
The word "everlasting" (Hebrew: 'olam) emphasizes the infinite nature of His love, compassion, and kindness, making the time of His anger seem negligible by comparison.
III. Reflection and Application
Examine Your Idols: What in your life takes the place of God? What do you spend the most time, money, and emotional energy serving? What do you look to for ultimate security, purpose, or identity?
We don't need to craft an image; God has provided the perfect one. Our worship is now directed to the Father through the Son, powered by the Holy Spirit.
Colossians 1:15-20 NIV[15] The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. [16] For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. [17] He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. [18] And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. [19] For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, [20] and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Next week You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain. (v. 7)
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