Exodus 20:4 - Forerunner Commentary

Exodus 20:4

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Articles, Bible studies, and sermons that contain Exodus 20:4:

Exodus 20:4-6
Excerpted from: Keeping God's Standards

And it is good for us to review this. Like I said, in essence, God and His laws and statutes and desires are always to be first in our lives. Thus everything else: job, possessions, hobbies, friends, our desires will always be second to what God wants. God always comes first. And because God and His laws come first, our lives will reflect His very nature in dealing with each other, with the environment, and with every aspect of living. You see, that is what this calling is about now, for us to take on that nature.

Bowing down to them. A lot of the world does bow down to graven images and that will cease. And of course, we are not to. So we are not to bow down to any religious idol in worship. Nor are we to let the desires of other individuals or groups lead us into disobeying God. Anything we give first place, in place of God is an idol. And in doing so, we are committing idolatry. In the Forerunner, the definition of idol was this, "An idol is any object of ardent or excessive devotion or admiration." You see our excessive admiration and devotion should always be for God the Father and Jesus Christ. That is where it should be.

Exodus 20:1-6
Excerpted from: Remaining Free

It is common to skip over the preamble to the Ten Commandments, but notice how God introduces His law. He begins with His authority and the fact that He brought Israel out of the house of bondage. Thus, He brings to mind His deliverance, and then states His commands. The unstated implication is that the commands are critical to remaining free. This is backed up by James, who twice refers to God’s law as “the law of liberty” (James 1:25; 2:12). Contrary to common misunderstanding, God’s law is not what puts us into bondage. We were in bondage, and God delivered us, and He gives His law to help us remain free. God’s law tells us what sin is, which is a blessing because sin is what enslaves. God’s law teaches us how to keep from being brought back into bondage.

Notice that God begins with commands against idolatry. His opening statement to the nation is to forbid worshiping any other god, or else worshiping the true God in a way other than how He commands, and specifically with physical representations. Those two commands are foundational to remaining free.

Exodus 20:4-6
Excerpted from: Pentecost and the Book of Ruth

Right inside the Ten Commandments this idea is explained. But, if you were to read them through, you would not find the word "kindness."

Guess where the Hebrew term chesed is? It is in verse 6, signaled by the translated word "mercy." Part of God's obligation under the covenant is to show us mercy. And we also see that the flip-side of that is also in that same verse—that is, man's obligation is also shown in verse 6. God shows mercy to thousands. But, which thousands? To the thousands who love God, and keep His commandments. He says, "I will be merciful if you keep My commandments and you love Me." He is actually stating the covenant relationship.

The Fourth Commandment

Articles
Do We Need the Old Testament?
Living By Faith and God's Grace
Nebuchadnezzar's Image (Part One): 'Head of Gold'
Prepare to Meet Your God! (Part One)
The Beatitudes, Part 5: Blessed Are the Merciful
The Second Commandment
The Second Commandment (1997)
Unity and Division: The Blessing and the Curse (Part Four)

Bible Questions & Answers
Why Are There Different Forms of the Ten Commandme

Bible Studies
Pagan Holidays
The Second Commandment

Booklets
Prepare to Meet Your God! (The Book of Amos) (Part One)

Essays
A Season of Deception
God of the Pigeonhole
Identifying Our Idols
Revelations at Mount Sinai
What Does It Say? (2003)

Sermons
Lessons From Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim
Flee From Idolatry (Part Two): Faithfulness
Are Humans Becoming More Intelligent? (Part Two)
Habakkuk: A Prophet of Faith (Part Three)
Biblical Principles of Justice (Part One)
Living by Faith: God's Grace (Part 3)
The Priesthood of God (Part 3)
The Second Commandment: Idolatry
David and the Gibeonites
Extremes of Idolatry
No Real Love Without God
The Commandments (Part Three)
Idolatrous Suppressors of the Truth
Leadership and the Covenants (Part Four)
The Book of Daniel (Part Three)
Simplifying Life (Part One)
How God Deals With Conscience (Part Four)
Impediments to Sanctification
The Doctrine of Israel (Part Two): The Old Covenant

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