Text:
Exodus 20:1-3:
1 And God spake all these words, saying,
2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Theme:
Many gods and One God
Introduction:
- The Book of Exodus is the second book of the Bible following Genesis, the book of beginnings. The book of Exodus plays a critical part in the substantiation of the canon of the Pentateuch or the books of Judaic Law.
- Exodus means “departure” or “going out” à a fitting name in that the book covers the Israelites’ growth in numbers while in captivity in Egypt, the departure from Egypt, the giving of the Law, and then to the erection of the tabernacle in the wilderness (about 150 years)
- The author of the book is believed to be Moses through the consistent elements of tradition of historical voice.
- The text takes an excerpt from the core of the books of the Law à the 10 Commandments
- The 10 Commandments were God-given
- Verse 1 says, “And God spake all these words”
- The 10 Commandments were God-authorized
- Verse 2 says, “I am the LORD thy God…”
- The 10 Commandments were God-centered
- The first commandment in Verse 3 says, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”
- The text precipitates two tenuous topics for the contemporary and traditional church:
- We use “God” as a name when it is truly a title.
- To say “no other gods BEFORE me” implies that there are other gods.
- These two topics when explored lend an understanding that the word of God will illuminate for us
- There are “Many gods” but there is only “One God” è Many gods and One God
- The 10 Commandments were God-given
Body:
- Let’s look at these two topics:
- We use “god” as a name when it is truly a title.
- A “god” is defined as “a being or object believed to have more than natural attributes and powers and to require man’s worship”
- The term is general and applied to anyone or anything that fits the definition.
- “God” is the name attributed to the one who is the “Being perfect in power, wisdom, and goodness whom men worship as creator and ruler of the universe”
- Much the same confusion has occurred with Jesus. Traditionally, we as a church have called Him, Jesus Christ, when it is truly Jesus, the Christ.
- “Christ” is a term that means “savior”. Jesus is the Savior, the Christ. His last name is not “Christ”J.
- To say “no other gods BEFORE me” implies that there are other gods.
- There are three components of the definition of “god” that are critical to our understanding that there are “many gods”
- 1) “being or object” è a “god” can be anything from a spirit to a person to an object
- 2) “more than natural” è a “god” is perceived to reach beyond the limitations of our own existence
- 3) “require man’s worship” è a “god” evokes man’s worship through its super- or ultra-human ability
- Therefore, more than one god can EXIST based upon the perception and nature of the individual.
- This is a HENOTHEISTIC stance in that it asserts the belief in the EXISTENCE of more than one god.
- Joshua exhibited henotheistic concepts with the children of Israel. At this assembly, Joshua said in Joshua 24:15, “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
- However, the text gives us a fundamental point of clarity with regard to the existence of “many gods”
- There are three components of the definition of “god” that are critical to our understanding that there are “many gods”
- A “god” is defined as “a being or object believed to have more than natural attributes and powers and to require man’s worship”
- We use “god” as a name when it is truly a title.
“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”
- This, the first of the 10 Commandments, tells us one thing à The God of the children of Israel is “before” any other gods that may exist in our lives è God is sovereign!
- The Bible explains:
- Deuteronomy 4:39, “Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.”
- 1Chronicles 29:12, “Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.”
- Psalms 83:18, “That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.”
- Matthew 6:13, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”
- Acts 17:24, “God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;”
- Revelation 4:2, “And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.”
- The Bible explains:
- Through the scriptures above, God being “before” any other God accentuates the matter of WORSHIP.
- Although “many gods” EXIST, we are to WORSHIP One God!
- 2Kings 17:36, “But the LORD, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and a stretched out arm, him shall ye fear, and him shall ye worship, and to him shall ye do sacrifice.”
- 1Chronicles 16:29, “Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.”
- Psalms 29:2, “Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.”
- Matthew 4:10, “Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”
- John 4:24, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”
- Henotheism (belief in the existence of more than one god) is NOT Polytheism (the worshipping of more than one God) à WE MUST CHOOSE ONE to worship!!!
- 1Kings 18:21, “And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.”
- Matthew 6:24 & Luke 16:13, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
- The one that Exodus directs us to choose is God, Jehovah!
- God’s words are clear to us:
- Although “many gods” EXIST, we are to WORSHIP One God!
2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
- WE were created and saved to worship HIM
- As it explains in 1Peter 2:9, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:”
Conclusion:
- So why do we waste time creating and serving other gods?
- Money, Friends, Relationships, Family, Jobs, Our Selves è Pride
- There are many gods, BUT ONE GOD!!!
- James 2:19, “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.” à Even the Devil believesJ
- Mark 12:32, “And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:”
- Romans 3:30, “Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.”
- 1 Corinthians 8:6, “But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.”
- Ephesians 4:5, “One Lord, one faith, one baptism,”
- My God provides:
- One PEACE
- One LOVE
- One JOY
- One HOPE
- One FAITH
- One SALVATION!!!!
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