Day 4

Scripture to Read: Exodus 20:4

When we looked at Exodus 20:3 yesterday, God said to have no other gods before Him. In other words, we are not to have anything in our lives that comes as a priority before God. Then God said in Exodus 20:4, “You shall not make for yourself an idol or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.” Going back to the false gods of the other nations around the Israelites at this time, the people of these other nations had built idols resembling their false gods. As humans, our lack of faith is astounding at times, and that has not changed much over the last six thousand years. We are people that will say, “If I don’t see it, then I’m not believing it.” The people in the days of Moses were much the same; so, they had to see their false gods to be able to worship them. So, the craftsmen of their day would use gold, silver, wood, clay, or something else and make an image representing the false god(s) the people worshipped. But our God is perfect, holy, righteous, and so much more. So, God made it clear that no one this side of heaven can see Him or has seen Him (Exodus 33:20, John 1:18, John 6:46, Colossians 1:15, 1 Timothy 6:16, 1 John 4:12). The faith we have has been given to us by Him (Romans 12:3), and we must choose to place all of our faith in Him alone.

Challenge & Application

· What, if anything, has ever been a false god to you and what was its image? · How are you exercising the faith God has given you to trust Him and His Word completely?

Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!

Devotionals from this week

Swipe to Discover More

Day 1

When God speaks, we must not only pay attention, but we must obey what He has said. This week, we are only covering seven verses, so God is allowing us to look deeply into what He has to say to us. We start with Exodus 20:1, “Then God spoke all these words, saying.” On the Bible Gateway website at biblegateway.com, “God spoke” is used fourtee...

Read

Day 2

Since God spoke to the Israelites through Moses, we read in Exodus 20:2, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” God provided this incredible deliverance for the nation of Israel (consisting of over two million people) when He set them free from their bondage in Egypt. God reminded the ...

Read

Day 3

Our focus this week is on God speaking, what He said to the Israelites and what He speaks to us. In Exodus 20:3, God said, “You shall have no other gods before Me.” When God said this to the Israelites, most of the nations around them worshipped many false gods. Egypt had more than 40 false gods, although none are mentioned by name in Scriptu...

Read

Day 4

When we looked at Exodus 20:3 yesterday, God said to have no other gods before Him. In other words, we are not to have anything in our lives that comes as a priority before God. Then God said in Exodus 20:4, “You shall not make for yourself an idol or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the ea...

Read

Day 5

God continued to challenge the Israelites concerning idolatry, just as He challenges us. God said in Exodus 20:5, “You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me.” God’s jealousy is based on...

Read

Day 6

When we consider God’s love for us (John 3:16, Romans 5:8, Ephesians 2:4–5, 2 Thessalonians 2:16, 1 John 4:10, Revelation 1:5) and how He proved His love for us through our Lord Jesus Christ, it can be absolutely overwhelming at times. That is exactly what God said in Exodus 20:6, “but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me...

Read

Day 7

What a great week we’ve had examining God’s Truth about idolatry. We end today as we prepare to join other believers in worship, studying Exodus 20:7, where God said, “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.” God’s name is incredibly powerful. People migh...

Read