God vs. The Gods

Posted by on October 7, 2007 under Sermons

Different traditions number the Ten Commandments differently …

Are the first two commandments one or two?

Two or One?

  • No other Gods
  • Do Not make Idols
  • Are these saying the same thing?
  • Are they two different points?

Among the Gods

  • Exodus 15:11
  • Exodus 18:11
  • Joshua 23 – 24
  • Psalm 86:8-10

Battle of the Gods

  • Exodus 12:12
    – “I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD.”

Household Gods

  • Genesis 31
    – The God of my Father (v. 5)
    – Laban’s household gods (v.19)
    – Jacob respects Laban’s gods (vv. 31-32)

Buried Gods

  • Jacob wrestles with God – Gen. 32
  • Conflict with Shechem – Gen. 33-34
  • Throwing Away Foreign Gods – Gen. 35

Dumb Idols

  • Isaiah 44:13-20
    – An idol is a worthless, powerless thing
    – Its maker is mortal
  • Psalm 115:2-4

Two Concerns

  1. You must not have other gods
    • Other “powers” may exist
    • GOD is the only divine power worthy of our worship
    • God is “Jealous”
  2. You must not make graven images
    • The Character of GOD cannot be captured in an image
    • An image is not God