Nothing Has Changed

“Who is like you among the gods, O LORD—glorious in holiness, awesome in splendor, performing great wonders? You raised your right hand, and the earth swallowed our enemies. [Exodus 15.11-12]

Israel's story is the story of God's people. In Israel's story, God's people throughout history (even to this day), find a picture of themselves as well as truths by which to live. The greatest of these truths is Jesus Christ.

The first and foremost truth of all Israel's history is, in fact, Jesus Christ.

“You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! [John 5.39]

The second truth I wish to point out, as has been my proclivity to do the last couple of years, is that idolatry was a prevalent antithesis to God, and therefore, an enemy of God's people: "Who is like you among the gods, O LORD..."

As the Scriptures timelessly point to Jesus (God With Us) as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, so idolatry is the timeless nemesis to Jesus being honored in that position. It was then, and it is now: nothing has changed.

In time, it would literally be "written in stone" that God demanded undisputed, undivided, and undiluted lordship in His people. God always intends to be distinct and to make a distinction in His people. God expects and demands no less in return from His people:

I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. “You must not have any other god but me. [Exodus 20.2-3]

Everything to do with Egypt was slavery and idolatry as is alluded to in the subject passage above:  "Who is like you among the gods, O LORD..."

But God did not risk misinterpretation of His 1st Commandment knowing man would have the tendency (at Satan's behest) to do so. So, God identified idolatry as the first indicator of violating the 1st Commandment in the 2nd Commandment:

“You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. [Exodus 20.4-6]

Who can guess what the first indicator of violating the 2nd Commandment above is? Yes, the 3rd Commandment:

You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name. [Exodus 20.7] 

Satan's infamous words, "Has God really said..." (Genesis 3) should be remembered right here. God was specific in His instruction to Adam and Eve just as He is specific in His enduring instruction to us in the first two Commandments. However, Satan's same words, often cited in different form by God's own people, misuse God's name by willfully interpreting "no other gods" as "God uses [name any idol here]." This is, in fact, a blatant violation of the 3rd Commandment. Every such misuse of God's name is man's inglorious justification of his own ambiguous way for self-preservation and self-indulgence instead of God's specific way.

Unironically, Israel revealed just such a misuse of God's name in today's One Year Chronological Bible reading. Regardless what God had spoken through Moses (that Israel would be delivered from slavery in Egypt), in a "Has God really said" self-preserving, self-indulgent moment, Israel misused God's name in claiming the following:

Didn’t we tell you this would happen while we were still in Egypt? We said, ‘Leave us alone! Let us be slaves to the Egyptians. It’s better to be a slave in Egypt than a corpse in the wilderness!’” [Exodus 14.12]

Then, before it was actually written, Moses indirectly pointed the people to the first two Commandments. He mentioned the LORD (1st Commandment) and he mentioned the idol of Egypt (2nd Commandment):

But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the LORD rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The LORD himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” [Exodus 14.13-14]

The way to get the 3rd Commandment right is to abide by the 2nd Commandment.

The way to get the 2nd Commandment right is to abide by the 1st Commandment.

Now, watch this...

How do we get the 1st Commandment right? It's already been revealed above: Jesus!

“You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! [John 5.39]

And, in no less exclusive language, Jesus revealed His continuity with - His very existence as - the Word of God demanding every bit of the 1st Commandment as it has always stood:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]

The Bible has never indicated anything other than this! In fact, nothing has changed! Wholesale violation of the 3rd Commandment has confused and confounded man's relationship with God. The prevailing end result is "dead religion."

So... what is the first indicator of violating the 3rd Commandment? It is violating the Sabbath. 

Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. [Exodus 20.8]

In the brilliance of God, the Sabbath is, or it should be said "He" is, Jesus, the very reality of the Sabbath of God.

So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality. [Colossians 2.16-17]

Once again, nothing has changed! God's plan has never changed - His plan has been Jesus from the beginning and, in fact, before the beginning!

Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. [Colossians 1.15-16]

When Jesus said, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me" He meant it in all the scope and fullness of not only the first four Commandments, but all ten of them. Nothing has changed.

Again, the first indicator of violation of the 1st Commandment is idolatry. Let that soak in.

Father, Your Word is absolutely amazing. Jesus is absolutely amazing in that He commands all the same obedience as the Ten Commandments. As we see ourselves in the Ten Commandments, help us to understand that following Jesus allows idolatry in no way, shape, form, or fashion. Help us to get it right - to "just stay calm" to see that You (God With Us) fight for us relieving us of any responsibility whatsoever to self-preserve or self-indulge (Matthew 6.33). So be it.