5:8Deuteronomy 5:8

Thou shalt not fashion a carved image or any copy of anything in the sky above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth as an object of worship.Ms 12, 1904, par. 6–18+1 Joined to the words that follow, it forbids bowing down to such things or serving them, because the Lord God is a jealous God who visits the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Him and shows mercy to thousands of those who love Him and keep His commandments.Ms 12, 1904, par. 6–18 It belongs to the first four commandments, which define what people owe to God, and to the covenant He spoke face to face out of the fire in Horeb, repeated by Moses to all Israel alive that day to be heard and learned and kept and done.Ms 12, 1904, par. 6–18+1 It was repeated to the new generation before entering Canaan, many of whom had been small children at Sinai or born in the wilderness, to present the claims of the law and enjoin obedience as the condition of prosperity in the promised land.1SP 330.3+1 It expresses God's definite will that must be kept without alteration or remodeling by human judgment, among the requirements He gave to guide Israel in becoming a holy people belonging to Him, requiring sanctification of mind, soul, and body with full surrender and continuing simplicity of obedience.7MR 309.1–3+4

The command forbids fashioning a carved image or any copy of anything in the sky above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth as an object of worship.Ms 12, 1904, par. 6–18+1 Joined to the words that follow it, it forbids bowing down to such things or serving them, because the Lord God is a jealous God who visits the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Him and shows mercy to thousands of those who love Him and keep His commandments.Ms 12, 1904, par. 6–18 It belongs to the first four commandments, which define people's obligations to God.Ms 34, 1903, par. 8 It is part of the covenant God made in Horeb and spoke face to face out of the midst of the fire in the mount, repeated by Moses to all Israel alive that day to be heard and learned and kept and done.Ms 12, 1904, par. 6–18

It is Moses repeating the ban on graven images to the new generation just before his death and their entering Canaan.1SP 330.3 Many of them were small children when the law was first given and had no remembrance of the grandeur of that event, and others were born in the wilderness after their fathers died under God's judgments for transgression and were shut out of the promised land.1SP 330.3 God commanded Moses to gather them, relate the journeyings since Egypt and the sins that kept their fathers out, and recapitulate the ten commandments with all the circumstances of the giving of the law.1SP 330.3 This was done so they would realize the necessity of obeying the ten commandments and all the laws and judgments.1SP 330.3

It is part of the law spoken from Sinai that Moses recapitulated to Israel at the river Jordan when the time to possess Canaan was at hand.Ms 12, 1904, par. 5 Few of that generation had been old enough to comprehend the solemnity of Sinai, so God directed that the history of deliverance from Egypt and the wilderness journeyings be rehearsed and the law repeated to present the claims of His law and to enjoin obedience as the condition of prosperity on entering the promised land.Ms 12, 1904, par. 5 It is part of the decalogue Moses repeated to Israel at a solemn assembly after they had failed to keep their covenant with God, belonging to the law Israel pledged to observe and concerning their words and actions.Ms 152, 1901, par. 34–36

It is part of the commandments Christ set before Israel through Moses in the wilderness, given at Sinai and recorded for later generations to study and put into practice in principle.ST Mar 31, 1898+1 These requirements and cautions make the path plain and shield people from temptation.ST Mar 31, 1898+1

The verse stands among the requirements and commandments given to ancient Israel to guide them in becoming a holy people belonging to Him, commandments they were to keep and obey.7MR 309.1–3+1 It expresses His will in definite requirements that must be kept without alteration, to be remembered and obeyed.Lt 59, 1898, par. 4–8 Its commands are not to be remodeled by human judgment.ST Mar 31, 1898

The verse belongs to His holy commandments and special directions requiring sanctification of mind, soul, and body, with full surrender and continuing simplicity of obedience.Lt 42, 1910, par. 6+1 Obedience to His will in it is required of every person, and disobedience has no excuse.Lt 292, 1908, par. 13 It is one of His directions to be carefully observed along with all His other directions, even those that may seem least.STB 628.4–629.2 It is an important thing specified in His Word that is not to be neglected but to be read to the people, read carefully, and regarded as a charge and lesson.Lt 42, 1910, par. 6

Every soul is to search it for themselves, make it a study book, and make doing it their special interest, sanctifying themselves daily according to it lest they be found in rebellion, so that the Lord is glorified through them.Lt 42, 1910, par. 6 The commandments were to remain constantly before the people so they would be kept from every false way.Ms 93, 1908, par. 50–53 It belongs to the law that professed servants of God are called to obey, and disobedience to this law means failing to reverence God and gives no ground to expect His cooperation and blessing.Ms 12, 1904, par. 19