Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold.
The verse forbids setting gods of silver or gold alongside the Lord, whether as separate gods or as images meant to represent Him, and forbids worshiping or reverencing them however costly or finely made. It was given to guard Israel from copying Egyptian image-making and turning from the worship of God alone to the worship of a created thing, a danger made greater because years in Egypt had dimmed the knowledge of His commandments. It belongs to the holy law spoken at Sinai in majesty and glory, given by God as Ruler of the world as the highest instruction in obedience to all His commandments. That law cannot be abolished but endures forever as the expression of His character and government, and at the judgment it will stand as the standard of righteousness by which life and death are decided. It is broken today when men gather and hoard gold and silver and make wealth a god instead of using means to give the light of truth, and likewise when the false Sabbath is idolized or pride makes a god of self.
Meaning in Its Setting
The command forbids making gods of silver and gods of gold to stand alongside the Lord, whether as gods in themselves or as images made to represent God, and it forbids worshiping them or giving them reverence. No idol of silver or gold is to be treated as an object of worship, however costly its material or however finely it is made. The prohibition is plain and direct, marking idolatry as a particular sin Israel needed to recognize and reject.
It was given to guard Israel against imitating Egyptian image-making, lest copying that idolatry lead them to turn from the worship of God alone to idolatry. The danger was worshiping a created object instead of God. That danger was especially pressing because the years in Egypt had obscured God's commandments in the minds of the people.
The command comes immediately after God's declaration that He had spoken to Israel from heaven, and it belongs to His requirements for the people. It is part of the chapter containing His special directions concerning the sacredness of His law. That instruction teaches that the Lord alone is the true God and that His people must obey His word, including keeping the Sabbath holy as His memorial. The Ten Commandments in that setting were proclaimed by God Himself and written by His own finger on stone, so that they would not be forgotten or corrupted.
The verse belongs to the instruction God gave to Moses in the mount, embraced in Exodus 19-24. That instruction was given by Christ Himself, the same Teacher who afterward spoke in human flesh.
Authority of the Law
Exodus 20:23 belongs to the holy law spoken at Sinai in majesty and glory, and is included among the commandments God calls people to keep. That law was given from the beginning by God as Ruler of the world, and Exodus 20 is the highest education in obedience to all of His commandments. Keeping this law matters as shown by Christ's command to love the Lord with all heart, soul, strength, and mind and to love one's neighbor as oneself.
That law cannot be abolished but will endure forever. It reveals God's character and will and expresses the principles of His government for all nations. At the judgment it will stand as the standard of righteousness, obedience to it is a condition of salvation, no one will have excuse for sin, and its principles determine the sentence of life or death.
The chapter is of great importance and its instruction is to be sacredly observed. It must be obeyed, studied, and presented before the people now just as verily as by the children of Israel in the days of Moses. Its plain word is to be read to congregations as written, without substituting human arguments or teachings. With the rest of these laws written in a book, it guards against doing injustice and guides dealings with one another, calling for all contention to cease and for love as brethren with softened and subdued hearts.
Setting aside any of the commandments of Exodus 20 in favor of a human requirement rejects God's authority. Those who turn aside from His explicit word are accountable to Him. The chapter establishes the seventh-day Sabbath as God's command and the test of loyalty.
Modern Idolatry and Obedience
The prohibition of making gods of silver and gods of gold is broken today by gathering gold and silver together and hiding it, making wealth itself a god. This hoarding continues even while it is allowed in the community, although those means are needed so that men and women may have the light of truth. To love silver and gold in this way is to mock God and to sell the soul, throwing away the eternity of bliss offered to those who keep His commandments.
Keeping His commandments matters because God desires verity and truth to be kept so that people may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. To this end He gave His only begotten Son to come to this world to give humanity the example of sinless humanity, so that humanity may grasp the divinity in Christ Jesus. Every sinner who comes to God through Christ and believes will have His arm encircle, care for, and protect them through trials and difficulties. Therefore people need not sin by coveting and murdering and doing everything possible to obtain money. Money is not everything, though it has its use, and its right use is to send missionaries to foreign countries and to provide the education needed to fit workers to go abroad and learn languages.
Idolatry under this command also includes the false Sabbath set up as an idol and pride that makes a god of the self. The gospel expels self-love and turns people from this self-worship. With the rest of these laws written in a book, the verse guards against doing injustice and guides dealings with one another. It calls for all contention to cease and for love as brethren with softened and subdued hearts in faithfulness to God's Word. As part of a chapter of great importance whose instruction is to be sacredly observed, its prohibition of making gods of silver or gold calls God's people to obey His Word and remain faithful to Him.
The verse forbids setting gods of silver or gold alongside the Lord, whether as separate gods or as images meant to represent Him, and forbids worshiping or reverencing them however costly or finely made. It was given to guard Israel from copying Egyptian image-making and turning from the worship of God alone to the worship of a created thing, a danger made greater because years in Egypt had dimmed the knowledge of His commandments. It belongs to the holy law spoken at Sinai in majesty and glory, given by God as Ruler of the world as the highest instruction in obedience to all His commandments. That law cannot be abolished but endures forever as the expression of His character and government, and at the judgment it will stand as the standard of righteousness by which life and death are decided. It is broken today when men gather and hoard gold and silver and make wealth a god instead of using means to give the light of truth, and likewise when the false Sabbath is idolized or pride makes a god of self.
Meaning in Its Setting
The command forbids making gods of silver and gods of gold to stand alongside the Lord, whether as gods in themselves or as images made to represent God, and it forbids worshiping them or giving them reverence. No idol of silver or gold is to be treated as an object of worship, however costly its material or however finely it is made. The prohibition is plain and direct, marking idolatry as a particular sin Israel needed to recognize and reject.
It was given to guard Israel against imitating Egyptian image-making, lest copying that idolatry lead them to turn from the worship of God alone to idolatry. The danger was worshiping a created object instead of God. That danger was especially pressing because the years in Egypt had obscured God's commandments in the minds of the people.
The command comes immediately after God's declaration that He had spoken to Israel from heaven, and it belongs to His requirements for the people. It is part of the chapter containing His special directions concerning the sacredness of His law. That instruction teaches that the Lord alone is the true God and that His people must obey His word, including keeping the Sabbath holy as His memorial. The Ten Commandments in that setting were proclaimed by God Himself and written by His own finger on stone, so that they would not be forgotten or corrupted.
The verse belongs to the instruction God gave to Moses in the mount, embraced in Exodus 19-24. That instruction was given by Christ Himself, the same Teacher who afterward spoke in human flesh.
Authority of the Law
Exodus 20:23 belongs to the holy law spoken at Sinai in majesty and glory, and is included among the commandments God calls people to keep. That law was given from the beginning by God as Ruler of the world, and Exodus 20 is the highest education in obedience to all of His commandments. Keeping this law matters as shown by Christ's command to love the Lord with all heart, soul, strength, and mind and to love one's neighbor as oneself.
That law cannot be abolished but will endure forever. It reveals God's character and will and expresses the principles of His government for all nations. At the judgment it will stand as the standard of righteousness, obedience to it is a condition of salvation, no one will have excuse for sin, and its principles determine the sentence of life or death.
The chapter is of great importance and its instruction is to be sacredly observed. It must be obeyed, studied, and presented before the people now just as verily as by the children of Israel in the days of Moses. Its plain word is to be read to congregations as written, without substituting human arguments or teachings. With the rest of these laws written in a book, it guards against doing injustice and guides dealings with one another, calling for all contention to cease and for love as brethren with softened and subdued hearts.
Setting aside any of the commandments of Exodus 20 in favor of a human requirement rejects God's authority. Those who turn aside from His explicit word are accountable to Him. The chapter establishes the seventh-day Sabbath as God's command and the test of loyalty.
Modern Idolatry and Obedience
The prohibition of making gods of silver and gods of gold is broken today by gathering gold and silver together and hiding it, making wealth itself a god. This hoarding continues even while it is allowed in the community, although those means are needed so that men and women may have the light of truth. To love silver and gold in this way is to mock God and to sell the soul, throwing away the eternity of bliss offered to those who keep His commandments.
Keeping His commandments matters because God desires verity and truth to be kept so that people may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. To this end He gave His only begotten Son to come to this world to give humanity the example of sinless humanity, so that humanity may grasp the divinity in Christ Jesus. Every sinner who comes to God through Christ and believes will have His arm encircle, care for, and protect them through trials and difficulties. Therefore people need not sin by coveting and murdering and doing everything possible to obtain money. Money is not everything, though it has its use, and its right use is to send missionaries to foreign countries and to provide the education needed to fit workers to go abroad and learn languages.
Idolatry under this command also includes the false Sabbath set up as an idol and pride that makes a god of the self. The gospel expels self-love and turns people from this self-worship. With the rest of these laws written in a book, the verse guards against doing injustice and guides dealings with one another. It calls for all contention to cease and for love as brethren with softened and subdued hearts in faithfulness to God's Word. As part of a chapter of great importance whose instruction is to be sacredly observed, its prohibition of making gods of silver or gold calls God's people to obey His Word and remain faithful to Him.