What connections exist between Leviticus 20:1 and the First Commandment? Introducing the Voice Behind the Command • Leviticus 20:1 – “Then the LORD said to Moses,” • The verse opens with God Himself speaking. The same divine voice that carved the Ten Commandments on stone tablets (Exodus 31:18) continues to address His covenant people. • Connection: The First Commandment (“You shall have no other gods before Me,” Exodus 20:3) derives its absolute authority from this very Speaker. When Leviticus begins with “the LORD said,” it reinforces that every subsequent command—including the First—is rooted in God’s unrivaled supremacy. One Speaker, One Allegiance • The phrase “the LORD said” reaffirms monotheism. There is no committee of deities; one voice issues the law. • By identifying Himself as the sole Lawgiver, God implicitly reiterates the First Commandment’s demand that Israel recognize no rival gods (Isaiah 45:5). • Practical takeaway: Every command in Leviticus flows from the same Source who said, “You shall have no other gods.” A believer’s allegiance cannot be divided. Anticipating the Molech Warning • Immediately after 20:1, verse 2 addresses child sacrifice to Molech—an explicit violation of the First Commandment. • Structure matters: God first states, “I am speaking,” then targets idolatry. The arrangement highlights that the First Commandment governs everything that follows. • By condemning Molech worship, God protects His people from drifting into polytheism and preserves exclusive devotion. Authority, Ownership, and Covenant Fidelity • “The LORD” (YHWH) is the covenant name revealed in Exodus 3:14. It ties Leviticus back to Sinai where the First Commandment was first given. • When God speaks, He claims ownership over Israel’s moral life (Leviticus 18:4–5). The First Commandment is therefore not an isolated rule; it is the foundational obligation underpinning every detailed statute in Leviticus. Continuity Across Testaments • Jesus affirmed this hierarchy: “The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One’” (Mark 12:29–30). He linked wholehearted love for God with exclusive worship—the essence of the First Commandment. • Paul warned against idolatry by appealing to the same exclusivity (1 Corinthians 10:14). Thus both Old and New Testaments echo Leviticus 20:1’s presupposition: God alone has the right to command. Take-Home Connections • God’s voice in Leviticus 20:1 is the same voice that thundered at Sinai; both call for singular loyalty. • The position of 20:1 before the Molech prohibition shows that idol worship is foremost a violation of God’s unique authority. • Every statute that follows—including laws about morality, worship, and community life—unpacks what “no other gods” looks like in daily practice. • For believers today, recognizing God as the only rightful authority remains the first step toward faithful obedience in every sphere of life. |
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