Deuteronomy 5:7 You shall have none other gods before me. Every true head of a family lays down rules according to which the household is regulated. God, as the Father of all, here makes known the rules by which His great family are to regulate their lives. He introduces those rules with a brief but pregnant preface. "I am the Lord" — "a word of thunder," says Luther: "thy God" — a word of blessing — "thou shalt have none other gods before Me." It would seem as if the command must be self-evidently rational. But it means that we ought above all to fear, love, and trust God. God says: "Give Me thine heart" — thy whole heart. We keep this command when we — I. FEAR GOD SUPREMELY. 1. Each commandment is like a coin stamped on both sides. On the one side the image is forbidding, even terrible. It delineates the prohibition, "Thou shalt not." The other is beautiful — it gives the precept. Look at the first commandment on its two sides — the one shows the idolater, the other the child of God. 2. When men fear aught else but God they are idolaters. They bow before images of terror, e.g. want, sickness, death, the judgment of men, etc. 3. But we ought to fear God because "He is a great God"; "He commands and it is done," etc. He sends sickness and health, etc. In His hands are life and death. He is Judge. "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Therefore "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." 4. But to fear God for this reason only would be not to fear Him, but His rod. This is a slavish fear: such "fear has punishment." But if children of God we must avoid what would offend Him. "How shall I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" Let this fear ever be yours in every circumstance and condition in life. A proud sceptic wrote: "A poor miserable life it is to be constantly in fear! What will they ever accomplish who are always asking the question, 'Is this right that I have undertaken what I am doing?' How weakly and fearfully do such take their stand in a world where courage and quick decision are needed in order to achieve anything, who plague themselves with puerile scruples of conscience and stand ever in dread of an unseen Judge!" No, we say. The man who fears God is freed from every other fear. And true courage, endurance, etc., are to be found only among God-fearing men, e.g. the Swiss at Lempach praying. "They pray for mercy," said an Austrian, "but from God, not from us, and what that means we shall soon experience." The apostles: "We must fear God rather than men." II. LOVE GOD SUPREMELY. 1. When men love any person or thing more than God they are idolaters as much as those who serve idols, e.g. Mammon. 2. Others do not cherish mammon in their hearts. On the contrary, they squander what they possess to minister to their lusts and appetites. "Whose end is destruction." 3. Others cry out, "I deserve to have honour among my fellows, their esteem," etc. Ask yourself, do you esteem this more than the honour that comes from God? 4. Others cry, "My wife, child, etc., is the being most dear to me," etc. Try your heart as to whether they have a higher place in your heart than God, and whether, therefore, you are an idolater. 5. If you would escape from this idolatry hear what God says: "My son, give Me thine heart." Hear what David says of Him: "I will love Thee, O Lord, my strength," etc. (Psalm 17:1, 2). If He is all this to us we must love Him. III. TRUST GOD SUPREMELY. 1. Manifold are the troubles and dangers we meet on the way through life; and in view of this not only heathens but Christians trust in dead idols. When men put their trust in aught but God they become idolaters. 2. When a poor man trusts in a rich friend alone; a sick man thinks only of the skilled physician, an embarrassed man trusts to his own unaided wisdom, or a dying man declares, "I have at all times lived righteously, I shall not be condemned," they are idolaters. "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom," etc. 3. Rather give God your heart, and rest all your hope in Him. In trouble look to Him as the true helper and be confident. Though the last handful of meal and drop of oil be reached, etc., trust, and all will be well. Remember His word, "I am the LORD THY GOD." This heavenly Father will feed, help, etc., in due time; and even when His ways seem dark, remember His wonders of old. (K. H. Caspari.) Parallel Verses KJV: Thou shalt have none other gods before me. |
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