Growing up I could, and did, get in trouble for any number of infractions. There were spankings and then groundings for telling lies, fighting with my sister, failure to do my chores, watching TV shows I knew I wasn’t supposed to watch, etc. But there was one transgression that was guaranteed to would elicit the wrath of my parents more quickly and with greater severity than any other transgression: arguing or talking back to them. One might say that not arguing with my father and mother was the cardinal rule of the house, and looking back I can now see why. Talking back to my parents was an attempt to elevate myself to their level… or even above them. I had put my will in competition with their will; a competition where none should have existed.
God had a cardinal rule for Israel, a rule that prohibited bringing anything into competition with Him: “You shall have no other gods before me.” (Exodus 20:3, ESV)
The Ten Commandments In Context
The opening chapters of Exodus record how Israel was oppressed by the Egyptians, but the Lord delivered them “out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand” (Exodus 32.11). Upon delivering Israel from captivity, the Lord led them to Mount Sinai where He promised that “if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all the peoples” (Exodus 19.5). We then read how the Lord descended upon the mountain (vss. 16-20) and then spoke the ten commandments in the hearing of all the people (Exodus 20.1-21).
The ten commandments serve as the preamble to the covenant law, a law that would regulate every facet of their life. But the ten commandments contained the essential elements required to meet God’s standard; “You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy” (Leviticus 11.45). Sadly, Israel would violate all ten commandments throughout her history, but none more-so than the first; Israel would constantly forsake the Lord for other gods. And there was good reason why the first command is “to have no other gods before me”. As Martin Luther once said, “you cannot violate the other nine without breaking this one first.”
“You shall have no other gods”
The opening of the first commandment raises an interesting question: was the Lord saying that there are other gods? Some commentators question whether the first commandment required monotheism (the belief in only one god) or monolatry (the worship of only one god, while admitting the existence of others) However, other passages would seem to eliminate the possibility of there being other gods. Consider Isaiah 46.9: “I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me”.
A solution to the issue is found in the word translated as “gods” in Exodus 20.3, the Hebrew word elohim. You may be surprised that not only is this the word for Jehovah God in Exodus 20.5, but the Hebrew word is plural in both instances (it’s the word for God in Genesis 1.1). It is used in other passages to denote heavenly beings / angels (Psalm 8.5; 82.1; Job 1.6; 2.1) of Abraham (Genesis 23.6 in the NASB, NIV, NKJV) and even earthly rulers / judges (note Exodus 22.8-9 in the NASB, NIV, NKJV). Thus, the term designates a figure possessing power and authority, whether heavenly or earthly. But, as God said through Isaiah, while there may be many powers, there are none like Him. More on this later.
That other spiritual powers, i.e. “gods”, exist should not surprise us. Both the Old Testament and New Testament show the power of various spiritual forces:
- Pharaoh’s magicians could reproduce Moses’ signs and even some of the plagues by their “secret (demonic?) arts” (Exodus 7.11-12,22; 8.7,18-19).
- Those possessed by demons had inhuman power and abilities (see Luke 8.29; Acts 16.16).
- Angels posses remarkable power and authority (see 2 Samuel 24.10-17; Isaiah 37.36-38).
- The angel Gabriel was opposed by the “prince” of Persia and of Greece (Daniel 10.12-20).
- We are warned that our conflict is not with earthly powers, but with spiritual ones (Ephesians 6.12; Revelation 12.7).
- And of course, Satan is a spiritual power who exercises great authority (Matthew 4.9; John 12.31).
Returning to the commandment in Exodus 20.3, we must remember that Israel had just come out of Egypt, a land devoted to the worship of many gods. The Egyptians worshiped a pantheon of gods, including Pharaoh, out of the conviction that these powers would maintain the cosmic order which would result in the blessings of an inundated Nile, rich harvests and fertility. Thus, the Lord’s opening, and cardinal, command that Israel must not have any other gods than Him. He, and no other god or power, would be the source of their protection and blessings.
Do you see how idolatry is still the problem today? We put our trust in nations, politicians, economics, material possessions, etc. to provide blessings and security. These are the “gods” who are in competition with the one, true God. They are real powers, but they are nothing like Jehovah God. We invite competition when none should exist!
“before Me”
Chances are when you read the phrase “before Me” concepts of rank and order come to your mind. In that case the Lord would be telling Israel that they must not have any other gods head of Him; they must not give their devotion to something more than Jehovah. However, the Lord’s words mean something more: “When the text says that there should be no other god ‘before me,’ it does not refer to others having a higher position than Yahweh. The introduction in verse 2 has already indicated as a preexisting assumption that Yahweh is their God. The phrase “before me” means “in my presence” and therefore prohibits other gods from being considered to be in the presence of Yahweh. This prohibits several concepts that were a standard part of ancient beliefs. Most religions of that day had a pantheon, a divine assembly that ruled the realm of the gods, the supernatural, and, ultimately, the human world. There would typically be a deity who was designated head of the pantheon, and he, like the other gods, would have at least one consort (female partner). This commandment forbids Israel to think in these terms. Yahweh is not the head of a pantheon, and he does not have a consort—there are no gods in his presence.” (IVP Bible Background Commentary)
Some of our modern translations make this a little more clear. The NLT reads, “You must not have any other god but me” while the CSB reads “Do not have other gods besides me.” The brief prologue before the ten commandments makes it clear why Israel, and us, must not place any other gods/powers in the presence of the one true God! “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery” (Exodus 20.2 ESV). This was more than a simple statement of fact, but a reminder that the Lord had triumphed over all the gods of Egypt (see Exodus 12.12).
Some commentators see the plagues as triumphs over specific Egyptian gods (Hapi = Nile, Hekat = frogs, Hathor = cow, Ra = Sun, Pharaoh). However, more see the plagues as God’s judgment on all of Egypts gods by upsetting the cosmic order which they supposedly upheld. “From Dynasty 4 onward, the pharaoh bore the title “Son of Re.” As such, he was the god of the Egyptian state and was responsible to maintain the cosmic order (maʿat) on earth that had been established by Re at creation… Because of the bond that existed between the created order and the king as the incarnate “Son of Re,” he was responsible for the fertility of the land as well as for the proper function of the Nile, and because of the strong bond between the sun god, Re, and the king, he was the one who illuminated the two lands, i.e., Egypt… The vitality of the land was ensured by a number of annual festivals and related rituals over which the king presided. The nine plagues certainly showed that a cosmic struggle was in progress, and they challenged the king’s ability to maintain that cosmic order. If the king failed to execute his duties properly, the land would suffer, i.e., it would be in a state of chaos (isft).” (Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary)
In bringing Israel out of Egypt, the Lord had triumphed over the gods of Egypt. Thus, for Israel it was not enough to consider Jehovah as the greatest of many gods; they must consider Jehovah as the only god. And since the Lord was Israel’s only God, they should have heeded His voice and followed all of His commandments.
The Lord has triumphed over any power you or I can name. Kings, nations, demons, Satan, etc., the Lord has triumphed over them all. Yet, we still put so much trust in other powers; we are bringing other “gods” into the presence of Jehovah. If we want to defeat idolatry, we must heed the first commandment: “You shall have no other gods before me.” (Exodus 20.3 ESV).
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