It would help you to understand this a little more, if I just tell you a little bit about the context here. The context in which something is said, is very important for what it all means. What is going on that causes God to give these 10 commandments? So we’re going to answer that one. If you don’t know anything about the Hebrew culture, this is a bit of a mystery. It’s like God has just written down laws: you keep the law. Do the law – good! Don’t do law – punish! Most people think of it like that.
You need to understand that there is a much bigger picture here. You remember that the Lord drew the people of Israel out into the wilderness, then God came down to encounter them. God began to talk to them about wanting to meet with them; and there was a covering that came down over them. The words God spoke are quite meaningful to the Hebrews. He said: you are a special treasure to me.
In the Hebrew culture, when someone wanted to marry someone, there were steps that they took. The first step was to say: you are a special treasure to me. There were a number of steps that would take place. Finally they would come to the place of engagement, or betrothal to marry. They would come under a canopy, and in preparation for marriage, the groom would bring out what was called the marriage arrangement.
Their marriage arrangement consisted of the requirements of this marriage covenant. So this Exodus 20 is what’s called the ketubah, it was called the marriage covenant. So what they would do is that they would exchange vows, and there would be an agreement. This is what we agree to, so we can maintain our marriage relationship. They had lived in slavery for years, so this ketubah was absolutely wonderful to them.
But notice what God is saying: rethink this! Rethink it as a marriage relationship. I’m the Lord your God, you have no other gods before Me. I want to be number 1 in your life, don’t have any other boyfriends. Don’t make images of other gods. Don’t keep the pictures of your old boyfriends. Honour the Lord your God. Don’t take My name in vain. In other words, when we get married, I want you to live a life that honours me, so I’m proud of you and not ashamed of you. So it goes through, and all of those steps – don’t steal - I’ll provide for you.
It’s all about a marriage relationship. It’s all about the terms of living as a husband and wife betrothed to God. I encourage you to look up and search on the internet a Hebrew wedding, and the engagement process; and you will see here in Exodus 19 and 20, this is the whole process of coming into covenant agreement with God.
So now God says: there are consequences if you are unfaithful in marriage. We tend to think of relationship with God being casual - but it isn’t, it’s called covenant - a binding agreement. So this is what God is saying: if you’re unfaithful to Me, there are consequences. So this is what He says: if you follow after idols, the impact of that idolatry, will last for generations. Let’s go and have a look at that. Have a look at what He’s saying here.
So in Exodus 20: I the Lord am a jealous God. In other words, I’m a passionate lover - I don’t want you to have other boyfriends. That’s what that means - it’s true! In James He puts it this way: if you follow the world with all its values - you’re an adulteress. You’re unfaithful to God! God loves us – and He wants to have an intimate relationship.
Notice God talks about specifically idolatry. There are many sources of cursing, but idolatry is a significant one. He said: you’ll have no other gods before Me. Don’t make any images, don’t bow down to them. Now, to “bow down” means to worship, or pay respect, to an idol. It means to give that idol a place of honour and value in your life. When a person bows down to an idol, they are actually acknowledging the demon that’s in the idol. The power behind an idol is an evil spirit; but the idol itself is just a piece of wood - it’s actually nothing, it’s meaningless, it’s a carving of hand; but behind it and within it is an evil spirit. So when people bow down to the idol, they are actually honouring and yielding to the demonic presence that inhabits it. So you understand God being very upset with that.
Now, when a person makes an offering to an idol, they are trading with an evil spirit. They are trading. That means, they are offering in exchange. To trade, I give you something; you give me something - it’s an agreement. So if you make an offering to an idol, you are intentionally entering in an agreement with an evil spirit - that’s why there’s a problem with this. You give the offering to the idol, and implicitly you are looking for protection, or provision, or power.
These are all things God wants to provide, so when you bow down to an idol, you are rejecting God as the source of provision, power and protection, and you are trading with an idol; trading with an evil spirit. So this is the problem with idolatry – that when we bow down and offer sacrifices to them, we are trading with an evil spirit, entering into an agreement with an evil spirit, and the evil spirit now has a legal right of access. A legal right of access!
In Psalm 115 verse 8, we’ll read from verse 3. Notice what it talks about idols. “3 But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases. 4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. 5 They have mouths, but they do not speak; Eyes they have, but they do not see; 6 They have ears, but they do not hear; Noses they have, but they do not smell; 7 They have hands, but they do not handle; Feet they have, but they do not walk; Nor do they mutter through their throat.” Now notice this: “8 Those who make them are like them; and so is everyone who trusts in them.”