One God…Really?

The first commandment, “You shall have no other gods before me,” is a profound declaration of monotheism and a call to exclusive worship. It sets the tone for devotion to one God—the creator of the universe and everything in it including men and women.  

This commandment calls for a life centered around the worship and values of the one true God. It emphasizes the importance of aligning one’s life and actions according to divine will, thereby fostering a strong sense of moral and spiritual integrity.

God called one man, Abram (renamed Abraham), out of the polytheistic culture of Ur, a city along the Euphrates River and established a covenant with him.

“The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.'”
Genesis 12:1-3

The people referred to became known as Israelites, the descendants of Abraham’s grandson, Jacob (renamed Israel) to be set apart for God’s purposes. Israel’s sons became slaves in Egypt and after 400 years headed back to their homeland, known today as Israel. On their return journey, God provided guidelines for living including what would become known as The Ten Commandments. After centuries of living in a land where multiple gods were worshiped, and knowing that the Israelites would soon be surrounded by tribes and nations that worshiped many gods, God issued His directive, “You shall have no other gods before me,” to help the people avoid the influences of pagan practices of these surrounding cultures.

Judaism and Christianity are both anchored to the recognition of the one Holy God. In the Shema, the central prayer in Jewish worship we read:

She-ma yisrael, adonaieloheinu, adonai echad
Hear O’ Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One

Here, the commandment recognizes and honors the unique covenantal relationship between God and the Jewish people.

Jesus reaffirmed the importance of the first commandment during His ministry. When asked about the greatest commandment, Jesus responded:

“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’”
Mark 12:29-30

In this response, Jesus not only emphasizes the monotheistic foundation of the first commandment but also expands on its implications. He links the commandment to love God with one’s entire being—heart, soul, mind, and strength. This holistic devotion to God encapsulates the essence of the first commandment, calling believers to an all-encompassing love and commitment.

The Ten Commandments – Exodus 20 1-17

 And God spoke all these words:

² “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

³ “You shall have no other gods before me.

⁴ “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. ⁵ You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, ⁶ but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

⁷ “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

⁸ “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. ⁹ Six days you shall labor and do all your work, ¹⁰ but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. ¹¹ For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

¹² “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

¹³ “You shall not murder.

¹⁴ “You shall not commit adultery.

¹⁵ “You shall not steal.

¹⁶ “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

¹⁷ “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

_{Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay}