FAQs Mondays: What is the Second Commandment?

Last week, we answered the question, "What is the first commandment?".  You can read that post here.  This week we will be answering the question, "What is the second commandment?".  The first commandment stated that we are not to worship or serve any other gods.  There is only one true God, he alone is to be worshiped and served.  The second commandment builds off the first.

Which is the second commandment?

The second commandment is, "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.  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 fathers to the third and forth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand [generations] of those who love me and keep my commandments" (Ex. 20:4-6).

What is required by the second commandment?

The second commandment requires the receiving, observing, and keeping pure and entire, all such religious worship and ordinances, as God has appointed in his Word.  The Lord states, "Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do.  You shall not add to it or take from it" (Deut. 12:32, ESV).  Moses warned, "Take to heart all the words by which I am warning you today, that you may command them to you children, that they may be careful to do all the words of this law" (Deut. 32:46, ESV).  Jesus commanded his apostles, "Teach them to observe all that I have commanded you.  And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matt. 28:20, ESV).

What is forbidden by the second commandment?

The second commandment forbids the worship of God by images, or any other way that draws the heart away from his glory rather than towards his glory.  Paul warns, "Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immoral God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles" (Rom. 1:22-23, ESV).  Moses stated, "Therefore watch yourselves very carefully.  Since you saw no form on the day that the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire, beware lest you act corruptly by making carved images for yourself, in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female" (Deut. 4:15-16, ESV; see also Col. 2:18).  Paul urges, "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10:31, ESV; see also Col. 3:17).

What are the reasons added to the second commandment?

The reasons added to the second commandment are God's holy jealousy for his name, and the zeal he has for his own worship. Paul said, "No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God.  I don not want you to be participants with demons.  You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons.  You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.  Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy?  Are we stronger than he?" (1 Cor. 10:20-22, ESV).  The Lord commanded the Israelites to destroy all the worship sites in the promise land, "For you shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God" (Ex. 34:14, ESV).

Summary

The second commandment forbids the worship of God through the use of images (carved or imagined), and informs us that God is deeply concerned about the substance and form of worship.  That is to say, God cares about how we worship.  Next week, we will answer the question, "What is the third commandment?".