“You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.” – Exodus 20:4-6 (ESV)

 

I. Reverence and humility are essential anytime we come before God. This fundamental principle is what the second commandment is all about: the lawful approach to God.

Exposition With Application

I. The first commandment forbids false gods. The second commandment forbids worshipping the true God in the same manner that unregenerate men worship their idols.

The unsaved man loves his idols as much as he loves his own self-righteousness.

II. Every race of people has engaged in idolatry. It is an aspect of man’s fallen nature. Those who have practiced it most openly have been the most depraved in history.

This fact stands as a testimony to God’s judgment against idolatry: God giving them over to a reprobate mind (the worst judgment a person can suffer in this world).

III. Idolatry takes one of two forms.

A. The worship of a false god in direct disobedience to the first commandment.
B. The worship of the LORD our God through some man-made image in direct disobedience to the second commandment.

To worship God through an image is to deny His nature and belittle His majesty.

IV. Every image of God declares that the human mind is adequate to know and understand Him well enough to produce a copy of him (every image is a lie!).

God Himself challenges this assumption.

“To whom will you liken me and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be alike? – Isaiah 46:5 (ESV)

V. Christ commanded worship in spirit and in truth.

God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” – John 4:24

A. Worship in truth as opposed to worship in error.
B. Spiritual worship as opposed to sensual worship: worship that feeds man’s senses.

VI. The worship which God has ordained is the opposite of sensual. It consists in the worshiper’s soul interacting with the truth of God’s Word.

VII. The more our worship is focused on God’s Word, the more closely we comply with the second commandment.

A. The blessing for obedience is the ministry of the Holy Spirit attending our worship.
B. The punishment for disobedience is reprobation which extends through generations.

Application

I. True worship in obedience to the second commandment requires:

A. Knowledge of God’s perfections (worshipping and praising God for who He is)
B. A sincere desire to praise and to please God.
C. Humility and reverence in recognition of God’s awesome majesty.
D. Faith in Christ as the only Mediator between God and man.

II. True worship is the evidence that we have trusted in the finished work of Christ and have turned away from the idols of man’s imagination.

Related post:

Grace In The Law: The First Commandment