No Other Gods

“You shall have no other gods before me.”

That was the first commandment God gave Israel at Mt. Sinai. When we think about those words in context, it should be a no brainer; why would they want any other gods? Every single Israelite knew nothing except life in Egypt, and the dozens of gods of the Egyptians. They were monotheistic, but the Egyptians behind them and the Canaanites before them were polytheistic. The Lord knew the temptation would come to follow the gods of the pagans around them, but think for a minute about what Yahweh had done for them.

First, He led them out of slavery. We know about the Ten Plagues sent to the Egyptians, but don’t forget that Israel was spared from the plagues. That action of God showed He could handle Israel’s enemies and at the same time be their protector. Second, God did not leave them on their own after the tenth plague, but instead supernaturally guided them as a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night. Third, when Pharaoh was bearing down on them, God parted the Red Sea for Israel, then drowned Egypt by sending the water back down.

On the way to the Promised Land Israel was attacked by the cowardly Amalekites, who tried to pick off the women and children and elderly. These lifelong slaves who knew nothing of war were able to fend off the professional pirates, for as long as Moses’ arms were in the air, Israel was victorious over Amalek. God continued to provide for them by sending manna from heaven and water from a rock. So when He began the Ten Commandments by saying to have no other gods besides Him, it should have been an easy decision. The gods of the Egyptians were humiliated by Yahweh, and the Israelites would do well to keep their trust in Him.

The provisions of God in our own lives might not always seem as miraculous, but James reminds us that every good gift in our lives comes from Him (1:17). When we remember that He keeps our hearts beating and our lungs breathing, and the million other blessings in our lives, why would we want any other god besides Him? If Jesus is not the Lord of your life, call out to Him today for the greatest gift of all—the salvation of your soul. If you have already been saved, thank Him for the many blessings in your life today.