“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. -Ex 20:4-6 ESV
Warrior;
Most people would never think of themselves as an idolater. However, to God Coveting is the same: Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. (Col 3:5) God HATES idolaters: “You shall not behave thus toward the LORD your God, for every abominable act which the LORD hates they have done for their gods; for they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods. (Dt 12:31) IT IS NATURAL that our children learn from us and many WANT TO BE, just like us!
Leader, you need to know the power of words, specifically CONJUNCTIONS. There are 2 important CONJUNCTIONS in these verses; AND & BUT. ‘And” ties two things together; both parts are processed and needed. BUT, negates whatever comes before it. In the UNCONSCIOUS MIND, your mind disregards everything BEFORE the ‘BUT’, and focuses all attention on what comes NEXT. Where with ‘AND’, both parts are heard.
Conduit, after God tells us the consequences of idolatry to the 3rd and 4th generation HE introduces us to a BIG ‘BUT’! This is how loving and giving HE IS; to 1000 generations for those who LOVE HIM! Now we get the other conjunction- “AND”, KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS. Jesus made is clear- CRYSTAL: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” In Luke 6:46 He asks, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? Remember a PICTURE is worth 1000 WORDS. Show God by putting HIM FIRST. Let your LOVE speak so loudly that God doesn’t need to hear a word you are saying!
