The Ten Commandments - Lesson 4: The Second Commandment

The Ten Commandments

Lesson 4: The Second Commandment

Exodus 20:4-6 [4] You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: [5] you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me, [6] and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You can’t serve both God and Mammon.

The main points for this lesson / commandment:

The main point of the commandment is, Do not worship idols.

Explain what an idol is. In some countries, such as India, people worship statues, which the Bible calls idols. In this country we do not generally worship statues, but we may still have idols. One idol in our country is money and possessions. God tells us in the Bible that greed (or covetousness) is idolatry. Jesus taught us that we cannot serve God and Mammon* at the same time (Matthew 6:24).

*Mammon refers to money and possessions in this life.

We should not worship or serve idols. What should we do instead? We should worship, serve and obey God first, and God alone.

Suggestions:

Open the lesson with prayer for the teacher and the students and this class time.

A simple way to explain this to children: We should not have any second place gods. Perhaps we worship and serve God first, but maybe we want a second god for something else.

While many stories may be useful to teach this commandment, two stories which may fit the young children are the story of the three men in the fiery furnace (Daniel 3), and the story of the story of the rich young man. You can use either story or both stories, as you see fit to best teach the second of the Ten Commandments.

For this lesson, please remember as you go through the story with the children, that the main point of the story is to help to teach the children the second commandment. The story of the three men in the fiery furnace provide a good illustration of men who remained faithful to God by not bowing down to any idol. The story of the rich young man shows us someone who tried to serve both God and the idol of money and possessions. In the end, he had to choose one or the other.

Close the lesson with prayer related to the subject and the students. Pray the Lord's Prayer together.

Stories:

Daniel 3 – story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

Matthew 19:16-26 [16] Behold, one came to him and said, “Good teacher, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” [17] He said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but one, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” [18] He said to him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, “‘You shall not murder.’ ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ ‘You shall not steal.’ ‘You shall not offer false testimony.’ [19] ‘Honor your father and mother.’ And, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” [20] The young man said to him, “All these things I have observed from my youth. What do I still lack?” [21] Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” [22] But when the young man heard the saying, he went away sad, for he was one who had great possessions. [23] Jesus said to his disciples, “Most certainly I say to you, a rich man will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven with difficulty. [24] Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God.” [25] When the disciples heard it, they were exceedingly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” [26] Looking at them, Jesus said, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

A young man who made his possessions his idol.

1 Kings 11:1-13 [1] Now king Solomon loved many foreign women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites; [2] of the nations concerning which Yahweh said to the children of Israel, “You shall not go among them, neither shall they come among you; for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.” Solomon joined to these in love. [3] He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart. [4] When Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not perfect with Yahweh his God, as was the heart of David his father. [5] For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. [6] Solomon did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and didn’t go fully after Yahweh, as did David his father. [7] Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the mountain that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the children of Ammon. [8] So he did for all his foreign wives, who burnt incense and sacrificed to their gods. [9] Yahweh was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned away from Yahweh, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, [10] and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he didn’t keep that which Yahweh commanded. [11] Therefore Yahweh said to Solomon, “Because this is done by you, and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you, and will give it to your servant. [12] Notwithstanding I will not do it in your days, for David your father’s sake; but I will tear it out of the hand of your son. [13] However I will not tear away all the kingdom; but I will give one tribe to your son, for David my servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen.”

2 Chronicles 33:1-13 [1] Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign; and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. [2] He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, after the abominations of the nations whom Yahweh cast out before the children of Israel. [3] For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down; and he reared up altars for the Baals, and made Asheroth, and worshiped all the army of the sky, and served them. [4] He built altars in Yahweh’s house, of which Yahweh said, “My name shall be in Jerusalem forever.” [5] He built altars for all the army of the sky in the two courts of Yahweh’s house. [6] He also made his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom; and he practiced sorcery, and used enchantments, and practiced sorcery, and dealt with those who had familiar spirits, and with wizards: he worked much evil in the sight of Yahweh, to provoke him to anger. [7] He set the engraved image of the idol, which he had made, in God’s house, of which God said to David and to Solomon his son, “In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name forever: [8] neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from off the land which I have appointed for your fathers, if only they will observe to do all that I have commanded them, even all the law and the statutes and the ordinances given by Moses.” [9] Manasseh seduced Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that they did more evil than the nations whom Yahweh destroyed before the children of Israel did. [10] Yahweh spoke to Manasseh, and to his people; but they gave no heed. [11] Therefore Yahweh brought on them the captains of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh in chains, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon. [12] When he was in distress, he begged Yahweh his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. [13] He prayed to him; and he was entreated by him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that Yahweh was God.

More Stories and Examples:

Numbers 25:1-13 [1] Israel stayed in Shittim; and the people began to play the prostitute with the daughters of Moab; [2] for they called the people to the sacrifices of their gods. The people ate and bowed down to their gods. [3] Israel joined himself to Baal Peor. Yahweh’s anger was kindled against Israel. [4] Yahweh said to Moses, “Take all the chiefs of the people, and hang them up to Yahweh before the sun, that the fierce anger of Yahweh may turn away from Israel.” [5] Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Everyone kill his men who have joined themselves to Baal Peor.” [6] Behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought to his brothers a Midianite woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, while they were weeping at the door of the Tent of Meeting. [7] When Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from the midst of the congregation, and took a spear in his hand. [8] He went after the man of Israel into the pavilion, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her body. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel. [9] Those who died by the plague were twenty-four thousand. [10] Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, [11] “Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I didn’t consume the children of Israel in my jealousy. [12] Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him my covenant of peace. [13] It shall be to him, and to his seed after him, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was jealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.’”

Joshua 24:14-28 [14] “Now therefore fear Yahweh, and serve him in sincerity and in truth. Put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River, in Egypt; and serve Yahweh. [15] If it seems evil to you to serve Yahweh, choose this day whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve Yahweh.” [16] The people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake Yahweh, to serve other gods; [17] for it is Yahweh our God who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and who did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way in which we went, and among all the peoples through the midst of whom we passed. [18] Yahweh drove out from before us all the peoples, even the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve Yahweh; for he is our God.” [19] Joshua said to the people, “You can’t serve Yahweh; for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God. He will not forgive your disobedience nor your sins. [20] If you forsake Yahweh, and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you evil, and consume you, after he has done you good.” [21] The people said to Joshua, “No; but we will serve Yahweh.” [22] Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen Yahweh yourselves, to serve him.” They said, “We are witnesses.” [23] “Now therefore put away the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your heart to Yahweh, the God of Israel.” [24] The people said to Joshua, “We will serve Yahweh our God, and we will listen to his voice.” [25] So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made for them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem. [26] Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God; and he took a great stone, and set it up there under the oak that was by the sanctuary of Yahweh. [27] Joshua said to all the people, “Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us; for it has heard all Yahweh’s words which he spoke to us. It shall be therefore a witness against you, lest you deny your God.” [28] So Joshua sent the people away, every man to his inheritance.

Joshua warns the people that God is a jealous god. He will not allow his people to worship or serve other gods as well as him.

1 Thessalonians 1:8-10 [8] For from you the word of the Lord has been declared, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone out; so that we need not to say anything. [9] For they themselves report concerning us what kind of a reception we had from you; and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, [10] and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.

Other Verses:

Acts 15:22-29 [22] Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole assembly, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brothers. [] [23] They wrote these things by their hand: “The apostles, the elders, and the brothers, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: greetings. [24] Because we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, ‘You must be circumcised and keep the law,’ to whom we gave no commandment; [25] it seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, [26] men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. [27] We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves will also tell you the same things by word of mouth. [28] For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay no greater burden on you than these necessary things: [29] that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality, from which if you keep yourselves, it will be well with you. Farewell.”

1 Corinthians 5:9-11 [9] I wrote to you in my letter to have no company with sexual sinners; [10] yet not at all meaning with the sexual sinners of this world, or with the covetous and extortionists, or with idolaters; for then you would have to leave the world. [11] But as it is, I wrote to you not to associate with anyone who is called a brother who is a sexual sinner, or covetous, or an idolater, or a slanderer, or a drunkard, or an extortionist. Don’t even eat with such a person.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 [9] Or don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexuals, [10] nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor extortionists, will inherit the Kingdom of God. [11] Such were some of you, but you were washed. But you were sanctified. But you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and in the Spirit of our God.

1 Corinthians 10:1-22 [6] Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. [7] Neither be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” [14] Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

Ephesians 5:5-10 [5] Know this for sure, that no sexually immoral person, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and God. [6] Let no one deceive you with empty words. For because of these things, the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience. [7] Therefore don’t be partakers with them. [8] For you were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, [9] for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth, [10] proving what is well pleasing to the Lord.

Colossians 3:1-6 [1] If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. [2] Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth. [3] For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. [4] When Christ, our life, is revealed, then you will also be revealed with him in glory. [5] Put to death therefore your members which are on the earth: sexual immorality, uncleanness, depraved passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry; [6] for which things’ sake the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience.

1 John 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

A JEALOUS GOD

Exodus 34:10-17 [10] He said, “Behold, I make a covenant: before all your people I will do marvels, such as have not been worked in all the earth, nor in any nation; and all the people among which you are shall see the work of Yahweh; for it is an awesome thing that I do with you. [11] Observe that which I command you this day. Behold, I drive out before you the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite. [12] Be careful, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it be for a snare in your midst: [13] but you shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and you shall cut down their Asherah poles; [14] for you shall worship no other god: for Yahweh, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God. [15] “Don’t make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, lest they play the prostitute after their gods, and sacrifice to their gods, and one call you and you eat of his sacrifice; [16] and you take of their daughters to your sons, and their daughters play the prostitute after their gods, and make your sons play the prostitute after their gods. [17] “You shall make no cast idols for yourselves.

Deuteronomy 4:23-26 [23] Be careful, lest you forget the covenant of Yahweh your God, which he made with you, and make yourselves an engraved image in the form of anything which Yahweh your God has forbidden you. [24] For Yahweh your God is a devouring fire, a jealous God. [25] When you shall father children, and children’s children, and you shall have been long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make an engraved image in the form of anything, and shall do that which is evil in the sight of Yahweh your God, to provoke him to anger; [26] I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that you will soon utterly perish from off the land which you go over the Jordan to possess it. You will not prolong your days on it, but will utterly be destroyed.

Deuteronomy 6:10-19 [10] It shall be, when Yahweh your God brings you into the land which he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you, great and goodly cities, which you didn’t build, [11] and houses full of all good things, which you didn’t fill, and cisterns dug out, which you didn’t dig, vineyards and olive trees, which you didn’t plant, and you shall eat and be full; [12] then beware lest you forget Yahweh, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. [13] You shall fear Yahweh your God; and you shall serve him, and shall swear by his name. [14] You shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the peoples who are around you; [15] for Yahweh your God in your midst is a jealous God; lest the anger of Yahweh your God be kindled against you, and he destroy you from off the face of the earth. [16] You shall not tempt Yahweh your God, as you tempted him in Massah. [17] You shall diligently keep the commandments of Yahweh your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he has commanded you. [18] You shall do that which is right and good in the sight of Yahweh; that it may be well with you, and that you may go in and possess the good land which Yahweh swore to your fathers, [19] to thrust out all your enemies from before you, as Yahweh has spoken.

Deuteronomy 29:16-21 [16] (for you know how we lived in the land of Egypt, and how we came through the midst of the nations through which you passed; [17] and you have seen their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which were among them); [18] lest there should be among you man, woman, family, or tribe whose heart turns away this day from Yahweh our God, to go to serve the gods of those nations; lest there should be among you a root that produces bitter poison; [19] and it happen, when he hears the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, “I shall have peace, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart, to destroy the moist with the dry.” [20] Yahweh will not pardon him, but then Yahweh’s anger and his jealousy will smoke against that man, and all of the curse that is written in this book will fall on him, and Yahweh will blot out his name from under the sky. [21] Yahweh will set him apart for evil out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all of the curses of the covenant that is written in this book of the law.

Jeremiah 25:4-9 [4] Yahweh has sent to you all his servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them (but you have not listened, nor inclined your ear to hear) [5] saying, Return now everyone from his evil way, and from the evil of your doings, and dwell in the land that Yahweh has given to you and to your fathers, from of old and even forever more; [6] and don’t go after other gods to serve them or worship them, and don’t provoke me to anger with the work of your hands; and I will do you no harm. [7] Yet you have not listened to me, says Yahweh; that you may provoke me to anger with the work of your hands to your own hurt. [8] Therefore thus says Yahweh of Armies: Because you have not heard my words, [9] behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, says Yahweh, and I will send to Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against its inhabitants, and against all these nations around; and I will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and a hissing, and perpetual desolations.

1 Kings 14:21-22 [21] Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which Yahweh had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there: and his mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess. [22] Judah did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they committed, above all that their fathers had done.

1 Corinthians 10:19-22 [19] What am I saying then? That a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? [20] But I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God, and I don’t desire that you would have fellowship with demons. [21] You can’t both drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You can’t both partake of the table of the Lord, and of the table of demons. [22] Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

2 Corinthians 11:2-3 [2] For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy. For I married you to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ. [3] But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve in his craftiness, so your minds might be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.