The Ten Commandments - Lesson 3: The First Commandment

The Ten Commandments

Lesson 3: The First Commandment

Exodus 20:1-3 [1] God spoke all these words, saying, [2] “I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. [3] “You shall have no other gods before me.

The main points for this lesson / commandment:

The main point again is to teach the first commandment. We should have no other gods before God.

We should love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.

Suggestions:

A simple way to explain this commandment is that God must be number one. He must have first place. We must not have any other first place gods.

Two stories from the Bible to convey the idea of this commandment are the story of Caleb and the story of Daniel and the lions den (Daniel 6). The story of Daniel may be most suitable for the age-groups we are with.

The story of Daniel can be used to show someone who did not have any other gods before God, and who loved and served God with his whole heart.

Stories:

Numbers 13:1-33;14:1-4,20-24 – Caleb followed the Lord fully

Daniel 6 – story of Daniel and the lions den. He refused to pray to anyone else, but would worship and serve only the Lord God.

2 Chronicles 12:1-14 [1] When the kingdom of Rehoboam was established, and he was strong, he abandoned Yahweh’s law, and all Israel with him. [2] In the fifth year of king Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had trespassed against Yahweh, [3] with twelve hundred chariots, and sixty thousand horsemen. The people were without number who came with him out of Egypt: the Lubim, the Sukkiim, and the Ethiopians. [4] He took the fortified cities which pertained to Judah, and came to Jerusalem. [5] Now Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam, and to the princes of Judah, who were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them, “Thus says Yahweh, ‘You have forsaken me, therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak.’” [6] Then the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, “Yahweh is righteous.” [7] When Yahweh saw that they humbled themselves, Yahweh’s word came to Shemaiah, saying, “They have humbled themselves. I will not destroy them; but I will grant them some deliverance, and my wrath shall not be poured out on Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. [8] Nevertheless they shall be his servants, that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.” [9] So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of Yahweh’s house, and the treasures of the king’s house. He took it all away. He also took away the shields of gold which Solomon had made. [10] King Rehoboam made in their place shields of brass, and committed them to the hands of the captains of the guard, who kept the door of the king’s house. [11] It was so, that as often as the king entered into Yahweh’s house, the guard came and bore them, and brought them back into the guard room. [12] When he humbled himself, the wrath of Yahweh turned from him, so as not to destroy him altogether: and moreover in Judah there were good things found. [13] So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned: for 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. [14] He did that which was evil, because he didn’t set his heart to seek Yahweh.

2 Chronicles 32:20-21 [20] Hezekiah did so throughout all Judah; and he worked that which was good and right and faithful before Yahweh his God. [21] In every work that he began in the service of God’s house, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.

More Stories and Examples:

Joshua 24:14-15 [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.”

Other Verses: