The Importance of the Second Commandment
The First Commandment tells us who to worship. The Second tells us how. Here's why God forbids man-made representations of Himself — and what that means for the subtle idols we create today.
“You must not make for yourselves an idol that looks like anything in the sky above or on the earth below or in the water below the land.” – Exodus 20:4
There are Ten Commandments in the Bible. God gave these commandments to Moses; he was the one who led the Israelites after they were freed from slavery and were headed toward the land God had promised them. The Ten Commandments were given so they would know how to live, and God promised that if they followed them, their lives would be blessed. The rules helped the Israelites act as a holy nation that reflected God's goodness to the rest of the world.
The first four commandments focus on honoring God, while the last six focus on treating other people with respect – like not stealing, lying, or hurting others. While the First Commandment establishes who to worship – the one true God – the second commandment establishes how to worship Him. It teaches individuals how to worship the true God, forbidding idolatry and human-made misrepresentations of Him.
God hates idolatry in any form (Deuteronomy 6:14–15). There are dangers in making or having idols especially when someone makes things a god before Him. Everyone has the tendency to make idols or other gods from people, sports, the government or money. We tend to put these things above God. That is why God gave people these rules or laws so people will be reminded how God wants them to live. The commandments are still valid for Christians, and our lives and the world would be far better if we followed them.
Jesus reminds us of that when He states in Matthew 5:17, “Don’t think that I have come to destroy the law of Moses or the teaching of the prophets. I have not come to destroy them but to bring about what they said.”
The Second Commandment dictates how we are to worship God, ensuring we honor Him truly rather than through man-made physical representations. Man-made gods cannot do what the true God can do. They cannot speak, hear, walk, or possess divine life. They can be broken, melted, or destroyed, proving they have no real power or reality. On the other hand, God can bring light into existence, perform what is impossible for human beings. He is self-existent, eternal, and the Creator of all things.
He is worthy of praise, glory and honor because He made all things. Everything existed and was made, because He wanted it (Revelation 4:11).