Multiple gods

The very first commandment God gave to Moses was, “Thou shalt not have any gods before me”(20:3). But why would the Israelites obey God’s wishes? Who does only this God deserve the people’s praises? God himself offers one incentive: “I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage”(20:2). And not only did God liberate the Israelites from slavery, but he also is the source of their creation. The importance of this commandment is also emphasized in several ways. Not only is it the first commandment given, but it is the most consistent throughout every version of the text. King James’ version, the Revised Standard Edition, and the translation by Robert Alter all share the same words. “I am the Lord thy God, etc…Thou shalt not have any gods before me” (20:2, 20:3). Interestingly, the commandment is also written in second-person singular, which denotes that the commandment addresses each individual Israel, rather than a generalized rule (Alter, 3).

Despite being the most important, the commandment is also the one most neglected. Firstly, the Israelites soon create a golden calf before Moses returns, violating both the first and second commandments. But, as time continues, and more modern interpretations of the commandments have arisen, even today the Lord does not come first in many lives. The most common replacements of God include money and power. The rampant materialism in recent society is an obvious replacement of God in many lives. Rather than worship or prayer, jobs, shopping, or personal advancement come first. ‘Gods’ come in many forms, even ourselves: an aspect of the first commandment that is not often recognized.