You shall have no other gods before me (Exodus 20:3).

The first commandment that God gives to Israel (and thus to all) is the logical one: Have no other gods before Me. This may seem an obvious command to many, but we have to remember the context. Israel had just left Egypt with their many gods and was going to a land of many different cultures, and thus many different gods. Yahweh was thus warning Israel against getting entangled with the gods of that land.

Other Gods

Are there other gods? Isn’t the Lord (Yahweh) the only true God? He is indeed. He tells us,

See now that I, I am He,
And there is no god besides Me;
It is I who put to death and give life.
I have wounded and it is I who heal,
And there is no one who can deliver from My hand (Deut. 32:39, NASB).

What does it mean, then to have another god before Yahweh? The Bible tells us that fallen man has rejected the knowledge of the truth and the true God (Rom. 1:18-32), setting up gods of his own making. To the unbeliever, these gods are as real (or more so) than the true God. His mind is darkened, and he has excluded the true God.

In truth anything or anyone can be a god. In the abstract, god simply means someone or something that calls the shots in my life. The atheist says, “There is no god,” but he has simply made himself god of his own life (he calls the shots).

Before Me

What does it mean to put something or someone “before” God? Again, the question seems obvious. At first glance the term (rightly) seems to suggest primacy of place. We are to allow nothing and no one to claim the place that Yahweh has reserved for Himself. Later in chapter 20, the Lord repeats the command but with a subtle variation. We read,

You shall not make gods of silver to be with me, nor shall you make for yourselves gods of gold (Ex. 20:23).

Notice the subtle difference here. Not only was Israel commanded to not put any god “before” Yahweh (i.e., in His place), but they were also commanded to not make gods to “be with” Him (or alongside Him). He will tolerate no rival to His throne. This command eliminates any possibility of syncretism (mixing various forms of worship with the worship of the true God).

A Jealous God

Why is Yahweh so demanding in this regard? Is He simply a jealous deity that longs for all the attention? The answer to that is, “Yes.” He describes Himself as a jealous God (v. 5). He is jealous of His position, yes, but He is jealous for our protection. The gods of man’s creation are in reality no gods. They have no eternal power. Following such gods only leads to confusion, darkness, and destruction. Centuries later, the Lord would show what happens when men opt for lesser gods. He spoke to Jeremiah,

“Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate,” declares the Lord, “for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water” (Jer. 2:12-14).

When man follows false gods, he is inevitably left dry, thirsty, and dead. False gods cannot satisfy the soul; only Yahweh can do that. The sad thing is that He longs to do that. Jesus pleaded with the thirsty to come to Him:

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls (Matt. 11:28-29).

How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! (Matt. 23:27)

If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, “Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:37-38).

In addition to being an affront to the character and holiness of God, putting anything before or alongside Him in our lives must break His heart, as He stands ready to meet every need of the human soul. All we need do is turn from those things in repentance and turn to Him in faith.