W. Robert Godfrey

He does not want any images made of him that resemble human beings, that resemble animals or birds or things that creep on the earth or fish that swim in the sea or sun or moon or stars.

Have you got that?

None of these things are appropriate representations of God.

And very interestingly, he says, those things, those created things, I gave to all people.

And he doesn't really expand on that thought, but it's an intriguing thought when you think about it.

What God is really saying to Israel is, as creator, I gave creation to everybody.

but I'm giving myself to you.

I'm your God.

I'm the God who brought you out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

You shall have no other gods before me.

And so the Lord is saying, not only is this a command that I give you, but it's a command with a real reason behind it.

You must not replace the Creator with some part of the creation.

It doesn't make any sense.

But beyond not making any sense, it undermines the fundamental relationship that I have with you, my people.

And part of what I want to do as we go through this study of Deuteronomy is to see that God is not, I think as we sometimes think of him in relation to the Old Testament law, God is not the great accountant in the sky with a ledger, seeing how well we're doing on every little point.

God is above all else a personal, saving, loving God, and he wants a personal relationship with his people.

And all of these laws are designed to support that personal relationship that he has with people.

If you go replacing him with an image,

of something he created, you've diminished him.

But you've not only diminished him, but you have harmed the relationship he wants to have with you.