Lesson # 49–52—The Second Commandment

[The second, third, and fourth commandments can be better understood as expositions of the first commandment. Therefore keep in mind Thou shalt have no other gods before me.]

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Shorter Catechism Q & A #49 (Memorize)

Q. Which is the second commandment?

A. The second commandment is, Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commands. Exodus 20:4–6

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Shorter Catechism Q & A #50 (Memorize)

Q. What is required in the second commandment?

A. The second commandment requireth the receiving, observing, and keeping pure and entire, all religious worship and ordinances as God hath appointed in his word.

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Shorter Catechism Q & A #51 (Memorize)

Q. What is forbidden in the second commandment?

A. The second commandment forbiddeth the worshipping of God by images, or any other way not appointed in his word.

What does it mean?

Questions and answers 50 and 51 are a commentary on these words of the first commandment: Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them.

1. Positive. Commandment two requires that we receive, observe, and keep pure our worship and God’s ordinances as he has revealed in his Word.

Discuss:

• Receiving: What does it mean to set our hearts unto the Word of God? Deuteronomy 32:46.
• Observing: How are we to keep the whole Word of God? Deuteronomy 12:32.
• Keep Pure – For what reason are we to keep the Word of God pure? Matthew 28:20. Matthew Henry wrote: Are we to keep God’s ordinances? Yes: That good thing which was committed to thee, keep, 2 Tim. 1:14. Are we to keep them carefully? Yes: Keep them as the apple of thine eye, Prov. 7:2. Must we keep them pure without corruption? Yes: Add thou not to his words, Prov. 30:6. And entire, without diminution? Yes: We must walk in all the ordinances of the Lord, Luke 1:6. May we neither add nor diminish? No: Thou shalt neither add thereto nor diminish from it, Deut. 12:32.

2. Negative. Commandment two forbids us to worship God by image, or any way not so revealed in his Word. Discuss: Take warning that we can corrupt ourselves in disobedience. Deuteronomy 4:15–19. What snares do we have to be on the watch for? Deuteronomy 12:3–32.

What is our practice?

Examine the practice of worship in your fellowship as to its purity and consistency to the honor of Christ and his Word.

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Shorter Catechism Q&A #52 (Memorize)

Q. What are the reasons annexed to the second commandment?

A. The reasons annexed to the second commandment are, God’s sovereignty over us, his propriety in us, and the seal he hath to his own worship.

What does it mean?

Question and answer 52 gives us an understanding of these words of the first commandment: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commands.

God is sovereign! As subjects of the King of kings we owe him our allegiance. Discuss God’s sovereignty as revealed in Leviticus 19:4 and Psalm 45:11. Matthew Henry wrote: Has God a property in us? Yes: for we are the people of his pasture, Ps. 95:7. Ought we therefore to worship him? Yes: He is thy Lord, and worship thou him, Ps. 45:11. And not to worship other gods? Yes: for hath a nation changed their gods? Jer. 2:11.

What is our practice?

How does the Jealousy of God motivate us to be faithful subjects (Psalm 14:11); and to be faithful in our worship (Exodus 34:13-14)?

Quotes for thought and discussion:

A Jealous God

“let my readers observe that God is called jealous, because He permits no rivalry which may detract from His glory, nor does He suffer the service which is due to Him alone to be transferred elsewhere. When He reminds the people that he dwells among them, it is partly to inspire terror by reason of His presence, and partly to reprove indirectly their ingratitude, if they should forsake Him, and seek for themselves gods who are afar off.” (John Calvin)

For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.” —Ex. 34:14

“Moses has not deemed it sufficient simply to honor God with this title; but, in amplification, he has added that this is His name, in order that we may know that He can no more bear a companion, or a rival, to be compared with Him, than He can cast away His Godhead, or deny Himself.” (John Calvin)

Thomas Watson wrote: “Visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation. Here is the second reason against image-worship. There is a twofold visiting. There is God’s visiting in mercy. ‘God will surely visit you’: that is, he will bring you into the land of Canaan, the type of heaven. Gen 50:25. Thus God has visited us with the sunbeams of his favour; he has made us swim in a sea of mercy. This is a happy visitation. There is God’s visiting in anger. ‘Shall I not visit for these things?’ that is, God’s visiting with the rod. Jer 5:9. ‘What will ye do in the day of visitation?’ that is, in the day when God shall visit with his judgments. Isa 10:3. Thus God’s visiting is taken in this commandment, ‘visiting iniquity,’ that is, punishing iniquity.”

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