Exodus 20:4-5 says, "⁴You shall not make for yourself a carved 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. ⁵ You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God..."
These verses are pretty straightforward. Don't put anything above God- don't have idols for yourself.
An idol is an image, statue, or object worshiped as a deity (supernatural being or spirit) or a person/thing that is EXTREMELY admired or obsessed over.
Now, first of all, we have to recognize ANY idols in our lives:
Do we put our phones above God?
Do we put reading above God?
Do we put spending time with friends above God?
Do we put romantic relationships above God?
Do we put money above God?
Do we put school above God?
Do we put our careers above God?
There are many other things we can put BEFORE God, but you get the point.
Now, none of these things are necessarily bad when they're put in their RIGHTFUL spot. We should put NOTHING above God.
He is a jealous God (as seen in verse 5)
God being a 'jealous God' does not mean that His jealousy is anything like human jealousy. Our jealousy is unrighteousness; God's jealousy is righteous.
If you had a child, that you loved with everything inside of you and that you would do anything for and that you have taken care of for all of their life, if they decided to just leave you and go to live with their friends and they started calling their friend's parents 'mom'/'dad', would you not be jealous and heartbroken?
Would your jealousy be unrighteousness jealousy?
Of course not! That is your child!
Unrighteous jealousy is a feeling of resentment or anger.
Righteous jealousy is a passionate, protective desire of what rightfully belongs to you.
God's jealousy is just that.
We are God's creation. We belong to Him, not anyone or anything else.
If we spot any idols in our lives, we can always repent (turn away from that sin) and turn to God. He is always willing to forgive us when we ask!
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