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Question

What does "no other gods before me" mean? Trace this commandment through the entire Bible -- from the patriarchs to Revelation. What does "before me" (al panay) mean in Hebrew? How do the prophets, Jesus, and the apostles treat this commandment? What does the Bible say about the existence and nature of other "gods"?

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IDOLATRY

Wicked Practices Of: - Human sacrifices: LEV 18:21; 20:2-5; DEU 12:31; 18:10; 2KI 3:26,27; 16:3; 17:17,18; 21:6; 23:10; 2CH 28:3; 33:6; PSA 106:37,38; ISA 57:5; JER 7:31; 19:4-7; 32:35; EZK 16:20,21; 20:26,31; 23:37,39; MIC 6:7 - Practices relating to the dead: DEU 14:1 - Licentiousness: EXO 32:6,25; NUM 25:1-3; 1KI 14:24; 15:12; 2KI 17:30; 23:7; EZK 16:17; 23:1-44; HOS 4:12-14; AMO 2:8; MIC 1:7; ROM 1:24,26,27; 1CO 10:7,8; 1PE 4:3,4; REV 2:14,20-22; 9:20,21; 14:8; 17:1-6

Other Customs Of: - Burnt offerings: EXO 32:6; 1KI 18:26; ACT 14:13 - Libations: ISA 57:6; 65:11; JER 7:18; 19:13; 32:29; 44:17,19,25; EZK 20:28 - Libations of blood: PSA 16:4; ZEC 9:7 - Prayers to idols: JDG 10:14; ISA 44:17; 45:20; 46:7; JON 1:5 - Cutting the flesh: 1KI 18:28; JER 41:5 - Kissing: 1KI 19:18; HOS 13:2; JOB 31:27 - Bowing: 1KI 19:18; 2KI 5:18

Objects Of: - Sun, moon, and stars: DEU 4:19; 2KI 17:16; 21:3,5; 2CH 33:3,5; JOB 31:26-28; JER 7:17-20; 8:2; EZK 8:15,16; ZEP 1:4,5; ACT 7:42 - Images of angels: COL 2:18 - Animals: ROM 1:23 - Golden calf: EXO 32:4 - Brazen serpent: 2KI 18:4

Denunciations Against: GEN 35:2; EXO 20:3-6,23; 23:13; 34:17; LEV 19:4; 26:1,30; DEU 4:15-23,25-28; 5:7-9; 11:16,17,28; 12:31; 16:21,22; 27:15; 28:15-68; 30:17,18; 31:16-21,29; 32:15-26; 1SA 15:23; 1KI 9:6-9; JOB 31:26-28; PSA 16:4; 44:20,21; 59:8; 79:6; 81:9; 97:7; ISA 42:17; 45:16; JOL 3:12; JON 2:8; MIC 5:15; HAB 1:16; ACT 15:20,29; 17:16; ROM 1:25; 1CO 6:9,10; 8:1-13; 10:7,14,20-22; 1JN 5:21; REV 21:8; 22:15

Warnings Against and Punishments Of: DEU 17:2-5; 2CH 28:23; NEH 9:27-37; PSA 78:58-64; 106:34-42; ISA 1:29-31; 2:6-22; 30:22; 57:3-13; 65:3,4; JER 1:15,16; 3:1-11; 5:1-17; 7; 8:1,2,19; 13:9-27; 16; 17:1-6; 18:13-15; 19; 22:9; 32:35; 44; 48:8; EZK 6; 7:19; 8:5-18; 9; 14:1-14; 16; 20; 22:4; 23; 44:10-12; HOS 1:2; 2:2-5; 4:12-19; 5:1-3; 8:5-14; 9:10; 10; 11:2; 12:11-14; 13:1-4; 14:8; AMO 3:14; 4:4,5; 5:5; MIC 1:1-9; 5:12-14; 6:16; ZEP 1; MAL 2:11-13

Prophecies Relating To: EXO 12:12; NUM 33:4; ISA 2:18,20; 17:7,8; 19:1; 21:9; 27:9; 31:7; JER 10:11,15; 51:44,47,52; EZK 43:7-9; HOS 10:2; MIC 5:13; ZEP 2:11; ZEC 13:2

Folly Of: EXO 32:20; DEU 4:28; 32:37,38; JDG 6:31; 10:14; 1SA 5:3,4; 12:21; 1KI 18:27; 2KI 3:13; 19:18; 2CH 25:15; 28:22,23; PSA 96:5; 106:20; 115:4,5,8; 135:15-18; ISA 2:8; 16:12; 36:18; 37:19; 40:12-26; 41:23,24,26-29; 43:9; 44:9-20; 45:20; 46:1,2,6,7; 47:12-15; 57:13; JER 2:28; 10:3-16; 11:12; 14:22; 16:19,20; 48:13; 51:17; DAN 5:23; HOS 8:5,6; HAB 2:18,19; ZEC 10:2; ACT 14:15; 17:22,23,29; ROM 1:22,23; 1CO 8:4,5; 10:19; 12:2; GAL 4:8; REV 9:20

IDOL

  • Manufacture of: EXO 20:4; 32:4,20; DEU 4:23; ISA 40:19,20; 44:9-12,17; HAB 2:18; ACT 19:24,25
  • Manufacture forbidden: EXO 20:4; 34:17
  • Made of gold: EXO 32:3,4; PSA 115:4-7; 135:15-17; ISA 2:20; 30:22; 31:7; HOS 8:4
  • Made of silver: ISA 2:20; 30:22; 31:7; HOS 8:4
  • Made of wood and stone: LEV 26:1; DEU 4:28; 2KI 19:18; ISA 37:19; 41:6; 44:13-19; EZK 20:32
  • Prayer to, unanswered: 1KI 18:25-29; ISA 16:12

WORSHIP

  • To be rendered only to God: EXO 20:3; DEU 5:7; 6:13; MAT 4:10; LUK 4:8; ACT 10:26; 14:15; COL 2:18; REV 19:10; 22:8
  • Of angels, forbidden: REV 19:10; 22:8,9
  • Commanded: GEN 35:1; EXO 23:17,18; 34:23; DEU 12:5-7,11,12; 16:6-8; 31:11-13; 33:19; 2KI 17:36; PSA 45:11; 76:11; 96:8,9; 97:7; 99:5; JOL 1:14,15; 2:15-17; NAM 1:15; HAG 1:8; ZEC 14:16-18; MAT 8:4; MRK 1:44; LUK 5:14; HEB 10:25; REV 14:7; 19:10

POLYTHEISM

General scriptures concerning: GEN 31:19; 35:2,4; JOS 24:2,23; JDG 2:13; 3:7; 10:16; 17:5; JER 2:28; 11:13; DAN 4:8; 1CO 8:5

COMMANDMENTS

General scriptures concerning: EXO 13:8-10; 20:3-17; DEU 4:5,9,10; 5:6-21; 6:4-9; 11:18-21; 32:46,47; JOS 8:30-35; 2CH 17:7-9; NEH 8:2-8; PSA 78:1-7; PRO 3:3,4; 6:20,21; 7:1-4; ISA 57:8; JER 11:4; ZEC 7:9,10; 8:16,17

FORGETTING GOD

  • A characteristic of the wicked: PRO 2:17; ISA 65:11
  • Backsliders guilty of: JER 2:32; 3:21
  • Is forgetting his covenant: DEU 4:23; 2KI 17:38
  • Works: PSA 78:7,11; 106:13
  • Benefits: PSA 103:2; 106:7
  • Prosperity leads to: DEU 8:12-14; HOS 13:6
  • Cautions against: DEU 6:12; 8:11
  • Punishment of: JOB 8:12,13; PSA 9:17; ISA 17:10,11; EZK 23:35; HOS 8:14

JEALOUSY

Attributed to God: EXO 20:5; 34:13,14; NUM 25:11; DEU 29:20; 32:16,21; 1KI 14:22; PSA 78:58; 79:5; ISA 30:1,2; 31:1,3; EZK 16:42; 23:25; 36:5,6; 38:19; ZEP 1:18; 3:8; ZEC 1:14; 8:2; 1CO 10:22

GODS

See IDOL; IDOLATRY; IMAGE

GOD, PERSONALITY OF (sub-entry under GOD)

EXO 3:14; 8:10; 15:11; 20:3; 34:14; DEU 4:35,39; 5:7; 6:4; 10:17; 32:12,39; JOS 22:22; JDG 13:16; 1SA 2:2; 7:3; 2SA 7:22; 22:32; 1KI 8:23,60; 2KI 17:36; 19:15; 2CH 6:14; EZR 1:3; NEH 9:6; PSA 18:31; 86:10; 96:5; ISA 37:16; 40:25; 42:8; 43:10,11; 44:6,8; 45:5,6,18,21,22; 46:5,9; JER 10:6,7,10; 14:22; 32:27; HOS 13:4; MAL 2:10; MAT 4:10; 23:9; MRK 12:32; JHN 14:9; 17:3; ROM 1:25; 3:29; 1CO 8:4-6; 2CO 4:4; GAL 3:20; EPH 4:6; COL 1:15; 1TH 1:9; 1TI 2:5; HEB 1:3

GOD, UNITY OF (sub-entry under GOD)

See GOD, PERSONALITY OF above. Key verses: DEU 6:4; 1KI 8:60; 20:28; ISA 42:8; MRK 12:29,32; JHN 17:3; 1CO 8:4,6; GAL 3:20; 1TI 2:5; JAS 2:19

GOD, JEALOUS (sub-entry under GOD)

EXO 20:5,7; 34:14; DEU 4:24; 5:9,11; 6:15; 29:20; 32:16,21; JOS 24:19; 2CH 16:7-10; ISA 30:1,2; 31:1,3; EZK 23:25; 36:5; 39:25; JOL 2:18; NAM 1:2; ZEC 1:14; 1CO 10:22

  • GOD, CREATOR: Includes 1CO 8:6 and REV 14:7 which connect the first commandment to God as Creator
  • GOD, ETERNITY OF: ISA 44:6 ("I am the first, and I am the last") connects eternal nature to exclusive deity
  • GOD, HOLINESS OF: JOS 24:19 ("He is a holy God; he is a jealous God") links holiness with jealousy