A GOD WHO DOESN’T SHARE

The Lord God of Heaven does not share. He doesn’t tolerate rivals. He doesn’t negotiate His glory. The Second Commandment isn’t some relic of an ancient law code, long forgotten and buried under centuries of dust. No—it’s a blazing decree from the throne of the Almighty, a roaring inferno of divine jealousy that demands absolute, undivided worship.

“You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.” (Exodus 20:4)

And this command doesn’t stand alone. The next verse thunders from Sinai:

“For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me.” (Exodus 20:5)

God’s jealousy isn’t like ours. It’s not some insecure possessiveness. It’s the white-hot zeal of His holiness—the rightful demand of infinite majesty. To craft an image, to bow before anything as though it were divine, isn’t just spiritual foolishness—it’s treason against the High King of Heaven.

Idolatry has been humanity’s disease from the very beginning. It’s the poison that ran through the veins of Eden, the darkness that has stained every age since. The Garden was lost to it. The nations are blinded by it. Calvin was right—our hearts are idol factories, cranking out false gods with industrial efficiency. Before Moses even made it down the mountain, Israel had already melted their gold, shaped a calf, and dared to call it Yahweh. They didn’t abandon God entirely—they just tried to remake Him into something they could see, touch, and control.

That’s what every idol is—a lie about God.

That’s why the Second Commandment is distinct from the First. The First forbids worshiping false gods. The Second forbids false representations of the true God (Westminster Larger Catechism, Q. 109). It’s not enough to claim allegiance to Yahweh if the Yahweh you worship is a version of your own making.

How often do we do the same thing today? How many have reshaped the God of Scripture into something softer, more agreeable—more marketable? A god without wrath. A god without justice. A god who demands nothing and tolerates everything. A golden calf of progressive morality. A Jesus who never calls for repentance. A cross without blood.

This is what makes idolatry so dangerous. It doesn’t just dishonor God—it distorts Him. It twists His image, erases His holiness, and replaces Him with a counterfeit. But the Lord does not tolerate rivals, because there are no rivals. He is not one god among many—He is the God. The One who speaks and galaxies are born. The One who commands the seas and they obey. The One who shakes mountains with His voice and makes rulers tremble.

And yet, we treat Him as common.

We scroll through our phones while our Bibles sit unopened. We sacrifice our children—not on Canaanite altars, but on the altars of convenience, career, and self-fulfillment. We give God the scraps of our time, our energy, our worship—while pouring out our best affections on wealth, pleasure, and entertainment.

And we call it devotion.

Even in the church, how many have made Christ into an idol of their own design—whether through art, imagination, or theology? Do we really think He doesn’t see? Do we think He doesn’t care?

He is jealous. And He will not share.

A GOD WHO JUDGES IDOLATERS

Do you think God is indifferent to idolatry? Look at history:

• The flood drowned a world that bowed to sin and false gods.

• Babel was shattered because men sought to glorify themselves.

• Egypt was crushed under ten plagues because they worshiped demons instead of Yahweh.

• Canaan was consumed by fire and sword because they bowed to Baal, Molech, and Asherah.

• Babylon fell in a single night because they drank from the Lord’s vessels while praising their gods of gold and silver.

And if you think we’re any different, consider this: Revelation 21:8 still names idolatry among the sins that lead to the lake of fire.

Idolatry isn’t some ancient sin that vanished with the Old Testament. It’s a present rebellion. A damning offense. A sword hanging over the neck of every soul who clings to false gods.

A GOD WHO REDEEMS IDOLATERS

But there is hope.

“But showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.” (Exodus 20:6)

The same fire that consumes the wicked refines the righteous. The same zeal that judges idolatry also rescues those who turn back to Him. God didn’t just punish idolaters—He redeemed them.

And He can redeem you too.

The righteous wrath of His holiness should have consumed us. But instead, it consumed His own Son.

Christ took the fury meant for idolaters. The gods of this world—whether made of gold, stone, or ideology—are powerless. But Christ reigns. The false gods of our culture promise freedom and deliver chains. But Christ alone saves.

To cling to idols is to drink poison and call it water. To cling to Christ is to find the river of life.

So let the idols fall. Shatter them. Burn them. Cast them into the sea. Let nothing stand between you and the Living God.

He will have all of you, or He will have none of you. But He will not share.

Flee to Christ. Worship God alone. Let your soul find rest in the One who alone is worthy.