Exodus 20  The commandments.  The people of Israel, some 600,000 men plus women and children have come out of slavery into a wilderness.  They are promised a land where they will be established as a nation.  Here at the base of Mount Sinai they have met with the LORD, their God.  They have accepted His covenant with them.  He will be their God and they will be His people.  Now God sets down the foundation of His rule for this "kingdom of priests and a holy nation." ( 19:6)

v3 "You shall have no other gods before Me."  Rule number 1.  Foundational for all the rest.  The I AM has chosen them as His people.  They must choose to worship Him in this Truth - there are no other gods,  everything else is false and unworthy of worship and obedience.  Anything else will erode this most vital relationship.  The Creator of Heaven and earth wants an exclusive relationship with us. 

v4-6 " You shall not make for yourself and idol..."   NO statues, no figures, nothing made by human hands can ever compare with the God Who created all things.  That seemed to be such an issue for the Jews.  It did take many generations for that lesson to be learned.  Both Isaiah and Jeremiah spoke scathing rebukes about the practice of idolatry in Israel and Judah many years after Israel was established.  Isaiah 44: 14-17 " ... He plants a fir, and the rain makes it grow.  Then it becomes something for a man to burn, so he takes one of them and warms himself; he also makes a fire to bake bread.  He also makes a god and worships it; he makes a graven image, and falls down before it.  Half of it he burns in the fire; over this half he eats meat as he roasts a roast, and is satisfied; He also warms himself.... But the rest of it he makes into a god, his graven image. He falls down before it and worships; he also prays to it and says, 'Deliver me, for thou art my god.'" Verse 20 "He feeds on ashes; a deceived heart has turned him aside. And he cannot deliver himself, nor say, "Is there not a lie in my right hand?'"( Jeremiah 10 is also a great commentary on idolatry. )

These 2 commands establish a unique foundation for Israel.  ONE God and only one, with no physical representation allowed.  This was different from all the other nations at that time.  The Lord proclaims that He is a jealous God.  He won't share His authority, His honor, or His position with any other thing, in the heavens or on the earth.

This same essential foundation is vital to our faith.  We know that we should not worship any idols... and this is not a cultural practice in America, for the most part, but.. we also know that idols aren't always pieces of wood sculpted into a statue that we bow before.   Idols/gods are, as Isaiah said, the ashes we feed on because of our deceived hearts,  the lies we hold on to and cannot deliver ourselves from...  Paul says it well in Romans 1:25  "For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator who is blessed forever."  Anything that receives honor... honor that belongs to God alone... is a lie.  An idol.
What are idols that we fashion in America?  Beauty, riches, fame, power...  Anything that we want.. that we lust after.. that deceives us and draws us away from God. 
Who do we honor?  God or an idol?
Who gets our time?
Who gets our money?
Who gets our hearts?
Who gets our thoughts?
Where is our energy spent?
Jesus said that the greatest commandment is " You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind."

Our God commands us to have no other gods, to worship no idols.  He does not want us to be deceived by the lies of this world.   He knows we cannot deliver ourselves from these bonds, but oh how marvelous is His kindness and patience with us!  Paul says in Romans 2: 4 " Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? 
We need to cast down every idol... repent of every false god that has stolen our hearts away from the One who loves us and wants our whole heart, soul, and mind.

Father in Heaven,  lead us to repentance even now.  To renounce every lie, to turn from the things in this world that take our time, money, love, thoughts, and energy.  Turn our hearts to You.  You are God and You alone.  Let Your Name be honored.  Let us bow humbly before You and worship You alone. We proclaim You to be the LORD our God and we will give no other the glory due Your Name. Fill us with Your Truth, in the Name of Jesus, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life,
Amen