[The Lord said to Israel,] “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.” — Deuteronomy 5:6-7.
God had delivered his people from Egypt through the Red Sea, the ten plagues, and led them to this mountain, where he came down to give Moses and his people his Ten Commandments. They didn’t earn God’s presence, deserve his deliverance, and certainly had not earned his affection. However, God had blessed them with deliverance because of his grace and to honor his promises to Abraham. As God, the Lord, is Sovereign, all-powerful, and without rival. Amazingly, throughout the Scriptures, God follows this same pattern. He repeatedly blesses his people with grace; only then does he call his people to worship and obedience. The gods of other religions demanded adherence, sacrifice, and obedience BEFORE they would bless people with their favor. As the Lord, the great “I Am,” revealed to Moses (Exodus 3:4-13), he is worthy of being recognized as God. Having demonstrated his grace, love, mercy, and incomparable glory to Israel, he now calls on them to have no other gods; he alone is to be worshiped!