And God spoke all these words, saying: "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. "You shall have no other gods before Me.” Exodus 20:1-3

Before considering the first of the Ten Commandments, let us be reminded that the Ten Commandments are understood as being in two “tables” of the law. The two tables are divided into the first four commandments and the last six of the commandments. Why this division?

The two tables of the law legislate two kinds of laws. The first four commandments address vertical requirements—requirements about our relationship with God. The last six commandments address horizontal requirements—requirements about our relationships with each other.

We’ll consider each commandment on its own, but first understand what ties the first four together. They are not only about our relationship with God, but understood more specifically, the first four commandments are about worship.

The first, no other Gods, means we are to worship God and only God.

The second, no idols, means we are not to worship idols, nor are we to worship God using idols.

The third, do not take the God’s name in vain, means not only that we must not swear using God’s name, but that we must not use God’s name, or speak of God flippantly. Neither dare we take God’s name (identifying ourselves as Christians), and then live contrary to His ways. When applied to worship, we must not take God’s name (by worshiping Him) in any manner that misrepresents Him or trivializes Him.

The fourth, keeping the Sabbath day holy means that—while we are to do all we do every day as an act of worship, since we do not—we are to set one day in seven apart, not only to rest from our labors, but to give ourselves more wholly to worship.

Let us understand these first four commandments as a unit about worship. Next, let us consider each of the first four by itself.