"Making God Manageable"
Text: Exodus 20:4-6
August 23, 2026

Exodus 20:4-6 "You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

I. Basic Command:

A. No Making Images for Worship
Exodus 20:23 You shall not make gods of silver to be with me, nor shall you make for yourselves gods of gold.

B. No Making Real or Imagined Pictorial Representations for Worship
Exodus 20:4 You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

I. Scope: "anything "..that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

C. Prohibiting Worship of Graven Images Exodus 20-5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,

D. Implicit Reason for Ban-God Can't be Represented By an Idol
Isaiah 40:18, 25 To whom then will you liken God, ….or what likeness compare with him?…To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One.

II. Its Reason– YHWH's Nature
Exodus 20:5-6 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

A. YHWH's Severity

i. In Keeping with His Nature: Isa 42:8
Attribute that demands exclusive devotion: Exod 34:13-14; Deut 4:23-24; 6:14-15
Attitude of anger directed at Opposition: Num 25:11; Deut 29:18-20
Energy He expends vindicating His people: Isa 9:7; Joel 2:18

ii. His Severe Action: Deut 24:16 "…visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children…"

iii. His Severities' Extent: "…to the third and the fourth generation…"

iv. His Severities' Recipients: "…of those who hate me…"

B. YHWH's Kindness

i His Kind Action: "…but showing steadfast love…" Isa 55:3

ii. His Kindness' Extent: v6b" to thousands…"

iii. His Kindness' Recipients:: v6c "…of those who love me and keep my commandments."