Exodus 20:3,4,5a Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God,

While counting the Ten Commandments this morning I asked myself, “Isn’t one and two the same thing?” Perhaps if it were not for the issue of one word, graven. The issue being that man would put his hand to stone, wood or metal to form the image. Perhaps you could even include paint.

Now I have had this image in my mind of what my perfect retirement home would look like. It is nestled in a wooded valley with a grand view of the mountains, with a trout filled stream flowing close by the front door. Now grant you, I have not gravened that scene, it appears naturally. Yet all the same it is as much an idol as the graven image if I allowed it to come before God.

I often think about the tree huggers and the animal rights activist that are trying to save the planet. Most of them have no interest in God, only His creation. This is why there is a difference between commandment one and two.

Now before you religious types cry out AMEN, allow me to quote again from Exodus 20:25.

And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.

Don’t be worshipping the alter either.