Exodus 20: 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven 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.
Because we live in an age of idolatry, and many may not seem to understand what it is, we must seek to learn what God is saying to us in those first passages when He commands us not bow down or serve gods and graven images. In most instances in our day, the protestant world does not literally bow down to any physical graven image or idol. Those days, for the most part, are for all intents and purposes behind us, speaking of the contemporary Christianity of the day.
However, there are other false gods, and idols which have replaced those of wood and stone from years gone by. And there’s a whole lot of bowing down in our day, that persons may not understand to be the very thing God speaks against in the law. And it is a fact that modern idolatry bears sway, the same as idolatry did in ancient times, and in certain instances it is even worse.
Thus, we should seek to understand the full extent of the commandment, so that it can be uprooted from our hearts through the power of The Holy Ghost, in cooperation with our freedom of choice. The commandment begins by forbidding persons to have any other gods except the One, and only true God. To have other gods means several things, such as to hold in reverence above God, or to deem more important than God, anything or anyone, and any of God’s created works, whether they are animate, or inanimate.
Exodus 20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study of His word. God bless!