The 2nd Commandment within the 10 Commandments (in the Bible) in the Hebrew language is the letter "Bet" - ב or #2 which is a word picture symbol of - "the house, what is inside, the family."
Exodus 20:3-4 states, "You shall not make for yourself a carved image - 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."
The 2nd Reality is that we choose to enter God's House. God vows He is THE God above all other gods and our response is that there will be NO other. Joshua 24:15 is a household verse used everywhere, but most haven't grasped the magnitude of the true meaning! Joshua has just lead Israel into the Promised Land. They have conquered and acquired all the lands inhabited by the surrounding Giant tribes: Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites and Jebusites. Joshua confronts his people in Joshua 24:14-15,
"Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve Him in sincerity and in Truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: BUT AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD."
Joshua was a true leader: he chose not to serve the other gods of the land, not by demanding but by leading by example. He went first in battle: "Bo Achari" means "Follow after me" in Hebrew. When we love God with all our heart, soul and strength it is impossible to worship false gods (idolatry.) To love with all that we have means that the love is exclusive. This is the love that has nothing left over to give to a false god. Ask any husband or wife if they are willing to share their spouse. Our God is a "jealous" God - "qana" - wholehearted & passionate (Exodus 20:5). A relationship with Him isn't God + [ ]. It's GOD... only!
