The First of the Commandments
Matthew 22: 36-38 - Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
This is the first and great commandment.
Recognize God's position of Supreme Authority
Genesis 17:1
And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I AM the Almighty God; walk before Me, and be thou perfect.
Exodus 6:7
And I will take you to Me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I AM the Lord your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.”
Exodus 20:1-2
And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
Many places in the Bible show that God would do certain things (whether in provision, deliverance, or take other actions) for the purpose and intent that people “shall know that I AM THE LORD”.
Leviticus 11:45 - For I Am the Lord that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I Am holy.
Leviticus 20:26 - And ye shall be holy unto Me: for I the Lord Am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be Mine.
Psalm 67:1-2
God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause His face to shine upon us; Selah.
That Thy way may be known upon earth, Thy saving health among all nations.
Isaiah 42:8 - I am the Lord: that is My name: and My glory will I not give to another, neither My praise to graven images.
Isaiah 43:3 - For I Am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. [43:11] I, even I, Am the Lord; and beside Me there is no Saviour. [43:15] I Am the Lord, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.
Isaiah 44:24 Thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, and He that formed thee from the womb, I Am the Lord that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by Myself;
In Leviticus chapters 18 through 20, GOD gives commands and ends each command with “I AM THE LORD”. Do it because He is the Lord over His people. HE IS GOD and there is none like HIM nor will there ever be.
Leviticus 18:5 - Ye shall therefore keep My statutes, and My judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the Lord.
Leviticus 19:37 - Therefore shall ye observe all My statutes, and all My judgments, and do them: I Am the Lord.
Leviticus 20:8 - And ye shall keep My statutes, and do them: I Am the Lord which sanctify you.
Malachi 3:6a, - For I Am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
Malachi 1:14b - ... for I Am a great King, saith the Lord of hosts, and My name is dreadful among the heathen.
It is important for us to know and understand to WHOM it is that we have to give an answer for what we do, and who it is that we who are true Christ followers must exemplify.
If we are called by His name, we must reflect, as a mirror the true image of Who He is and walk worthy of the vocation by which we are called (Ephesians 4:1). If we don't know WHO it is that we serve, then we don't know the full extent of our service, our vocation.
[Vocation: *a person's employment or main occupation
*a trade and or profession especially regarded as particularly worthy and requiring great dedication]
1 John 5:18 - We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
Proverbs 13:6 - Righteousness keepeth him that is upright in the way: but wickedness overthroweth the sinner.
Proverbs 16:17 - The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.
Proverbs 19:16 - He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; but he that despiseth His ways shall die.
John 14:21 - He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him.
Choose you this day whom you will serve.
Ezekiel 37:4-5 - Again He said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones and say unto them, O ye dry bones, Hear the Word of the Lord, Thus saith the LORD GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye SHALL LIVE.
Romans 6:11-12 - Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Job 37:22-23 - ... with God is terrible majesty. Touching the Almighty, we cannot find Him out: He is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice: He will not afflict.
Revelation 1:8 - I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
Revelation 11:17 - Saying, We give Thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because Thou hast taken to Thee Thy great power, and hast reigned.
This is the God we serve today.
He is the same yesterday, Today, forever.
