LESSON 10
THE
FIRST
COMMANDMENT
THE FIRST
COMMANDMENT:
Love for God
WHAT GOD
REQUIRES
OF US
Daniel 6:1-23

It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, 2
with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps
were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss. 3 Now
Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by
his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole
kingdom. 4 At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for
charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were
unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was
trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. 5 Finally these men said, "We
will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has
something to do with the law of his God."
6 So the administrators and the satraps went as a group to the king and said: "O
King Darius, live forever! 7 The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers
and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce
the decree that anyone who prays to any god or man during the next thirty
days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the lions' den. 8 Now, O king,
issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered-in accordance
with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed." 9 So King
Darius put the decree in writing.
1
Daniel 6:1-23

Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home
to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times
a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he
had done before. 11 Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying
and asking God for help. 12 So they went to the king and spoke to him about his
royal decree: "Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days
anyone who prays to any god or man except to you, O king, would be thrown
into the lions' den?"
The king answered, "The decree stands-in accordance with the laws of the
Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed."
13 Then they said to the king, "Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays
no attention to you, O king, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays
three times a day." 14 When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed; he
was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save
him.
15 Then the men went as a group to the king and said to him, "Remember, O
king, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict
that the king issues can be changed."
16 So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the
lions' den. The king said to Daniel, "May your God, whom you serve
continually, rescue you!"
10
Daniel 6:1-23

A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king
sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that
Daniel's situation might not be changed. 18 Then the king returned to his palace
and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being
brought to him. And he could not sleep.
19 At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions' den. 20
When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, "Daniel,
servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able
to rescue you from the lions?"
21 Daniel answered, "O king, live forever! 22 My God sent his angel, and he shut
the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent
in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king."
23 The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And
when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he
had trusted in his God.
17
Daniel 3:1-18

King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, ninety feet high and
nine feet wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of
Babylon. 2 He then summoned the satraps, prefects, governors,
advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial
officials to come to the dedication of the image he had set up. 3 So the
satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates
and all the other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of
the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before
it.
4 Then the herald loudly proclaimed, "This is what you are
commanded to do, O peoples, nations and men of every language: 5 As
soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes
and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of
gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 Whoever does not fall
down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace."
7 Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither,
lyre, harp and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations and men of
every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King
Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
8 At this time some astrologers came forward and denounced the Jews.
9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, "O king, live forever!
1
Daniel 3:1-18

You have issued a decree, O king, that everyone who hears the sound of the
horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music must fall down and
worship the image of gold, 11 and that whoever does not fall down and worship
will be thrown into a blazing furnace. 12 But there are some Jews whom you
have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon-Shadrach, Meshach and
Abednego-who pay no attention to you, O king. They neither serve your gods
nor worship the image of gold you have set up."
13 Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and
Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 14 and Nebuchadnezzar
said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not
serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? 15 Now when you
hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music,
if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if
you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace.
Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?"
16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar,
we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are
thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and
he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want
you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of
gold you have set up."
10
What God Requires of Us
1. That we fear (respect, honor) Him above all
things (put Him first and honor what He says).
Isaiah 45:21

Declare what is to be, present itlet them take counsel together.
Who foretold this long ago,
who declared it from the distant past?
Was it not I, the LORD ?
And there is no God apart from me,
a righteous God and a Savior;
there is none but me.
21
What God Requires of Us
1. That we fear (respect, honor) Him above all
things (put Him first and honor what He says).
Why?
1. He is the only real God.
Psalm 100:3

Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
3
What God Requires of Us
1. That we fear (respect, honor) Him above all
things (put Him first and honor what He says).
Why?
1. He is the only real God.
2. We belong to Him.
Proverbs 8:13

To fear the LORD is to hate evil;
I hate pride and arrogance,
evil behavior and perverse speech.
13
What God Requires of Us
1. That we fear (respect, honor) Him above all
things (put Him first and honor what He says).
Why?
1. He is the only real God.
2. We belong to Him.
3. Therefore we will hate what He
hates and love what He loves
Genesis 22:1-19

Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!"
"Here I am," he replied.
2 Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go
to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the
mountains I will tell you about."
3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He
took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough
wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. 4
On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 He
said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over
there. We will worship and then we will come back to you."
6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac,
and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on
together, 7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, "Father?"
"Yes, my son?" Abraham replied.
"The fire and wood are here," Isaac said, "but where is the lamb for the burnt
offering?"
8 Abraham answered, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt
offering, my son." And the two of them went on together.
9 When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar
there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the
altar, on top of the wood.
1
Genesis 22:1-19

Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But
the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!"
"Here I am," he replied.
12 "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I
know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your
son, your only son."
13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns.
He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of
his son. 14 So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this
day it is said, "On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided."
15 The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16 and
said, "I swear by myself, declares the LORD , that because you have done this
and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you and
make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on
the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their
enemies, 18 and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed,
because you have obeyed me."
19 Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set off together for
Beersheba. And Abraham stayed in Beersheba.
10
What God Requires of Us
2. That we love Him above all things (treasure
Him and devote ourselves to His will).
Psalm 73:25-26

Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
25
What God Requires of Us
2. That we love Him above all things (treasure
Him and devote ourselves to His will).
Why?
1. He is our greatest treasure.
2 Corinthians 5:14

14For
Christ's love compels us, because we are
convinced that one died for all, and therefore all
died.
What God Requires of Us
2. That we love Him above all things (treasure
Him and devote ourselves to His will).
Why?
1. He is our greatest treasure.
2. He loved us first.
Matthew 22:37

37Jesus
replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all
your heart and with all your soul and with all your
mind.'
What God Requires of Us
2. That we love Him above all things (treasure
Him and devote ourselves to His will).
Why?
1. He is our greatest treasure.
2. He loved us first.
3. Therefore we love Him in return.
1 Samuel 17:32-50

David said to Saul, "Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine;
your servant will go and fight him."
33 Saul replied, "You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight
him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth."
34 But David said to Saul, "Your servant has been keeping his father's
sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, 35
I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it
turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. 36 Your servant
has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be
like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. 37 The
LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear
will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine."
Saul said to David, "Go, and the LORD be with you."
38 Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him
and a bronze helmet on his head. 39 David fastened on his sword over the
tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them.
"I cannot go in these," he said to Saul, "because I am not used to them." So
he took them off. 40 Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth
stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd's bag and,
with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.
32
1 Samuel 17:32-50

Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept
coming closer to David. 42 He looked David over and saw that he was only a
boy, ruddy and handsome, and he despised him. 43 He said to David, "Am I
a dog, that you come at me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by
his gods. 44 "Come here," he said, "and I'll give your flesh to the birds of the
air and the beasts of the field!"
45 David said to the Philistine, "You come against me with sword and spear
and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD
Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This
day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I'll strike you down and cut
off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the
birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know
that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is
not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the
LORD's, and he will give all of you into our hands."
48 As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward
the battle line to meet him. 49 Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone,
he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into
his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.
50 So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without
a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.
41
Daniel 6:1-23

It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, 2
with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps
were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss. 3 Now
Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by
his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole
kingdom. 4 At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for
charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were
unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was
trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. 5 Finally these men said, "We
will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has
something to do with the law of his God."
6 So the administrators and the satraps went as a group to the king and said: "O
King Darius, live forever! 7 The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers
and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce
the decree that anyone who prays to any god or man during the next thirty
days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the lions' den. 8 Now, O king,
issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered-in accordance
with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed." 9 So King
Darius put the decree in writing.
1
Daniel 6:1-23

Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home
to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times
a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he
had done before. 11 Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying
and asking God for help. 12 So they went to the king and spoke to him about his
royal decree: "Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days
anyone who prays to any god or man except to you, O king, would be thrown
into the lions' den?"
The king answered, "The decree stands-in accordance with the laws of the
Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed."
13 Then they said to the king, "Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays
no attention to you, O king, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays
three times a day." 14 When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed; he
was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save
him.
15 Then the men went as a group to the king and said to him, "Remember, O
king, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict
that the king issues can be changed."
16 So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the
lions' den. The king said to Daniel, "May your God, whom you serve
continually, rescue you!"
10
Daniel 6:1-23

A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king
sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that
Daniel's situation might not be changed. 18 Then the king returned to his palace
and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being
brought to him. And he could not sleep.
19 At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions' den. 20
When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, "Daniel,
servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able
to rescue you from the lions?"
21 Daniel answered, "O king, live forever! 22 My God sent his angel, and he shut
the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent
in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king."
23 The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And
when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he
had trusted in his God.
17
What God Requires of Us
3. That we trust Him above all things (rely on His
Word and promises for all blessings).
Psalm 37:5

Commit your way to the LORD ;
trust in him and he will do this:
5
What God Requires of Us
3. That we trust Him above all things (rely on His
Word and promises for all blessings).
Why?
1. He can always be counted on to
keep His Word.
Psalm 124:8

Our help is in the name of the LORD ,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
8
What God Requires of Us
3. That we trust Him above all things (rely on His
Word and promises for all blessings).
Why?
1. He can always be counted on to
keep His Word.
2. He always gives everything we
need, especially Himself.
WHAT GOD’S
PEOPLE
DO NOT
WANT TO DO
What God’s People Do Not Want
To Do
God’s people do not want to fear, love,
or trust anyone or anything more than
the Triune God, either openly or
secretly.
(idolatry = having other gods)
Proverbs 1:10

My son, if sinners entice you,
do not give in to them.
10
What God’s People Do Not Want
To Do
Like “fearing”
friends, classmates,
enemies, superstitions
1 John 2:15

15Do
not love the world or anything in the world. If
anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is
not in him.
What God’s People Do Not Want
To Do
Like “fearing”
friends, classmates,
enemies, superstitions
Like “loving”
parents, friends, self,
money, popularity,
pleasure
Proverbs 3:5

Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
5
What God’s People Do Not Want
To Do
Like “fearing”
friends, classmates,
enemies, superstitions
Like “loving”
parents, friends, self,
money, popularity,
pleasure
one’s own works,
Like “trusting” superstition, false gods,
luck, other people
WHAT OUR STUDY
OF THIS
COMMANDMENT
LEADS US TO DO
Psalm 143:2

Do not bring your servant into judgment,
for no one living is righteous before you.
2
What our Study of This
Commandment Leads Us To Do
1. To confess that we have not kept
it perfectly
Romans 5:19

19For
just as through the disobedience of the one
man the many were made sinners, so also through
the obedience of the one man the many will be
made righteous.
What our Study of This
Commandment Leads Us To Do
1. To confess that we have not kept
it perfectly
2. To rely on Jesus who has kept it
perfectly in our place
Psalm 119:9-16

9
How can a young man keep his way pure?
By living according to your word.
10 I seek you with all my heart;
do not let me stray from your commands.
11 I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.
12 Praise be to you, O LORD ;
teach me your decrees.
13 With my lips I recount
all the laws that come from your mouth.
14 I rejoice in following your statutes
as one rejoices in great riches.
15 I meditate on your precepts
and consider your ways.
16 I delight in your decrees;
I will not neglect your word.
What our Study of This
Commandment Leads Us To Do
1. To confess that we have not kept
it perfectly
2. To rely on Jesus who has kept it
perfectly in our place
3. As God’s justified people; to love and
obey this commandment in the future
ASSIGNMENT FOR NEXT WEEK
1.
Study carefully the notes you have taken in class; be sure you understand
them.
2.
Study carefully questions 34-40 in the Catechism. Be able to answer these
questions in your own words.
3.
Complete the “Working with God’s Word” section. Have parents check
your work
4.
Memorize these Bible verses:
Proverbs 8:13 – “To fear the Lord is to hate evil.”
Matthew 22:37 – “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all
your soul and with all your mind.”
Proverbs 3:5 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your
own understanding.”
VIP I John 4:19 – “We love because He first loved us.”
ASSIGNMENT FOR NEXT WEEK

5. Memorize the 2nd and 3rd
Commandments and What Does This
Mean?

6. Complete Worksheet #10 at home and be
ready for a Lesson Review on Wednesday,
December 8th.
ASSIGNMENT FOR NEXT WEEK
 7. KEY TRUTHS. To fear God means to put him
________. We love God because he first
_________ us. We trust God because He will keep
his ________. To fear, love, or trust something or
someone more than God is __________. Jesus
kept the first commandment _______ for us. We
want to obey this command-ment out of _______
for him.
Luther’s Evening Prayer