The First Commandment – v4

The First Commandment

written on the stone tablets

carried from the mountain by Moses

for all of God’s people:

“You shall have no other gods before me”,

A timeless statement, unending,

the test of our loyalty

the faith of all people, devoted to God.

In their time, in that place

in the desert, the Tabernacle

far from the Temple

the City, God’s people

united as one

under one commandment,

one sovereign God.

But there in that wilderness

before the craven idol, in Babylon,

before the King demanding to be hailed as god;

Refusing to bow, to deny the Creator

honoring the words written so long ago;

Prepared to be burned,

to submit to the furnace

entering in, faithful to God.

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edited September 9, 2015

The First Commandment – v4

(editing version 3)

edited March 13, 2015

The First Commandment – v3

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-first-commandment-v3.html

(merging edits to version 2 and version 1)

edited December 22, 2014

The First Commandment – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/12/the-first-commandment-v2.html

November 16, 2009

The First Commandment

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2009/11/first-commandment.html

Daniel 3:16-18

and writing challenge

“Monday Manna for November 16, 2009 – Ultimate Faith”

posted by Joanne Sher on her blog,

“An Open Book”, at:

http://joannesher.blogspot.com/2009/11/ultimate-faith-monday-manna.html

All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 39,180+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.