Have reverence for the LORD your God and worship only him. Be faithful to him and make your promises in his name alone.

Instead, be faithful to the LORD, as you have been till now.

When he arrived and saw how God had blessed the people, he was glad and urged them all to be faithful and true to the Lord with all their hearts.

The LORD had sent his messengers and prophets to warn Israel and Judah: "Abandon your evil ways and obey my commands, which are contained in the Law I gave to your ancestors and which I handed on to you through my servants the prophets."

They broke all the laws of the LORD their God and made two metal bull-calves to worship; they also made an image of the goddess Asherah, worshiped the stars, and served the god Baal.

But even the people of Judah did not obey the laws of the LORD their God; they imitated the customs adopted by the people of Israel.

It is the covenant I made with their ancestors when I brought them out of Egypt, the land that was like a blazing furnace to them. I told them to obey me and to do everything that I had commanded. I told them that if they obeyed, they would be my people and I would be their God.

"If you love me, you will obey my commandments.

"Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. My Father will love those who love me; I too will love them and reveal myself to them."

If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.

And you are my friends if you do what I command you.

For our love for God means that we obey his commands. And his commands are not too hard for us,