In Deuteronomy, chapter seven, verse nine, God’s choice of Israel was motivated by His love for them, as described in verses seven through eight. Moreover, God promised to faithfully keep His covenant and show mercy to generation after generation of “them that love Him and keep His commandments,” as stated in verses four through nine of Deuteronomy chapter six. Not only was God’s love contingent upon this response of love and obedience, but also their prosperity, good health, and military success.
There is only one true and living God, not the idols of the Gentiles, who are false and lifeless and not the proper objects of adoration. The faithful God appeared by fulfilling the promise made to their fathers, in bringing them out of Egypt and now them to the borders of the land of Canaan, giving them an inheritance. By this was Israel to know that Jehovah their God was the true God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant, showing mercy to those who love Him, even to the thousandth generation, but repaying those who hate Him to the face. This development of the nature of God Moses introduces from Exodus twenty, verses five through six, as a light warning not to forfeit the mercy of God or draw upon themselves His holy wrath by falling into idolatry.
Today, some believers came from different backgrounds from the past that did include idol worship. However, the same people got the experience of the living God operating in their life and now serve Him. However, there will be testing of our faith for each believer that loves God and keep His commandments. The world opposes God and those that go about doing good. The opposition is the enemy and his cohorts who do not mesh with those who live for God but rather do evil.