Do NOT Use Graven Images
Exodus 20:1-6 KJV
And God spake all these words, saying, 2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
In these verses we are clearly told that we are to worship
the Lord GOD, and worship HIM alone. This is the meaning of "no other gods
before me", and is the first of the Ten Commandments. The second of the Ten Commandments seems very
similar, but it means that we may only worship GOD in the way that HE has
told us to worship HIM.
The idol worshiping cultures throughout the world make
images of wood and stone; images covered with gold, silver or other
decorations. Scripture makes it clear
that Christians are to have nothing to do with this kind of idolatry! To worship the idol is to violate the first
commandment. To attempt to worship the
true GOD, but by using graven images, is to violate the second commandment.
Deuteronomy 12:1-4 KJV
Deuteronomy 12:1-4 KJV
These are the statutes and judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the land, which the LORD God of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the earth. (2) Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree: (3) And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place. (4) Ye shall not do so unto the LORD your God.
Duplicating any part of these idolatrous practices, and
using them in the worship of GOD, is an abomination. It is impossible to "redeem" these
practices and use the patterns, forms, or traditions in the worship of
GOD. We cannot copy the world, and say
that we are doing it to worship GOD. We
must examine ourselves [1], and search for graven images that we
have made up. When we find them, it is a
clear sign that we are violating the second commandment, and perhaps also the
first!
The commandment to "not make unto thee any graven images"
clearly includes a reference to statues made of wood or stone. This practice was common throughout the
ancient world, as it is today. [2] But the root of the word “graven image” is a
verb which means to carve, engrave, or hew (cut). [3] Therefore, a “graven image” is designed by its maker, and crafted it into a shape
which has meaning to the maker’s audience.
In this understanding, an idea can be a “graven image” just as much as a
statue. The only difference is that the
designer’s engraving tool is a pen instead of a chisel. The canvas is a piece of paper instead of a block
of stone.
In fact, it is right to say that the idea behind the “graven
image” is the graven image.
The essence of idolatry is that men’s hearts are loving and desiring
something other than GOD. Whether or not
a physical statue of wood or stone is involved, it is still the wicked condition
of the heart that constitutes idolatry. So,
the real graven image is the false god that men have created in their minds; i.e.
the idea that they have made up.
Isaiah 42:8 KJV
I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.
The glory and praise mentioned in this verse is what GOD deserves for who HE is, and what HE has done. HE does not share this glory! We must not hope in any other source for salvation or provision; if we do, we are expecting GOD to share HIS glory. We must not praise any other being for our blessings; if we do, we are expecting GOD to share HIS glory. And that is the wickedness of idolatry.
Jeremiah 16:19-20 KJV
O LORD, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit. 20 Shall a man make gods unto himself, and they are no gods?
In this passage, Scripture calls it a lie, vanity, and worthless to make up a “god” which is really not. It also says that the gentiles, throughout the ends of the earth, have all made up these “gods”. This means us. We have inherited things in our culture and in our traditions which are worthless and idolatrous.
Generally speaking there are many “gods” that we have made
up: career, money, wellness, popularity,
etc. As “gods” these are all
worthless. But we have also created
specific “gods”, with specific names, and with specific common forms of worship
which are widely practiced by the vast majority.
One such “god” is said to have an unlimited resource from
which to give gifts and blessings to his followers. Although he only visits the earth one night each
year, he travels everywhere instantly to bestow these blessings. It is believed that he knows whether or not
you have committed sins (i.e. been “bad or good”), and that he judges all the
earth rightly. At his yearly visit those
who have been “bad” do not receive a blessing.
According to this religion this “god” knows what each person has done by
watching them at all times; he even sees them when they are sleeping and knows
when they are awake. The followers of
this “god” communicate with him by writing their prayers in the form of letters.
In theological terms, the “god” described above includes
several divine qualities. He is
all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-present (everywhere at once). He is also a just and fair judge, as well as
benevolent and ready to hear the prayers of his followers. Because of this, the followers of this “god”
are filled with awe, hope, love and desire toward him. They are filled with excitement at the
thought of his visit. They place their
trust in him, fully expecting that he will deliver what has been promised.
This is the very essence of idolatry. Only GOD is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-present. And only GOD deserves such worship! Believing in this idol, or teaching others to
believe in him, is to break the first and second commandments. It is to make up a “god” in our minds, a
graven image, made out of ideas, traditions and stories. It is to worship that idol instead of the one
true GOD.
(1) 2 Corinthians
13:5
(2) Deuteronomy
29:16-17
(3) Strong’s Dictionary
H6459, peh'-sel,
From H6458; an idol: - carved
(graven) image.
H6458, paw-sal', A
primitive root; to carve, whether wood or stone: - grave, hew.
