The Second Commandment is: Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them. (Ex 20:4,5)
The First Commandment: thou shalt have no other gods before me relates to the questions: Who is God? and What does His authority mean to us? and How may we talk to Him?
The Second Commandment relates to the questions: Where is God? and How should we visualise Him? and How may we learn of Him and experience His presence? The answer, of course, is not through idols.
Although Sod's Soul is infinite, he has a finite heart, Jahovah, our heavenly Father. And although the Spirit of God is infinite, she has a finite heart, the I AM that I AM. This means that when we pray to God, we are not praying to infinity, but to a 'person', who is localised. Thus in one Scripture, although not commonly God speaks as she. To the Jews only our Father was revealed.
A Scripture teaching the localization of God is Psalm 18:9-11: He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet. And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind. He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. While the theologians may say, Nay, the Psalmist says: Yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind. Such help was not only for David. Moses, speaking more generally, says: There is none like unto the God of Jeshuran, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky. (Deut 33:26)
But the heart of God is not normally fully upon the earth. Only after the creation of the new heaven and earth will it be possible to fully say: Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them. (Rev 21:3) Today: Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. (Isaiah 66:1) God now dwells in heaven, distributing his presence occasionally upon the earth. And more specifically, when King Hezekiah directed his prayer to God in heaven he said: O Lord God of Israel, which dwelleth between the cherubims. (2 Kings 19:15)
John saw a vision of the Father and of His Spirit: behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne . . . And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. (Revelation 4:2,5) Not that the Father has seven Spirits, but that the Spirit of the Father is not fully confined to His presence upon the throne.
When the church gathers God the Father distributes His presence into the midst, as it is written: ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them, and I will be their God. (2 Cor 6:16) And of His Spirit Jesus said to his disciples: he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. (John 14:17)
So God may be both upon the throne in heaven and indwelling the heart of a believer at the same time. Although this is a concept beyond our comprehension, it may simply be indicative of the fact that God works on a grand scale: the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing. (Isaiah 40:15) It is also indicative of the fact that God is not limited by the laws of physics that limit man. For example man can neither travel nor communicate at a speed greater than the speed of light.
But the Spirit and Soul of God reach throughout infinity, communicating the emotional joy of the finite heart of the Father over his children to the infinite Spirit of God.
Note that although God inhabits places, he does not inhabit objects. He does not say, ‘I will be in the sun’, or, ‘I will be in the moon’, or, ‘I will be in the mountain’. He may temporarily be upon the mountain as of Mount Horeb, but not in the mountain. Such a doctrine could lead to idolatrous worship of the mountain.
To the Old Testament temple God would also descend saying: there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims. (Ex 25:22) The golden mercy seat and cherubim about it were within the room of the temple called the Holy of Holies, into which the High Priest went but once a year (Heb 9:1-7). And at such a time the High Priest would: put the incense upon the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not (Lev 16:13) by seeing God.
But Solomon said: will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded? (1 Kings 8:27) The heaven refers to the atmosphere and the clouds. (Gen 1:7,8) The heaven of heavens may refer to the place of the stars beyond the first heaven. (Psalm 8:3, Psalm 148:3,4) The Psalmist says to sing praises to: him that rideth upon the heaven of heavens. (Psalm 68:33) But God’s permanent dwelling may be in a different dimension, that is where space time has a different wavelength. Paul refers to this place, the dwelling of God, as: the third heaven. (2 Cor 12:2) It may be on a star we can see.
How insulting then to say of the God of glory, that He lives in a statue, or that He lives in a mountain. Solomon writes: God is in heaven, and thou upon earth. (Eccl 5:2) It is perhaps because idolatry is so insulting to God, that there is the following warning attached to this commandment: 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. (Ex 20:5) But to those who turn from idolatrous ways there is a blessing as God delights in: shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. (Ex 20:6) Note the plural of commandments. Breaking one commandment results in a curse, but it is necessary to keep all God’s commandments to receive the blessing.
When people deliberately deceive others as to the manifestation of God, their heart is the heart of those who lead idolatry. Jeroboam made golden calves so that he could prevent loyalty to another than himself. And I think that the wrath of God is only against those who use religion as a means of taking advantage of others, not against the simple people who are deceived as to the significance of an object.
Seeing that the vision of the glory of God is so great, God asks: To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him? (Isaiah 40:18) Idolatry is the diminishing of God’s glory by saying of the God of glory: dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto (1 Tim 6:16), that He lives in an object that can be seen with the natural eye. Where this is the mind of the worshipper, the object is being idolised, and where this is not the mind of the worshipper, the object is not being idolised.
Aaron committed idolatry. When Moses was speaking to God on the mountain forty days, the people grew impatient and said to Aaron: make us gods, which shall go before us . . . and all the people broke off the golden earrings . . . and brought them to Aaron. And he . . . fashioned it with a graving tool, after that he had made it a golden calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. (Ex 32:1-4) It is the imputation of deity to an object which constitutes idolatry.
But making an object, not to be God’s appearance or dwelling, but rather a reminder of His works, is not idolatry. Cherubims, which are angelic creatures, were created by God, and God commanded to: make one cherub on the one end and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat. (Ex 25:19) The purpose of the cherubim was to remind of God’s glory.
Perhaps an even clearer example of what is not idolatry was when: the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. (Num 21:8) This was God’s mercy to the children of Israel after that God had sent fiery serpents among them to punish them for murmuring.
This was also prophetic of Jesus Christ’s victory over: that old serpent called the Devil, and Satan (Rev 12:9) at the cross. Jesus said: as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:14,15)
The making of a cross, simply to remind us of Christ’s work, in no significant way differs from the making of this bronze serpent by Moses. So the making of a cross as a reminder of Christ’s work is not idolatry.
Many times and in a similar way we read of Abraham who: builded . . . an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him. (Gen 12:7) This altar, which looked forward to the cross of Christ, differs not from a cross, which looks back to it. And no one believes that a cross is a symbol of the deity. It only represents one of His works.
The bread and the wine of the Lord’s supper are symbolic and this also, in no significant way differs from the symbolism of a cross. The treating of a cross with respect, differs not from the respect of the Lord’s Supper, which is good. In 1 Cor 11:20-34 Paul reproves those who do not.
It is possible, however, to revere the symbol in itself, as possessing some mystical power, and this can lead to idolatry. This occurred with the bronze serpent, some hundreds of years after it was made. For which cause the good King Hezekiah, when he destroyed other images, wisely: brake in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan. (2 Kings 18:4) Nehushtan means a piece of brass and we should remember that however precious are the memories that a symbol can evoke, it is of itself nothing more than a piece of brass.
The Roman Catholic Church, by believing in the doctrine of transubstantiation of the elements of the Lord’s Supper into the body and blood of Christ are guilty of idolatry. I discussed this the article: Atonement. Although they think this because they are simple, rather than evil, false doctrine is not good.
The painting by Michelangelo in a Roman Catholic chapel of God creating man, can lead to idolatry. The painting depicts God as a man. If people, in their worship have an image of God the Father, rather than God the Son, as painted, they are slipping into idolatry. They are worshipping a figment of their imagination, an idol in their minds.
While I do not regard it as idolatry to paint a picture of Jesus, while on earth, no picture should be made of God the Father. God says: Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire: Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female. (Deut 4:15,16)
Although the children of Israel saw no similitude of God, they heard Him speaking the words of the Ten Commandments. Moses told them: These words the Lord spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice. (Deut 5:22) This is the chief way to know God, through His word, not by the making of images: the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord. (1 Sam 3:21)
Revelation is the work of God’s Spirit. Jesus said: He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and show it unto you. (John 16:14) The condition to be met for this is not how many images we make, but how obedient we are. Jesus says: He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. (John 14:21) Only a few, however, will see a vision like Moses.
But where there is disobedience there is blindness, as there is of the Jews, of whom it is written: until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. (2 Cor 3:14)
The revelation of the Holy Spirit is superior to hearing Jesus’ words on earth. Jesus told His disciples: It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. (John 16:7)
But those who are not spiritual want someone they can see with their natural eyes. Jesus asked them what they would do when He wasn’t there saying: What and if ye shall see the Son ascend up where he was before? (John 6:62) The answer, which only the spiritual understand, is to learn of the Spirit through the word. Jesus said: It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life. (John 6:63)
God says: is the spirit of the Lord straightened? are these his doings? do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly? (Micah 2:7) Normally hearing the word of God is effectual, not by visions, but by faith and comfort. As such God likens the effect of his word to rain, saying: For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please. (Isaiah 55:10,11) Some of the effects of trusting in God’s word are that: ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace. (Isaiah 55:12)
Reading the word of God may not seem to be accomplishing very much. But patience is required just as a farmer must wait for the crops to grow. And patient trust will surely be rewarded for God has said: Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy. (Rev 1:3) There is a blessing both to read the word ourselves and also to hear it read by others, and neither should be neglected.
Reading the word of God brings wisdom, joy, and enlightenment according to David who said: The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. (Psalm 19:7-10) This is the testimony of one who fellowshipped with God by reading His word.
The kings of Israel had to write their own copy of the bible to read: it shall be, that when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book . . . and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them: That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren. (Deut 17:18-20) Reading the word of God both teaches us the commandments and teaches us of God, which strengthens us to keep the commandments. And so we are enabled to: not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord. (Deut 8:3)
By reading the word of God ourselves, we are enabled to impart a word to others. Isaiah said: The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. (Isaiah 50:4)
Our hope should be in the word of God. David prayed: Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me. (Psalm 119:49,50)
When Peter healed the lame man he explained: his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong. (Acts 3:16) The God that made the universe, works toward us through his Son. To gain God’s help, His protection, and His comfort, we must acknowledge the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. To do this we must be associated, not with a schism of the church, but with the Gentile church which Paul began at Rome. If we think that we don't want to fellowship with those who have some errors lest we be defiled, we should remember the words of Jesus when he said, it is not that which goeth into a man which defileth him but that which cometh out. Mercy and compassion should come out of our hearts. And when we understand that love covers a multitude of sins, we will not need to teach them things which could bring division. We will instead exhort them to do that which they can believe, but don't do, promising them heavenly reward.
Some may say that wearing a cross shows that we are trusting in the name of the Lord Jesus. Although there is some truth in this statement, a symbol is neither necessary nor sufficient to prove that we are trusting in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul wrote: whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus. (Col 3:17) he also continued to say: giving thanks to God and the Father by him. Wives submit yourselves unto your own husbands . . . Husbands, love your wives . . . Children, obey your parents. So an attitude of thankful obedience is required to characterise the life of one trusting in the name of the Lord Jesus.
But lucky horseshoes and other charms invoke the power of spirits other than God. Only the name of the Lord Jesus can invoke the power of God.