STATUES AND
PICTURES
STATUES and PICTURES
Some people make others upset with their teaching in regard to statues and pictures. They try to convince others that any pictures and statues are strictly prohibited by God. In order to support their teaching, they wrongly quote the text from the Book of Exodus: “You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or worship them….” (Ex 20:4-5). You can read a similar text In the Book of Deuteronomy (Dt 4:16 -18) or from the Book of Isaiah (Is 42:8). The Bible speaks about the prohibition of idols (ol god giaman) but there is no prohibition on making statues or pictures and carrying them in procession.– In the Book of Exodus, God told Moses to make statues of two angels (cherubim): ‘You shall make two cherubim of gold; you shall make them of hammered work’ (Ex 25:18)– In the Book of Numbers God asked Moses to make an image of a serpent: And the Lord said to Moses, ”make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole…” (Nb 21:7-9).
King Solomon has made the altar of bronze, and molten see which was placed on statues of twelve oxen‘ …then he made a molten see…It stood on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, three facing east ‘ (2 Ch 4:1-4)–
The Ark of the Covenant (with two statues of Cherubim) was carried in procession (1Ch 15:25-28). –
Joshua knelt down before the Ark of the Covenant ( Jos 7:6) .-
In the Jewish temple there were statues of Cherubim: ’He carved the walls of the house all around about with carved engravings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers’ (1K 6:29).–
In the inner sanctuary Solomon made two Cherubim of olive wood (1K 6:23 ; 28).–
Saint Paul wrote in his Letter to the Colossians; He [Jesus] is an image of the invisible God (Col 1:15).
Pictures are being used in our daily life. Election posters printed by candidates are very useful for the ones who stand for the election. Pictures printed on money notes ( K20.00, K 50.00 …) are not forbidden. They are to help people in their daily lives. The same is with your ID Card or your driving license with your picture on them.
On the other hand there are some statues of false gods (idols) which are strictly forbidden by God (Is 42:8 ; 45:15-16 ; 20b).
A statue or a picture becomes an idol when two conditions are fulfilled:
1- A statue itself has to be called god ( Ex 32: 4b ).
2- An offer- sacrifice is given to the statue of an idol (Ps 106:28; 36-37 ; 1Cor 10:28 ; Rev 2:14).
Even if somebody rejects statues and picture of idols, he still can be an idol worshiper. Saint Paul says: The greediness is kind of an idol worship (Col 3:5)
If anybody places anything above the true God and follows something which is only a creature, such a person is in danger of being an idol worshiper.
you may watch a video clip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMAhV52JrW0