Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: nmh
There are tons of verses on this in the Bible - that is if what HE says matters to you. It's most unlikely that He would allow a graven image on HIMSELF to be left behind when He is so opposed to it.

If you search the scriptures, (cf. John 5:39), you will find the opposite is true. God forbade the worship of statues, but he did not forbid the religious use of statues. Instead, he actually commanded their use in religious contexts!

There are many passages where the Lord commands the making of statues. For example: "And you shall make two cherubim of gold [i.e., two gold statues of angels]; of hammered work shall you make them, on the two ends of the mercy seat. Make one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end; of one piece of the mercy seat shall you make the cherubim on its two ends. The cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be" (Ex. 25:18–20).

David gave Solomon the plan "for the altar of incense made of refined gold, and its weight; also his plan for the golden chariot of the cherubim that spread their wings and covered the ark of the covenant of the Lord. All this he made clear by the writing of the hand of the Lord concerning it all, all the work to be done according to the plan" (1 Chr. 28:18–19). David’s plan for the temple, which the biblical author tells us was "by the writing of the hand of the Lord concerning it all," included statues of angels.

Similarly Ezekiel 41:17–18 describes graven (carved) images in the idealized temple he was shown in a vision, for he writes, "On the walls round about in the inner room and [on] the nave were carved likenesses of cherubim."

During a plague of serpents sent to punish the Israelites during the exodus, God told Moses to "make [a statue of] a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and every one who is bitten, when he sees it shall live. So Moses made a bronze serpent, and set it on a pole; and if a serpent bit any man, he would look at the bronze serpent and live" (Num. 21:8–9).

One had to look at the bronze statue of the serpent to be healed, which shows that statues could be used ritually, not merely as religious decorations.

30 posted on 02/12/2005 12:50:13 PM PST by NYer ("The Eastern Churches are the Treasures of the Catholic Church" - Pope John XXIII)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies ]


To: NYer
So Moses made a bronze serpent, and set it on a pole; and if a serpent bit any man, he would look at the bronze serpent and live

I believe that in 2 Kings it says that some later went on to worship the bronze serpent, thereby doing what was wicked in the sight of the Lord.

61 posted on 02/12/2005 2:32:40 PM PST by ichabod1 (The Spirit of the Lord Hath Left This Place)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies ]

To: NYer

There are a couple specific instances in which God allowed statues, but generally, any sort of graven image is sinful.


72 posted on 02/12/2005 2:45:31 PM PST by rwfromkansas ("War is an ugly thing, but...the decayed feeling...which thinks nothing worth war, is worse." -Mill)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies ]

To: NYer

And, it is not the worship of them that is wrong, but the very construction of them because by even constructing them, you are considering them more important than worshipping the invisible Christ.


73 posted on 02/12/2005 2:46:21 PM PST by rwfromkansas ("War is an ugly thing, but...the decayed feeling...which thinks nothing worth war, is worse." -Mill)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies ]

To: NYer
"If you search the scriptures, (cf. John 5:39), you will find the opposite is true. God forbade the worship of statues, but he did not forbid the religious use of statues. Instead, he actually commanded their use in religious contexts! "

Hey, I used Bible verses. It's unwise to twist HIS words around ... Okay, John 5:39 states:

[39] Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

This verse doesn't condone the use of statutes. it does tell you to read the Bible and when you do STATUES and other graven images are NOT to be part of worship.


"There are many passages where the Lord commands the making of statues. For example: "And you shall make two cherubim of gold [i.e., two gold statues of angels]; of hammered work shall you make them, on the two ends of the mercy seat. Make one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end; of one piece of the mercy seat shall you make the cherubim on its two ends. The cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be" (Ex. 25:18–20)."

That was NOT a statute. It was also NOT to be worshiped. The directions on how to make this box like thing were directly from God.

"David gave Solomon the plan "for the altar of incense made of refined gold, and its weight; also his plan for the golden chariot of the cherubim that spread their wings and covered the ark of the covenant of the Lord. All this he made clear by the writing of the hand of the Lord concerning it all, all the work to be done according to the plan" (1 Chr. 28:18–19). David’s plan for the temple, which the biblical author tells us was "by the writing of the hand of the Lord concerning it all," included statues of angels."

It's fine of God tells you to make something however He NEVER instructed anyone to make statues for worship - anywhere. I Chr. 28:18-19 is for an alter. Part of the ornamentation again has cherubims. He is very consistent. HE has the RIGHT to ask us to do ANYTHING. WE do NOT have the right to make this stuff. NOR in ANY part of the Bible are statues and other ornaments condemned. They are ALL condemned.

"Similarly Ezekiel 41:17–18 describes graven (carved) images in the idealized temple he was shown in a vision, for he writes, "On the walls round about in the inner room and [on] the nave were carved likenesses of cherubim."

Again God has the right to tell US what to do and create according to His instructions. Again, cherubim is created. Isn't it interesting that NONE of these exist today? Aren't you curious as to why He liked cherubin? Are you familiar with what cherubin represent? Or is this simply a green light for you to accept statues of people etc.?

"During a plague of serpents sent to punish the Israelites during the exodus, God told Moses to "make [a statue of] a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and every one who is bitten, when he sees it shall live. So Moses made a bronze serpent, and set it on a pole; and if a serpent bit any man, he would look at the bronze serpent and live" (Num. 21:8–9). "

Yes ...

[8] And 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.

[9] And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

Again God can tell US what to do however we have NO business making statues or images. He forbade US from doing that. It was symbolic. Don't you understand the symbolism going on?

I don't understand how you can put fallible man on the same level as God. He can do anything BUT He FORBIDES US from making images and statues on our own because people tend worship it. We are NOT allowed to make ANY images etc. because of this. And it is highly unlikely that an image of JESUS will be left behind for us.


One had to look at the bronze statue of the serpent to be healed, which shows that statues could be used ritually, not merely as religious decorations.

Of course you can do whatever you want but an image of Christ is HIGHLY inconsistent with how He has spoken of images - in truth is is a distraction for people. It is NOT important how He looks. Appearances are deceiving.
80 posted on 02/12/2005 3:04:51 PM PST by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God).)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies ]

To: NYer; nmh

Correctly put -- the key point is that those images are not to be worshipped, they are not God in any way.


115 posted on 02/12/2005 7:03:28 PM PST by Cronos (Never forget 9/11)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson