There’s a difference between bowing down before the ark which had angels on it and bowing down TO the angels on the ark.
Besides, the statutes that we’ve seen pictures of people bowing down to are not with the ark, but are stand alone’s.
Anyone who bows down before a statue TO it to pray TO it, is disobeying God.
The picture of the pope bowing before a statue of Mary is direct disobedience of the clear commands of God.
Catholics bowing in prayer and lighting candles to statues in churches are disobeying God.
There’s just not much way to rationalize your way out of it.
Its all whats inside the person while they are doing it. Honoring or worship. There are verses were it says like it is a definite “no” then God or someone from God does something acceptable. I believe he means like the pagans do otherwise how could he make statues on the ark. Obviously there is a difference. Number one God can not do anything against his character if he did he is not Holy. By his actions we see what your statement is trying to declare is not lock stock and absolute. Thats all.