“The Scriptures do command the Israelites to bow before the Ark, which had two prominent images of cherubim on it. In Psalms 99:5”
Wow. This seems disingenuous. Even if Psalm 99 has in mind bowing before the ark of the covenant, no one got to see the ark of the covenant except the High Priest once each year. And further, God actually met with men there. People would be bowing to God, not the ark.
“If you look at the passage in question (2nd Kings 18:4), you will see that the Bronze Serpent was not destroyed simply because people honored it, but because they had made it into a serpent God, called ‘Nehushtan.’”
The author fails to acknowledge the possibility and danger of helpful images and icons being turned into idols. He simply refuses to admit it does happen or has ever happened and what the Biblical remedy to such idolatry is.
I enjoy beautiful art. I enjoy movies. I appreciate images like the Christmas decorations which may include images depicting Christ, Mary, Joseph, and others at Christ’s birth. But, we do not bow down to these images, pray toward them, or offer incense or sacrifice toward them.
It is not merely the idea that God or some lesser deity IS an object that makes these acts become idolatry. (By “lesser deity”, I am referring to supposed deities that do not truly exist but that some think exist.) Idolaters may very well know that the image itself is merely a depiction of the deity they are intending to worship.
While the author is correct that God does work through objects consecrated to His use, he fails to justify the acts of bowing, praying, and sacrificing toward such objects. And he refuses to accept the clear warning of scripture that it is possible for once God-ordained objects to become idols that need to be removed and destroyed.
It is abominable that such acts are advocated and justified by false teaching such as this because they lead God’s people to sin in order to promote commandments of men rather than the commandments of God.
Okay, so I looked it up.
I think the Catholics are right. Your interpretation is bogus.
The Ark is referred to as “the Footstool” of God’s feet:
“Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building” (1 Chronicles 28:2).
“We will go into his tabernacles: we will worship at his footstool. Arise, O Lord, into thy rest; thou, and the ark of thy strength” (131[132]:7-8).
And the Psalms specifically command us to worship (literally, bow before) the Ark:
“Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship the footstool of His feet; for He is holy” (Psalm 98[99]:5).
And we see that the Israelites in fact did bow before the Ark:
“And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the Ark of the LORD until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads” (Joshua 7:6).
And the Ark was carried in processions. It is possible that after the building of the Temple these processions ceased, but prior to that they did happen. We have records of them in Scripture, particularly involving David dancing before the Ark as it was brought into Jerusalem.