[ET(end tyranny)]

Probably has something to do with idolatry.

Deuteronomy 5
6   I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
7   Thou shalt have none other gods before me.
8   Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth:

Exodus 20
2   I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3   Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
4   Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

Exodus 34:17
Thou shalt make thee no molten gods.


Isaiah 42
17   They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images, that say to the molten images, Ye are our gods.

graven image from the Hebrew
6459 pecel peh'-sel from 6458; an idol:--carved (graven) image.
1) idol, image


6458 pacal paw-sal' a primitive root; to carve, whether wood or stone:--grave, hew.
1) to cut, hew, hew into shape
a) (Qal) to hew, hew out, quarry


molten image from the Hebrew
4541 maccekah mas-say-kaw' from 5258; properly, a pouring over, i.e. fusion of metal (especially a cast image); by implication, a libation, i.e. league; concretely a coverlet (as if poured out):--covering, molten (image), vail.
1) a pouring, libation, molten metal, cast image, drink offering
a) libation (with covenant sacrifice)
b) molten metal, molten image, molten gods
2) web, covering, veil, woven stuff

[Polycarp]

Fool.

"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).

"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).

"[David gave Solomon the plan for the] golden chariot of the cherubim [statues of angels] 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).

"On the [Temple] walls round about in the inner room and [on] the nave were carved likenesses of cherubim." (Ezekiel 41:17–18)

In the above verses, God Himself commands that graven images be made. Now either God and the Bible contradict themselves, or your interpretation of the Commandment against the making of images is wrong.

The answer, of course, is that your interpretation of the Commandment is wrong. God approves of the use of statuary, stained glass, ikons, and other graven images when they are used for their intended purpose: the glorification and adoration of God. God forbade the adoration of the statues themselves, and of the Canaanite "gods" the statues represented, not the making of graven images per se.

[Hermann the Cherusker]

So why where graven images of things like Cherubom placed by order of God on the Ark of the Covenant and the Temple?

[RobbyS]

Here is one translation of the Scipture:

Thou shalt not deny me by making other gods thy own. Thous shalt not carve images, nor fashion likenesses of anything in heaven above, or on earth beneath, or in the waters under the earth, to bow down and worship it. I, thy God,the Lord Almighty, am jealous in my love; by my enemy and thy children, to the third and fourth generation, shall for they guilt make amends; love me, keep my commandments, and mercy shall be thine a thousand fold.

"Thou shalt not deny me by making other gods your own."

Further on it is said: "It is not for you to make yourselve gods of silver and gold."

In the ancient Middle East, images were the ordinary means of encounter between men and gods. That there were no images of Yahweh was a radical difference between Him, the Living God, and the other gods, who were only wood, metal or clay.