Yes. But what about:
"And you shall make two cherubim of gold ...
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.
When interpreting the Bible, one principle is that we do not use temporary, localized commands to otherwise abrogate general, universal commands. E.g., we do not use the temporary, localized commands of God to the Israelite to kill and otherwise drive out the inhabitants of the land of Canaan to justify murder in general (e.g., abortion).
Yes, God gave very specific commands about the adornment of the tabernacle/temple to Israel. He spoke those specific words to/through Moses as recorded in the Pentateuch.
God gave no such command in His revealed Word invent human images to adorn modern places of worship. Or to wear little representations of "Jesus" around your neck.
Or to make images on your Catacomb walls, or draw little fishes to represent Christ or numerous other images to express the Christian life: BUT NEITHER DID HE FORBID IT! Go look at the catacombs of the first second and third century Christians and tell me they didn't use imagery in their Christian faith!
"We?" Who is this "we"?
.. do not use temporary, localized commands to otherwise abrogate general, universal commands. E.g., we do not use the temporary, localized commands of God to the Israelite to kill and otherwise drive out the inhabitants of the land of Canaan to justify murder in general (e.g., abortion).
Yes, but by what authority do "we" (i.e., your church) decide which commands are "temporary, localized commands" and which are "general, universal commands"? Your pastor's authority? Well, who gave him that authority? Your bishop or presbyter? And who gave it them?
The Scriptures are the authentic Word of God, but they do not stand alone; they must be assembled and interpreted by human beings inspired by the Holy Spirit. In the end, somebody has the power to define what the Scriptures are and what they mean.
Jesus Christ established a Church, originally headed by St. Peter and the Apostles, to define the canon of Scripture and to authoritatively interpret them for the believers. This is the Catholic Church, and the human beings inspired to teach the authentic Christian faith are the Pope and the other Bishops, whose authority is given them by direct sucession from the Apostles. In the Catholic Church, the Pope and Bishops united (i.e., the Magisterium) are the Final Word.
In Protestant churches, this authority is assumed by fiat by the minister of the individual congregation or by a denominational council of some sort. Although Protestants like to pretend that each individual has the right to intrepret the Scriptures by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the reality is that minister or denominational leaders have all the power. "Interpret the scriptures" differently from the minister of your church or the denominational leaders and you're in trouble; do it loudly enough and you're gone. Protestants who complain about the "tyranny" of the Pope are in reality far more tyrannized; their own churches have a Pope in every pulpit.
(And I speak as a former Protestant myself.)
This explains why there are so many Protestant denominations, each one "led by the Holy Spirit", each one teaching the "authentic word of God." They can't all be right. The fact that most Protestant denominations are dying slow and agonizing deaths is proof enough of the fallacy of individual interpretations; Christ promised the the Gates of Hell would not prevail against His Church. And the only church that has survived everything the Gates of Hell could throw at it -- two millenia of Nero, Nestorius, Diocletian, barbarian invasion, Saracen blade, Reformation, Renaissance, Reason, Rebellion, and altar girld wearing sneakers -- is the one Jesus Himself established: the one headed by St. Peter and his successors.
Outside that Church there can be no salvation. Of course, there are members of the true Church -- true Christians all -- in every denomination, and even beyond that. It is not for any man to judge who is rightous and who is not. But Christ did give men the authority to teach the Christian faith authentically and completely. This authority was given, not assumed, and anyone who assumes it on their own authority does not possess it.
Your church is welcome to its opinions about the Scriptures, but for the authentic, complete teachings of the Christian Church in their fullness there is only one source: the Catholic Church.
In closing: Please accept this post in the spirit of brotherly love. I don't mean to sound angry or strident; it just comes out that way sometimes when I try to communicate without the benefit of tonality or body language to convey my emotional state. If my choice of words caused hurt, my sincerest apologies.