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Icons in our churches and homes are, in the words of St. John "opened books to remind us of God." (indeed ,an icon is a painted image of Christ just as Scripture is a written image of the Saviour.)

When the Second Coming happens and Jesus descends from the heavens and I snap his picture and venerate it did I just sin?

I wonder why God asked images of Angels to be made? and for the Arc to be venerated then? "under the Old Covenant God commanded images to be made: first the tabernacle, and then everything in it"--which included images of angels surmounting the Ark. These images were not idols because they were not worshipped.

When the Second Coming happens and Jesus descends from the heavens and I snap his picture and venerate it did I just sin?

Wait a minute. You're telling me when Christ returns you're going to stand there with a camera? And, yes, if you venerate an object, a photo, while the real God is present, you will definitely be sinning. On the other hand, if you are a believer, at that time sin will be done away with. So, I guess you won't need that camera, eh? :)

I wonder why God asked images of Angels to be made? and for the Arc to be venerated then?

Interestingly enough, however, the Ark was hidden from view of the people during its actual "use" and then only the high priest actually saw it. No one was supposed to even touch it.

I would also argue that it wasn't the Ark itself that was "venerated" although it was considered sanctified, holy, set apart for sacred use. When the Israelites sought to "venerate" it by taking it into battle thinking it would bless their efforts, they were soundly routed and the Ark was taken as part of the spoils of war.

When the Ark was recovered, the celebration is worship and thanksgiving to God for His mercy, not an elevation of the Ark.

Additionally, OT rituals and worship were shadows of what was to come in Christ, but Christ is the substance, the exact image (icon) of the invisible God (Col 1:15). I think it's difficult to justify veneration of images based on tabernacle or temple worship. Hebrews tells us that the tabernacle was a reflection of heaven, so the images there represented veneration given to God who met His people in that earthly place.