The Second Commandment

“You shall not make for yourself a carved image.” The Hebrew word Peselis often translated as “graven image” or carved image,” and refers to any three dimensional image (regardless of how it may be produced) that is meant to represent the divine. Connected with this prohibition is any form of human idealization as represented by a statue (example  would be Pharaoh or a bust of Caesar).





“You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. (Exodus 20:4)Imagine, if when someone wanted to talk to you, they made themselves a hollow, lifeless plaster doll, that they said represented you, brought it into your presence and instead of talking to you directly, they talked to the lifeless plaster doll, as if it were you, all the while ignoring the real you who was right there with them. Would you think someone who did that was very foolish? Would you be offended by someone who "sees you" as a plaster dummy? And if, after your telling them that you don't like them doing that, and emphatically telling them not to do it, they kept doing it anyway, would you become angry with them? By His own words, it makes God very angry too. You aren't a dummy (unless, after you've read this, you keep any religious statues or images that you happen to have), and God isn't a dummy either. If you have any such religious statues or pictures as your lawful personal possession, destroy them immediately! (do not touch anything that is someone else's property, but show them this study if you can - everyone is responsible for themselves before God after they know the Truth).

The same holds true for using statues or images to worship or pray to the dead saints of the past just as it's wrong to worship or pray to the living saints of the present.

"Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any." All who make idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit; their witnesses neither see nor know, that they may be put to shame. Who fashions a god or casts an image, that is profitable for nothing? Behold, all his fellows shall be put to shame, and the craftsmen are but men; let them all assemble, let them stand forth, they shall be terrified, they shall be put to shame together." (Isaiah 44:8-11)

"Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the Deity is like gold, or silver, or stone, a representation by the art and imagination of man. The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now He commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has fixed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom He has appointed, and of this He has given assurance to all men by raising Him from the dead." (Acts 17:29-31)

When God commands Israel not to make and worship a graven image of Him why is that God would say this?  Is it because he wants us to know that there is no substitute  for God. Nor should we seek one, for the glory is his and will and can not be shared with wood silver or gold etc...


I would not like to see my wife kissing and hold a picture of me, I would prefer that she hold and kiss me instead, since I'm the original. God is God all by himself and there is no substitute, we are not the Greeks or the Egyptians, if we have an issue we can bring it before our God without the aid of a statue or other imitations.


Speak to him, he is after all your Father, he desires that you know him and that he can get to know you better.