The Bible, particularly in the Old Testament, strongly condemns the making and worshipping of graven images or idols. This prohibition is rooted in the belief that God is supreme and beyond physical representation. The commandment against graven images is about prioritizing a relationship with God over any material or created thing.
Curious about the deeper implications of this commandment in the Bible? Let’s explore what it means to create and worship graven images and how this relates to our modern lives.
What Does the Bible Say About Graven Images?
In the Bible, the topic of graven images is addressed most prominently in the Ten Commandments. These commandments, given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai, include a clear prohibition against making and worshipping graven images. The reason behind this is rooted in the nature of God and the relationship He desires with His people.
God, in the Bible, is depicted as the sovereign creator, unmatched and unparalleled. Making an image of God, or worshipping a created image, is seen as diminishing His transcendence and majesty. The Bible teaches that God is spirit, and those who worship Him must do so in spirit and truth, not through physical representations.
This commandment also addresses the human tendency to value and prioritize the material world. In the biblical context, graven images often represented deities and were central to the religious practices of surrounding cultures. The prohibition against these images was a call for the Israelites to trust and worship a God who cannot be reduced to a physical form.
In the New Testament, the teachings of Jesus and the apostles continue to emphasize the spiritual nature of worship and the dangers of idolatry. While the New Testament does not explicitly mention graven images, the principle remains the same: God should be worshipped in spirit and truth, and anything that takes His place in our hearts is an idol.
God’s view on graven images, as presented in the Bible, is about more than just the physical act of creating an image. It’s about where our loyalty, trust, and devotion lie. Idolatry, in its broader sense, can be anything that occupies the place in our lives that rightfully belongs to God.
In today’s context, while we may not be tempted to bow down to a statue, there are many ‘modern idols’ that can divert our attention and devotion away from God. The principle of avoiding idolatry still applies, calling us to examine our priorities and the ‘images’ we may have created in our hearts that replace or overshadow our devotion to God.
Bible Verses About Graven Images
- Exodus 20:4-5: The second of the Ten Commandments explicitly forbids the making of any graven image for the purpose of worshipping it, stating that God is a jealous God, punishing the sin of idolatry.
- Isaiah 44:9-20: This passage describes the folly of idol makers, who create idols from the same material used for ordinary, mundane purposes, highlighting the absurdity of worshipping man-made objects.
- Deuteronomy 4:15-19: Moses warns the Israelites against making an idol in the form of anything in creation, emphasizing that God has no form and should not be represented by any created thing.
- Leviticus 26:1: God commands not to make idols or set up an image or a sacred stone, and not to place a carved stone in the land to bow down before it.
- Romans 1:22-25: Paul criticizes those who claimed to be wise but became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
- Psalm 115:4-8: The psalmist talks about the idols of the nations being silver and gold, made by human hands, having mouths but not speaking, eyes but not seeing. This emphasizes the lifelessness of idols compared to the living God.
- Acts 17:29: In this verse, Paul speaks to the Athenians about the divine nature not being like gold or silver or stone—an image formed by the art and imagination of man. This reiterates the New Testament view on graven images and idolatry.
- Exodus 32:7-8: This passage recounts the incident of the golden calf, where the Israelites made an idol while Moses was on Mount Sinai. It serves as a stark example of the consequences of idolatry and straying from God’s commandments.
- Isaiah 40:18-20: Isaiah questions with whom will you compare God or what likeness will you set up against Him, underscoring the incomparability of God to any idol or graven image.
- 1 John 5:21: John simply states, “Dear children, keep yourselves from idols,” echoing the enduring relevance of this commandment in the Christian life.
These verses collectively illustrate the Bible’s strong stance against graven images. They highlight the importance of understanding God’s transcendence, the futility of idol worship, and the need to keep our worship pure and focused on the unseen, almighty God. This theme remains relevant, reminding us to continually evaluate what we worship and give ultimate value to in our lives.