The children of God – Israel – were monotheistic, that is they worshipped one God. It may be that these images were in use among Israel’s ancestors (even Orthodox Jewish tradition allows that Terah, Abraham’s father, was an idol-maker). The condemnation of images clearly includes images that were idols. The actual Hebrew word for graven images means “carved image.” The Hebrew means something hacked or chisled into some “likeness.” These idols were normally of wood (though the word could cover stone carvings as well), usually with some precious metal covering. The presence of the invisible God was to be marked by no symbol of Himself, but by His words written on stone, preserved in the arc of the Holy of Holies and covered by the mercy seat. ![]() The first commandment therefore forbids the worship of any false god, seen or unseen, it is here forbidden to worship an image of any sort, whether the figure of a false deity or one in any way symbolical of Jehovah. Here, the theological truth is that the essence of God is spiritual and unseen (John 4:24). All Scripture is consistent in condemnation of the worship of any created thing in place of the Creator. The clarification as to what graven images really are does not forbid painting, sculpture, or other art forms as such, it does, however, forbid selling art as a point of contact for worship. God is spirit and cannot be represented by statues or any likeness. The commandment forbidding any graven image specifically demands that thou shalt not bow down thyself to them. There is no other God, and no false gods are to have place in our lives. The first commandment stresses God’s complete uniqueness. The main prohibition to graven images is found in the Ten Commandments as located in Exodus 20:4,5 and also Deuteronomy 5:8. The reference to graven images may be found in several locations throughout the Old and New Testaments. and M.Div through Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.Old and New Testament Mentions of “Graven Images” You will often find him when he’s not busy with ministry reading a pile of the latest books from a wide variety of Christian publishers. He is also a voracious reader, in particular of Reformed theology, and the Puritans. ![]() Dave loves to spend time with his wife, going to movies, eating at a nice restaurant, or going out for a round of golf with a good friend. You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Parler, Truth Social, Youtube, or read his newsletter. He is the author of The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It(House to House, 2021) and The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022). He serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries, the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine, and is the Host for the Equipping You in Grace Podcast. Dave is a lover of Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology. He is a writer, editor, and speaker living in beautiful Southern Oregon. ![]() Dave Jenkins is happily married to Sarah Jenkins.
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