IMAGES OF GOD
Daniel Valles 12/10/7   www. informedchristians.com

Most of us are familiar with the second commandment: “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God…” Exodus 20:4-5. Most of us understand that He is talking about images of a reverenced/religious nature. Most people automatically think of graven images only as figurines and statues. However, God specifically states that graven (ie. made into a tangible object such as a statue or figurine) images and their likenesses (ie. pictures and images of the same) are the same thing. A painting of a false god is just as evil as a statue of a false god. In Numbers 33:52, He commands His people to “…destroy all their pictures and destroy all their molten images…” An image of something that is reverenced is to have no place in a Christian’s life, let alone figurines or statues of things that are reverenced.

Notice that the second commandment does not say we are not to make graven images only of idols - it is a blanket statement. Anything that is worshipped is forbidden to be made into a graven image or picture. That would include images and statues of God and Jesus Christ. If you read the second commandment again, you will notice that it is a two-part commandment. 1) We are not to make graven images of anything that is reverenced or worshipped. 2) We are not to worship those images. Many Christians wrongly combine those two and think that as long as they do not worship images of Jesus Christ, then it is permissible. We are forbidden to make statues or pictures of God as well.

In Exodus 20:20-23, the same chapter as the Ten Commandments, God further explains, “…Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold.” God told them that we have a one-on-one fellowship with God and Jesus Christ – one that is as good as face-to-face! We do not need images or statues to remind us of Him! Too many Christians wrongly excuse pictures of Jesus Christ on their wall, in Sunday School material, religious movies, or in nativity scenes as harmless reminders of our Saviour. They are all wrought (graven) images of God that our mind has conjured up.

Isaiah 42:8 clearly warns, “I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.” God has warned us in His word that He will not even share His magnificent glory with images that are supposedly of Him! He warned Moses that He is “a jealous God”. A picture, depiction, or figurine of God/Jesus Christ will never be able to accurately portray our God. Anything less than God is not God. Anything that is not God is taking the glory and reverence due to God. You could be the best painter or sculpture in the world; and yet, God will never approve of images or picture of Him or His Son, Jesus Christ.

My eyes were first opened to the dangers of making pictures of God and Jesus Christ when I worked at a Christian publisher that was making Sunday School materials. The head painter/illustrator painted a picture of Jesus Christ for one of the illustrations, and took it to the art director for approval. The art director told him to change some of the features on Jesus’ face to make ‘Him’ appear more smiling, lovable, etc. What struck me was that small subtle changes in a painting can drastically change one’s depiction of Jesus and God. Therein lies the danger that God warns us of. No picture or statue can truly depict Christ, and anything that is not truly depicting God is giving a false impression of God, while claiming to be God! God will not share His glory with anyone or anything!

Many Christians get all up in arms trying to defend nativity scenes. God does not approve of images of His Son, so why are we trying to protect and promote what God has said He will not share His glory with? God has said we are not to make graven images (or their likeness) of anything reverenced – including God and His Son. It was quite an eye-opener to me when I studied this. Anything, whether a statue or a picture, that is of God, is stealing His glory. Many weak Christians excuse religious movies that have a ‘Jesus’ character. They excuse it as a reminder and encourager. Baloney. Every time they think of God, every time they watch that movie, every time they see ‘his’ face – God’s glory is stolen. For this reason, I will not have pictures of Jesus in my house. I tore out the illustrated pages in my Bible that had a likeness of Jesus. I will not have a nativity scene in my house, and I will most certainly not recommend or protect them. Our God is a very jealous God; the Israelites were told that not just as a reminder, but as a warning.

Let us not have items in our life and home that steal God’s glory. If we need pictures or statues to ‘remind’ us of our Saviour, that means we are not walking close enough to Him – or He is not walking close to us. Let go of man’s depictions and images of God, and hold tight to the real God, for He alone is worthy of our praise and glory.