The Second Commandment (No. CB071)

The paper The Ten Commandments No. CB017 is the summary paper which should be reviewed prior to this series on each of the commandments. It includes a general overview of the purpose of God’s Laws and a brief description of each of the commandments.

Introduction

God the Father has always existed, He alone created the spiritual host/angels, and the universe. He knows the end from the beginning which means He knows all things. He is also in charge of all things and nothing happens without His knowledge. He set a perfect plan in place and yet He knew Lucifer would rebel and break His laws and sin would enter the world. For more information about Satan and sin see Satan’s Days of Worship (No. CB023); and What is Sin? (No.CB026) .

God only wants the best for all His creation and that is why He gave the creation the Ten Commandments. Satan’s heart is set on trying to prevent God from completing His plan. Satan will try anything to prevent people from obeying God. Satan knows if he can get mankind to break any of God’s Commandments it will prevent the person from staying close to God and being blessed.

The Two Great Commandments

The Ten Commandments fall under two “Great” Commandments which are summed up in Matthew 22:37-40.

Matthew 22:37-40: Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ ³⁸This is the first and great commandment. ³⁹And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’⁴⁰On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.

This above text is the answer Christ gave when He was asked which was the great commandment in the Law. So we can see that these two summarize the entire Law. For more information see Lesson: Law at our Doorposts (No. CB080). The first four commandments fall under the “First Great” Commandment and show us how to love God. The last six, beginning with the Fifth Commandment, fall under the “Second Great” Commandment and teach us how to love others.

The Second Commandment

The Second Commandment falls under the First Great Commandment and shows us one aspect of how we love God. The Second Commandment is found in Exodus 20:4-6 and teaches us we are not to worship idols or man-made things.

Exodus 20:4-6 You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or 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; ⁵you shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, ⁶but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. (RSV)

Exodus 20:4-6 Do not make idols that look like anything in the sky or on earth or in the ocean under the earth. Don't bow down and worship idols. I am the LORD your God, and I demand all your love. If you reject me, I will punish your families for three or four generations. But if you love me and obey my laws, I will be kind to your families for thousands of generations.

(Contemporary English Version, or CEV)

God clearly tells us that the making of graven images for the purpose of worship is breaking His Law. Satan, on the other hand, will try to get people to worship the creation versus the creator of the universe. To understand this command, we must understand what is meant by a graven image. The word graven means carved and shows that it was made by hand.

What are idols?

The Reader’s Digest Great Encyclopedic Dictionary tells us that an image is a representation or likeness of a real or imaginary person, creature or object – sculptured likeness; a statue, especially one regarded as an object of religious veneration, an icon. An icon is a religious painting considered sacred in the Eastern Orthodox Churches. Most icons are portraits of God, Jesus Christ, or saints. Icons are displayed in homes and in churches. Worshipers show devotion by praying before icons, kissing them, or lighting candles. Icons are often carried in religious processions.

Idols are only the work of man’s hands. Those that worship their idols, whether made of stone, wood or any other material, are simply worshipping in vain; it is useless. It does not please God in any way; it actually takes away from the worship of the One True God. The idols themselves need their builders to move them around, since they cannot move, or speak, or do anything, and the builders of such idols are like the idols and so are all who trust in those idols (Ex. 20:22-23).

Even King Solomon was not immune or free from idol worship. He started his idol worship when he allowed himself to be swayed by his many wives of different religions, to follow false gods instead of the One True God. He started worshipping a multitude of gods and making graven images or idols. God divided the nation of Israel as punishment for Solomon’s actions and it remains divided to this day (1Kgs. 11:1-13).

In today’s society, some people argue that icons are merely symbols to help worshippers think of God. This can be seen inside most churches where they have statues and usually a large cross with an image of Christ being crucified. Members often kneel before the cross as they pray to their Lord Jesus the Christ. However, the Bible teaches us that the worship of anything other than God the Father, including Jesus Christ, a graven image, idol or icon, is called idolatry and is strictly forbidden.

We obviously find no images of God the Father anywhere, as His face has never been seen by human flesh (Jn. 1:18). In the note on the NKJV it says that archaeologists (people that look into the past) have observed that a figure of God has yet to be found in debris, or remains, of any Israelite town. This would also show us the Israelites did not make images of God. They kept the Second Commandment, since such images of other gods are frequently found at later periods and from other cultures. There are times (like the one described with Solomon) that other cultures led the Israelites away from God. Each person has a choice to follow God or disobey His Laws and this has never changed.

When we draw or make images, we need to be aware of what they might really represent. Our society today has taken many images from the false religions and brought them into our daily lives. Our job as followers of God and His Laws is to always be aware of why we do what we do, and to make sure we are never worshipping anything other than the One True God.

What about Images in Art?

Another aspect we need to keep in mind is that this commandment does not prohibit the making of images for art, but shows us that the worship of anything other than the One True God is idolatry and is forbidden. For example, having a statue of a bird (which is a likeness of something on Earth) for decorative purposes in our home would not be breaking the Second Commandment. However, if we placed that same bird by our front door because we believed that birds were sacred and could protect our home from intruders, then we would be breaking the Second Commandment. Likewise, drawing a picture of an angelic being is not prohibited. In fact, the Israelites were instructed to have pictures of cherubim woven into the design on the Tabernacle curtains. These were decorative and symbolic; however, they were NOT used for worship.

Customs of the World

We are commanded not to follow in any way the customs or pagan traditions that are against God’s Laws of any people around us.

Jeremiah 10:2-5 Thus says the LORD: "Learn not the way of the nations, nor be dismayed at the signs of the heavens because the nations are dismayed at them ³for the customs of the peoples are false. A tree from the forest is cut down, and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman. ⁴Men deck it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so that it cannot move. ⁵Their idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field, and they cannot speak; they have to be carried, for they cannot walk. Be not afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good." (RSV)

As we see above, this includes following the customs of Christmas trees. God shows us that these are considered idols and are contrary to God’s laws. (See God’s Holy Days (No. CB22); Satan’s Days of Worship (No. CB23); Why we don’t celebrate Christmas (No.CB24) and The Piñata (No. 276).)

Other Ways we Break the Second Commandment

We have learned we should not make any idols or pictures that represent other gods. There will be a time coming when all these idols representing false gods will be destroyed. We also know if we place anything like a favourite video game or toy above God we have made that item a “god” or placed it higher than our relationship with God.

Participating in any pagan celebration like Christmas, Valentine’s Day etc. is also worshipping other gods and it is wrong for us to do that. Playing games with ouija boards or consulting astrology charts is also not trusting and obeying the One True God. If we are rebellious and do not follow God’s Laws we too are breaking the Second Commandment.

If we are ever unsure about participating in something it is always a good idea to ask our parents about that event or activity.

What Will Happen to All of the Idols?

In the Bible, we see that any idols or graven images were to be completely and utterly destroyed.

Deuteronomy 7:25-26: The graven images of their gods you shall burn with fire; you shall not covet the silver or the gold that is on them, or take it for yourselves, lest you be ensnared by it; for it is an abomination to the LORD your God. And you shall not bring an abominable thing into your house, and become accursed like it; you shall utterly detest and abhor it; for it is an accursed thing.

At his return, Messiah will ensure every single aspect of pagan worship has been destroyed. This will include statues, buildings, idols, pictures, etc. Many of these ideas come from the Mystery or Sun cults of the Triune system, with its cult of idols. Anything that is not of the One True God will be destroyed.

Blue Ribbons

One man-made item that we can use to remind us that we keep God’s laws is blue ribbons. The Bible indicates that we should have blue fringes (or ribbons) on our clothes to remind us of God’s Laws.

Numbers 15:37-41: The Lord said to Moses as follows: Speak to the Israelite people and instruct them to make for themselves fringes on the corners of their garments throughout the ages; let them attach a cord of blue to the fringe at each corner. That shall be your fringe; look at it and recall all the commandments of the Lord and observe them, so that you do not follow your heart and eyes in your lustful urge. Thus you shall be reminded to observe all My commandments and to be holy to your God. I the Lord am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I, the Lord your God. (Jewish Study Bible)

We use 4 blue ribbons on our clothes to remind us of God’s Law and to be holy to Him. They are never used as a means of protection or worship. They are simply a reminder that our daily decisions are guided by God and His Laws and are not shaped like anything that is in heaven or on earth.

Deuteronomy 15:22: And when you make a coat, sew a tassel on each of the four corners. (CEV)

Summary

As Satan continually tries to get us to worship the creation versus the creator of the universe, it is up to us to obey God and not be led astray. We should continually strive to keep all of God’s Commandments and protect ourselves with the whole armour of God (Eph 5:6). (For more information on the Armor of God see the series on the Armour of God beginning with Introduction to the Armour of Eloah (No. CB123).)

The Commandments of God have been in place from the beginning of the creation. The Second Commandment prevents the worship of any other god or pagan system of worship. It ties the system of worship to the One True God under the First Great Commandment.

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Blue Ribbons

One man-made item that we can use to remind us that we keep God’s laws is blue ribbons. The Bible indicates that we should have blue fringes (or ribbons) on our clothes to remind us of God’s Laws.