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Question

What does the Bible say about image-making and idol worship? What does the commandment actually prohibit -- all representational art, or specifically images made for worship? How do the cherubim on the Ark (Exo 25:18-22) and the bronze serpent (Num 21:8-9; 2 Kgs 18:4) relate to this commandment? What does "visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children" mean in light of Ezekiel 18?

Topics

IDOLATRY

Wicked Practices Of: - Human sacrifices: LEV 18:21; 20:2-5; DEU 12:31; 18:10; 2KI 3:26,27; 16:3; 17:17,18; 21:6; 23:10; 2CH 28:3; 33:6; PSA 106:37,38; ISA 57:5; JER 7:31; 19:4-7; 32:35; EZK 16:20,21; 20:26,31; 23:37,39; MIC 6:7 - Practices relating to the dead: DEU 14:1 - Licentiousness: EXO 32:6,25; NUM 25:1-3; 1KI 14:24; 15:12; 2KI 17:30; 23:7; EZK 16:17; 23:1-44; HOS 4:12-14; AMO 2:8; MIC 1:7; ROM 1:24,26,27; 1CO 10:7,8; 1PE 4:3,4; REV 2:14,20-22; 9:20,21; 14:8; 17:1-6

Other Customs Of: - Offered burnt offerings: EXO 32:6; 1KI 18:26; ACT 14:13 - Libations: ISA 57:6; 65:11; JER 7:18; 19:13; 32:29; 44:17,19,25; EZK 20:28 - Libations of wine: DEU 32:38 - Libations of blood: PSA 16:4; ZEC 9:7 - Meat offerings: ISA 57:6; JER 7:18; 44:17; EZK 16:19 - Peace offerings: EXO 32:6 - Incense burned on altars: 1KI 12:33; 2CH 30:14; 34:25; ISA 65:3; JER 1:16; 11:12,17; 44:3; 48:35; EZK 16:18; 23:41; HOS 11:2 - Prayers to idols: JDG 10:14; ISA 44:17; 45:20; 46:7; JON 1:5 - Praise: JDG 16:24; DAN 5:4 - Singing and dancing: EXO 32:18,19 - Music: DAN 3:5-7 - Cutting the flesh: 1KI 18:28; JER 41:5 - Kissing: 1KI 19:18; HOS 13:2; JOB 31:27 - Bowing: 1KI 19:18; 2KI 5:18 - Tithes and gifts: 2KI 23:11; DAN 11:38; AMO 4:4,5

Annual Feasts: 1KI 12:32; EZK 18:6,11,12,15; 22:9; DAN 3:2,3

Objects Of: - Sun, moon, and stars: DEU 4:19; 2KI 17:16; 21:3,5; 2CH 33:3,5; JOB 31:26-28; JER 7:17-20; 8:2; EZK 8:15,16; ZEP 1:4,5; ACT 7:42 - Images of angels: COL 2:18 - Animals: ROM 1:23 - Gods of Egypt: EXO 12:12 - Golden calf: EXO 32:4 - Brazen serpent: 2KI 18:4 - Net and drag: HAB 1:16 - Pictures: NUM 33:52; ISA 2:16 - Pictures on walls: EZK 8:10 - Earrings: GEN 35:4

Denunciations Against: GEN 35:2; EXO 20:3-6,23; 23:13; 34:17; LEV 19:4; 26:1,30; DEU 4:15-23,25-28; 5:7-9; 11:16,17,28; 12:31; 16:21,22; 27:15; 28:15-68; 30:17,18; 31:16-21,29; 32:15-26; 1SA 15:23; 1KI 9:6-9; JOB 31:26-28; PSA 16:4; 44:20,21; 59:8; 79:6; 81:9; 97:7; ISA 42:17; 45:16; JOL 3:12; JON 2:8; MIC 5:15; HAB 1:16; ACT 15:20,29; 17:16; ROM 1:25; 1CO 6:9,10; 8:1-13; 10:7,14,20-22; 1JN 5:21; REV 21:8; 22:15

Warnings Against, and Punishments Of: DEU 17:2-5; 2CH 28:23; NEH 9:27-37; PSA 78:58-64; 106:34-42; ISA 1:29-31; 2:6-22; 30:22; 57:3-13; 65:3,4; JER 1:15,16; 3:1-11; 5:1-17; 7; 8:1,2,19; 13:9-27; 16; 17:1-6; 18:13-15; 19; 22:9; 32:35; 44; 48:8; EZK 6; 7:19; 8:5-18; 9; 14:1-14; 16; 20; 22:4; 23; 44:10-12; HOS 1:2; 2:2-5; 4:12-19; 5:1-3; 8:5-14; 9:10; 10; 11:2; 12:11-14; 13:1-4; 14:8; AMO 3:14; 4:4,5; 5:5; MIC 1:1-9; 5:12-14; 6:16; ZEP 1; MAL 2:11-13

Prophecies Relating To: EXO 12:12; NUM 33:4; ISA 2:18,20; 17:7,8; 19:1; 21:9; 27:9; 31:7; JER 10:11,15; 51:44,47,52; EZK 43:7-9; HOS 10:2; MIC 5:13; ZEP 2:11; ZEC 13:2

Folly Of: EXO 32:20; DEU 4:28; 32:37,38; JDG 6:31; 10:14; 1SA 5:3,4; 12:21; 1KI 18:27; 2KI 3:13; 19:18; 2CH 25:15; 28:22,23; PSA 96:5; 106:20; 115:4,5,8; 135:15-18; ISA 2:8; 16:12; 36:18; 37:19; 40:12-26; 41:23,24,26-29; 43:9; 44:9-20; 45:20; 46:1,2,6,7; 47:12-15; 57:13; JER 2:28; 10:3-16; 11:12; 14:22; 16:19,20; 48:13; 51:17; DAN 5:23; HOS 8:5,6; HAB 2:18,19; ZEC 10:2; ACT 14:15; 17:22,23,29; ROM 1:22,23; 1CO 8:4,5; 10:19; 12:2; GAL 4:8; REV 9:20

IDOL

  • Manufacture of: EXO 20:4; 32:4,20; DEU 4:23; ISA 40:19,20; 44:9-12,17; HAB 2:18; ACT 19:24,25
  • Manufacture of, forbidden: EXO 20:4; 34:17
  • Made of Gold: EXO 32:3,4; PSA 115:4-7; 135:15-17; ISA 2:20; 30:22; 31:7; HOS 8:4
  • Made of Silver: ISA 2:20; 30:22; 31:7; HOS 8:4
  • Made of Wood and stone: LEV 26:1; DEU 4:28; 2KI 19:18; ISA 37:19; 41:6; 44:13-19; EZK 20:32
  • Coverings of: ISA 30:22
  • Prayer to, unanswered: 1KI 18:25-29; ISA 16:12
  • Things offered to, not to be eaten: EXO 34:15

IMAGE

  • For idols: See IDOLATRY
  • Figurative:
  • Man created in image of God: GEN 1:26,27; 5:1; 9:6; JAS 3:9
  • Regenerated into: PSA 17:15; ROM 8:29; 2CO 3:18; EPH 4:24; COL 3:10; 1JN 3:1-3
  • Christ, image of God: COL 1:15; HEB 1:3
  • Image of jealousy: EZK 8:3,5

CHERUBIM

  • Eastward of the garden of Eden: GEN 3:24
  • In the tabernacle: EXO 25:18-20; 37:7-9
  • The ark rested beneath the wings of: 1KI 8:6,7; 2CH 5:7,8; HEB 9:5
  • Figures embroidered:
  • On the walls of the tabernacle: EXO 26:1; 36:8
  • On the curtain: EXO 26:31; 36:35
  • In the temple: 1KI 6:23-29; 2CH 3:10-13
  • Figures of:
  • On the curtain: 2CH 3:14
  • On the walls: 1KI 6:29-35; 2CH 3:7
  • On the lavers: 1KI 7:29,36
  • In Ezekiel's vision of the temple: EZK 41:18-20,25
  • Figurative: EZK 28:14-16
  • Symbolical: EZK 1; 10

BRAZEN SERPENT

  • Made by Moses for healing of Israelites: NUM 21:9
  • Worshiped by Israelites: 2KI 18:4
  • A symbol of Christ: JHN 3:14,15

NEHUSHTAN

  • The brass (bronze) serpent: 2KI 18:4

ICONOCLASM

  • Idols to be destroyed: EXO 23:24; 34:13; NUM 33:52; DEU 7:5,25,26; 12:1-4; JDG 2:2; JER 50:2
  • Destroyed by:
  • Jacob: GEN 35:2-4
  • Moses: EXO 32:19,20
  • Gideon: JDG 6:28-32
  • David: 2SA 5:21; 1CH 14:12
  • Jehu: 2KI 10:26-28
  • Jehoiada: 2KI 11:18
  • Hezekiah: 2KI 18:3-6
  • Josiah: 2KI 23:4-20
  • Asa: 2CH 14:3-5; 15:8-16
  • Jehoshaphat: 2CH 17:6; 19:3
  • Jews: 2CH 30:14
  • Manasseh: 2CH 33:15

JEALOUSY

  • General scriptures: PRO 6:34; 27:4; ECC 4:4; SOS 8:6
  • Law concerning jealous husband: NUM 5:12-31
  • Image of: EZK 8:3,4
  • Attributed to God: EXO 20:5; 34:13,14; NUM 25:11; DEU 29:20; 32:16,21; 1KI 14:22; PSA 78:58; 79:5; ISA 30:1,2; 31:1,3; EZK 16:42; 23:25; 36:5,6; 38:19; ZEP 1:18; 3:8; ZEC 1:14; 8:2; 1CO 10:22
  • Figurative: 2CO 11:2
  • Instances: Cain of Abel (GEN 4:5,6,8); Sarah of Hagar (GEN 16:5); Joseph's brothers (GEN 37:4-11,18-28); Saul of David (1SA 18:8-30; 19:8-24; 20:24-34); etc.

WORSHIP

  • To be rendered only to God: EXO 20:3; DEU 5:7; 6:13; MAT 4:10; LUK 4:8; ACT 10:26; 14:15; COL 2:18; REV 19:10; 22:8
  • Acceptable to God: GEN 4:4; 8:21
  • Of the wicked rejected: GEN 4:5,7
  • Postures: Bowing (EXO 34:8; 2CH 20:18); Prostration (GEN 17:3; MRK 3:11)
  • God's presence in: LEV 19:30; PSA 77:13; 84:4; ISA 56:7; HEB 10:25
  • Of angels, forbidden: REV 19:10; 22:8,9
  • Commanded: GEN 35:1; EXO 23:17,18; 34:23; DEU 12:5-7; PSA 96:8,9; 97:7; REV 14:7; 19:10
  • Key unclassified scriptures include: JHN 4:23,24; ACT 17:24,25; PHP 3:3; REV 14:6,7

CARVING

  • Woodwork of temple decorated with carvings of flowers, cherubim, palm trees: 1KI 6:18,29,32,35; PSA 74:6
  • Beds decorated with: PRO 7:16
  • Idols manufactured by: DEU 7:5; ISA 44:9-17; 45:20; HAB 2:18,19
  • Persons skilled in: Bezaleel (EXO 31:5); Hiram (1KI 7:13-51; 2CH 2:13,14)

SERPENT

  • Satan appears to Eve in form of: GEN 3:1-15; 2CO 11:3
  • Subtlety of: GEN 3:1; ECC 10:8; MAT 10:16
  • Curse upon: GEN 3:14,15; 49:17
  • Staff of Moses transformed into: EXO 4:3; 7:15
  • Fiery (poisonous), sent as plague: NUM 21:6,7; DEU 8:15; 1CO 10:9
  • Wound miraculously healed by bronze snake: NUM 21:8,9
  • Figurative: ISA 14:29; 30:6; 65:25

GODS

See IDOL; IDOLATRY; IMAGE

PUNISHMENT (Entailed)

  • Upon children: EXO 34:7; JER 31:29; LAM 5:7; EZK 18:2,3

ART

  • Primitive: Musical instruments (GEN 4:21,22); Carpentry (GEN 6:14-16; EXO 31:2-9); Goldsmith (ISA 40:19); Potter (ISA 64:8; JER 18:3)
  • Artisans, Skillful: Bezaleel and Aholiab (EXO 31:2-14; 35:30-35); Hiram (1KI 7:13-51; 2CH 2:13,14)
  • The IDOLATRY topic is the largest Nave's entry in this study and overlaps with the IDOL, IMAGE, and ICONOCLASM entries.
  • The CHERUBIM entry provides extensive data on God-commanded images throughout the tabernacle and temple.
  • The PUNISHMENT (Entailed) subtopic directly addresses the "visiting the iniquity" question, with four key cross-references: Exo 34:7; Jer 31:29; Lam 5:7; Ezk 18:2,3.
  • The CARVING entry is significant because it shows both God-commanded carvings (temple decorations) and idol manufacturing as distinct uses of the same craft.