On the Subject of Graven Images...

[Ramie]

Hello everyone! i would like to begin by saying that i solemnly agree that Christians really shouldnt use statues, or images of any kind to worship God. And it is absolutely wrong to represent and limit our almighty God to mere symbols (such as the cross, triquetra, and fish) .It is a direct violation of the second commanent to not Make and Bow down to Graven images (giving religious significance to a symbol, being "bowing down" to it)

So the other day, i was scrolling online when i encountered a Hebrew Roots Creator saying that Christians must get rid of any type of "graven" images that represent any living thing. Whether it be Barbie dolls, Stuffed animals, fake plants and decorative figurines

Is this right?  Is any form of 3d object in the house a form of idolatry?

As a follow up question, would drawing scenes from the bible, depicting the life of Jesus would be a form of idolatry too? I get the error of creating portraits that are meant to depict Jesus, putting them on an Altar, Ascribing religious significance and praying to it. But would having a painting of a scene from his life okay, or is the same sin? Howabout simply drawing/painting in particular?

Thanks in advance everyone, and i look forward for your biblical answers!

[Jeanne]

Okay, let me ask you a question: Do you think God violated His own law in Numbers 21 when He had Moses make a serpent out of brass and put it up on a pole so the people would be cured of snake bites if they looked at it?
 
Numbers 21:6 And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. 7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. 8 And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. 9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

[anvilhauler]

Chris also covered the topic very well in one of the recent teachings.  In God's church, to a certain degree there isn't a little book of things not to do, but the Bible does cover the things that are definitely not to be done.

Acts 15 Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
13 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me: 14 Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. 15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, 16 After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: 17 that the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. 18 Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. 19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: 20 but that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

There is of course also the Law that brought the person to Christ in the first place and so the person would also not be wanting to violate the precepts laid down there such as not stealing and not committing murder etc.  But as Chris taught and I am certain it is correct, that if you think something is wrong and an offence to God then it is wrong. 

I doubt the situation would ever arise where someone needs to create a picture of the scenes where Jesus was on the Earth.  If the listeners are just read the Bible or read it for themselves then they can form the pictures in their own mind.  Hence the phrase that the book was way better than the movie   .....  and no one knows what Jesus looked like anyway  .....  and there is no need to know.

LOL  I wouldn't even waste my time reading junk written by Hebrew Roots people.  But it is of course only from having read it that you will identify it as worthless junk.

[Kenneth Winslow]

Ramie,
Perhaps these two verses will help:

Leviticus 26:1 KJV — Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God.

Acts 17:29 KJV — Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.

[creationliberty]

I can see that you read my teaching on Christian Symbols Are Not Christian, and due to the teachings of religious cults, especially those in the Hebrew roots movement, they tend to put people under the letter of the law because they do not know regeneration in the Holy Spirit, nor do they know the fulfillment in Christ.

When a graven image, which would be a statue, a painting, a photoshopped image, etc, represents something spiritual, I would say that is where we should draw the line. If it is intended to represent the Godhead, or any other spiritual thing, it is best that we get rid of it, and that is because, as the old saying goes, 'A picture is worth a thousand words', and the problem is those thousand words can be wrong, and can be different depending on the person; therefore, God did not make the Bible a picture book, but it does not mean it is wrong to sculpt or to paint, otherwise, God would have made some sort of verses in Scripture condemning sculpting and painting in general.

[anvilhauler]

When Jesus was on the Earth a scupture was brought to him and he used it as a part of teaching.  The coin of the tribute money had a sculptured image of Cæsar on it.  The teaching was about rendering unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar’s and unto God the things that are God’s, but Jesus made no mention that it was wrong to make a scuptured image of a person.  We still have some of those coins in museums etc today and so we have a rough idea of what some of the rulers looked like back then.  It's good that no one made sculptured images of Jesus.

Matthew 22 Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
Is it lawful to give tribute unto Cæsar, or not? 18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? 19 Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. 20 And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? 21 They say unto him, Cæsar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.