The Second Commandment

Exodus 20:4 "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, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of they that hate me; and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments"

First we need to recognize the two separate commands in the second commandment.  Lets start by looking at what God means when he says 'Graven image'.  Man likes to redefine things we dont understand fully to suit our own interpretations but we must again be aware that in doing so we are then changing Gods meaning.
Man has been taught that a graven image means something we have to bow down to but what does scripture specifically say? If we read the scripture listed above in Exodus 20:4 again, Thou shalt not MAKE unto thee any graven image..... The term 'make' is used which is very different from the term "worship" or "bow down to" in the beginning of this commandment.  Later on in the scripture however, it does then talk of not bowing down or worshiping idols or statues. But they are separate statements.  He made sure to state these separately and for that reason we should stop to ask why?

In the Exodus scripture it says we are not to make any images of anything in heaven, in earth or in the waters but then if we read Deuteronomy 4:16-18 it gives more description and an even clearer explanation of what things we are not to make graven images of.  Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female. The likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air. The likeness of any thing that creepethon the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth.

If looked up in the version I use which is the Authorized King James version 1839 Dictionary or Concordance says that "Graven" is something that is "carved or cut out"   And that same concordance shows that the term "image" means a drawing, picture, or statute of something; a copy or something very like another"   A few examples are Man in his own image Gen 1:27, Not make any graven image Exodus 20:4

Graven images then would be any three dimensional drawing picture or statues of anything male or female that represents anything in heaven, anything in the earth including beast, bird, creeping thing  and then anything in the sea below including fish in the waters below. It then later goes into more detail explaining how we are not to worship any of these things. 


Does this constitute anything we collect as well then? One of the consequences of collecting things as a innocent hobby later become idols of the heart as we become attached to our collections of figurines, dolls toys etc. We may think its innocent enough nevertheless it teeters as a form of idolatry and it draws our attention away from God and our families. 

Deuternonomy 7:26 "Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing"

With this being said does giving our childrens dolls, toys and stuffed animals then also break the second commandment? I know your first reaction is the same as mine ...."ok a little neurotic now maybe", but think about that for a second. We have already agreed that we interpret scripture the way we want in order to fit our lifestyle right? Stay with me for a second.... if He says there is to be no 3D images of anything in heaven or earth or the waters below and we buy our child a stuffed dolphin not thinking we are doing anything wrong....is that not an image of something in the seas? Again we go back to the fact that the second commandment doesnt mention that these things have to be worshipped in order to qualify as a graven image right? I know ....again I see the logic that still sounds innocent enough correct? Now take it one step further. When we give these items to our children most become attached to at least one specific item throughout their childhood.  That item usually follows them into their adolescent years in some cases and becomes a source of comfort for the child.  Who in reality should the child turn to in times of sorrow or distress for comfort and peace? Have we unknowingly been placing an inanimate stuffed object as a false sense of security and protection for our children to believe in rather than teaching them that their true saviour and protector is Jesus Christ?
It is made clear that ALL Graven images and idols are forms of abominations. Throughout history we have been told that they were used to attract spiritual demons and curses quite openly and still continue today in other countries in the form of voodoo and medicine men. They do this using dolls. Children were not to even touch the dolls as they were known to carry "magical" healing powers and today we give them innocently as gifts we think.
Did you know that Egyptians were buried with dolls so they would have spirit friends/servants in the spirit world ?
So maybe there is something more to dolls than we know but God is fully aware of....

The Second Commandment also then clearly states that we should not reduce God to a likeness of a physical object.I believe that the devil will use the false imagery of Jesus to trick mankind into worshiping him instead of God.  God is a living God not a statue or a picture. Yahweh does not need us to make statues,idols or images to worship Him or to sell or promote his kingdom. When we make images it distorts and limits our perceptions of Him.  Bowing down to pay homage to ones own image of God may appear as an act of devotion only until you understand Gods true purpose for us. All that is required is simple obedience to his teachings. God expects those who worship him to demonstrate their love by following his commandments not by following rituals in front of a statue.  Acts 17:29-30 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold or silver o stone graven by art or mans device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at: but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in which he will judge the world in righteousness..."

God is far greater than anything we can see or even imagine! He has left us specific instructions or commandments that he wants us to follow. It is not neurotic or fanatical to do what God commands of us. Was Daniel a fanatic when he refused to follow the crowd and bow down to King Nebuchadnezzar? Was Shadrack, Meshack and Abendigo fanatical to listen to God and stand for what they believed in? 

In my house will be removing anything that is not of God in our home. I have done a walk through and have a few little statue items. I was a collector of unicorns(oops) when I was young but nothing as an adult really. If God showed up and told you to get rid of all the collectibles you own, all the figurines all the stuffed toys and dolls and gave you eternity in exchange would you resist ? It really isn't as hard or as big of a sacrifice as you would think. ;)