THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

The Ten Commandments was taught by Dr. James Modlish

The Second Commandment
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image... (Ex. 20:4-6)

Introduction:

The first commandment covers every form of idolatry and the second commandment covers a specific type of idolatry (Acts 14:16) which showed up after the flood (Acts 17:30). Contrary to what some may think, this is a relevant commandment to study in 20th century America. There are millions of people in this country who disobey this commandment and on a regular basis. The following is a list of observations that will put this commandment on a contemporary plane.

 

I. LIKENESS WERE COMMANDED

Although likenesses are commanded by God in the construction of the Tabernacle (Ex. 25:19, 1 Kings 6:32), Roman Catholics beat the drum for all it's worth on those verses - the instructions of (Ex. 20) are clear!

A. You are not to make "unto thee" (vs. 4) any image.

B. "Unto thee" means to "bow down to them" (vs. 5).

 

II. THE COMMANDMENT IGNORED

A. The idolatry of Micah, the Levite and the tribe of Dan. (Judg. 17 & 18)

Dan becomes so engulfed in idolatry that the tribe loses its inheritance forever! Notice that the tribe is excluded from the list in (Rev. 7). Ephraim is excluded for the same reason (Hos. 4:17).

B. THE DAYS OF THE KINGS

[1]. Solomon - (1 Kings 11:4-11), The kingdom was lost because of idolatry.

[2]. Sodomy and idolatry go together (1 Kings 14:22-24).

[3]. Idolatry causes family problems (1 Kings 15:9-15).

[4]. Witchcraft and demonism accompany idolatry (2 Chron. 33:1-7).

C. THE DAYS OF THE PROPHETS

[1]. Isa. 2:6-9

[2]. Hos. 13:1-4

D. THE CHURCH AGE

Paul reminded the church that idols are nothing (1 Cor. 8:4). Many of them had been saved and come out of idolatry (1 Thess. 1:9). Satan did all that he could to confuse the issue and tempt some Christians into once again giving some allegiance to idols (I John 5:21).

At the beginning of the seventh century pope Gregory the Great (590 - 604), one of the strongest of the popes, officially approved the use of images in the churches, but insisted that they must not be worshipped. But during the eighth century prayers were addressed to them and they were surrounded by an atmosphere of ignorant superstition, so that even the Mohammedans taunted the Christians with being idol worshippers. In (726) the Eastern emperor, Leo III, first attempted to remedy the abuse in his dominion by ordering that the images and pictures be placed so high that the worshippers could not kiss them. But when that failed to achieve the desired ends he issued an order forbidding the use of images in the churches as heathenish and heretical. To support this action a council was called in Constantinople, in (754), which gave ecclesiastical sanction to his actions. This great controversy became known as the "iconoclastic" dispute, a word which means the breaking of images. The Eastern church banned all use of images or icons, and to this day that remains one of the great contrasts between the Eastern Orthodox and the Roman Catholic Church.

But in (787) a council met at Nicea (Bithynia) , repudiated the work of the earlier council, and fully sanctioned the worship of images and pictures in the churches. This action was defended on the principle on which image worship, whether among the heathen or Christians, has generally been defended, namely, that the worship does not terminate on the image but on the object that it represents.

Roman Catholics tell us that they do not pray to the image, or idol, but to the spirit that is represented by it. But that is the answer given by idol worshippers the world over when they are asked why they pray to their idols. That was the answer given by the Israelites when they worshipped the golden calf in the wilderness; for after making the idol they said: "These are thy gods, 0 Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt" (Ex. 32:4). They did not intend their worship to terminate on the image. They were worshipping their gods through the use of an image, or idol, a likeness which they thought appropriately represented their gods. But on other occasions the Israelites worshipped idols as such. Hosea's condemnation of idolatry in Israel: "The workman made it; therefore it is not God" (8:6), implies that the calf of Samaria was worshipped in the Northern Kingdom as a God. See also (Ps. 115:4-8).

At the Council of Trent (1545-1563) it was decreed: "The images of Christ and the Virgin Mother of God, and of the other saints, are to be had and to be kept, especially in Churches, and due honor and veneration are to be given them."

 

III. Even as adultery can be committed in the heart so can idolatry

It does not necessitate an outward show. There are some things in the Word of God that have been equated with idolatry that all of us can easily fall prey to.

A. Stubbornness (1 Sam. 15:23)

B. Covetousness (Col. 3:5)

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