LOVING GOD THROUGH THE 1ST FOUR (4) COMMANDMENTS

THE SECOND COMMANDMENT

“You shall not make for yourself a carved 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”
(Exodus 20:4).

The first commandment emphasized that there is nothing more important that God,
including human being. The second commandment is closely linked with the first. We
must not reduce God to a likeness of a physical object. Doing so is unquestionably
unacceptable to God. It explicitly forbids the use of any type of inanimate or lifeless
imagery, “any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth
beneath,…” in the worship of the living God.
What Is God Like/How God look like?
Only God can reveal what He is like. Seemingly, in the Second Commandment God
tells mankind: “Don't try to tell Me what I am like. I will tell you what I am like! It is
important that you correctly understand that I will accept no representations of
Me.” This is, to put nothing in the place of God.
Jesus made this clear when He said, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him
must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24).
We are not to worship God with images and meaningless rituals.

Yet God did create on earth a likeness of Himself in humans. He specifically tells
us that “God created man in his own image;… male and female created he
them.” Genesis 1:27
And we have perfect pattern of God’s character. Jesus Christ, as a human being, so
perfectly represented what God is like that He told His disciples, “He who has seen Me
has seen the Father” (John 14:9).]
Actions and Practices Against the First Commandment
The Second Commandment explicitly forbids the use of any type of inanimate or
lifeless imagery—“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””—in the worship of the living God.
Idolatry = Although no single biblical passage contains a complete definition of idolatry,
the subject is addressed in numerous passages, so that idolatry may be
summarized as the worship of idols or images; the worship of polytheistic
gods by use of idols or images; the worship of created things (trees, rocks,
animals, astronomical bodies, or another human being); and the use of idols
in the worship of God.

*Idols are representations of false, nonexistent gods. A physical image,

painting or picture of a deity has neither life nor power. We could not design
icons that would accurately portray the awesome power and radiant glory of
God as well as the many facets of His character revealed to us through His
Word.
 LOVING GOD THROUGH THE 1ST FOUR (4) COMMANDMENTS
Martin Luther taught that whatever a person places their trust or priorities in, other than
God, can become an idol.

The Second Commandment reminds us that God is far greater than anything we can
see or imagine . We must never let that knowledge be pushed aside by the use of some
image or likeness in our worship of God!