Exodus 20:4-6

Ken Rank

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Hi my friends in Christ.

How does Exodus 20:4-6 affect arts like photography? What do you think? Are images, statues etc. only forbidden then people idolize them?
Not at all. The commandment says not to make them "and bow to them." The idea is false worship, not a picture of your kid you hang on the fridge.

For a little support I give you the Ark of Testimony. On top, two cheribim.... two angels... God ordered what amounts to two small statues built on top of the ark. From this we confirm... it isn't the picture... it is the bowing before (worship) of the picture.
 
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faroukfarouk

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Hi my friends in Christ.

How does Exodus 20:4-6 affect arts like photography? What do you think? Are images, statues etc. only forbidden then people idolize them?
The bigger question is, through Christ alone, are we worshiping in spirit and in truth? (John 4.24).

The issue is not now 'ticking boxes' or policing other people, but what of the vital matter of communion with Christ? These are issues explored more fully in John's First Epistle, for example.
 
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football5680

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It would only apply to photographs or statues that were being worshiped. God commands Moses and the Israelites to make cheribim which would be an example of something that was in heaven and also a bronze snake which would be an example of something on earth. God wouldn't command them to break the covenant so it cannot be applied to a photograph or statue in a general sense.
 
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Ken Rank

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Exodus 20:5 "You shall not bow down to them or worship them;"

It's not just worship, but bowing down to them as well.
Not trying to teach you... just throwing this out to consider Jay. Worship IS bowing down. If you look at the underlying Hebrew, you will find the word shachah. This word is defined in most lexicons as "to bow; to bend the knee, to prostrate oneself." This is why we see Jewish people bowing and bending as they pray... they are applying the word literally. But the picture behind the word is submission... we don't bow or bend or prostrate ourselves before anyone we don't serve. Since we serve only the Lord, then we only bow before Him, we only submit to Him... He is Lord. So that is worship but because the picture is tied to submission... then ANYTHING we do because of our submission to Him is worship. Our works and obedience along with our praise and prayer... are part of worship. The word for "religion" in James 1:27 can be translated as worship.

So I would paraphrase the commandment that @Zoleee brings up like this.... "Do not make any graven image or statue of anything in heaven and earth and then submit to it or extend to it your praises." Again, a paraphrase but I think that captures the essence of what God is saying. :)

Blessings.
Ken
 
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Phil 1:21

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Not trying to teach you... just throwing this out to consider Jay. Worship IS bowing down.

No worries, my fried. I completely agree, but it's a hair some folks like to split. "We may bow down, kneel, kiss, and pray in front of statues...but we don't worship them." Yeah, well, twist it anyway you want, but God still says that's wrong.
 
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Ken Rank

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No worries, my fried. I completely agree, but it's a hair some folks like to split. "We may bow down, kneel, kiss, and pray in front of statues...but we don't worship them." Yeah, well, twist it anyway you want, but God still says that's wrong.
I agree... and it is bend, bow, lay out face first... it is ALL those things (and any one) but it is also what we do because of our submission. We bow or bend or lay out because He is Lord. Thus all we do under His authority because He is Lord is "part of" worship. Hence the James reference.

Blessings Jay.
Ken
 
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-V-

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Exodus 20:5 "You shall not bow down to them or worship them;"

It's not just worship, but bowing down to them as well.
Just fyi, the structure of the Hebrew suggests it's not an "either or" as in English, but that the bowing done is being connected to the worship (i.e., the passage is talking about a single action, bowing down in order to worship).
 
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Ken Rank

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Just fyi, the structure of the Hebrew suggests it's not an "either or" as in English, but that the bowing done is being connected to the worship (i.e., the passage is talking about a single action, bowing down in order to worship).
In this verse, in this case, I think you are correct. But as a rule, with Shachah having the picture of submission within it... then all we do out of our submission to Him is "part of" worship. I am not trying to replace anything we all know to be worship... just trying to add some depth to the word itself. I had mentioned the James 1:27 verse, the word for religion, thrēskeia (G2356) means "religious worship" in Strong's and Thayer. Since thrēskeia is defined in that verse as "to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world," then I just trying to show depth, as I said.

Brakhot.
Ken
 
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RaymondG

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Worship and idolatry begins in the mind. We are to Worship the Lord....Yet they that are in the flesh cannot please God. I would focus more on your thoughts and beliefs about things and ideas than on the appearance of your outward actions toward them.
 
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