Bowing is a form of worship. Praying is a form of worship.
No bowing and praying can be used in worship, but by themselves they are not worship. I have already shown to you Abraham and Jacob bowing to other people as a sign of respect and honor.
God said not to make the images AND not to worship them. Separately.
Still trying to get through Exodus I see. Here I will help you just a tiny bit, since you have got to that part yet:
Ex 25: [16] And thou shalt put in the ark the testimony which I will give thee. [17] Thou shalt make also a propitiatory (ark-cover) of the purest gold: the length thereof shall be two cubits and a half, and the breadth a cubit and a half. [18] Thou shalt make also two cherubim of beaten gold, on the two sides of the oracle. [19] Let one cherub be on the one side, and the other on the other. [20] Let them cover both sides of the propitiatory, spreading their wings, and covering the oracle, and let them look one towards the other, their faces being turned towards the propitiatory wherewith the ark is to be covered.
What is God doing telling Moses to make images of cherubim to put upon the lid of the Ark of the Covenant? Hum
How about in the Temple?
1Kings 6:
[21] And the house before the oracle he overlaid with most pure gold, and fastened on the plates with nails of gold. [22] And there was nothing in the temple that was not covered with gold: the whole altar of the oracle he covered also with gold. [23] And he made in the oracle two cherubims of olive tree, of ten cubits in height. [24] One wing of the cherub was five cubits, and the other wing of the cherub was five cubits: that is, in all ten cubits, from the extremity of one wing to the extremity of the other wing. [25] The second cherub also was ten cubits: and the measure, and the work was the same in both the cherubims:
[26] That is to say, one cherub was ten cubits high, and in like manner the other cherub. [27] And he set the cherubims in the midst of the inner temple: and the cherubims stretched forth their wings, and the wing of the one touched one wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall: and the other wings in the midst of the temple touched one another. [28] And he overlaid the cherubims with gold. [29] And all the walls of the temple round about he carved with divers figures and carvings: and he made in them cherubims and palm trees, and divers representations, as it were standing out, and coming forth from the wall. [30] And the floor of the house he also overlaid with gold within and without. [31] And in the entrance of the oracle he made little doors of olive tree, and posts of five corners, [32] And two doors of olive tree: and he carved upon them figures of cherubims, and figures of palm trees, and carvings very much projecting: and he overlaid them with gold: and he covered both the cherubims and the palm trees, and the other things with gold. [33] And he made in the entrance of the temple posts of olive tree foursquare: [34] And two doors of fir tree, one of each side: and each door was double, and so opened with folding leaves. [35] And he carved cherubims, and palm trees, and carved work standing very much out: and he overlaid all with golden plates in square work by rule.
Like I said, maybe you should do just a little bit more research on this subject, as you don't seem to grasp, what God was really commanding.
I'll help you get started. Idols are those things that one adores equal to or more than God. Idols can be statues and pictures no doubt, but idols also come in the form of ideals, governments, celebrities, etc.
Images and icons in the Catholic and Orthodox traditions, display either a heavenly or biblical scene and are meant to help the person meditating (not eastern meditation) upon that event or the virtues of that person, or whatever may be good and right to do. Like I offered as an example before, it is like someone using a picture(s) to help them remember good times in the past or a person that they either have buried or haven't seen in a while. Icons and images are just like that. To help focus the attention on what those icons and images represent, not on the images themselves.
When I meditate on an image of the Crucifix, I am not worshipping the crucifix, but rather using it as a means to help me imagine the events around the crucifix, and the death of our Lord. The incredible suffering my Lord went through for me. To save me. To redeem me. Everytime I see a crucifix, it forces me to recall these truths, and never forget them.
In Catholic and Orthodox churches, we use things to excite the senses, sights, sounds, smells, things to touch. Why because these things help us call to mind where we are truly at when we are in Church celebrating the Divine Liturgy or Mass. For we believe that when we are celebrating the sacred rituals, we are no longer just on earth in a building; but rather we are in the presence of God at his throne. We are in heaven at Mass and the Divine Liturgy, and these things we use to excite the senses, helps us call to mind that this is were we are at.
