Does God approve the worship of images and statutes?

The Bible, particularly in the Old Testament, speaks decisively against the worship of images and statues. From the very beginning of God’s revelation to His people, He has been clear that the worship of images or idols is a violation of His commandments. Worshiping anything made by human hands is an affront to the exclusive worship that belongs to God alone. This theme is consistent throughout both the Old and New Testaments. This detailed study will examine biblical teaching on this subject, using the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible to explore whether God approves the worship of images and statues.

The Ten Commandments: Clear Prohibition Against Idolatry

One of the clearest and most definitive biblical prohibitions against the worship of images and statues comes from the Ten Commandments found in the book of Exodus. In this passage, God sets the foundational laws for the relationship between Himself and His people, and a critical aspect of this is the command to avoid idolatry.

In Exodus 20:3-5, God says:

“You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image—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; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me.” (NKJV)

This commandment directly addresses the issue of worshiping images or statues. God commands that His people must not make or worship any image of anything in heaven or on earth. The reason for this is twofold: first, God is a jealous God, meaning He will not tolerate His glory being given to another; second, God’s nature is transcendent and cannot be captured or represented by any material object.

This prohibition is also restated in Deuteronomy 5:8-9:

“You shall not make for yourself a carved image—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; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me.” (NKJV)

These passages demonstrate that God forbids the worship of any kind of image, whether a statue, a picture, or any other representation of something created. This command was designed to protect the people of Israel from the prevalent idolatry of the surrounding nations, who worshiped their gods through images and statues.

God’s Invisibility and Transcendence

The Bible emphasizes that God is a spiritual being who is invisible and cannot be represented by anything material. Because of His nature, attempting to make an image or statue to represent God misrepresents who He is and demeans His transcendent glory. God is beyond anything that can be seen or created by human hands.

In Deuteronomy 4:15-16, Moses warns the Israelites against making any image of God:

“Take careful heed to yourselves, for you saw no form when the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire, lest you act corruptly and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of any figure: the likeness of male or female.” (NKJV)

Here, Moses reminds the people that when God spoke to them at Mount Sinai, they did not see any physical form. God intentionally refrained from revealing a visible form to prevent the people from creating any image to represent Him. The worship of God cannot be mediated by objects or figures, because God’s true nature is beyond human comprehension or representation.

Similarly, Isaiah 40:18 declares:

“To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to Him?” (NKJV)

This rhetorical question underscores the folly of trying to represent God through a statue or image. Any attempt to create a physical representation of God falls far short of capturing His majesty, holiness, and infinite nature.

Idolatry as a Direct Challenge to God’s Authority

Worshiping images or statues is more than just a misunderstanding of God’s nature—it is an act of rebellion against His authority. Idolatry, in any form, is essentially placing something else in the position that rightfully belongs to God. Throughout the Bible, idolatry is viewed as a form of spiritual adultery. By worshiping images or idols, people turn their hearts away from God and toward something created, which leads to judgment and destruction.

In Isaiah 42:8, God declares:

“I am the Lord, that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to carved images.” (NKJV)

God makes it clear that He will not share His glory with idols or images. Worship belongs exclusively to Him, and when people give worship to an idol, they are taking what is meant for God and giving it to something else. This is a direct affront to God’s sovereignty and glory.

This idea is also echoed in the New Testament. In Romans 1:22-23, Paul speaks of those who turned away from the knowledge of God:

“Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.” (NKJV)

Paul highlights the foolishness of idolatry, where people exchanged the glory of the eternal, incorruptible God for images of created things. This exchange is a perversion of the true worship that belongs to God alone. By worshiping images or statues, people degrade the worship of God and fall into sin and moral decay.

God’s Judgment Against Idolatry

The Bible is filled with examples of God’s severe judgment against idolatry. Throughout the history of Israel, the people repeatedly fell into idol worship, and each time, God’s wrath was poured out against them. This demonstrates how seriously God views the worship of images and statues.

One of the most famous examples of idolatry and God’s response to it is the incident of the golden calf in Exodus 32. While Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments, the Israelites grew impatient and demanded that Aaron make a god for them to worship. Aaron created a golden calf, and the people worshiped it.

In Exodus 32:9-10, God’s response is swift and severe:

“And the Lord said to Moses, ‘I have seen this people, and indeed it is a stiff-necked people! Now therefore, let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them. And I will make of you a great nation.’” (NKJV)

God was prepared to destroy the entire nation of Israel because of their idolatry. This incident shows how seriously God views the worship of idols. The golden calf was just a statue, but the people attributed divine qualities to it, and this provoked God’s righteous anger.

In the book of Deuteronomy 27:15, we find a curse pronounced against idol worshipers:

“‘Cursed is the one who makes a carved or molded image, an abomination to the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’ And all the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen!’” (NKJV)

This curse demonstrates that idolatry is an “abomination” to God. The use of images or statues in worship is not only wrong but offensive to God. This offense brings about God’s curse and judgment on those who engage in such practices.

Worship in Spirit and Truth

Jesus provides a definitive teaching on worship in John 4:23-24:

“But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (NKJV)

Here, Jesus shifts the focus from physical objects and rituals to the heart of worship. True worship is not about external representations, images, or statues. Instead, true worship is about connecting with God spiritually, based on the truth of who He is. This teaching echoes the Old Testament commands against idol worship, but it expands the understanding by emphasizing that worship must be spiritual and based on the truth of God’s nature.

God is Spirit, and therefore, He is not to be worshiped through physical images. Any attempt to do so would distort the nature of worship that God seeks. Instead of relying on statues or images, believers are called to worship God in a spiritual, authentic manner.

The Use of Religious Art and Imagery

While this commandment clearly prohibits the veneration of idols, it does not necessarily prohibit the use of sculpture and painting in religion. The artistry and representation employed in the construction of the sanctuary (Exodus 25:17–22), in Solomon’s Temple (1 Kings 6:23–26), and in the “brasen serpent” (Numbers 21:8, 9; 2 Kings 18:4) clearly prove that the second commandment does not forbid religious illustrative material. The cherubs on the Ark of the Covenant, were never objects of worship. Neither Exodus 25:18-21 nor any other Scripture authorize religious iconography. The tabernacle and its furnishings were merely patterns of the “greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands,” of which Christ is the High Priest (Hebrews 9:11; 8:5).

While art and symbols can have a place in religious expression, the line between reverence and worship is often blurred. What is condemned is the reverence and devotion, which people in many lands give to religious icons and pictures. The excuse that the idols themselves are not worshiped does not lessen the force of this prohibition. Idols are merely the product of human skill, and therefore inferior to man and subject to him (Hosea 8:6).

The Bible provides no precedent for the use of images or statues in worship, and in fact, it warns against creating anything that could lead to idolatry.

In Acts 17:29, Paul says:

“Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising.” (NKJV)

Paul’s words caution against reducing the divine nature of God to something crafted by human hands. While art can reflect aspects of God’s creation, it cannot capture His essence or nature, and it should never become an object of veneration.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Bible is unequivocal in its stance that God does not approve of the worship of images or statues. From the Ten Commandments to the teachings of Jesus, Scripture consistently forbids idolatry in any form. Worshiping images, statues, or any created thing detracts from the worship that belongs to God alone. God’s transcendence, invisibility, and spiritual nature mean that no physical representation can capture His essence. True worship is spiritual and based on the truth of God’s nature, as revealed in His Word. Therefore, believers are called to worship God in spirit and truth, without relying on images or statues that could lead them into idolatry.

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In His service,
BibleAsk Team