Topical Encyclopedia The manufacture of idols is explicitly forbidden in the Bible, as it is considered a direct violation of the commandments given by God to His people. The prohibition against creating idols is rooted in the fundamental tenet of monotheism, which emphasizes the worship of the one true God and rejects the veneration of any physical representation or false deity.The commandment against idol-making is first articulated in the Ten Commandments, which were given to Moses on Mount Sinai. In Exodus 20:4-5 , God commands, "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters beneath. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me." This prohibition is reiterated in Deuteronomy 5:8-9 , where the Israelites are reminded, "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters beneath. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me." The manufacture of idols is not only forbidden but is also portrayed as an act of futility and foolishness. In Isaiah 44:9-10 , the prophet declares, "All makers of idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Their witnesses fail to see or comprehend, so they are put to shame. Who fashions a god or casts an idol which profits him nothing?" The Bible also records instances where the Israelites fell into the sin of idol-making, leading to severe consequences. One notable example is the incident of the golden calf in Exodus 32. While Moses was on Mount Sinai, the people grew impatient and asked Aaron to make them gods to lead them. Aaron complied and fashioned a golden calf, which the people worshiped. This act of idolatry provoked God's wrath, resulting in a plague and the death of many Israelites. The New Testament continues to uphold the prohibition against idol-making. In Acts 17:29 , the Apostle Paul, speaking to the Athenians, states, "Therefore, being offspring of God, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by man's skill and imagination." The manufacture of idols is consistently condemned throughout Scripture as an affront to the sovereignty and holiness of God. It is a practice that leads individuals and communities away from true worship and into spiritual bondage. The biblical mandate is clear: the creation of idols is forbidden, and believers are called to worship God in spirit and truth, free from the deception and vanity of man-made images. Nave's Topical Index Exodus 20:4You shall not make to you any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Nave's Topical Index Exodus 34:17 Library Second Commandment Mongrel Religion The Conversion of Apollos, his Character, and the Ministry of Paul ... Life and Works of Rufinus with Jerome's Apology Against Rufinus. Syria at the Beginning of the Egyptian Conquest Resources What is the definition of idolatry? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the true meaning of the second commandment? | GotQuestions.org Is it allowable for a Christian to eat halal food? | GotQuestions.org Idol: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus |
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