Topical Bible: Idolatry: Objects of Pictures on Walls

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Idolatry, in its broadest sense, refers to the worship or veneration of anything other than the one true God. Within the biblical context, this often includes the creation and adoration of physical objects or images that are revered as deities or as representations of deities. The Bible consistently warns against such practices, emphasizing the exclusive worship of Yahweh.

Biblical Prohibitions and Warnings

The Old Testament is replete with admonitions against idolatry, including the creation and worship of images. In the Ten Commandments, God explicitly 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" (Exodus 20:4). This command underscores the prohibition against creating images for worship, which would include pictures or depictions on walls.

The prophet Ezekiel provides a vivid depiction of idolatry involving images on walls. In Ezekiel 8:10, he describes a vision where he sees "all kinds of crawling creatures and detestable beasts, along with all the idols of the house of Israel, engraved on the wall all around" . This scene illustrates the extent to which the Israelites had embraced idolatrous practices, even incorporating them into the very architecture of their spaces.

Cultural Context and Practices

In the ancient Near East, it was common for cultures surrounding Israel to create and worship images and idols. These often took the form of statues, carvings, or paintings on walls, representing various deities. Such practices were not merely artistic expressions but were integral to the religious and cultural life of these societies. The Israelites, living among these nations, were repeatedly tempted to adopt similar practices, leading to frequent lapses into idolatry.

The Bible records numerous instances where the Israelites fell into the sin of idolatry, often influenced by the surrounding nations. For example, in 2 Kings 21:5-7, King Manasseh is described as having built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD and having placed a carved image of Asherah in the temple. Such actions were direct violations of God's commandments and led to severe consequences for the nation.

Theological Implications

The prohibition against idolatry, including the creation of images on walls, is rooted in the theological understanding of God's nature. God is spirit and cannot be contained or represented by any physical form. Deuteronomy 4:15-16 warns, "So be very careful yourselves, since you saw no form on the day the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire, lest you act corruptly and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape" . This passage highlights the transcendence and incomparability of God, who is beyond any human depiction.

Idolatry, therefore, is not merely a violation of a commandment but a fundamental misunderstanding of who God is. It reduces the infinite and invisible God to finite and visible forms, undermining His majesty and sovereignty. The biblical narrative consistently calls God's people to reject idolatry and to worship Him in spirit and truth, as emphasized in John 4:24.

Contemporary Reflections

While the specific practice of creating images on walls for worship may not be as prevalent today, the underlying issue of idolatry remains relevant. Modern forms of idolatry can manifest in various ways, including the elevation of material possessions, personal ambitions, or even ideologies to a status that rivals or surpasses one's devotion to God. The biblical call to guard against idolatry is a timeless exhortation to prioritize the worship of God above all else, ensuring that no created thing takes His rightful place in the hearts of believers.

Nave's Topical Index

Ezekiel 8:10
So I went in and saw; and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, portrayed on the wall round about.
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Library

Excursus on the Conciliabulum Styling Itself the Seventh ...
... performed by the re-emerging relics and pictures. ... robbed of their habitual and cherished
objects of devotion ... Iconoclasm might proscribe idolatry; but it had no ...
/.../schaff/the seven ecumenical councils/excursus on the conciliabulum styling.htm

False Brethren and False Principles in the Church: Spirit and ...
... "We must not," said they, "have pictures in the ... looked with suspicion upon all who
assisted in the fabrication of these objects of the heathen idolatry. ...
/.../killen/the ancient church/chapter iii false brethren and.htm

The First Commandment --On the Honor and Invocation of Saints
... and may be led by these visible objects to a ... priests, watch its ceremonies, and study
its pictures, by all of ... as I told you, they fell into idolatry and really ...
/.../kinkead/baltimore catechism no 4/lesson 31 the first commandmenton.htm

Impiety of Attributing a visible Form to God. --The Setting up of ...
... learn how prone our nature is to idolatry, that we ... aid is implored from dead and
senseless objects, by beings ... of which is, "There must be no pictures used in ...
/.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 11 impiety of attributing.htm

The Seventh Commandment
... himself with women, and they enticed him to idolatry. ... would not be tempted with vain
objects; the Scripture ... heed of lascivious books, and pictures that provoke ...
/.../watson/the ten commandments/2 7 the seventh commandment.htm

The 'education Question' in Trinidad
... unselfish aims"to seek noble and worthy objects; and as ... them on the walls are little
pictures, often very ... that Fetishism is the parent of idolatry; but rather ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter xiv the education question.htm

Christian Cemeteries.
... Christian and anxious to abolish idolatry, left the ... me outlines of figures and objects,
I thought ... There are thirteen pictures, representing the following-named ...
/.../lanciani/pagan and christian rome/chapter vii christian cemeteries.htm

The Transformation of Rome from a Pagan into a Christian City.
... because such marriages lead us back to idolatry and superstition ... as museums of statuary,
galleries of pictures, and cabinets of precious objects. ...
/.../lanciani/pagan and christian rome/chapter i the transformation of.htm

Egypt
... were torn to pieces, and the precious objects that had ... of his house were frescoed
with pictures, and his ... a land of popular superstition and idolatry, and the ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter v egypt.htm

Isaiah
... scorn which Isaiah heaps upon the common objects of men's ... of Cyrus and the folly
of idolatry, xlix.-lv ... of redemption, the same brilliant pictures of restoration ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/isaiah.htm