Is idol worship a thing?

While Western society may have moved away from creating physical idols like those worshiped by millions around the world today, the essence of the second commandment—directing worship and devotion to God alone—remains significant.

When Moses led the Israelite nation out of captivity from Egypt, he had an encounter with God during which he was directed to write down what has become known as the Ten Commandments.The second of these commandments is found in the 3000-year-old book of Exodus 20:4-6.

“You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them…”
Exodus 20:4-6

This is an extension of the first commandment, “You shall have no other gods before me.” God gave the second commandment to Moses to ensure that the Israelites maintained pure worship practices. In ancient times, many cultures engaged in idol worship, which often led to practices that distracted from or contradicted the worship of God.

Throughout the ages, this commandment has resulted in a variety of practices that seem to contradict the essence of the command. For example, in the Jewish tradition and among some Protestant groups, the display of any picture, icon, or sculpture is strictly prohibited, less the object becomes venerated. For them, the second commandment is a core aspect of monotheism. By contrast, in the Catholic and Orthodox churches, such items are not seen as idols, but rather religious art is used to inspire and teach, without worshipping the images themselves. The objects are seen as a way to lead Christians into deeper devotion towards the one true God.

Beyond religious art, there is a great danger of making idols of everyday items, ideas or individuals. When you devote more time, money or energy in things or people or philosophies than in God, you, in a way, are worshipping idols.

Remember, for Christians, the Ten Commandments are not mere suggestions. The second commandment incorporates two promises. If you bow down to idols, you and your children will suffer, but by keeping the commandment you will know God’s love through many generations.

The Ten Commandments

And God spoke all these words:

² “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

³ “You shall have no other gods before me.

⁴ “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. ⁵ You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, ⁶ but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

⁷ “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

⁸ “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. ⁹ Six days you shall labor and do all your work, ¹⁰ but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. ¹¹ For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

¹² “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

¹³ “You shall not murder.

¹⁴ “You shall not commit adultery.

¹⁵ “You shall not steal.

¹⁶ “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

¹⁷ “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay