The Second Commandment – Part 1

The Second Commandment – Part 1

Exodus 20:4

“You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.”

The second commandment is a warning from God against images and idols. Let’s take a closer look. This will take two days, because there are two specific words we need to study. The first is “image.” God clearly does not want us to make images.

What is wrong with that? To understand, we need to see what an image is in God’s eyes.

Where have we read about images before in the Bible? If we go back to the book of Genesis, we find that there is something special about an image. When God made man, He set us apart from all other created beings by doing something unique—He put His image into us.

Genesis 1:27

“So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”

What does an image do? It represents the original. It is a reflection or a replica of the truth it represents. When God put His image in us, He set us apart from the rest of creation to be His image-bearers. We bear witness to the truth of who God is.

But when we become image-makers instead of image-bearers, we are telling God that we don’t want His image—we want to make our own. We are rejecting Him. In effect, we are saying that truth can be found in something other than God. That is how an image becomes an idol: it becomes a replacement for God Himself.

Humans are worshipers. We were created for that purpose. And we constantly find ourselves worshiping the things around us. We make idols out of singers, athletes, actors, politicians, the wealthy, the beautiful—you name it, there is someone who worships it. That is why God makes such a big deal about this commandment.

So, how do we overcome all that? By keeping our eyes on Him. When we shift our focus to idols, we lose what He has so generously given. Don’t create idols out of the ordinary. It’s that simple.

Ezekiel 14:3

“Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts and have put right before their faces the stumbling block of their iniquity.”