The second commandment of the Ten Commandments deals with the country that the children of Israel had just left. Egypt was a land where there were many gods. Idols could be seen everywhere.

Israel’s God was completely different than the gods of Egypt. He is a spirit and no man-made object could represent Him – ever! Every physical object would fall short of accurately representing the infinite God.

Over the Ark that Moses made, and even in Solomon’s temple, where the Ark was later kept, there was no representation of God. It had two cherubim over it, but there was nothing that represented God. His presence and glory was all it needed.

The Bible reveals that one of the greatest sins was that man “changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and two birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts… Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature Moses than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.” (Ro. 1:23-25).

The command would ensure that the be nation would be monotheistic – having one God. He was to be worshipped in spirit and in truth (Jn. 4:24). Faith was and still is necessary to worship God correctly. It is why many Baptist and Protestant churches have no statues in them.

This command does not forbid the making of statues or decorative pieces of birds or animals, etc., but only the worshipping of them. Some homes have little corners in them where they have little shrine of some saint of religious leader – or a god – and they worship it. God forbids it.

Christians should not have little items in their homes that were gods in other lands, or items that were used in that worship. These may have demons in them, and you can be sure they are interacting somehow with the people in that house.

As believers, we have one source of truth – the Word of God. Let me encourage you to spend much time in it, because it teaches us what pleases Him and what does not.