 |
| Post from a Public Group. She meant the Moroni, which was placed at the top of the temple |
Good Question, I'll answer it straight. Yes, it was considered a graven image in the sense that it was carved in a figure similar to something like a Human being, an animal, or anything else that has been created using the Art of Carving. But what I'm thinking was that you understood it as worshipping a graven image, and that's a different thing.
The scripture clearly said of worshiping anything that was created in a human's hand, either something that was in heaven or beneath. Which means it might be a fish, a dinosaur, some mythical creature, or whatever you wanna call it, that was intended to be worship, is not allowed or forbidden.
"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. - Exodus 20:4 (New International Version)"
Even the Prophet Isaiah taught the same thing again to the people of Israel, reminding them that it is a serious commandment. (Isaiah 44:9-20)
Normally, believers knew this seemed to be fishy when something was added in a house of worship that might be unusual or strange in reference to the scriptures, but this is not new in even in the Old Testament. We could see that some of it was even placed inside the Tabernacle, like the Cherubim.
18 And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.
19 And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof.
20 And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be.
21 And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. - Exodus 25:18-21 (KJV)
And here's the part where it was brought inside the tabernacle and even placed in the Holy Place -
6 And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims.7 For the cherubims spread forth their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above. - 1 Kings 8:6-7 (KJV)
While graven images may include anything or any creatures that we may know, then why would they have carved Oxen placed in the temple of Solomon, what was this all about?
"The sea stood on top of twelve oxen. Three faced north, three faced west, three faced south, and three faced east. The sea was set on top of them, and their hind parts faced the center. - 1 Kings 7:25 (ISV)"
&
"The Sea stood on twelve bulls, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south and three facing east. The Sea rested on top of them, and their hindquarters were toward the center. - 2 Chronicles 4:4 (NIV)"
Were they also worshiped? Of course not. Solomon didn't worship them, except for his strange wives, who made him worship their gods. Now you've got the picture of it.
We do sometimes carve images in honor of those people who once served either in the country or have done some outstanding works with a great contribution to a community, but of course, we don't worship them.
Now you've got the view. So what was my point here? My point is simple: understanding the scriptural text will lead us to know the meaning of God's words and how they would apply in our lives. Christ also states we couldn't serve God and Mammon. (In a different approach, being materialistic and rich could also be an idol). It should be one or the other, and the main question there is, how do we understand the word worship? To worship means to simply express and communicate God with Adoration, Love, and Reverence. We all know God is a jealous God, the very reason why he gave those specific commandments engraved in his own hand that we should only worship Him and not any other beings or idols. So, to those carvings or Graven Arts were only used for Decorative purposes and not meant to be worship, the only being we worship is the living God that we trust, and to those decorations? Like of old, they have a symbolic presentation and are simply to beautify His Holy Place.
