Introduction: Let's review what we covered in our last study. Some hyper dispensational Bible teacher would have us to believe that we are living in the age of grace while those in the Old Testament times were living under the law. They say that those in the Old Testament were saved by the keeping of the law and that violation that law would mean not only certain death, but also the loss of one's salvation. You see, if salvation is gained by the works of the law, then it can be lost by breaking that law. But, salvation is not gained by the keeping of the law nor has it ever been that way.
- "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." (Galatians 2:16)
- "For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure." (Hebrews 10:1-6)
The truth is, salvation has never been by the keeping of the law. It was not that way in the Old Testament, it is not that way now, and it will not be that way in the future or during the Millennium. This is why Hebrews tells us that salvation has always been through Jesus, "For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." (Hebrews 4:2)
The purpose for the law was never to save but to show us our need of salvation. It is compared to three things in the Scriptures:
- A schoolmaster; "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster." (Galatians 3:24-25) The schoolmaster was not the teacher, but brought the student to the teacher.
- A plumbline; "Thus he shewed me: and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand. And the LORD said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more." (Amos 7:7-8) The plumbline did not straighten a wall, but showed its need of straightening.
- A mirror; "For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." (James 1:23 25) A mirror does not clean a man's face, but shows the need for washing the face.
The law has never made anyone perfect, but it has brought many to the place where they realized they needed a Saviour because they weren't perfect! "...For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect..."
The Ten Commandments can easily be divided into two groups of five:
- Commandments 1-5 have to do with our relationship to the LORD. The phrase "the LORD thy God" is found in each one.
- Commandments 6-10 have to do with our relationship to one another. The word "thou" is found in each one.
There is another interesting fact concerning these Ten Commandments. All of them deal with three areas; thought, word, and deed.
- Commandments 1-2 = thought; verses 2-6
- Commandment 3 = word; verses 7
- Commandments 4-5 = deed; verses 8-12
- Commandments 6-8 = deed; verses 13-15
- Commandment 9 = word; verse 16
- Commandment 10 = thought; verse 17
Even though the Ten Commandments are in the Old Testament, are they still valid today? Yes they are! In our first message, we dealt with Exodus 20:1-3, "And God spake all these words, saying, I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me." We found that idolatry is a grievous sin and God puts it first on His list of ten commandments. Why first? If our foundation is wrong, our structure will be shaky.
The second commandment is not a restating of the first, but rather the stating of another commandment. "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments." (Exodus 20:4-6) Not only is it forbidden to have other gods before God, it is equally forbidden to make and have other gods in your possession.
1. What is a graven image? - Exodus 20:4
"Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth."
- The Hebrew word here for graven image is pesel. It means a sculpture. This is the first time it is used in the Bible.
- In context, pesel refers to the making of a sculpture in order to bow down to it, worship it, and serve it. "Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them..." (Exodus 20:5)
- There are some religions today that believe this refers to all images that are graven in some way, such as, photographs, statues, toys, and even coins.
- However, pictures and graven images were not forbidden except as objects of worship.* Moses was to make a serpent of brass.
* There were to be cherubim over the mercy seat in the tabernacle.
* The golden candlestick was to have flowers.
* Solomon's temple included twelve oxen of brass under the large wash basin.
* There were even bells and pomegranates on the high priests' garments.- So the Bible makes it perfectly clear that the forbidden graven images were images used as gods.
2. From where does a graven image come? - Romans 1:18-32
"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them."
- Graven images are the bi-product of a downward trend.
* When they knew God, they glorified Him not as God.
* They had ingratitude for God's goodness.
* Their imaginations became vain and their hearts were darkened.
* They became wise in their own eyes.
* They called Truth lies and lies Truth.
* They made gods to accommodate their perversion.- Not acknowledging God as God led to the worship of the creature instead of the Creator and eventually to a wicked perversion we call homosexuality and lesbianism.
3. Why is it forbidden? - Exodus 20:5
"Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me."
- One simple reason, God is jealous. Notice the words of Exodus 34:14, "For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God."
- Jealousy is not a sin when it is the kind of jealousy mentioned here. In fact, when God says He is jealous, it means that He is red and inflamed with jealousy! Here, it means to be jealous of a rival's sharing in honors or enjoyments. This kind of jealousy comes when one's possessions are threatened.* A man can be jealous of his wife when she decides to be an adulteress; "And the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be defiled: or if the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be not defiled." (Numbers 5:14)
* God can be jealous over His people when they become adulterous; "They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation." (Deuteronomy 32:21)
* God can move people to jealousy by giving what was theirs to another; "They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation." (Deuteronomy 32:21)- God says that because He brought them out of the house of bondage in Egypt, He wanted them to only worship him. These people were God's people, not Egypt's people, and not some graven image's people. They were God's people.
- God has every right to be jealous over what is His.
- God was never jealous when other gods were presented to His people. He became jealous when His people looked their way. Perhaps this is the difference between good jealousy and sinful jealousy.* Good jealousy wants back what has been taken or given away.
- As when a Christian leaves the will of God for the ways of the world.
- As when Gomer left Hosea for her idolatry prostitution.* Bad jealousy feels threatened when nothing is taken or given away.
- As when a pastor feels threatened at the presence of another preacher.
- As when a spouse feels threatened at the presence of the opposite sex.* Good jealousy is grounded in fact. Bad jealousy is based on feeling.
Conclusion: So how does this apply today? Simple, God is jealous over any person, place, or thing that takes you away from Him. This all relates back to the first Commandment, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." (Exodus 20:3) Another god is any thing that is placed before the LORD and the graven image is the expression of that god. Although you may not bow down to a Buddha or some image of Allah, there may be something that draws you to it while drawing you away from the LORD. If there is, tear down every idol.
In the 1800's, songwriter James Nicholson wrote in his hymn, "Whiter Than Snow," the following first stanza:
Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole;
I want Thee forever to live in my soul.
Break down every idol, cast out every foe.
Now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.