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Does statue and image worship such as Icons violate
Exodus 2-:4-5?
Orthodox and Catholics do not worship statues, icons, holy images
or anything created. Only God is to be worshipped, to worship anything
created is to commit the very serious sin of idolatry. In Exodus
God prohibits the making of images for the purpose of worshipping
them. But God does not prohibit image making altogether. In Exodus
25:18-19, God commands Moses to make statues of angels (cherubim).
In Numbers 21:8 God again tells Moses to make a bronze serpent (seraph),
which the Israelites had to look upon in order to be healed. The
Church has long understood this event to be a pre-figurement of
Jesus being raised up on the cross. The Jews also used many carved
images in the Temple, including cherubim, oxen, lions, palm trees,
and flowers (1 Kings 6 and 7).
Orthodox and Catholics uses statues, icons, and
religious medals to call to mind the holy people they represent:
Jesus, the angels, and the saints. For the same reason , Protestants
use Christmas nativity scenes to depict the same holy people; Jesus,
the angels, and the saints. Catholics and the Orthodox simply use
statues and images in devotions all year round. |
