Idolatry and the Image of God

There is one particular point that I think often gets overlooked when modern pastors deal with Old Testament idolatry (see previous post), namely, that the cultures that surrounded the Hebrews did not believe the idols themselves to be gods, but rather understood them to be representations - images - of those gods. Consider again this statements from Dr. Stuart's commentary on Exodus:

"When a statue of a given god was carved and certain ritual incantations spoken over that statue to cause the essence of the god to enter it, the statue was then understood to become a functioning conduit for anything done in its presence from the worshiper to that god. In the same way that a modern person might speak to and look into a sound-equipped television camera knowing that their words and actions were being transmitted accurately to other locations, ancient people believed that the offerings they brought before an idol of a god and the prayers they said in the idol’s presence were fully and unfailingly perceived by the god whom that idol represented."

This is utterly essential to understand if we are going to properly interpret and preach the 2nd Commandment. Why did God command His people not to make any graven images? He had already said that they were to worship no other gods but Him (1st Commandment). But the temptation for the Hebrews would be to do what every culture around them did for every deity they worshipped - namely, create an image of that god and seek to worship him by honoring the image. This is exactly what happened with the golden calf! Remember, Aaron told the people that this calf was the God who had delivered them from Egypt. In other words, the people did not see themselves as worshipping a different God than Yahweh - rather, they were worshipping Yahweh through the calf. The calf was a man-made image of Yahweh.

This is exactly what the second commandment prohibits - trying to make the invisible God visible with any man-made image. As if anything we could make could properly signify God!!

Idolatry is the arrogance of thinking we can fully describe and depict God.

Now, there's a lot we could say here, but just consider this: If the Old Testament culture was one where gods were worshipped through the serving of their images, what is the significance of God creating man in His own image? (Note, Gen. 1:26 uses the same Hebrew word translated as "idols" when speaking of representations of pagan gods.) Isn't it interesting that God prohibits us from making an image of Him, but He Himself has made us in His image (though now terribly distorted by the fall). And is it not true that God has called us to worship Him through serving His images - other people? (Inasmuch as you have done it unto the least of these, you have done it unto me.) More particularly, has not God called us to worship Him through serving the One who is most fully and perfectly His image - Jesus Christ?

What I'm suggesting is that idolatry is the devil's counterfeit of something very good: God's will that we worship Him by giving ourselves in loving service and devotion to His images (mankind) and His perfect representation (Jesus Christ).

Any Thoughts?