Bible Studies

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The Icon of God

Exo. 20:4 You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth;
Have you ever wondered why God forbids the making of images for use in worship? Why did anyone bother to make one in the first place? Is it wrong to make any kind of image at all even if its not used in worship? Along the way we should look at some of the words used in the Bible to make sure we know what kind of image we’re talking about. Also, we need to examine what worship means. To answer the first question we have to answer the second and both will bear on the third.
So, why did they bother to make these images in the first place? To sum up, doubt. They did not have enough trust in what they could not see to recognize it’s presence in their reality in the absence of a tangible image. There are many examples of this throughout scripture and other cultures of this type doubt.
In Exodus 32, we have the story of the Israelites in the desert worshiping the golden calf. Throughout the journey from Egypt, Moses had always been there for the Israelites as a representative from God. When he was no longer in their view because he was delayed in the mountains, the Israelites made another image to replace him. Although Moses had been sent by God to deliver a message, in the eyes of the people he became their image of God himself. If their faith and trust in their God had been truly sound, they would have never needed the image of the calf. Their faith was in what they could see rather than in God’s words that Moses had delivered.
In doing this they hoped accomplish several things. The common pagan belief was that if they made an image that was a close enough likeness of the entity, deity, or natural force that they were personifying, that it would indwell, speak through or even animate the image.
In Exodus 20:4 (cited above) “carved image”, is the word pecel meaning, simply, a carving. “Likeness” is temoonah, meaning an embodiment or likeness in the sense of capturing the essence of the object. There are more examples of this throughout scripture. Take for instance the story of Moses as God was speaking about him. The meaning of temoonah is the key to understanding all this.
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Num 12:8 I speak with him face to face, even plainly, and not in dark sayings; and he sees the likeness (temoonah) of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moses?"
Deut 4:12 "And the LORD spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. You heard the sound of the words, but saw no form (temoonah) ; you only heard a voice.
Ps 106:19 They made a calf in Horeb, and worshiped the molded image (maccekah) .

We can get a false impression of what a Bible passage is saying if we don't understand the background as in:
Isa 40:19-20 The workman molds an image, (pecel), the goldsmith overspreads it with gold, and the silversmith casts silver chains.
20 Whoever is too impoverished for such a contribution chooses a tree that will not rot; he seeks for himself a skillful workman to prepare a carved image (pecel) that will not totter.
Isa 44:9-20 Those who make an image (pecel), all of them are useless, and their precious things shall not profit; they are their own witnesses; they neither see nor know, that they may be ashamed.
10 Who would form a god or mold an image that profits him nothing?
11 Surely all his companions would be ashamed; and the workmen, they are mere men. Let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, they shall be ashamed together.
12 The blacksmith with the tongs works one in the coals, fashions it with hammers, and works it with the strength of his arms. Even so, he is hungry, and his strength fails; he drinks no water and is faint.
13 The craftsman stretches out his rule, he marks one out with chalk; he fashions it with a plane, he marks it out with the compass, and makes it like the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man, that it may remain in the house.
14 He cuts down cedars for himself, and takes the cypress and the oak; he secures it for himself among the trees of the forest. He plants a pine, and the rain nourishes it.
15 Then it shall be for a man to burn, for he will take some of it and warm himself; yes, he kindles it and bakes bread; indeed he makes a god and worships it; he makes it a carved image, and falls down to it.
16 He burns half of it in the fire; with this half he eats meat; he roasts a roast, and is satisfied. He even warms himself and says, "Ah! I am warm, I have seen the fire."
17 And the rest of it he makes into a god, his carved image. He falls down before it and worships it, prays to it and says, "Deliver me, for you are my god!"
18 They do not know nor understand; for He has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand.
19 And no one considers in his heart, nor is there knowledge nor understanding to say, "I have burned half of it in the fire, yes, I have also baked bread on its coals; I have roasted meat and eaten it; and shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?"
20 He feeds on ashes; a deceived heart has turned him aside; and he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, "Is there not a lie in my right hand?"
Passages like these make it seem that the pagan is worshipping the image itself, but the Biblical writer is employing sarcasm. Pagans didn’t worship the image but what it represented; the qualities and attributes embodied in the image of that which was being worshipped. The image is not just symbolic, something that points to something else in some manner, but
was made as a tangible representation of the deity’s nature in that it doesn't merely stand for the deity, but stands in for it, an embodiment, a temoonah .
Often, the deity worshipped is a personification of natural forces, which the devotee is learning how to give direction to and manipulate, thus becoming the intelligence behind them. This is what is meant in some religions by becoming a god. If this image were a close enough and flattering enough representation of the deity in question, that deity would honor the worshipers by indwelling and even animating the image. This also is what is in view by the word, ”temoonah”(embodiment). This would elucidate Rev 13:15,
15. And it was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed.
Rom 1:18-25 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,
23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man-- and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,
25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
The image was made because the pagan had no other means of representing his god. This is why it was so tempting for the Israelites to fall back into idolatry. It was hard for them to conceive of a God that required no discernible representation. How could one know or serve such a God? The image was to be treated as if it were that god and, if animated, would act in the god’s stead. All these man made-images have the inherent flaw of having been conceived by and in the mind that has been degraded and impaired by the effects of sin. So whatever might be made, even by redeemed Christians, (i.e. the icons of the Orthodox or the statues of the Catholic) would never be able to fully represent the true and living God who can not be comprehended by the mind of man. Only Jesus can fully represent God’s fullness in the flesh.
By the way, in Exo.20:7 "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.”,
God's name is a representation of Himself and that is why the ineffable name is to be treated with the appropriate reverence and fear.
Heb 1:3 And He (Jesus) is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
In Greek, the word for both substance and (exact representation of His nature [all one word]) is, hupostasis (hoop-os'-tas-is);
1) from a compound, a setting or placing under; (support), a thing put under, a substructure, a foundation
2) what has foundation, what is firm a) what has actual existence; a substance, a real being
b) the substantial quality, nature, used of a person or thing c) the steadfastness of mind, firmness, courage, a resolution,
confidence, firm trust, assurance(figuratively) concretely, essence, or abstractly, assurance (objectively or subjectively):
When something is a representation, it is as if that which is represented is there, of the same substance. The bread and wine in the Lord’s supper, which is the 3rd cup, the cup of redemption, and the Aphikomen (Gr. We came) of the Seader, is a representation of Christ as the blood covenant sacrifice not merely a symbol as Zwingli taught. Jesus is of the same substance as the Father. Ask your pastor what that means if you don’t know. He’ll love you.
However, there is another valid icon of God on earth.
Gen 1:27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
1 Cor 11:7 For a man ought not to have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God;
We are the icons of God made by His very hand. The only representation that God accepts is the one He made Himself. Ultimately that image is Christ. Secondarily, it is us, for in redemption we are being restored to that image. This also shows a progress, in the redeemed. From the physical and sensual to the spiritual, from the seen to the unseen.
In the unredeemed, that image is marred and distorted, making them unfit for the indwelling.
Rom 8:29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined {to become} conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren.
Col 3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
2 Cor 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
1 Cor 15:49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
Eph 1:6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved.
Eph 2:5-10 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly {places} in Christ Jesus,
7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, {it is} the gift of God;
9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
2 Pet 1:4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
1 Cor 3:16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
2 Cor 6:16 Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
Eph 2:22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
I Jn 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
Rom 8:9-10 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.
10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
John 14:16 "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever--
17 "the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
2 Cor 4:18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things, which are not seen, are eternal.
Acts 9:4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?"
Christ tells Saul that by persecuting His representations, he was persecuting Christ Himself. Through the new birth, we are being restored to the image of God and are indwelt and given life by Christ. We are not just the bearers or carriers of that image but are become that image as it is perfected by His life animating us from within.
In regard to those Christians who kiss paintings and statues in the course of their worship, The words for worship in the New Testament are proskuneo (pros-koo-neh'-o), meaning to kiss, like a dog licking his master's hand); to fawn or crouch to, i.e. (literally or figuratively) prostrate oneself in homage (do reverence to, adore); to kiss the hand to (toward) one, in token of reverence, and latreuo (lat-ryoo'-o); to minister (to God), gods or men and used alike of slaves and freemen i.e. render religious homage: serve, do the service, worship to serve, to minister to. Both acts are forbidden of any but God.
Rev 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."
Rev 22:8 Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things.
9 Then he said to me, "See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God."
Yet in a lesser sense we are told:
Rom 16:16 Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.
1 Cor 16:20 All the brethren greet you. Greet ye one another with an holy kiss.
2 Cor 13:12 Greet one another with an holy kiss.
1Thes 5:26 Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss.
1 Pet 5:14 Greet one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.
In the light of ourselves being the icon of God, could there be more to this than previously thought? When the Orthodox say that worship must involve the kissing (proskuneo) of a representation of God, could that be the God-made icon rather than the man-made one? Maybe God intended that our regard for and what we do to and for each other are to be a significant part of our worship of Him. Jesus said that the first and greatest commandment was to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind, and the second was like unto it, to love others as yourself. The second is like unto the first.
John 13:34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
35 "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
Rom 12:10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;
1 Pet 1:22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,
I Jn 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
I Jn 4:12 No man has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwells in us, and his love is perfected in us.
I Jn 4:20 If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?
I Jn 4:21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loves God love his brother also.
This was even a test as to whether or not you are a true believer. If this is so, these passages take on a new depth of meaning. This does not mean we are to worship the person or treat each other like a statue or a picture, but rather as the image (icon) of God, and that worship does involve our treatment of each other if it is to be accepted by our Lord. This does not mean we can’t make pictures and statues as art for decorative and teaching purposes. In the Middle Ages churches used frescos inside their buildings to teach an illiterate population Bible stories, for example. Interestingly enough, the pagans would ritually feed; wash and even clothe the image. This gives more meaning to what Jesus said in:
Matt 25:37 "Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?
38 'When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?
39 'Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'
40 "And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'
This is all the more significant if our brethren are the Icon of God.
James 1:27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit (in the sense of ministering to) orphans and widows in their tribulations, and to keep oneself uncorrupted from the world.
Ps 17:15 As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness. (temoonah)

The Icon of God, Comment by a reader.
 
This was very interesting for me -- the idea of fellowship being so intertwined with worship that you can’t have one without the other. Somehow I had completely missed the import of God indwelling my fellow believers that I should treat them accordingly. I knew I was supposed to love them and serve them, but I thought it was just because God said to, not because they were actual “icons” of God. It gives a whole new depth to the whole idea. It’s been bothering me because I have been part of or heard of many secular organizations where people show much love and concern for each other and serve each other, sometimes even more than I have experienced in church. So I had not been able to put my finger on exactly what was supposed to make Christian fellowship any different. And if we are asked to love our enemies as well, then what makes that different from the love for our brethren? But if you tie the love among Christians in with worship, it starts to make sense. This is something I need to continued to dwell on. Thank you.
  
Pat

To review:
6754 tselem (tseh'-lem); image
from an unused root meaning to shade; a phantom, shadow, i.e. (figuratively) illusion, resemblance; hence, a representative figure, especially an idol: KJV-- image, vain shew.
a) images (used of tumors, mice, heathen gods)
b) image, likeness (used of resemblance)
c) mere, empty, image, semblance (figurative)

1823 demuwth (dem-ooth'); resemblance; concretely, model, shape; adverbially, fashion, like (-ness, as), manner, similitude.
from 1819 damah (daw-maw'); a primitive root; to compare; by implication, to resemble, liken, consider:
compare, devise, (be) like (-n), mean, think, use similitudes.

8544 temuwnah (tem-oo-naw'); an embodiment, likeness or manifestation

The following are various types of images.

6459 pecel (peh'-sel); a carving, a primitive root; to carve

6816 tsa` tsua` (tsah-tsoo'-ah); a sculpture: things formed, images, sculpted figures

5566 cemel (seh'-mel) (say'-mel);; a figure or statue, an idol, a resemblance

4906 maskiyth (mas-keeth'); a picture or ingraving

4676 matstsebah (mats-tsay-baw'); memorial pillar or monument

6089 `etseb (eh'-tseb);
from 6087; an earthen vessel; usually (painful) toil; also a pang (whether of body or mind): grievous, idol, labor, sorrow.

6087 `atsab (aw-tsab'); a primitive root; properly, to carve, i.e. fabricate or fashion; hence (in a bad sense) to worry, pain or anger:

6091 `atsab (aw-tsawb'); from 6087; an (idolatrous) image:

4541 maccekah (mas-say-kaw'); a casting or molten image, a pouring over

5262 necek (neh'-sek); a libation or poured offering; a molten image, something poured out, a casting

8655 teraphiym (ter-aw-feme'); earth mender, god of a particular area of land, the figurine indicating, by possession, sub ownership of that land under that god
plural; a healer; Teraphim (singular or plural) a family idol: idolatry, idols, image(s), teraphim, a family idol; a kind of idol used in a household shrine or for worship
plural from 7495; rapha' (raw-faw');a healer; or raphah (raw-faw'); a primitive root; properly, to mend (by stitching), i.e. (figuratively) to cure: KJV-- idols (-atry), images, teraphim.
or raphah (raw-faw'); a primitive root; properly, to mend (by stitching), i.e. (figuratively) to cure:
KJV-- cure, (cause to) heal, physician, repair, X thoroughly, make whole. See 7503.

4656 miphletseth (mif-leh'-tseth); a terror, i.e. an idol: a horrid thing, a horrible thing

457 'eliyl (el-eel'); good for nothing, by anal. vain or vanity; specifically an idol

The New Testament equivalent for all this is the following:

1504 eikon (i-kone') (icon); a likeness, i.e. (literally) statue, profile, or (figuratively) representation, resemblance: an image, a figure, a likeness
[from 1503; eiko (i'-ko) apparently a primary verb, through the idea of faintness as a copy; to resemble:]
a) an image of the things (the heavenly things)
1) used of the moral likeness of renewed men to God
2) the image of the Son of God, into which true Christians are transformed, is likeness not only to the heavenly body, but also to the most holy and blessed state of mind, which Christ possesses
b) the image of one
1) one in whom the likeness of any one is seen
2) applied to man on account of his power of command
3) to Christ on account of his divine nature and absolute moral excellence
on of God

1494 eidolothuton (i-do-loth'-oo-ton); (meat, thing, offered) ; an image-sacrifice, i.e. part of an idolatrous offering: the flesh left over from the heathen sacrifices
it was either eaten at the feasts or sold (to the poor and the miserly) in the market

1497 eidolon (i'-do-lon); an image( for worship); by implication, a heathen god, or (plural) the worship of such:
from 1491 eidos (i'-dos); a view, i.e. form (literally or figuratively): appearance, fashion, shape, sight.
from 1492 eido or oida-(i'-do); to see or perceive (literally or figuratively) by any of the senses; by implication (in the perf. only) to know to get knowledge of, that is, to turn the eyes, the mind, the attention to anything, notice, discern, discover, to ascertain, to regard

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