Today’s devotion comes from Deuteronomy 5:8-10.
“‘You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.” Deuteronomy 5:8-10.
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Consider the following from the Heidelberg Catechism.
Q. 96. What doth God require in the second commandment?
A. That we in no wise represent God by images, nor worship Him in any other way than He has commanded in His Word.
There seems to be two commands within this second commandment.
First, “You shall not make … any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.” This command is summarized by the Heidelberg Catechism as “That we in no wise represent God by images”.
Second, “You shall not worship them or serve them …”. This command is summarized by the Heidelberg Catechism as “nor worship Him in any other way than He has commanded in His Word.”
In summary, the Heidelberg Catechism states: “God forbids to make or have any resemblance of them either in order to worship them or to serve God by them.”
Q. 97. Are images then not at all to be made?
A. God neither can nor may be represented by any means. But as to creatures, though they may be represented, yet God forbids to make or have any resemblance of them either in order to worship them or to serve God by them.
Q. 98. But may not images be tolerated in the churches as books to the laity?
A. No; for we must not pretend to be wiser than God, who will have His people taught, not by dumb images, but by the lively preaching of His Word.
The importance of this distinction between the two points is that many dismiss the second commandment by thinking only: “I do not worship idols as if they are gods! The images are only teaching aids by which I can better worship the one true God!” And, we can see that the Heidelberg Catechism recognizes this temptation by concluding “No; for we must not pretend to be wiser than God, who will have His people taught, not by dumb images, but by the lively preaching of His Word.
We can see the practical importance of this point by stained glass images that we too often see in churches.
I grew up in a Christian Reformed Church that had a huge stained glass image of a weak thin “jesus” forlornly knocking on a door. This image was likely based on Revelation 3:20: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.”
The problem is that our minds often wander during the sermon, and even if that Scripture was correctly taught from the pulpit on one Sunday, the congregation would form its image of Jesus based on that stained glass image that it sees every Sunday rather than based on all that Scripture reveals about Jesus. We are lazy, and it is easier to form our image of Jesus by one image that we can see rather than by the many words of Scripture.
We would reject or at least resist Scriptures about Jesus being a victorious warrior (Zephaniah 3:17) or the Lion of Judah (see for example Revelation 5:4-5). We would be more willing to accept a weak “jesus” bound and subject to man’s alleged free-will, rather than to accept the Jesus of Scripture Who conquers and does all that is necessary to save God’s elect.
More recently, in a different church, during children’s time when the children are invited to come up front for a children’s church, on the screen in front of the church, there is a huge image of a painting of a “jesus” smiling, kneeling, and playing with small children. This image was likely based on “But Jesus called for them, saying, “Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Luke 18:16.
Again, the problem is that we would reject or at least resist Scriptures about Jesus such as in the following Scripture.
“And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” Revelation 19:11-16.
In conclusion, here are the supporting Scriptures given by the Heidelberg Catechism to the one point about the importance of “That we in no wise represent God by images” – Deut. 4:15. Isa. 40:18. Rom. 1:23ff. Acts 17:29. I only quote one of them to conclude this devotion.
“To whom then will you liken God?
Or what likeness will you compare with Him?” Isaiah 40:18.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 