Exd 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:
But it also says:
"And you shall make two cherubim of gold [i.e., two gold statues of angels]; of hammered work shall you make them, on the two ends of the mercy seat. Make one cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end; of one piece of the mercy seat shall you make the cherubim on its two ends. The cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy seat with their wings, their faces one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubim be
2007-02-28 00:16:34 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
So winged cherubim are not images of angels??? Then what the heck are they, and why would they have been commanded to make them???
2007-02-28 00:30:47 · update #1
Please, I am just looking at these two apaprently contradictory passages... why bring up all the other stuff re: worship of idols? It is interesting but irrelavant.
2007-02-28 01:13:04 · update #2
Cherubim are imaginary beings, so their statues are not like anything in the air, land or sea.
Cherubim are not necessarily angles, the way they are depicted in paintings for Europe of the Renaissance, but more likely are in the shape of the winged lions with human face of Mesopotamia.
2007-02-28 00:25:30 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
For the record, God also commanded the people to weave images of angels into the material used for the Tabernacle (Exodus 26:1). These examples are not at all a contradiction. There are several issues that must be considered here:
1) You've left off a vital piece of the First Commandment, which is verse 5: "you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me"
Taken together, God is telling the Jews that they cannot make an image AND worship it as their god. The images of the angels weren't worshipped, so this is not a contradiction, nor was it unlawful.
2) It's important for you to understand that God is essentially telling the people, through Moses and Aaron, that they are to RECREATE God's Temple in Heaven. Each and every one of these items -- from the basins to the ark of the covenant -- are actually in existance in Heaven (Revelation 11:19, for example). They are also highly symbolic of things to come. (For example, Christians believe the ark and Mercy Seat symbolized Jesus Christ.) In any event, as God wished the Heavenly Temple to be recreated, He also wished its occupants to be recreated, as well. The Bible documents there are certain angels that surround God at all times, so it's not surprising their images would be included in either the Tabernacle or the Temple.
So this is yet another demonstration of God teaching by example and symbolism.
EDIT: "Svetlana," some of us have brought up verse 5 because it answers your question -- and proves this is not a contradiction. You CANNOT isolate Scripture and expect to fully understand it.
2007-02-28 08:59:53 · answer #2 · answered by Suzanne: YPA 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There is no contradiction in Exodus if you could only understand what it means to say: In Exo. chapter 4 and 5, you should not make yourself any graven image or anything that look like God in heaven or anywhere else. Do not kneel before them or worship them, because I am your Lord God who is ;zealous,and I am punishing children of man because of sins........... in Exo, Chapter 25 verses 31 to 40, it is about a light to be made of gold and that it was not stated therein that you will worship it. That is how it look like. in other words it is an instruction how to make a light for God. You have misinterpret the verses.
2007-02-28 08:57:31 · answer #3 · answered by Jesus M 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
the two cherubim were not used for idols, but instead statues, you know like decoration, people used them in a place where they came to worship God, not the statue as an idol. so it really isn't a contradiction.
2007-02-28 10:06:21 · answer #4 · answered by Hannah 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Thank you for this excellent example of picking and choosing bits and pieces of the Bible, laying them out incorrectly, misunderstanding them completely, and mishandling them speciously, all in the effort to use a "fact" to disguise the truth.
There are others who've suitably pointed out the specifics of your error in logic... but I just wanted to say thank you for the exercise in spiritual preparation.
2007-02-28 09:34:50 · answer #5 · answered by thankyou "iana" 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Catholic understanding is that the use of images in worship is fine, as long as the images themselves are not worshipped.
2007-02-28 08:22:20 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
I think the difference is that He is saying we must not WORSHIP any idol.
2007-02-28 08:27:07 · answer #7 · answered by ccc4jesus 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Good call.
I cannot disagree so I will say you are correct.
But then again all religions worship idols, they just call everybody elses idol false.
2007-02-28 08:23:15 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Oh no ! Again ? Those middle eastern bronze age goat herders did it again. A contradiction.... That is amazing ....
2007-02-28 09:30:21 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Not a contradiction but direct commands from GOD.
2007-02-28 08:22:15 · answer #10 · answered by Tribble Macher 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋