How is a picture of a saint, or angle a graven image?

Question

Yes yes I know "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 if that is to be taken as 'dont have pictures of saints or angles' then shouldnt it also say 'dont have pictures of any land animal or fish' - it says earth or water, not just heaven.

How does this not work both ways?

So as long as I do not worship the picture its 100% ok to have a picture of anyone/thing I want?

I ask this because a few people disliked my wall of angles/saints and mary pictures

Answer 1

Ever since God revealed himself in the flesh image of the man, Jesus, this whole point became moot.

All the old commandments were fulfilled and set aside by Jesus, and the Catholic church that he founded remains the only official new covenant governing authority for the Christian faith.

Answer 2

to people who hate your wall...ask them to take down pictures of their loved ones on their wall...especially those who passed away...tell them if they ahve the pics, it's worshiping...No it's not worshiping if you ahve a pic, but what i dont get is if you have a pic of God or Jesus and you worship it, what's wrong with that??? that is not idolatry at all!! if you worshiped Mary or somesaints it would be. at the other hand having the pics of Mary or the Saints exposed doesnt mean worship!!

People will always found a way for you to leave your religion [the true religion] and come with them...pray sister, dont let them turn you from the true path!!!

Answer 3

If you have a picture of land animals or fish and direct prayers to them, then they fall under the very text you quoted, hence you answered your own question.

Answer 4

Perhaps the key word is "Image" or something you worship - and not the object itself

Answer 5

Man is incomplete, having cut himself off from the true worship of the true God. Yet he is to worship that God alone: "You shall have no other gods before Me" (Exodus 20:3). The second commandment tells us how to worship the true God, what pitfalls to avoid in our worship, and of the continuing blessing or penalty that comes to our progeny as a result of the way in which we worship Almighty God. "You shall not make for yourself a carved image—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; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord [Eternal] 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, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments" (Exodus 20:4–6).
The natural physical mind cries out for something to help in the worship of God. Physical human beings want some physical object—some "aid" to worship—to "remind" them of the invisible God. Yet that is exactly what is forbidden in this commandment! Jesus said: "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth: for the Father is seeking such to worship Him" (John 4:23). Notice that it is only the "true" worshipers who are able to worship the Father in spirit and truth. Many others attempt some form of worship but, because they limit their worship by a false concept of God, it is largely in vain. "God is Spirit: and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth" (v. 24). The instant that human beings set up any representation of God, they deny what is essential in God. God is the essence of all power—all wisdom—all love. God is limitless. When a man invents his own mental or physical image of God, he automatically limits in his own thought and worship the God who will not be limited!

Many times after reiterating the Ten Commandments, God again warned Israel against any form of idolatry. "You shall not make idols for yourselves; neither a carved image nor a sacred pillar shall you rear up for yourselves; nor shall you set up an engraved stone in your land, to bow down to it; for I am the Lord your God" (Leviticus 26:1). God was continually against every form of idol or image used in worship. However, lest some misunderstand, God does not condemn art or sculpture, but rather the setting up of any picture or image or representation "to bow down to it." In the original command in Exodus 20:4–6, God is not condemning every picture and image, but, as the command continues, "you shall not bow down to them nor serve them." So it is the use of art or sculpture as a form of worship or "aid" to worship that God condemns! The real basis of all idolatry is that self-willed, rebellious mankind refuses to surrender himself to worship the true God in the way that He commands! Not really knowing the true God, then, nor having His Spirit, human beings think they need some "aid" or "representation" to help them worship their humanly devised concept of God. Notice that this second commandment is not speaking of the worship of an idol, which is forbidden in the first commandment. This second commandment forbids the use of physical "aids" or "helps" in worshiping the invisible God.