Psalm 97:9 say God is “exalted far above all gods.” He is also “exalted above all the peoples” (Psalm 99:2). God is absolute deity, and He cannot be compared with anything you’ve ever seen or known before. That truth contains heavy implication relative to the transcendent nature or distinctiveness of God. The first of the Ten Commandments says we are to have no other god because there is only one true God. Then the second commandment says we are not to make any likeness of God (Exodus 20:3-4).
This means we must not paint pictures of God. Now let me explain. I’m sure you are familiar with those photo booths they have in the malls. You go in, put in some coins, sit down and draw the curtain. The light comes on, you get in your pose and the camera snaps. Some ugly pictures come out of those machines, don’t they?
Someone says to you, “Show me a picture of your girlfriend (or wife or husband).” You dig in your wallet or purse and pull out the picture, and then you always say, “This isn’t a good shot. If you really saw what she looks like in real life, you would understand. This just gives you a general idea.”
We apologize for a bad picture. God says, “Don’t make any likenesses of Me, because anything you come up with will make Me look bad.” We are to make no likenesses of God to enable us to worship Him other than those He prescribes.
When people paint pictures of God-or even Jesus, since we don’t know what He looked like and then use those pictures as objects to enhance worship, that’s idolatry. When we put up crosses to help us worship God better, that’s idolatry.
If you want to buy something to decorate your wall, or because you enjoy its artistic value or because it’s just jewelry to you, that’s one thing. But you cannot use any emblems or symbols to enhance your worship other than the ones God prescribes, like the bread and wine. These are designed to show forth the death and resurrection of Christ, and they are legitimate parts of corporate worship because God prescribes them. Otherwise, He says, “You cannot create, on your own, likenesses of Me because I am totally distinct and you would limit My glory if you did that.”
Excerpt from: Theology You Can Count On by Tony Evans
