The Lord, righteous in all His ways, cannot be blamed for wickedness; rather, wisdom’s Spirit is given for honorable endeavors.
EXPLANATION 1. Those who misconstrue the truths of Holy Scripture often twist the Lord's commands with prohibitions into a single notion, thus arriving at erroneous conclusions. The differing contexts of opposing statements clarify this. God, through His Spirit, directed Bezaleel to beautify the Tabernacle of the Old Covenant by creating images—not idols. Thus, Moses, when detailing Bezaleel’s artistry, asserts a Divine decree regarding images, not idols. There exists a significant distinction between the two. According to Apostolic teaching, an idol is nothing; as scripture reveals, “an idol is nothing in the world” (1 Corinthians 8:4). An idol, though it may resemble God, is not representative of Him. In contrast, an image, whether woven or drawn, embodies the essence of truth. For instance, an icon of Christ illustrates Christ our true God, the Savior of the world, while an icon of the Mother of God depicts the true Mother of God, who bore the Son of God.
2. The Old Testament contains numerous images created without a Divine command. Consider Jacob, who erected a stone pillar at Bethel, anointed it, and named it the House of God (Genesis 28:19). Did God command David to desire the construction of a temple for the Lord? Although criticized for previous bloodshed, he was still acknowledged for his good intentions (2 Samuel 7, 1 Chronicles 22). Solomon created cherubim and other forms within the temple (1 Kings 6). What of the descendants of Reuben and Gad, who built an altar lacking God’s directive (Joshua 22)? Did not Joshua himself set up a great stone as a witness to God (Joshua 24)? Likewise, Gideon erected an altar without a command from God (Judges 6). And Samuel, after defeating the Philistines, established a stone and named it "Ebenezer," the stone of help (1 Samuel 7:12).
3. The Divine command in the Old Testament regarding the creation of images for God's glory also applies to us Christians. It is essential to recognize that the Old Testament commandments can be categorized into three types: spiritual, ceremonial, and civil—or divine, ceremonial, and judicial. The spiritual commandments primarily taught an understanding of God, faith in Him, and true reverence. The ceremonial laws governed the Jewish religious practices, including sacrifices, rituals, and feasts. The civil laws provided guidelines for justice and societal order, mandating individuals to refrain from wrongdoing, false testimony, and envy, amongst others.
4. Within the New Covenant, the ceremonial and judicial aspects of the Old Testament have been fulfilled and thus removed. The physical rites and rituals were shadows pointing toward Christ’s incarnation. The Levitical systems and sacrifices prefigured Christ's pure priesthood and His ultimate sacrifice on the cross for the salvation of humanity, establishing the efficacy of the Sacraments of the Church within the Gospel.
5. Recognizing the significance of the commandments from the Old Law, we arrive at the understanding that the images God commanded Moses to create, entrusted to Bezaleel, were meant to glorify God and express true faith and divine service. Consequently, the Church of Christ in the New Testament is called to honor this example by adorning altars and temples with holy images and icons—not to glorify God anew but to remember His mighty deeds. The prohibition against creating idols or mimicking the likeness of false gods prevails, demanding obedience from all believers.
EXAMPLE The reasoning surrounding God's prohibition is evident through various considerations. 1. A wise physician tailors treatment to each patient, considering disease, time, and circumstance. Similarly, the Lord, the supreme Physician of souls, avoids ambiguity when addressing those ignorant or prone to idolatry. He forbids them from creating images of the incorporeal God, who cannot be represented by visible forms. The Gospel affirms God’s invisibility: “No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared Him” (John 1:18). God also states, “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me and live” (Exodus 33:20).
2. Historical instances demonstrate how the Israelites depicted their anxiety by substituting worship of the true God with idol worship, creating representations that were nothing more than vessels for demonic influences. They erred by honoring these fables, proclaiming them as deities that freed them from Egypt (Exodus 32:4). In light of this disobedience, God forbade such designs, emphasizing that worship should be directed solely to Him—the Creator of all.
3. Moses, upon receiving God’s prohibition of creating idols, nonetheless fashioned a veil adorned with cherubim and constructed two golden cherubim. This highlights a significant distinction; Moses was not disobeying God's command against grave error but rather following the Lord’s directive concerning the worship of true images versus unholy representations.
4. The rationale underlying God’s rejection of idolatry emphasizes that idols do not encapsulate divine essence but instead reflect flawed human likenesses or creations. Such representations lead to idolatrous worship among pagans.
5. The origins of idolatry trace back long before Abraham; instances of idol creation have deep roots in human history, often driven by mourning or desire for remembrance. Historical accounts illustrate that those who worshiped idols often did so in ignorance of the truth, misled by demonic influences or sorcery and lacking in spiritual wisdom—characteristics defining the idolater.
THEOSIS