Get images out of the Church!

The second commandment states “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;” (Exodus 20:4)

God in His infinite wisdom(1Cor.3:19) knew that the flesh can only create after itself,  and in doing such,  changes the nature of God into an image that is satisfying to the flesh. Our churches are full of images on their walls and in their literature.  I ask about this once and was told that by creating an image of the biblical heroes in our Sunday school literature we will cause interest in our children.

An example of this kind of error can be found in the images used to depict Samson in church art.  Most of us with gray hair, when we think of Samson, visualize Victure Mature from the 1949 classic “Samson and Delilah”. Those of you who are younger,  probably conjure up an image of a man built like Arnold Schwarzenegger from your Sunday School readers. The bible is silent about Samson’s looks and size because it was God who supplied his power not his biceps.

Think about it. If Samson looked like Arnold in the Terminator, why would the Philistines bribe Delilah to ask him where his power came from????  However if Samson was just your average  joe or even scrawny then their question would make sense.  The flesh thinks power comes from muscles, this is why God made Gideon send all but three hundred warriors home(Judges 7:2), and commanded us not to create worship related images.