something that has always puzzled me was the descriptions of solomon's temple as well as the golden snake in Moses day. With giant angel statues in the holy of holies and the golden bulls and the countless other "graven" images in the temple that were supposedly god approved. How was this not blatent idolatry. Where the goden cherubs on the ark of the covenant not "graven images to things in the heavens above." Now if these same things were in A jewish synagogue or a temple or a catholic church or a mosque today wouldn't the watchtower label it as grossly idolatrous?
Ancient idols?
by thebiggestlie 5 Replies latest watchtower bible
-
-
Justahuman24
Well, not really. The difference is that those "graven images" that were in the temple Solomon built were mostly for decoration or to represent what was in heaven. They were not prayed to or asked to intercede for anyone. All worship went to God not to the images at all.
I forget where in the Bible it is, but the snake that was built in the desert to heal the Israelites from snake bites was later worshiped or given undue honor.worship in the time of Hezekiah and Hezekiah, as part of him re-establishing pure/clean worship based on the Mosaic Law, got rid of it and destroyed it. God didn't punish him for getting rid of the snake because it wasn't built for the purpose of being worshiped.
justahuman - but super nonetheless
-
avishai
Here's a article on all of that, the stuff your talking about starts about a third of the way into it.
-
thebiggestlie
Thanks for the article.... good reading. I'm just saying if the wts was around in bibilical days i'm sure they wouldnt approve.... well if they were around then i'm sure they would know the real "truth" as well and i wouldn't be here asking these silly questions...
-
A Paduan
A graven image is an idea for god that you've carved out yourself - like the Russell / Rutherford god - particularly one based on an observed reality, such as an elderley man who is like a tribe leader, or dictator, who also has qualities of a beast. Making up a god and making others bow to it is a 'grave' matter.
-
Navigator
I heard a bible scholar lecture once regarding the "snake" symbol lifted up in the desert during the Exodus. According to him, it had nothing to do with snake bites, but with venereal disease. According to him, the hebrews were infested with VD when they left Egypt. Their method of dealing with it was to slaughter those infected. Rather drastic, but it worked.