Second Commandment: 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 your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generations of those who hate me; and showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
LORD’S DAY 35
96. What does God require in the second commandment?
That we in no way make any image of God,1Deuteronomy 4:15-19; Isaiah 40:18,25; Romans 1:22-24; Acts 17:29 nor worship Him in any other way than He has commanded us in His Word.21 Samuel 15:23; Deuteronomy 12:30-32; Matthew 15:9; Deuteronomy 4:23-24; John 4:24
97. May we not make any image at all?
God may not and cannot be imaged in any way; as for creatures, though they may indeed be imaged, yet God forbids the making or keeping of any likeness of them, either to worship them or to serve God by them.3Exodus 23:24-25; 34:13-14; Deuteronomy 7:5; 12:3; 2 Kings 18:4; John 1:18
98. But may not pictures be tolerated in churches as books for the people?
No, for we should not be wiser than God, who will not have His people taught by dumb idols,4Jeremiah 10:8; Habakkuk 2:18-19 but by the lively preaching of His Word.52 Peter 1:19; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Romans 10:17