PROF. BEN ONYEUKWU (REV.)
NCE (English); Dip (Computer Studies); ND/HD
(Journalism); Dip, BA (Theology) MA, PhD.
THE BIBLE AND OBJECTS OF RELIGIOUS WORSHIP
Devotional Text: Deut.
4:15-20
Introduction:
By “object of religious worship” attention is
drawn to those religious graven images that depict certain concepts, deities,
saints or personalities in certain religions of the world. These, the Bible
strictly forbids in religious worship and practices, when it says, “take ye
therefore good heed unto yourselves for ye saw no manner of similitude on the
day that the LORD spoke unto you in Horeb out of the midst of fire. Lest ye
corrupt yourselves and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure,
the likeness of male or female. The likeness of any beast that is on the earth,
the likeness of any winged fowl that flies in the air. The likeness of anything
that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters
beneath the earth. And less thou lift up your eyes unto heaven, and when you see the sun and the
moon, and the stars, even all the hosts of heaven, and be driven to worship and
serve them”…(Deut. 4:15-19).
GENERAL REMARKS
(1)
The cited Scripture
reveals that God Has not revealed the similitude of His person at any time,
(vs. 15-19)
(2)
The Scripture,
also reveals that all religious symbols in the similitude of anything are not
ordained by God, (vs. 15-19)
(3)
The
scriptural implication of all forms of religious symbols in use today, therefore, is that they represent strange
gods and not the Lord of Heaven and earth,
(vs. 15-19)
(4)
The Scripture
in focus equally shows that the photograph of the figure of the glorified state
of Jesus which some religious groups present to the world today is false, since
no camera or any other human equipment can take the photograph
of Jesus in His glorified state, (vas. 15-19)
OBJECTS OF RELIGIOUS WORSHIP IN
THE OLD TESTAMENT
From the Old Testament era, the Bible shows
that God forbids the worship of graven images, as cited in the main text of the
lesson. Here, God reveals His desire to be worshipped in spirit and in truth,
which Jesus cites in the Gospel of John, (4:24). For, when God is worshipped in
spirit and in truth, no religious images or symbols are required, as what is
needed in this context of worship is the spirit of the worshipper connecting
the Spirit of God in worship (vs. 24), and not just any kind of fruitless
attempt to establish religious contact
with God through any form of religious objects or symbol like; medals,
beads, apron, bangles and a host of others, which amount to idol worship,
considering the Word of God, as cited in Deuteronomy 4:15-20. This reveals that
in the Old Testament;
(i)
No religious
objects of any shape were required for worship (vs. 15-20)
(ii)
Any
religious objects in the similitude of man or woman, animal or bird, star, moon
and sun were regarded as idols (vs.15-20)
(iii)
God was
worshipped in spirit and in truth, as Jesus later cited in the New Testament
(John 4:24)
OBJECTS OF RELIGIOUS WORSHIP IN
THE NEW TESTAMENT
As
cited in the previous section of this lesson, Jesus reveals that, “God is
spirit and those who worship Him must do so in spirit and in truth” (John
4:24), and in turn says, He is the way, the truth and life, and that no one
comes to the Father but by Him” (John 14:16), which accordingly removes all
forms of religious symbolism or images in the worship of God, (Deut. 4:15-20_.
For His Name shall be called Emmanuel, which by interpretation means, God is
with us, (Matt. 1:23). Therefore, now that the Lord God Has revealed Himself in
the Person of Jesus Christ, it becomes evident that no other intermediary is
required between God and man, except the Lord Jesus Himself, (1 Tim.2:5). This
makes it clearer that;
(i)
God does not
require any other religious object in worship except Jesus Christ our Lord and
Saviour, (Deut. 4:15-20)
(ii)
Jesus Christ
is the way, the truth and Life, and no one comes to the Father, but by Him,
(John 14:6).
(iii)
There is no
other mediator between God and man, except our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ,
(1 Tim. 2:5)
OBJECTS OF RELIGIOUS WORSHIP AND
THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH
Before the crucifixion and ascension of Jesus
Christ, He promised another Comforter, who would lead the Christian-church, in
the person of the Holy Spirit, (John 14:16;26;15:26). In furtherance, Jesus
remarks, …”I tell you the truth, it is expedient for you that I go away, for if
I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you, but if I depart, I will
send Him unto you” (John 16:7). This promise was officially fulfilled on the
Day of Pentecost, (Acts 2:1-4). What a glorious handover of the Christian
Church into Able Hands of the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity! For, there
are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word(Jesus) and the
Spirit, and these three are one, (1 John
5:7) Having stressed the above, now observe the n the Old Testament, every
object of religious worship was forbidden (Deut. 16:15-20) , in the New
Testament, Jesus became reveals as the
Express Image of His Person (Heb. 1:3) and in the Christian Church era,
the Holy Spirit is the leader, (Acts. 10:19). So, in the Christian Church,
also;
(i)
Religious
objects of worship like, medal, bead, bangle, images of Mary, Joseph or any
other saint or figure (Deut 4:15-20) are, as well forbidden, as the Holy Spirit
now leads, (Acts 10:19)
(ii)
Only Jesus
remains the figure of worship, and the way to the Father (John 14:6), as the
Holy Spirit testifies of Him, (John 15:26)
(iii)
Worship and
contact with the Spirit of God should be by the spirit (John 4:24) and not by
any religious objects like; medal, bangle, bead, etc. (Deut. 4:15-20)
In
conclusion, let it be
summarized that in the Old Testament, all forms of religious images are
forbidden in worship (Deut. 4:15-20), and tagged idols. In the New Testament,
Jesus became manifested as the only Figure of acceptable worship before God,
the Father (John 14:6), while in the Christian Church era, the Holy Spirit
becomes the center of adoration and worship to God, the Father, Son and
Himself, (the Holy Spirit), being one, (1 John 5: 7), foreclosing the use of
religious images in worship. BEWARE OF IDOL WORSHIP!
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