Exodus 20:4

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jbergsing

Puritan Board Sophomore
"You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or 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." (ESV)

"Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:" (KJV)
I've quoted both ESV and KJV to (hopefully) eliminate any discussion about wording. What I'm interested in knowing is does a "carved" or "graven" image include a God we've created in our own heads to suite our own needs or is it more specific in that it refers to physical statues?
 
Come on now, someone has to have some insight. There are too many brilliant students of Scripture around here for this question to go unanswered.
 
"Carved image" or "graven image" is a single, substantive in Hebrew. So it's being used in a technical sense as a synonym for "idol". That sentence is supposed to go with the rest of the command--one extended thought. There can be nothing fashioned by a man's hand that he then declares: "This represents my God," to which then is offered tokens of worship (bowing down and serving).

Commandment 1: Have (worship) no other gods.
Commandment 2: Do not worship God (even the true God) according to your own imagination
(i.e. in any way other than that he has prescribed).​
 
As Josh and Bruce have said, imagination is comprehended within the prohibition to make graven idols. For what can a man make that he first does not conceive (James 1.15)?

Ashbel Green, Lectures on the Shorter Catechism:

We are forbidden by the manifest scope of the second commandment to form, even in our minds, any fanciful representation of the great and invisible Jehovah. The human fancy is exceedingly prone to create forms or phantasms of its own; and it certainly requires some care and effort, to restrain it in religious worship, from framing some image or picture of the unseen Deity; to abstract the mind from every sensible or imaginary object; to set God alone before it, and to fill it with deep awe and solemn reverence for that pure, glorious, spiritual, and infinite being, to whom all our prayers and praises, in order to be acceptable, must be addressed. The duty here stated is clearly implied, or rather explicitly enjoined, by our Saviour, where he says (John 4:24,) "God is a Spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." Many, my dear youth, very many, it is to be feared, transgress the second commandment, in the way to which this particular points your attention.

Westminster Larger Catechism:

Q99: What rules are to be observed for the right understanding of the ten commandments?

A99: For the right understanding of the ten commandments, these rules are to be observed:

1. That the law is perfect, and bindeth everyone to full conformity in the whole man unto the righteousness thereof, and unto entire obedience forever; so as to require the utmost perfection of every duty, and to forbid the least degree of every sin.[1]

2. That it is spiritual, and so reaches the understanding, will, affections, and all other powers of the soul; as well as words, works, and gestures.[2]

3. That one and the same thing, in divers respects, is required or forbidden in several commandments.[3]

4. That as, where a duty is commanded, the contrary sin is forbidden;[4] and, where a sin is forbidden, the contrary duty is commanded:[5] so, where a promise is annexed, the contrary threatening is included;[6] and, where a threatening is annexed, the contrary promise is included.[7]

5. That what God forbids, is at no time to be done;[8] What he commands, is always our duty;[9] and yet every particular duty is not to be done at all times.[10]

6. That under one sin or duty, all of the same kind are forbidden or commanded; together with all the causes, means, occasions, and appearances thereof, and provocations thereunto.[11]

7. That what is forbidden or commanded to ourselves, we are bound, according to our places, to endeavor that it may be avoided or performed by others, according to the duty of their places.[12]

8. That in what is commanded to others, we are bound, according to our places and callings, to be helpful to them;[13] and to take heed of partaking with others in: What is forbidden them.[14]

1. Psa. 19:7; James 2:10; Matt. 5:21-22
2. Rom. 7:14; Deut. 6:5; Matt. 5:21-22, 27-28, 33-34, 37-39, 43-44; 22:37-39
3. Col. 3:5; Amos 8:5; Prov. 1:19; I Tim. 6:10
4. Isa. 58:13; Deut. 6:13; Matt. 4:9-10; 15:4-6
5. Matt. 5:21-25; Eph. 4:28
6. Exod. 20:12; Prov. 30:17
7. Jer. 18:7-8; Exod. 20:7; Psa. 15:1, 4-5; 24:4-5
8. Job. 13:7; 36:21; Rom. 3:8; Heb. 11:25
9. Deut. 4:8-9
10. Matt. 12:7
11. Matt. 5:21-22, 27-28; 15:4-6; Heb. 10:24-25; I Thess. 5:22-23; Gal. 5:26; Col. 3:21
12. Exod. 20:10; Lev. 19:17; Gen. 18:19; Josh. 24:15; Deut. 6:6-7
13. II Cor. 1:24
14. I Tim. 5:22
 
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