exodus 20:4 states “you shall not make for yourself a graven image or any likeness which is in the heavens above, which is on the earth below, or which is in the water beneath the earth.” by jewish interpretation, this is considered to be the second commandment of the ten commandments.
statue toppling can be quite dramatic. the toppling of sadaam hussein’s statue was amazing sight. it represented the end of an oppressive regime.
recently, radical groups and organizations have targeted statues as a means of expressing disfavor of the past. they are seeking social unrest. it is interesting who they have targeted. in this crusade, possibly the most venerated american, abraham lincoln, has been cast as a villain. he is consider unstatueworthy. another statue which was defaced of interest was one of an abolitionist. it is clear that the objective of these radicals is to disrupt social order.
human beings are all faulted in some shape or form. the bible acknowledges this fact and does not hide individual’s faults. rather, it exposes them. thus, even with individuals who have performed great service to humanity or the world, there will most likely be some unbecoming behavior. faults are part of the human condition. they always will be.
thus, with all respect, if abraham lincoln is not be statue-worthy, then no one should be.
to god, these statue topplers are child’s play.
the issuance of the ten commandments is proof of this. god was thousands of years ahead of these individuals. why? thanks to the second commandment these radically motivated individuals won’t find any statues of god around to topple. this was guaranteed when he prohibited his likeness or image to be produced.
god understands how humanity is driven by images and symbolization. thus, he challenged humanity to find him in their minds and not in their creations. when humans are able to create, humans are able to destroy.
thus, the second commandment ensures that there will be no symbolic toppling of god on earth.
as this all shows, god is the ultimate chess master in the universe. he had future statue toppler checkmated thousands of years ago.
we should all time the time the time to appreciate and embrace the wisdom which he provided humanity. the ten commandments is part of this great wisdom.
be well!!
If you would like to read more blog posts, click here
The Ten Commandments Project 