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Ten Commandments-The Second Commandment
May 3, 2025

Last week we started a study of the ten commandments and saw how we are to have no other gods with a small “g” before God. This week, we’ll move on to the second commandment, which we can find in Exodus twenty starting in verse four.

Exodus 20:4-6
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven 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: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

In the verses we just read, the Hebrew word for image is pecel, Strong’s Hebrews word 6459, meaning a carved image like an idol. The Hebrew word for likeness is tmuwnah, Strong’s Hebrews word 8544, and implies it is made to look like. When God said let us make man after our image and likeness in Genesis 1:26, different Hebrew words were used. God’s intent was always for mankind to transcend the limitations of the flesh in who we are to become like God. Never are we to reduce God to something that is mortal like we are. God explains how he is a jealous God visiting the sins of the fathers on the children for three and four generations, and that is given in context of the command to not have any images of God that would be used in worship like an idol. That might seem like a harsh judgment but with people it can take several generations to undo something that has gone wrong. For instance, there is nothing sinful or bad about being poor or rich, but being rich or poor does play a significant role in what happens in the life of a person. If you were born in a poorer family, you tended to learn from your parents how to live as a poorer person, and if you were born in a richer family, you tended to learn from your parents how to live as a richer person.

The same is true with religion and faith. Children tend to learn from their parents about religion and faith, and when it comes to idols, if you teach your children wrongly to create idols to worship, that’s what your children will tend to do, and it can take several generations to change, because it is atypical for a child to not only consider that their life can be fundamentally different than their parent, but to also make the necessary changes in their life to be fundamentally different than their parent. Many times gradual changes are made from generation to generation without making a fundamental difference, and then one child comes along and is able to make a greater leap to bring about that fundamental difference.

When God talked about visiting the sins upon the third and fourth generation, God was acknowledging that the actions of parents can and do impact several generations of the family. When sin is involved, the many generations will endure the consequences of sin, and when God’s laws are followed, many generations will see the blessings of obedience, even if the only blessings they see is with that first generation.

Once Israel settled into the promised land, it didn’t take long for the people to start forgetting about what they were taught while wandering the wilderness. Take for example a man from the tribe of Ephraim named, Micah. Now this Micah is a different Micah than Micah the prophet. Micah the prophet was active in the later years of the Kingdom of Judah, and this Micah was active before Israel had a king. This Micah had helped his mother recover some lost money, and his mom used some of the money to be melted and made into an idol. Micah took the idol, had one of his sons become a priest, and started an idol-worshipping religion complete with all the elements of religion the people then would have expected. During this time, Israel did not have a king and was more of a loose confederation of tribes, with people doing whatever they thought was right to do.

After Micah’s religion was up and running, a Levite came to live with them and Micah decided to make this Levite a priest of his idol-worshipping religion, and decked him out with priestly attire and also provided a yearly salary. In Micah’s mind, even though he had an idol-worshipping religion which violated the second commandment and other commandments, too, the use of the Levitical priest somehow made it good in the sight of God.

Judges 17:1-13
And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah. And he said unto his mother, The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakest of also in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be thou of the Lord, my son. And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the Lord from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee. Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah. And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest. In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes. And there was a young man out of Beth–lehem–judah of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there. And the man departed out of the city from Beth–lehem–judah to sojourn where he could find a place: and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed. And Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto him, I am a Levite of Beth–lehem–judah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a place. And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten shekels of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in. And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons. And Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah. Then said Micah, Now know I that the Lord will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest.

What Micah didn’t clearly understand was that the idol couldn’t do anything good for him. In his mind he thought by having the Levitical priest, that God would bless him, but his religion was about the idol. Habakkuk, a prophet, taught that idols are powerless to do anything and that it’s ridiculous to think that an inanimate object can do anything for us. He showed how inanimate, non-living idols, are nothing compared to the living God we all worship.

Habakkuk 2:18-20
What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols? Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it. But the Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.

The prophet Nahum wrote a warning to the King of Nineveh about idols and explained how God would destroy the idols worshipped by the King of Nineveh. Nahum showed how God will reject those who worship idols and will instead show favor to those who do what God commands.

Nahum 1:12-15
Thus saith the Lord; Though they be quiet, and likewise many, yet thus shall they be cut down, when he shall pass through. Though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more. For now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds in sunder. And the Lord hath given a commandment concerning thee, that no more of thy name be sown: out of the house of thy gods will I cut off the graven image and the molten image: I will make thy grave; for thou art vile. Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off.

In Jeremiah, God pleads with people to not learn the ways of the heathen while describing something that has the look and feel of a Christmas tree. In that same chapter, God compares His power to the powerless nature of idols.

Jeremiah 10:12-16
He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion. When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures. Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them. They are vanity, and the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish. The portion of Jacob is not like them: for he is the former of all things; and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: The Lord of hosts is his name.

God showed how idols have no power within them and how all they are is phony. Idols represent false ideas of religion. God will endure forever, and the idols will fade into nothing. What that tells us is that there will always be people who worship God and that people who worship idols will fade away. Isaiah writes of the comparison between God and idols. Praise and glory belong to God but do not ever belong to an idol. It is when idols are set aside that God brings blessings to His people.

Isaiah 42:8-13
I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them. Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof. Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains. Let them give glory unto the Lord, and declare his praise in the islands. The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.

God’s comparison between Himself and idols continues in Isaiah when God shows His eternal nature, and the temporary nature of idols. God then goes on to show one of the reasons why idols are created, for control. He explained how idols are not created without hope of profiting from the idol. As only God can, He shows how He can take what should be a monetary profit through the idol and make it become nothing. God explains that the idols are inanimate objects and as an inanimate object they can’t see or even be aware that they should be ashamed of the dishonor their presence brings to God.

All who worship idols will come to nothing, including those who make the idols. Isaiah gives an example of loggers who cut down trees , carpenters who use the wood, and smiths who forge metal in fire. They work hard and benefit from all that God has created, and yet they make an idol to worship. These people are blind, and God has allowed them to be blind so that they cannot hear or understand. They are so blinded that they seem to miss the idea that they worship something that was created just like they were created, and instead would do better to return to God, Who can forgive sin and show mercy.

Isaiah 44:6-22
Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God. And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them. Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any. They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed. Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing? Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together. The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint. The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house. He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it. Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto. He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire: And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god. They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand. And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree? He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand? Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me. I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.

When Micah the prophet was active during the Kingdom of Judah, God showed through him how the idols of Samaria and Jerusalem would be destroyed.

Micah 1:1-7
The word of the Lord that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem. Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord God be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple. For, behold, the Lord cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth. And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place. For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? is it not Samaria? and what are the high places of Judah? are they not Jerusalem? Therefore I will make Samaria as an heap of the field, and as plantings of a vineyard: and I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley, and I will discover the foundations thereof. And all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces, and all the hires thereof shall be burned with the fire, and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate: for she gathered it of the hire of an harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot.

Instead of seeking to make idols to worship, we need to worship God. Instead of making idols to represent God, we need to seek to become like God. It is when we submit to God seeking to become like God and the righteousness of God that God protects us.

Psalm 17:8-15
Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings, From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about. They are inclosed in their own fat: with their mouth they speak proudly. They have now compassed us in our steps: they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth; Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places. Arise, O Lord, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword: From men which are thy hand, O Lord, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes. As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

When others trust in what they can worship on earth, we worship God who is in heaven. When others create inanimate idols of silver and gold or anything else, we worship a living God in heaven. The idols that so many trust can do nothing for them, but the God Whom we trust is limitless in what can be done for us. The inanimate idols will never bless a worshipper, but God will bless those both small and great who worship Him.

Psalm 115:1-13
Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake. Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God? But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. They that make them are like unto them; so is everyone that trusteth in them. O Israel, trust thou in the Lord: he is their help and their shield. O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord: he is their help and their shield. Ye that fear the Lord, trust in the Lord: he is their help and their shield. The Lord hath been mindful of us: he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron. He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great.

Before he died, Moses warned Israel about idols. He reminded them when God spoke to Israel from the fire on Horeb they saw nothing but the fire. There was no shape that emerged to them that would look like anything they would know on Earth. Moses warned them not to make idols to explain how God looked. Instead of making idols, they were to remember that it was God Who delivered them from Egypt, and with Whom they made a covenant. He explained if they forgot about their agreement with God and created an idol, that God would punish them by sending them into captivity. Instead of angering God by creating an idol, they were to seek God with their heart, soul, and mind.

Deuteronomy 4:15-31
Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the 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 flieth in the air, The likeness of anything that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth: And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the Lord thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven. But the Lord hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be unto him a people of inheritance, as ye are this day. Furthermore the Lord was angry with me for your sakes, and sware that I should not go over Jordan, and that I should not go in unto that good land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance: But I must die in this land, I must not go over Jordan: but ye shall go over, and possess that good land. Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of anything, which the Lord thy God hath forbidden thee. For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God. When thou shalt beget children, and children's children, and ye shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image, or the likeness of anything, and shall do evil in the sight of the Lord thy God, to provoke him to anger: I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it; ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed. And the Lord shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the Lord shall lead you. And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell. But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; For the Lord thy God is a merciful God; he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.

We can learn from the apostle Paul on how to handle the idol worshippers of our day. When Paul was in Athens, he came across many altars dedicated to this or that god with a small “g”. Initially, Paul referred to these idols not as idols but as devotions and then used logic to explain that if we are indeed created by God, that God cannot be represented by anything made by man, such as idols of gold or silver. He also showed how God can forgive lack of understanding but expects people to repent.

Acts 17:22-31
Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

If we think idols are a relic of primitive religions from centuries and millennia ago, we can look at the Book of Revelation which shows how an image of the beast will be worshipped as an idol, and how that image of the beast will seemingly be brought to life. Let’s read the account of the two beasts of Revelation. That first beast speaks blasphemy against God and is very powerful in bringing harm to Christians throughout the world. This beast will be worshipped especially after a deadly wound is healed. A second beast comes out of the earth and causes the people of Earth to worship the first beast and even brings life to the image of the beast. The world is duped into idol worship while the faithful are harmed.

Revelation 13:1-15
And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. If any man have an ear, let him hear. He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

When Paul wrote to the Romans, he started by writing about idol worship, perhaps because the Romans lived in a society with many different gods with a small “g” that were worshipped by the people. He showed how instead of worshipping the Creator, the creation became what was worshipped. He explained that because the creation is worshipped more than the Creator, that God allowed all manner of unrighteousness and sin to dominate society. What Paul described was part of Romans society so long ago and is still part of society today.

Romans 1:18-32
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

Knowing that we live in a society that has rejected the Creator over the creation and that society is dominated by all manner of unrighteousness and sin, what are we to do? Instead of loving what we see on earth, we love what is eternal. Instead of allowing all manner of unrighteousness and sin to dominate who we are, we commit ourselves to God becoming more and more like God and His righteousness as we live our lives in obedience to Him. Paul reminded the Colossians of the many sins we can come face-to-face with and how covetousness is idolatry. We covet when we desire something we don’t have, and we desire it so much it is almost like we are worshipping it.

Colossians 3:1-11
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

In writing to the Ephesians, Paul makes it very clear that those who covet, which is the tenth commandment to be studied in a few weeks, are also idolaters. These people will not be part of the Kingdom God.

Ephesians 5:1-5
Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

From the very beginning, God created people after His image and likeness. He intended for people to become like God and to develop the righteousness of God. He never wanted people to create idols from inanimate materials because within what is inanimate there is no life. With God there is life, eternal life, and if we love God and keep His commandments, God will show mercy to us. For those of the faith there are no idols that we use to worship God. We worship God by doing what is commanded and because we love God.