Thomas said...
[The second commandment is] obviously about making and worshipping literal, physical idols.
@Thomas
No. You've missed the meaning of the second commandment. God is a jealous of our love. I use the word "jealous", not as a bad thing, but as a good thing.
As a father, I'm jealous of the love of my daughter. I don't want my daughter to be taken home by some other man. I don't want for my daughter to call another man "Dad" and to hug him. No. I want that exclusively to myself. I want to be the exclusive "Dad" to my daughter. I'm jealous of my daughter's love.
That's an illustration of what God wants from us. God wants to be the exclusive desire of our heart. God wants exclusivity. He wants for us to call him alone God. He doesn't want anyone or anything to take His exclusive place.
That's the meaning of the second commandment.
Anything that our heart desires for, in the place of God, is an idol. An idol doesn't have to be a physical statue. Anything that we seek after instead of God, in place of God, is an idol. Whether it be power, prestige, comfort, pleasure. Anything that takes the place of God as the object of our desire is an idol.
The second commandment is not a rigid rule against making a physical statue. No. It's a guideline for the members of God's family. It's a boundary that God sets up for the benefit of His children.
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