Thematic Bible


Thematic Bible



And he took the gold from their hands, and fashioned it with an engraving tool and made it into a molten calf; and they said, “This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” Verse ConceptsAaron, Life EventsArts And Crafts, Types ofMaterialism, As An Aspect Of SinSculptureToolsIdolsWorldly Pleasures, Nature OfProclaimingGolden CalvesWhat Is Not GodBringing Israel Out Of EgyptOthers Bringing Israel Out Of Egypt

Then Moses took the calf they had made and burned it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and scattered it on the surface of the water and made the Israelites drink it. Verse ConceptsRepulsive FoodBurning Idolatrous ThingsWaters DividedGrandmothers

So be on your guard and watch yourselves, so that you do not forget the covenant of the Lord your God which He has made with you, and make for yourselves a carved or sculpted image in the form of anything which the Lord your God has forbidden you. Verse ConceptsForgetting GodAvoiding Idolatry

“You shall not make for yourself any idol, or any likeness (form, manifestation) of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth [as an object to worship]. Verse ConceptsGod, As Spiritethics, personalIdolsIdolatry Consists OfCarvingLike CreaturesAvoiding IdolatrySecond CommandmentSelf ImageTaking Care Of The Earthstatuesimage

The graven image! A workman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and casts silver chains for it. He who is so impoverished that he has no offering or oblation or rich gift to give [to his god is constrained to make a wooden offering, an idol; so he] chooses a tree that will not rot; he seeks out a skillful craftsman to carve and set up an image that will not totter or deteriorate.

All who make graven idols are confusion, chaos, and worthlessness. Their objects (idols) in which they delight do not profit them, and their own witnesses (worshipers) do not see or know, so that they are put to shame. Who is [such a fool as] to fashion a god or cast a graven image that is profitable for nothing? Behold, all his fellows shall be put to shame, and the craftsmen, [how can they make a god?] they are but men. Let them all be gathered together, let them stand forth; they shall be terrified, they shall be put to shame together. read more.
The ironsmith sharpens and uses a chisel and works it over the coals; he shapes [the core of the idol] with hammers and forges it with his strong arm. He becomes hungry and his strength fails; he drinks no water and is faint.

But from what is left of the wood he makes a god, his carved idol. He falls down before it, he worships it and prays to it and says, “Save me, for you are my god.” Verse ConceptsBowingReligionIdolatry Consists OfPraying Amissimage


“What profit is the carved image when its maker has formed it?
It is only a cast image, and a teacher of lies.
For its maker trusts in his own creation [as his god]
When he makes speechless idols.
Verse ConceptsCreativitydistrustGod, Uniqueness OfIdolatry, Objections ToMaterialism, As An Aspect Of SinSculptureUnreliabilityIdols Not ExistingTrusting IdolsMisteachingDumbnessUseless IdolsIdolatryDumbimageHinduismFutile Faith

For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of [the goddess] Artemis [Diana], brought no small income to his craftsmen. These he called together, along with the workmen of similar trades, and said, Men, you are acquainted with the facts and understand that from this business we derive our wealth and livelihood.

He cuts cedars for himself, and takes a cypress or an oak and lets it grow strong for himself among the trees of the forest. He plants a fir, and the rain nourishes it. Verse ConceptsTreesFelling Treeswoodworkingtoughness

But from what is left of the wood he makes a god, his carved idol. He falls down before it, he worships it and prays to it and says, “Save me, for you are my god.” Verse ConceptsBowingReligionIdolatry Consists OfPraying Amissimage


He who is too impoverished for such an offering [to give to his god]
Chooses a tree that will not rot;
He seeks out for himself a skillful craftsman
To [carve and] set up an idol that will not totter.
Verse ConceptsUnreliabilityWisdom, Human NaturedissatisfactionMotionlessnessSkilled PeopleNo DecayMoving Oncraftsmanshipimage


He who is too impoverished for such an offering [to give to his god]
Chooses a tree that will not rot;
He seeks out for himself a skillful craftsman
To [carve and] set up an idol that will not totter.
Verse ConceptsUnreliabilityWisdom, Human NaturedissatisfactionMotionlessnessSkilled PeopleNo DecayMoving Oncraftsmanshipimage


He who is too impoverished for such an offering [to give to his god]
Chooses a tree that will not rot;
He seeks out for himself a skillful craftsman
To [carve and] set up an idol that will not totter.
Verse ConceptsUnreliabilityWisdom, Human NaturedissatisfactionMotionlessnessSkilled PeopleNo DecayMoving Oncraftsmanshipimage