Deuteronomy 4:16
that you do not act corruptly and make an idol for yourselves of any form or shape, whether in the likeness of a male or female,
that you do not act corruptly
The Hebrew root for "act corruptly" is "שָׁחַת" (shachath), which conveys the idea of destruction, decay, or moral corruption. In the context of Deuteronomy, Moses is warning the Israelites against moral and spiritual decay that comes from turning away from God’s commandments. This phrase serves as a timeless reminder of the importance of maintaining spiritual integrity and purity, avoiding actions that lead to spiritual ruin.

and make for yourselves an idol
The term "idol" in Hebrew is "פֶּסֶל" (pesel), which refers to a carved or graven image. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, idol-making was a common practice, often involving the creation of physical representations of deities. The command here is a direct prohibition against idolatry, emphasizing the uniqueness and invisibility of the God of Israel. This phrase underscores the call to worship God in spirit and truth, without reliance on physical representations.

in the form of any figure
The word "figure" in Hebrew is "תַּמוּנָה" (temunah), meaning likeness or form. This prohibition extends to any physical representation, highlighting the transcendence of God, who cannot be contained or represented by any earthly form. Historically, this command set Israel apart from surrounding nations, which often worshipped gods in human or animal forms. It calls believers to focus on the spiritual nature of God, who is beyond human comprehension.

the likeness of male or female
The Hebrew word for "likeness" is "דְּמוּת" (demuth), which implies a resemblance or similitude. By specifying "male or female," the text addresses the common practice of creating idols in human form, which was prevalent in ancient religions. This phrase reinforces the idea that God transcends human gender and form, inviting believers to a deeper understanding of God’s nature, which is not limited by human characteristics. It challenges us to seek a relationship with God that is based on faith and obedience rather than physical representations.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moses
The speaker of this passage, Moses is addressing the Israelites, reminding them of God's commandments and warning them against idolatry.

2. Israelites
The audience of Moses' address, the chosen people of God who are being prepared to enter the Promised Land.

3. Mount Horeb
The location where Moses received the Ten Commandments, which included the prohibition against idolatry.

4. Promised Land
The land of Canaan, which the Israelites are about to enter, where they will encounter various pagan cultures and their idols.

5. Idolatry
The act of worshiping idols or images, which is strictly forbidden by God and is a central theme of Moses' warning.
Teaching Points
Avoiding Idolatry in Modern Times
Idolatry is not limited to physical idols; it can include anything that takes the place of God in our lives, such as money, power, or relationships.

The Importance of Worshiping the True God
Worship should be directed solely to God, who is spirit and truth, rather than any created form or image.

Guarding Against Cultural Influences
Just as the Israelites were warned about the pagan cultures in Canaan, Christians today must be vigilant against cultural influences that lead away from God.

The Consequences of Corruption
Acting corruptly by turning to idols leads to spiritual decay and separation from God, emphasizing the need for repentance and faithfulness.

The Role of Scripture in Guiding Worship
Regular engagement with Scripture helps believers discern true worship and avoid the pitfalls of idolatry.
Bible Study Questions
1. What are some modern forms of idolatry that Christians might encounter today, and how can we guard against them?

2. How does the warning against idolatry in Deuteronomy 4:16 relate to the first and second commandments given in Exodus 20?

3. In what ways can cultural influences lead us away from true worship, and how can we remain steadfast in our faith?

4. How does Romans 1:22-23 expand on the concept of idolatry, and what lessons can we learn from it?

5. Reflect on a time when something other than God took priority in your life. How did you address this, and what steps can you take to ensure God remains at the center of your worship?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Exodus 20:4-5
This passage contains the second commandment, which explicitly forbids the making of idols and serves as a foundation for Moses' warning in Deuteronomy 4:16.

Romans 1:22-23
Paul discusses how humanity exchanged the glory of God for images resembling mortal man and animals, echoing the warning against idolatry.

Isaiah 44:9-20
This passage mocks the futility of idol-making and idol-worship, reinforcing the message of Deuteronomy 4:16.
The Curse of IdolatryD. Davies Deuteronomy 4:1-28
God's Dealings with His PeopleH. J. Hastings, M. A.Deuteronomy 4:1-40
HearkenJ. Parker, D. D.Deuteronomy 4:1-40
Moses' DiscourseHenry, MatthewDeuteronomy 4:1-40
The Bible the Wisdom of NationS. Hayman, B. A.Deuteronomy 4:1-40
Warning Against Heathenish IdolatryJ. Orr Deuteronomy 4:15-20
The Divine Jealousy of Graven ImagesR.M. Edgar Deuteronomy 4:15-24
People
Amorites, Baalpeor, Bezer, Gadites, Israelites, Manasseh, Manassites, Moses, Og, Reubenites, Sihon
Places
Arabah, Aroer, Bashan, Beth-baal-peor, Bezer, Egypt, Gilead, Golan, Hermon, Heshbon, Horeb, Jordan River, Mount Sion, Peor, Pisgah, Ramoth, Sea of the Arabah, Valley of the Arnon
Topics
Act, Beware, Corrupt, Corruptly, Deal, Engraved, Evil, Female, Figure, Form, Formed, Graven, Idol, Image, Lest, Likeness, Making, Male, Pattern, Shape, Similitude, Whether, Yourselves
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Deuteronomy 4:15-17

     4612   birds

Deuteronomy 4:15-18

     4642   fish
     5516   sculpture

Deuteronomy 4:15-19

     1225   God, as Spirit
     5345   influence
     8780   materialism, and sin

Deuteronomy 4:16-19

     5211   art

Library
February the Sixteenth Crowding Out God
"Lest thou forget." --DEUTERONOMY iv. 5-13. That is surely the worst affront we can put upon anybody. We may oppose a man and hinder him in his work, or we may directly injure him, or we may ignore him, and treat him as nothing. Or we may forget him! Opposition, injury, contempt, neglect, forgetfulness! Surely this is a descending scale, and the last is the worst. And yet we can forget the Lord God. We can forget all His benefits. We can easily put Him out of mind. We can live as though He were
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

Deuteronomy
(Third Sunday after Easter.) Deut. iv. 39, 40. Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the Lord he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else. Thou shall keep therefore his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, for ever. Learned men have argued much of late as to who wrote
Charles Kingsley—The Gospel of the Pentateuch

Political and Religious Life of the Jewish Dispersion in the West - their Union in the Great Hope of the Coming Deliverer.
It was not only in the capital of the Empire that the Jews enjoyed the rights of Roman citizenship. Many in Asia Minor could boast of the same privilege. [327] The Seleucidic rulers of Syria had previously bestowed kindred privileges on the Jews in many places. Thus, they possessed in some cities twofold rights: the status of Roman and the privileges of Asiatic, citizenship. Those who enjoyed the former were entitled to a civil government of their own, under archons of their choosing, quite independent
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Of the Cities of Refuge.
Hebron, the most eminent among them, excites us to remember the rest. "The Rabbins deliver this; Moses separated three cities of refuge beyond Jordan, [Deut 4:41-43;] and, against them, Joshua separated three cities in the land of Canaan, [Josh 20:7,8]. And these were placed by one another, just as two ranks of vines are in a vineyard: Hebron in Judea against Bezer in the wilderness: Shechem in mount Ephraim against Ramoth in Gilead: Kedesh in mount Napthali against Golan in Basan. And these three
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

That the Devout Soul Ought with the Whole Heart to Yearn after Union with Christ in the Sacrament
The Voice of the Disciple Who shall grant unto me, O Lord, that I may find Thee alone, and open all my heart unto Thee, and enjoy Thee as much as my soul desireth; and that no man may henceforth look upon me, nor any creature move me or have respect unto me, but Thou alone speak unto me and I unto Thee, even as beloved is wont to speak unto beloved, and friend to feast with friend? For this do I pray, this do I long for, that I may be wholly united unto Thee, and may withdraw my heart from all created
Thomas A Kempis—Imitation of Christ

The First Covenant
"Now therefore, if ye will obey My voice, and keep My covenant, ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me."--EX. xix. 5. "He declared unto you His covenant, which He commanded you to perform, even ten commandments."--DEUT. iv. 13.i "If ye keep these judgments, the Lord thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant,"--DEUT. vii. 12. "I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, not according to the covenant which I made with their fathers, which My covenant they brake."--JER. xxxi. 31, 32. WE have
Andrew Murray—The Two Covenants

The Unity of God
Q-5: ARE THERE MORE GODS THAN ONE? A: There is but one only, the living and true God. That there is a God has been proved; and those that will not believe the verity of his essence, shall feel the severity of his wrath. Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord.' Deut 6:6. He is the only God.' Deut 4:49. Know therefore this day, and consider it in thy heart, that the Lord he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath, there is none else.' A just God and a Saviour; there is none beside
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

The Northern Coasts of Galilee. Amanah. The Mountain of Snow.
This coast is described by Moses, Numbers 34:7: "From the Great Sea to mount Hor: from mount Hor to the entrance of Hamath," &c. Mount Hor, in the Jewish writers, is Amanah; mention of which occurs, Canticles 4:8, where R. Solomon thus: "Amanah is a mount in the northern coast of the land of Israel, which in the Talmudical language is called, The mountainous plain of Amanon; the same with mount Hor." In the Jerusalem Targum, for mount 'Hor' is the mount Manus: but the Targum of Jonathan renders it
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Ninth Sunday after Trinity Carnal Security and Its vices.
Text: 1 Corinthians 10, 6-13. 6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. 9 Neither let us make trial of the Lord, as some of them made trial, and perished by the serpents. 10 Neither murmur ye, as
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. III

Epistle cxxvii. From S. Columbanus to Pope Gregory .
From S. Columbanus to Pope Gregory [89] . To the holy lord, and father in Christ, the Roman [pope], most fair ornament of the Church, a certain most august flower, as it were, of the whole of withering Europe, distinguished speculator, as enjoying a divine contemplation of purity (?) [90] . I, Bargoma [91] , poor dove in Christ, send greeting. Grace to thee and peace from God the Father [and] our [Lord] Jesus Christ. I am pleased to think, O holy pope, that it will seem to thee nothing extravagant
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

The Second Commandment
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: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am o jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of then that hate me; and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.' Exod 20: 4-6. I. Thou shalt not
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

"They have Corrupted Themselves; their Spot is not the Spot of his Children; they are a Perverse and Crooked Generation. "
Deut. xxxii. 5.--"They have corrupted themselves; their spot is not the spot of his children; they are a perverse and crooked generation." We doubt this people would take well with such a description of themselves as Moses gives. It might seem strange to us, that God should have chosen such a people out of all the nations of the earth, and they to be so rebellious and perverse, if our own experience did not teach us how free his choice is, and how long-suffering he is, and constant in his choice.
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

A Reformer's Schooling
'The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace, 2. That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. 3. And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Second visit to Nazareth - the Mission of the Twelve.
It almost seems, as if the departure of Jesus from Capernaum marked a crisis in the history of that town. From henceforth it ceases to be the center of His activity, and is only occasionally, and in passing, visited. Indeed, the concentration and growing power of Pharisaic opposition, and the proximity of Herod's residence at Tiberias [3013] would have rendered a permanent stay there impossible at this stage in our Lord's history. Henceforth, His Life is, indeed, not purely missionary, but He has
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Covenant Duties.
It is here proposed to show, that every incumbent duty ought, in suitable circumstances, to be engaged to in the exercise of Covenanting. The law and covenant of God are co-extensive; and what is enjoined in the one is confirmed in the other. The proposals of that Covenant include its promises and its duties. The former are made and fulfilled by its glorious Originator; the latter are enjoined and obligatory on man. The duties of that Covenant are God's law; and the demands of the law are all made
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

Subjects of Study. Home Education in Israel; Female Education. Elementary Schools, Schoolmasters, and School Arrangements.
If a faithful picture of society in ancient Greece or Rome were to be presented to view, it is not easy to believe that even they who now most oppose the Bible could wish their aims success. For this, at any rate, may be asserted, without fear of gainsaying, that no other religion than that of the Bible has proved competent to control an advanced, or even an advancing, state of civilisation. Every other bound has been successively passed and submerged by the rising tide; how deep only the student
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life

Wisdom and Revelation.
"Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness
W. H. Griffith Thomas—The Prayers of St. Paul

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