SOME of the conscientious readers of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES object very strenuously to the use of illustrations, basing their objections on their reading of the second commandment. Their objections deserve consideration.
We believe in God’s holy law. It outlines, in largely negative form, our duty to Him, duty which can only be performed through willing, loving obedience. The object of that law is to bring man through Christ to that love,—“charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience, and faith unfeigned.”
The first commandment forbids the having of any other objects of service before God, the Giver of the law. It makes Him first.
The second commandment forbids the making of any graven image of anything in the universe, in order to adore, worship, or serve it. We can see nothing more forbidden in the precept than the making in order to do what the commandment forbids. So the Lord again forbids: “Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it.” Lev. 26:1. It is the worship that is prohibited. A man can as truly adore the house he has builded, the article he has written, the music he has composed, as the image he has made.
Again: God commanded the children of Israel to make certain pictures, figures, images. The earthly sanctuary was an image of the heavenly. Its wonderful drapery was covered with figures of cherubim, representing the ministering host of God in heaven. Over the mercy-seat were made, in wrought gold, two images of cherubim. Carved pomegranates were a part of the ornamentation of the priestly paraphernalia. Oxen and lilies were reproduced in temple ornamentation. But none of these were made for worship, but “for glory and beauty.”
And still again: God made man a teachable being. He gave him eyes, ears, nose, mouth, hands, for channels through which He could communicate with him. God addresses man through all these channels. He spreads out before him in all its beauty His glory in the heavens, and writes it upon lake and river, tree and flower, mountain and valley of earth. Object-teaching is the most universal of the divine methods.
God uses man’s eyes more frequently than He does man’s ears. An illustration of this is given in the case of Israel. When bitten by serpents, a brazen serpent was by the Lord’s express directions made and elevated upon a pole, a symbol of Christ’s offering. It was not placed there to worship; and when the7people in their blindness so lost sight of God as to worship this serpent, the good king Hezekiah destroyed it, naming it what it truly was, Nehushtan,—“a piece of brass.” And all the teachings of the sanctuary of old centered around object lessons.
Once more: In special revelations and instructions which God has given, both image and picture illustrations are used. For instance, Nebuchadnezzar’s lesson came with a great image. Daniel’s came under the form of beasts, as did also John’s and Zechariah’s. And the Scriptures, evidently referring to these very prophetic visions, instructs the servants of God to “write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.”
When the Lord would show another prophet the sins of Israel, He portrayed before him abominable beasts, creeping things, and idols, just what “every man in the chamber of his imagery was doing.” He told His prophet, that the children of Israel might the more readily see, to mark out Jerusalem upon a tile, lay siege against it, and carry out the imagery in full particulars; and these uses of illustrations for the purpose of teaching, of making the Word of the Lord clearer, His truth more forcible, or more attractive, we believe to be perfectly legitimate. Nay, more: We believe that we would be failing in the highest duty did we not use every means furnished of God to bring His truth to the attention and within the reach of every reader.
We see dangers in this. We do not believe it is wise or best to attempt to portray angels, or our blessed Lord Himself; for presumably the view would not even approximate true likeness, and in many cases prove a vile caricature. There are pictures which have given valuable lessons of the human life of our Lord, when used for that purpose, but they should be used few and far between.
The whole center of the question lies in the intent, motive, object, in using. If for worship or adoration, the use is a plain violation of the commandment. If used to illustrate, illuminate, make plain or more forcible the Lord’s truth, good illustrations are to be commended.