GOD,
IMAGE OF

PICTURE frames are sold with a valueless picture displayed. The point of it is just to take up space. It means nothing. A person will purchase the frame, take it home, and put in a picture of somebody who means something—a relative, a friend, a special memory. The picture that is placed inside the new frame has value. Why? Because it is an image of real life.

Now, all of a sudden that picture frame has greater value because the image it holds represents something or someone cared for. When there’s life in the womb, God has placed His image in the frame. Now the frame has greater value because it bears the mark of God.365

[Humanity; Life, Perspective on]

Gen. 1:26–27; Ps. 139:13; Isa. 44:24

GOD declared Himself so unique that He says we are not even to make a replica of Him. He doesn’t even want us to take His picture. He doesn’t want us to paint any likeness of Him because even if we try our best to come up with an idea of what He looks like, we’re going to mess Him up.

It is like going to one of these mall photograph booths with those cheap dollar photographs, taking a picture, and then having to apologize for taking it because rather than complimenting you, it made you look worse. God says, “Don’t even make or come up with an idea of what I look like cause anything you come up with is going to make Me look bad.”366

[Idolatry; Idols]

Ex. 20:4–6

A BOY one day was talking to his pastor and he was doodling on a piece of paper. The preacher said to him, “Son, are you drawing a picture?” He said, “Yes.” “What are you drawing a picture of?” The boy replied, “I’m drawing a picture of God.” The preacher said, “But we don’t know what God looks like.” The little boy said as he continued drawing his picture, “Well, you will when I’m finished.”367

[God’s Holiness; Idols]

Ex. 20:4–6