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'You shall not make for yourself a carved image--any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.'
From what I understand, it's talking about not worshipping false idols. Some people like to have symbols that remind them of their faith, but in the past, sometimes people would start worshiping that symbol as if it WAS God, or as if God was living inside of it. For example, people of other religions would sometimes make statues depicting Gods or Goddesses and leave offerings or sacrifices in front of the statue. Over time, they would start to think of the statue itself as something sacred.
From what I know about Christianity, God disapproved of this. He wanted people to worship him, not material things.
Also, Muslims believe that anything depicting Allah- be it a statue, drawing, etc.- is sacreligious and an abomination. Perhaps the Christian God also believes that it is sacreligious to try and depict him with material things. Since he is so divine, anything made by human hands could not possibly accurately depict him, and would pale in comparison to the real deal. Perhaps making statues or art of God is considered to be diminishing his glory for that reason. It seems from this commanment that he is also against depicting other things that are not of this earth, like angels or Hell. Though obviously people do this all the time anyway.
I am not Christian, though I was raised Catholic, so I could be missing something. This is just what I understand from studying the Bible and going to church. :)
From my point of undertandind, I would say that it means that you should not try to copy an image of gods and stuff, or the devil or something? I don't really know though...
like you should not make yourself an Idol in the forn of heaven or earth. Do not get caught up in what the world has to offer.
