And yet, God commanded that Moses make a bronze serpent and the Ark of the Covenant, which had graven images all over it.
Things are not as cut and dried as you would make them seem.
The Temple of Solomon had carved lions in it (among other things).
This an argument that ahs no foundation or merit .
On two grounds.
God said thou shalt NOT make any graven image of anything and man is not to bow down and worship them.
You cannot have God with two faces saying two opposing things .
Secondly that which you describe is ONLY in the Holy of Holies and seen by no one but the high priest once a year ,Therefore for whatever reason that those things are there .Man has the very minimum contact with them and they are definitely not there for the observation and veneration of Gods people.
The Brazen serpent was not venerated when it was" lifted up in the wilderness" But was indicative that sin was already judged and foreshadowed Christ . Yet later in the scriptures when people DID begin to venerate it and idolize it .God saw to it that it was destroyed .
The ARK of the covenant was hidden from view from all as it was carried and when it was in the Holy of Holies . Yet when the children of Israel; tried to use it as some sort of talisman in battle ,They lost . and the ark as well.
They are perfectly cut and dried and are not if you listen to the whispering of the devil who says "ye hath God said,,,,,,,,? and insinuates God does not really mean what he says .
For men since the fall are most prone to idolitory even after coming out of Egypt it was about a week(?) and they made an Idol and worshipped it and called it God while Moses was up the mountain.
The Pope is reported to be going to Turin and to see the shroud and thus giving credence ,encouragement to venerate that which is a lie .
For the scriptures clearly state that "his visage was marred more than any man and he was unrecognisable as a man"" His beard had been plucked form his face " His back did not have a few artistic stripes on it he was so badly whipped it looked like a ploughed field .
Intersting thought it is and interesting how it was done . But like the plaster models of Mary weeping and the like . It is a lie and those who encourage, teach and lead people to make them and to venerate them are not what they say they are nor do what they should be doing.
in Christ
gerald