{"id":6259,"date":"2016-02-23T13:00:18","date_gmt":"2016-02-23T17:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/?p=6259"},"modified":"2017-04-19T12:35:43","modified_gmt":"2017-04-19T16:35:43","slug":"bible-on-physical-objects-as-aids-in-worship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/2016\/02\/bible-on-physical-objects-as-aids-in-worship.html","title":{"rendered":"Biblical Evidence for Physical Objects as Aids in Worship"},"content":{"rendered":"<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><head><meta http-equiv=\"content-type\" content=\"text\/html; charset=utf-8\"><meta http-equiv=\"content-type\" content=\"text\/html; charset=utf-8\"><\/head><body><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>(Called \u201cIdolatry\u201d By Some Protestants)<\/strong><\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-6260 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/572\/2016\/02\/ArkCovenant.jpg\" alt=\"ArkCovenant\" width=\"445\" height=\"379\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><em>Moses and Joshua in the Tabernacle<\/em>, by James Jacques Joseph Tissot (1836-1902) or follower<\/span> [public domain \/ <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Tissot_Moses_and_Joshua_in_the_Tabernacle.jpg\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">Wikimedia Commons<\/a>]<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">* * *<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<p>(4-7-09)* * *<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<p>[all passages: RSV]<\/p>\n<p>* * * * *<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Exodus 20:3-5 <\/span>You shall have no other gods before me. [4] You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or 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; [5] you shall not bow down to them or serve them; . . .<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Leviticus 26:1<\/span> You shall make for yourselves no idols and erect no graven image or pillar, and you shall not set up a figured stone in your land, to bow down to them; for I am the LORD your God. . . .<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Deuteronomy 5:8-9<\/span> You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; [9] you shall not bow down to them or serve them; . . .<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Micah 5:13<\/span> and I will cut off your images and your pillars from among you, and you shall bow down no more to the work of your hands;<\/p>\n<p>* * * * *<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Exodus 3:2-5 <\/span>And the angel of <span style=\"color: red;\">the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush<\/span>; and he looked, and lo, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. [3] And Moses said, \u201cI will turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.\u201d [4] When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, \u201cMoses, Moses!\u201d And he said, \u201cHere am I.\u201d [5] Then he said, \u201cDo not come near; put off your shoes from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.\u201d (cf. Acts 7:30) [the burning bush]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Exodus 13:21-22<\/span> And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night; [22] the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people. (cf. 14:24; Num 14:14; Neh 9:12,19) [pillars of cloud and fire]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Exodus 19:17-20<\/span> Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God; and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. [18] And Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke, because <span style=\"color: red;\">the LORD descended upon it in fire<\/span>; and the smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. [19] And as the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in thunder. [20] And the LORD came down upon Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain; and the LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. [Mt. Sinai, smoke and fire]<br>\n<span style=\"font-weight: bold;\"><br>\nExodus 25:22 <\/span>There I will <span style=\"color: red;\">meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim<\/span> that are upon the <span style=\"color: red;\">ark<\/span> of the testimony, I will speak with you of all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel. [carved statues on the ark of the covenant]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Exodus 30:6 <\/span>And you shall put it before the veil that is by the ark of the testimony, before <span style=\"color: red;\">the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with you<\/span>. (cf. Lev 16:2) [mercy seat on the ark of the covenant]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Numbers 7:89<\/span> And when Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with the LORD, he <span style=\"color: red;\">heard the voice speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was upon the ark<\/span> of the testimony, from <span style=\"color: red;\">between the two cherubim<\/span>; and it spoke to him. (cf. 1 Sam 4:4; 2 Sam 6:2; 2 Ki 19:15; 1 Chron 13:6; Ps 80:1; 99:1; Is 37:16; Ezek 10:4; Heb 9:5) [carved statues on the ark of the covenant]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Deuteronomy 10:8<\/span> At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the<span style=\"color: red;\"> ark of the covenant of the LORD<\/span>, to <span style=\"color: red;\">stand before the LORD to minister to him<\/span> and to bless in his name, to this day. (cf. 1 Ki 3:15; 8:5; 2 Chron 5:6) [ark of the covenant]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Joshua 7:6-8<\/span> Then Joshua rent his clothes, and <span style=\"color: red;\">fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the LORD<\/span> until the evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust upon their heads. And Joshua said, \u201cAlas, O Lord GOD, why hast thou brought this people over the Jordan at all, to give us into the hands of the Amorites, to destroy us? Would that we had been content to dwell beyond the Jordan! [8] O Lord, what can I say, when Israel has turned their backs before their enemies! [ark of the covenant]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">1 Kings 6:23-35<\/span> <span style=\"color: red;\">In the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim of olivewood, each ten cubits high<\/span>. [24] Five cubits was the length of one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the length of the other wing of the cherub; it was ten cubits from the tip of one wing to the tip of the other. [25] The other cherub also measured ten cubits; both cherubim had the same measure and the same form. [26] The height of one cherub was ten cubits, and so was that of the other cherub. [27] <span style=\"color: red;\">He put the cherubim in the innermost part of the house<\/span>; and the wings of the cherubim were spread out so that a wing of one touched the one wall, and a wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; their other wings touched each other in the middle of the house. [28] And he overlaid the cherubim with gold. [29] <span style=\"color: red;\">He carved all the walls of the house round about with carved figures of cherubim<\/span> and palm trees and open flowers, in the inner and outer rooms. [30] The floor of the house he overlaid with gold in the inner and outer rooms. [31] For the entrance to the inner sanctuary he made doors of olivewood; the lintel and the doorposts formed a pentagon. [32] He covered the two doors of olivewood with carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers; he overlaid them with gold, and spread gold upon the cherubim and upon the palm trees. [33] So also he made for the entrance to the nave doorposts of olivewood, in the form of a square, [34] and two doors of cypress wood; the two leaves of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding. [35] <span style=\"color: red;\">On them he carved cherubim<\/span> and palm trees and open flowers; and he overlaid them with gold evenly applied upon the carved work. [people prayed to God toward or in the temple and the walls included carved figures of angels]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">1 Kings 8:22 <\/span>Then Solomon stood before the <span style=\"color: red;\">altar of the LORD<\/span> in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and <span style=\"color: red;\">spread forth his hands toward heaven<\/span>; [altar]<br>\n<span style=\"font-weight: bold;\"><br>\n1 Kings 8:44, 48<\/span> If thy people go out to battle against their enemy, by whatever way thou shalt send them, and they<b> <\/b><span style=\"color: red;\">pray to the LORD toward the city<\/span> which thou hast chosen and the house which I have built for thy name, . . . [48] if they repent with all their mind and with all their heart in the land of their enemies, who carried them captive, and <span style=\"color: red;\">pray to thee toward their land<\/span>, which thou gavest to their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name; (cf. 2 Chron 6:34,38) [Jerusalem and the Holy Land]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">1 Kings 8:54<\/span> Now as Solomon finished offering all this <span style=\"color: red;\">prayer and supplication to the LORD<\/span>, he <span style=\"color: red;\">arose from before the altar of the LORD, where he had knelt with hands outstretched<\/span> toward heaven; [altar]<br>\n<span style=\"font-weight: bold;\"><br>\n1 Kings 18:42<\/span> . . . And Eli\u2019jah went up to the top of <span style=\"color: red;\">Carmel<\/span>; and he <span style=\"color: red;\">bowed himself down upon the earth<\/span>, and put his face between his knees. [Mt. Carmel]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">1 Chronicles 16:4<\/span> Moreover he appointed certain of the Levites as <span style=\"color: red;\">ministers before the ark of the LORD, to invoke, to thank, and to praise the LORD<\/span>, the God of Israel. [ark of the covenant]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">1 Chronicles 16:29 <\/span>Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; <span style=\"color: red;\">bring an offering, and come before him<\/span>! Worship the LORD in<span style=\"color: red;\"> holy array<\/span>; [clothes, altar]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">2 Chronicles 3:7<\/span> So he lined the house with gold \u2014 its beams, its thresholds, its walls, and its doors; and he <span style=\"color: red;\">carved cherubim on the walls<\/span>. (cf. Ezek 41:20,25) [people prayed to God toward or in the temple and the walls included carved figures of angels]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">2 Chronicles 6:12-14 <\/span>Then Solomon <span style=\"color: red;\">stood before the altar of the LORD<\/span> in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, <span style=\"color: red;\">and spread forth his hands<\/span>. [13] Solomon had made a bronze platform five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high, and had set it in the court; and <span style=\"color: red;\">he stood upon it. Then he knelt upon his knees in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven<\/span>; [14] and said, \u201cO LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven or on earth, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to thy servants who walk before thee with all their heart;\u201d [altar and bronze platform in temple]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">2 Chronicles 6:20 <\/span>that thou mayest hearken to the <span style=\"color: red;\">prayer which thy servant offers toward this place<\/span>. [temple]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">2 Chronicles 6:21 <\/span>And hearken thou to the supplications of thy servant and of thy people Israel, when they <span style=\"color: red;\">pray toward this place<\/span>; yea, hear thou from heaven thy dwelling place; and when thou hearest, forgive. [temple]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">2 Chronicles 6:22 <\/span>If a man sins against his neighbor and is made to take an oath, and comes and <span style=\"color: red;\">swears his oath before thy altar<\/span> in this house, [altar]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">2 Chronicles 6:26-27 <\/span>When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against thee, if they<span style=\"color: red;\"> pray toward this place<\/span>, and acknowledge thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou dost afflict them, [27] then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, thy people Israel, when thou dost teach them the good way in which they should walk; and grant rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people as an inheritance. [temple]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">2 Chronicles 6:29-30 <\/span>whatever prayer, whatever supplication is made by any man or by all thy people Israel, each knowing his own affliction, and his own sorrow and <span style=\"color: red;\">stretching out his hands toward this house<\/span>; [30] then hear thou from heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and render to each whose heart thou knowest, according to all his ways (for thou, thou only, knowest the hearts of the children of men); [temple]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">2 Chronicles 6:32-33 <\/span>Likewise when a foreigner, who is not of thy people Israel, comes from a far country for the sake of thy great name, and thy mighty hand, and thy outstretched arm, when he comes and <span style=\"color: red;\">prays toward this house<\/span>, [33] hear thou from heaven thy dwelling place, (cf. 1 Ki 29-30,35,42) [temple]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">2 Chronicles 7:3<\/span> When all the children of Israel saw<span style=\"color: red;\"> the fire<\/span> come down and the glory of the LORD <span style=\"color: red;\">upon the temple<\/span>, they bowed down with their faces to the earth on the pavement, and worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, \u201cFor he is good, for his steadfast love endures for ever.\u201d [fire, temple]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Psalm 5:7<\/span> But I through the abundance of thy steadfast love will enter thy house, I will <span style=\"color: red;\">worship toward thy holy temple<\/span> in the fear of thee. [temple]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Psalm 28:2<\/span> Hear the voice of my supplication, as I cry to thee for help, as <span style=\"color: red;\">I lift up my hands<\/span> <span style=\"color: red;\">toward thy most holy sanctuary<\/span>. [sanctuary]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Psalm 29:2<\/span> Ascribe to the LORD the glory of his name; <span style=\"color: red;\">worship the LORD in holy array<\/span>. [clothes]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Psalm 96:9<\/span> <span style=\"color: red;\">Worship the LORD in holy array<\/span>; tremble before him, all the earth! [clothes]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Psalm 99:9<\/span> Extol the LORD our God, and<b> <\/b><span style=\"color: red;\">worship at his holy mountain<\/span>; for the LORD our God is holy! [temple]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Psalm 134:2<\/span><span style=\"color: red;\"> Lift up your hands to the holy place<\/span>, and bless the LORD! [temple]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Psalm 138:2<\/span> <span style=\"color: red;\">I bow down toward thy holy temple and give thanks<\/span> to thy name for thy steadfast love and thy faithfulness; for thou hast exalted above everything thy name and thy word. [temple]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Isaiah 27:13<\/span> those who were driven out to the land of Egypt will come and <span style=\"color: red;\">worship the LORD on the holy mountain<\/span> at Jerusalem. [temple]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Ezekiel 46:3<\/span> The people of the land shall <span style=\"color: red;\">worship at the entrance of that gate<\/span> before the LORD on the sabbaths and on the new moons. [gate]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Daniel 6:10<\/span> When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where <span style=\"color: red;\">he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem<\/span>; and he got down upon his knees three times a day and<b> <\/b><span style=\"color: red;\">prayed and gave thanks before his God<\/span>, as he had done previously. [Jerusalem]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Romans 12:1<\/span> I appeal to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to<span style=\"color: red;\"> present your<\/span><b style=\"color: red;\"> <\/b><span style=\"color: red;\">bodies as a living sacrifice<\/span>, holy and acceptable to God, which is your<span style=\"color: red;\"> spiritual worship<\/span>. [bodies of Christians]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Philippians 1:20<\/span> as it is my eager expectation and hope that I shall not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always <span style=\"color: red;\">Christ will be<\/span><b style=\"color: red;\"> <\/b><span style=\"color: red;\">honored in my body<\/span>, whether by life or by death. [St. Paul\u2019s own body]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Revelation 4:10<\/span> the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the <span style=\"color: red;\">throne<\/span> and<b> <\/b><span style=\"color: red;\">worship him<\/span> who lives for ever and ever; they <span style=\"color: red;\">cast their crowns before the throne<\/span>, singing, [God\u2019s throne, crowns]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Revelation 7:11<\/span> And all the angels stood round the throne and round the elders and the four living creatures, and they <span style=\"color: red;\">fell on their faces before the throne <\/span>and worshiped God, [God\u2019s throne]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Revelation 8:3<\/span> And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer; and he was given much incense to mingle with the <span style=\"color: red;\">prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar<\/span> before the throne; [altar in heaven]<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>(Called \u201cIdolatry\u201d By Some Protestants) Moses and Joshua in the Tabernacle, by James Jacques Joseph Tissot (1836-1902) or follower [public domain \/ Wikimedia Commons] * * * (4-7-09)* * * [all passages: RSV] * * * * * Exodus 20:3-5 You shall have no other gods before me. [4] You shall not make for yourself [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2331,"featured_media":6260,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[58,206],"tags":[2394,1074,2395,650,516],"class_list":["post-6259","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-eucharist-liturgy","category-saints-purgatory-penance","tag-aids-in-worship","tag-iconoclasm","tag-physical-objects-worship","tag-sacramentalism","tag-worship"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Biblical Evidence for Physical Objects as Aids in Worship<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Contrary to Protestant arguments against supposed near-universal idolatry, the Bible provides many instances of sanctioned use of religious images.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, 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Catholicism\",\"description\":\"Catholic biblical apologetics\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/#\/schema\/person\/471eaa20e441eca4bb1ea50393cf632e\",\"name\":\"Dave Armstrong\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/820e6db89734ae7a9e5dac8d498f5ac7?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/820e6db89734ae7a9e5dac8d498f5ac7?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Dave Armstrong\"},\"description\":\"Dave Armstrong is a Catholic author and apologist, who has been actively proclaiming and defending Christianity since 1981, and Catholicism in particular since 1991 (full-time since December 2001). Formerly a campus missionary, as a Protestant, Dave was received into the Catholic Church in February 1991, by the late, well-known catechist and theologian, Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J. Dave\u2019s articles have appeared in many influential Catholic periodicals, including \\\"This Rock\\\" (now called \\\"Catholic Answers Magazine\\\"), \\\"Envoy Magazine\\\" (Patrick Madrid), \\\"The Catholic Answer,\\\" \\\"The Coming Home Journal,\\\" \\\"Gilbert Magazine\\\" (American Chesterton Society), and \\\"The Latin Mass.\\\" He also writes a featured column for every issue of \\\"The Michigan Catholic\\\": published by the archdiocese of Detroit, and was editor for most of the apologetics tracts published by the St. Paul Street Evangelization apostolate. Dave\u2019s apologetics and writing apostolate was the subject of a feature article in the May 2002 issue of \\\"Envoy Magazine.\\\" He served as the staff moderator at the Internet discussion forum for The Coming Home Network, from 2007-2010. Dave has been interviewed on many nationally syndicated Catholic radio shows, including \\\"Catholic Answers Live\\\" (twice), \\\"Faith and Family Live\\\" (Steve Wood), \\\"Kresta in the Afternoon,\\\" \\\"Son Rise Morning Show,\\\" \\\"Catholic Connection\\\" (Teresa Tomeo), and \\\"The Catholics Next Door.\\\" His large and popular website, \\\"Biblical Evidence for Catholicism,\\\" was online from March 1997 to March 2007, and received the 1998 Catholic Website of the Year award from \\\"Envoy Magazine.\\\" His blog of the same name (now transferred to Patheos), begun in February 2004, contains more than 1,500 papers, at least 500 debates or dialogues, and over 50 distinct \\\"index\\\" web pages. Unsolicited correspondence has indicated many hundreds of conversions (or returns) to the Catholic faith as a result, by God's grace, of these writings. Dave's conversion story was published in the bestselling book \\\"Surprised by Truth\\\" (edited by Patrick Madrid; San Diego: Basilica Press, 1994). Sophia Institute Press has published six of his books: \\\"A Biblical Defense of Catholicism\\\" (Foreword by Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J., 1996 \/ 2003), \\\"The Catholic Verses\\\" (2004), \\\"The One-Minute Apologist\\\" (2007), \\\"Bible Proofs for Catholic Truths\\\" (2009), \\\"The Quotable Newman\\\" (editor: 2012), and \\\"Proving the Catholic Faith is Biblical\\\" (2015). He is co-author (with Dr. Paul Thigpen) of the inserts for \\\"The New Catholic Answer Bible\\\" (Our Sunday Visitor: 2005), and editor for \\\"The Wisdom of Mr. Chesterton: The Very Best Quotes, Quips, and Cracks from the Pen of G. K. Chesterton\\\" (Saint Benedict Press \/ TAN Books: 2009). \\\"100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura\\\" was published by Catholic Answers in May 2012. His \\\"Quotable Wesley\\\" compilation was published by (Protestant \/ Wesleyan publisher) Beacon Hill Press in April 2014. Several of his 49 books are bestsellers in their field. Dave maintains a popular personal Facebook page, a Facebook author page, and has a Twitter account as well. He offers almost all of his books in e-book form on his own Biblical Catholicism site (http:\/\/biblicalcatholicism.com\/), at a permanent deep discount: only $2.99 for ePub, mobi, and AZW, and $1.99 for PDF. His writing has been enthusiastically endorsed or recommended by many leading Catholic apologists, authors, and priests, including Dr. Scott Hahn, Fr. Peter M. J. Stravinskas, Marcus Grodi, Patrick Madrid, Steve Ray, Tim Staples, Devin Rose, Mike Aquilina, Al Kresta, Karl Keating, Fr. Dwight Longenecker, Brandon Vogt, Marcellino D'Ambrosio, and Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J. Dave has been happily married to his wife Judy since October 1984. They have three sons and a daughter, and reside in southeast Michigan (metro Detroit).\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/biblicalcatholicism.com\/\",\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dave.armstrong.798\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@LuxVeritatisApologetics\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/author\/davearmstrong\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Biblical Evidence for Physical Objects as Aids in Worship","description":"Contrary to Protestant arguments against supposed near-universal idolatry, the Bible provides many instances of sanctioned use of religious images.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/2016\/02\/bible-on-physical-objects-as-aids-in-worship.html","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Biblical Evidence for Physical Objects as Aids in Worship","og_description":"Contrary to Protestant arguments against supposed near-universal idolatry, the Bible provides many instances of sanctioned use of religious images.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/2016\/02\/bible-on-physical-objects-as-aids-in-worship.html","og_site_name":"Biblical Evidence for Catholicism","article_author":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dave.armstrong.798","article_published_time":"2016-02-23T17:00:18+00:00","article_modified_time":"2017-04-19T16:35:43+00:00","og_image":[{"width":445,"height":379,"url":"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/572\/2016\/02\/ArkCovenant.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Dave Armstrong","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Dave Armstrong","Est. reading time":"11 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/2016\/02\/bible-on-physical-objects-as-aids-in-worship.html","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/2016\/02\/bible-on-physical-objects-as-aids-in-worship.html","name":"Biblical Evidence for Physical Objects as Aids in Worship","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/#website"},"datePublished":"2016-02-23T17:00:18+00:00","dateModified":"2017-04-19T16:35:43+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/#\/schema\/person\/471eaa20e441eca4bb1ea50393cf632e"},"description":"Contrary to Protestant arguments against supposed near-universal idolatry, the Bible provides many instances of sanctioned use of religious images.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/2016\/02\/bible-on-physical-objects-as-aids-in-worship.html#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/2016\/02\/bible-on-physical-objects-as-aids-in-worship.html"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/2016\/02\/bible-on-physical-objects-as-aids-in-worship.html#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Biblical Evidence for Physical Objects as Aids in Worship"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/","name":"Biblical Evidence for Catholicism","description":"Catholic biblical apologetics","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/#\/schema\/person\/471eaa20e441eca4bb1ea50393cf632e","name":"Dave Armstrong","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/820e6db89734ae7a9e5dac8d498f5ac7?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/820e6db89734ae7a9e5dac8d498f5ac7?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Dave Armstrong"},"description":"Dave Armstrong is a Catholic author and apologist, who has been actively proclaiming and defending Christianity since 1981, and Catholicism in particular since 1991 (full-time since December 2001). Formerly a campus missionary, as a Protestant, Dave was received into the Catholic Church in February 1991, by the late, well-known catechist and theologian, Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J. Dave\u2019s articles have appeared in many influential Catholic periodicals, including \"This Rock\" (now called \"Catholic Answers Magazine\"), \"Envoy Magazine\" (Patrick Madrid), \"The Catholic Answer,\" \"The Coming Home Journal,\" \"Gilbert Magazine\" (American Chesterton Society), and \"The Latin Mass.\" He also writes a featured column for every issue of \"The Michigan Catholic\": published by the archdiocese of Detroit, and was editor for most of the apologetics tracts published by the St. Paul Street Evangelization apostolate. Dave\u2019s apologetics and writing apostolate was the subject of a feature article in the May 2002 issue of \"Envoy Magazine.\" He served as the staff moderator at the Internet discussion forum for The Coming Home Network, from 2007-2010. Dave has been interviewed on many nationally syndicated Catholic radio shows, including \"Catholic Answers Live\" (twice), \"Faith and Family Live\" (Steve Wood), \"Kresta in the Afternoon,\" \"Son Rise Morning Show,\" \"Catholic Connection\" (Teresa Tomeo), and \"The Catholics Next Door.\" His large and popular website, \"Biblical Evidence for Catholicism,\" was online from March 1997 to March 2007, and received the 1998 Catholic Website of the Year award from \"Envoy Magazine.\" His blog of the same name (now transferred to Patheos), begun in February 2004, contains more than 1,500 papers, at least 500 debates or dialogues, and over 50 distinct \"index\" web pages. Unsolicited correspondence has indicated many hundreds of conversions (or returns) to the Catholic faith as a result, by God's grace, of these writings. Dave's conversion story was published in the bestselling book \"Surprised by Truth\" (edited by Patrick Madrid; San Diego: Basilica Press, 1994). Sophia Institute Press has published six of his books: \"A Biblical Defense of Catholicism\" (Foreword by Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J., 1996 \/ 2003), \"The Catholic Verses\" (2004), \"The One-Minute Apologist\" (2007), \"Bible Proofs for Catholic Truths\" (2009), \"The Quotable Newman\" (editor: 2012), and \"Proving the Catholic Faith is Biblical\" (2015). He is co-author (with Dr. Paul Thigpen) of the inserts for \"The New Catholic Answer Bible\" (Our Sunday Visitor: 2005), and editor for \"The Wisdom of Mr. Chesterton: The Very Best Quotes, Quips, and Cracks from the Pen of G. K. Chesterton\" (Saint Benedict Press \/ TAN Books: 2009). \"100 Biblical Arguments Against Sola Scriptura\" was published by Catholic Answers in May 2012. His \"Quotable Wesley\" compilation was published by (Protestant \/ Wesleyan publisher) Beacon Hill Press in April 2014. Several of his 49 books are bestsellers in their field. Dave maintains a popular personal Facebook page, a Facebook author page, and has a Twitter account as well. He offers almost all of his books in e-book form on his own Biblical Catholicism site (http:\/\/biblicalcatholicism.com\/), at a permanent deep discount: only $2.99 for ePub, mobi, and AZW, and $1.99 for PDF. His writing has been enthusiastically endorsed or recommended by many leading Catholic apologists, authors, and priests, including Dr. Scott Hahn, Fr. Peter M. J. Stravinskas, Marcus Grodi, Patrick Madrid, Steve Ray, Tim Staples, Devin Rose, Mike Aquilina, Al Kresta, Karl Keating, Fr. Dwight Longenecker, Brandon Vogt, Marcellino D'Ambrosio, and Fr. John A. Hardon, S. J. Dave has been happily married to his wife Judy since October 1984. They have three sons and a daughter, and reside in southeast Michigan (metro Detroit).","sameAs":["https:\/\/biblicalcatholicism.com\/","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dave.armstrong.798","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@LuxVeritatisApologetics"],"url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/author\/davearmstrong"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6259","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2331"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6259"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6259\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6260"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6259"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6259"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davearmstrong\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6259"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}