I AM REPENTING OF MY WRONG INTERPRETATION OF THE 2ND COMMANDMENT

I AM REPENTING OF MY WRONG INTERPRETATION OF THE 2ND COMMANDMENT

by JJD Peterson
Date: 2019-08-04

I AM TRULY SORRY FOR TEACHING THAT IMAGES WERE IDOLATRY THEMSELVES

Many of you know that I had believed that using or creating images of creation in heaven, in earth, or in the waters under the earth, was committing idolatry against the Master's commandments, Exodus 20:4-6. Most of you who disagreed with me also disagreed with me that eating pig and shrimp was a sin also, though Leviticus 11 tells us directly not to eat them. You also fought against me with your Sunday worship replacing the Sabbath commandment in Exodus 20:8-11, of which still remains a command that most Christians still violate to this day. I really wasn't surprised you would refuse my now realizing a false interpretation of the image idolatry, because you were still justifying yourself to disobey the commandments. However, wrong is wrong, and I apologize for interpreting the scriptures wrongly here in Exodus 20:4-6. My work is cut out to track down everyone I lead ignorantly in error.

I have come to change my viewpoint on what idolatry is, not as if I suddenly needed images in my life, as you all know I had followed the commandment to the tee by destroying my license, passport, naturalization process, and the use of money because of it's picture idolatry. I'm not alone as my wife was witness to these things, and tried for remaining in submission to those decisions. Elohim (God) provided for us during those times and never abandoned us, though I had taken His 2nd word to the extreme. I had no guilt to do so; for I had lived a rebel against Him my whole life, and when I repented, I expected to think completely different as was the mind of Messiah, the obedient One from Elohim.

Exodus 20:4-6 TS2009 4 “You do not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of that which is in the heavens above, or which is in the earth beneath, or which is in the waters under the earth, 5 you do not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, יהוה your Elohim am a jealous Ěl, visiting the crookedness of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing loving-commitment to thousands, to those who love Me and guard My commands.

• I use to believe that the "word" in John 1:1-5 was Messiah, thus I would debate with Mormons and Jehovah Witnesses that Messiah was with Elohim since the beginning. Because I believed it, I taught it, and defended it. 1st John 2:7 even refers to the word as the command, not Messiah. But after studying intently for the truth, looking through the pages of history and older bibles, I've been shown a truer true, and now teach people opposite what I did while in ignorance.

• I use to believe that it was ok for a man or a woman to divorce each other because of cheating or unfaithfulness; because that's what the Christian church taught at the pulpit. But then I discovered Exodus 22:16 which says "When a man goes into a virgin, she becomes his wife," and seeing how Ya'aqob (or Jacob) kept Leah as wife after going into her by accident thinking it was Rachel, in addition to engaging to Rachel, I became aware that divorce is not allowed because of cheating, only if the wife was not a virgin, or another man's wife to begin with, Deuteronomy 24:1-4, Romans 7:2-3.

• I use to believe ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED, and that Messiah will pay for our past, present, and future sins, but then read Hebrews 6:4-6, which says if a person falls away after knowing and tasting the truth of Elohim, it is impossible for them to return again, putting Messiah to an open shame. What about in Matthew 24:13 where Messiah says "Whoever endures to the end will be saved?" I also read that Solomon died an inglorious death, meaning he had fallen away from the commandments to serve the mighty ones of his wives. Looks like the wise teacher himself lost his inheritance by disobedience, see Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus. What about all those lead out of slavery by Elohim from Mistrayim (Egypt), yet only two of them made it into the promise land because of faithfulness? Really? Where's their eternal security? Hebrews 3:16-19.

• I use to believe that the commandments were abolished becuase of Messiah. Then I read Matthew 5:17-20, Luke 13:3, Hebrews 10:26-27, 1 John 2:3-7, Matthew 7:21-23, Romans 2:13, Revelation 14:12, and many others, and was convinced we were lied to by Christianity.

• I was also taught that Sabbath worship every 7th day according to the commandment in Exodus 20:8-11 was replaced by Messiah, however Matthew 5:17-20, He says "I did not come to destroy the Torah, but to do it [or make it complete]." Hebrews 4:9 says "So there remains a Sabbath keeping.." And.. "Man shall not live by bread alone but by EVERY word of Elohim," Matthew 4:4. Every command is important and to be studied carefully, not abolished. Keeping Sabbath on the 7th day started from creation, Genesis 2:2-3, and reminded of the Yisra'elites in Exodus 20:8-11. I use to teach against this in error as a Christian, but then repented when I saw the evidence stacked up against those ungrounded claims.

• And many others not listed..

So to be wrong about things can happen, as the bible is peppered against for two thousand years by all kinds of philosophies contrary to sound or complete doctrine. However, as long as we strive to be correct with what we know, and keep studying to find the truth, why would Elohim hold our love for His word against us, though we may ignorantly get it wrong for a time? It's only wrong when we reject what we know it says, and rebel against the commandments willfully, Hebrews 10:26, of which there is no forgiveness for. It is written that "If we know to do good and don't do it, to us it is sin." James 4:17.

ELEMENTS THAT CHANGED MY BELIEF ON IDOLATRY:

LEADUP

• How will I get home to the United States to take care of my parents as per the commandments to honor them?

• How can we use maps of the earth if we cannot map it for travel?

• How can we avoid it in necessary drawings like say water in a cistern? Am I taking it to far?

• How will I use a "learn another language" app if they use drawings of flowers to teach the correct name? Will I have to ask someone to show me without images?

• How can people who have a license be willfully committing idolatry when they are just doing what was required so they could put bread on their table? Did they pray to their license when the image was taken?

• How can I pay back people who have helped me without money? Is owing worse than avoiding currency with images?

These are just a few things, but the most important was honoring my parents and how will I do it without money, passport, and airplanes or sea travel? I knew that Elohim could deliver me with all these limitations, as He delivered Daniel and Abraham from fiery furnaces (see book of Yashar/Jasher), but when I read a Clarke's commentary documenting all the counts of idolatry using images, every one of those accounts were treating those images as their god of hope, power, and deliverance. I've never made an image my god or my hope, and certainly never bowed to wood and stone carvings of men as if it could deliver me from anything. For I know He's up there and I'm here, and why would a living being bow to a dead piece of wood or rock in the first place? Is not the living being far superior to what it's praying to? That seems like utter mockery in the sight of Elohim.

I read through Exodus 20:4-6 again and noticed it said ".. make unto thee.." as if to make the image for one's self to worship. If the images themselves were idolatry, then it would have read something like this:

“You do not make a carved image, or any likeness of that which is in the heavens above, or which is in the earth beneath, or which is in the waters under the earth,"

However, that's not what it says.. It says "for yourself", as in to make an idol.

As well I checked the East Orthodox Armenian bible from the 4th century to see how it was written in, and got the following:

EXODUS 20:4-6 EAST ORTHODOX ARMENIAN -> ENGLISH (4) Thou shalt not make unto thee idols, above, in heaven, neither in the earth beneath, nor in the deep waters of the earth. (5) Thou shalt not worship them, nor serve them: for I am the LORD thy God, a jealous God; I punish the children for the sins of the fathers, even the third and fourth generation of the people who hate me, (6) and the merciful of the thousands who love me and keep my command.(source: https://www.armenianchurchlibrary.com/files/easternarmenianbible/Exod.html, then translated with https://translate.google.com)

I also wondered how an image is idolatry if no one is worshiping it. I also see in people's rooms ceramic idols of which are propped up in a shrine like fashion, which appears to be idolatry, and much different than drawing a cartoon or getting a license to drive. However, if we would make an image to worship it, pray to it, and so forth, then it has become an idol and should be destroyed for the sake of the idolater.

CLARKE'S COMMENTARY ON EXODUS 20:4-6

"THE SECOND COMMANDMENT

Against making and worshipping images.

Verse 4. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image] As the word פסל pasal signifies to hew, carve, grave, c., פסל pesel may here signify any kind of image, either of wood, stone, or metal, on which the axe, the chisel, or the graving tool has been employed. This commandment includes in its prohibitions every species of idolatry known to have been practised among the Egyptians. The reader will see this the more plainly by consulting the notes on the ten plagues, particularly those on chap. xii.

Or any likeness, c.] To know the full spirit and extent of this commandment, this place must be collated with De 4:15, &c.: Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves-lest ye corrupt yourselves - and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of MALE or FEMALE. All who have even the slightest acquaintance with the ancient history of Egypt, know that Osiris and his wife Isis were supreme divinities among that people.

The likeness of any beast. - בהמה behemah, such as the ox and the heifer. Among the Egyptians the ox was not only sacred but adored, because they supposed that in one of these animals Osiris took up his residence: hence they always had a living ox, which they supposed to be the habitation of this deity and they imagined that on the death of one he entered into the body of another, and so on successively. This famous ox-god they called [A-s] and [M-s].

The likeness of any winged fowl. - The ibis, or stork, or crane, and hawk, may be here intended, for all these were objects of Egyptian idolatry.

The likeness of any thing that CREEPETH. The crocodile, serpents, the scarabeus or beetle, were all objects of their adoration and Mr. Bryant has rendered it very probable that even the frog itself was a sacred animal, as from its inflation it was emblematic of the prophetic influence, for they supposed that the god inflated or distended the body of the person by whom he gave oracular answers.

The likeness of any FISH. - All fish were esteemed sacred animals among the Egyptians. One called [Ox-s] had, according to Strabo, lib. xvii., a temple, and divine honours paid to it. Another fish, called [P-s], was worshipped at Syene, according to Clemens Alexandrinus in his Cohortatio. And the Lepidotus and eel were objects of their adoration, as we find from Herodotus, lib. ii., cap. 72. In short, oxen, heifers, sheep, goats, lions, dogs, monkeys, and cats; the ibis, the crane, and the hawk; the crocodile, serpents, frogs, flies, and the scarabeus or beetle; the Nile and its fish; the sun, moon, planets, and stars; fire, light, air, darkness, and night, were all objects of Egyptian idolatry, and all included in this very circumstantial prohibition as detailed in Deuteronomy, and very forcibly in the general terms of the text: Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in the HEAVENS above, or that is in the EARTH beneath, or that is in the WATER under the earth. And the reason of this becomes self-evident, when the various objects of Egyptian idolatry are considered.

To countenance its image worship, the Roman Catholic Church has left the whole of this second commandment out of the decalogue, and thus lost one whole commandment out of the ten; but to keep up the number they have divided the tenth into two. This is totally contrary to the faith of God's elect and to the acknowledgment of that truth which is according to godliness. The verse is found in every MS. of the Hebrew Pentateuch that has ever yet been discovered. It is in all the ancient versions, Samaritan, Chaldee, Syriac, Septuagint, Vulgate, Coptic, and Arabic; also in the Persian, and in all modern versions. There is not one word of the whole verse wanting in the many hundreds of MSS. collected by Kennicott and De Rossi. This corruption of the word of God by the Roman Catholic Church stamps it, as a false and heretical Church, with the deepest brand of ever-during infamy!

This commandment also prohibits every species of external idolatry, as the first does all idolatry that may be called internal or mental. All false worship may be considered of this kind, together with all image worship, and all other superstitious rites and ceremonies. See Clarke on Ex 20:23."

[Reduced false god names to minimal lettering as per the commands, Exodus 23:13, Joshua 23:7]

WRAPPING IT UP

There is much to write on this subject, but it may be skipped altogether for the length by the reader and unprofittable to spend the time on it yet.

I have no guilt knowing I followed the command to what I thought it meant, but now repent as to what I believed. It has become apparent to me now, that images themselves are not idolatrous until the intent to worship appoints them arises. If you noticed above in the Clarke's commentary, that people were worshiping living cows, not drawn or carved ones. This unhooked the images from being idolatry and rest my mind from this extreme requirement I had misappropriately applied in zealous belief.

It didn't help that all my friends who tried to debate me down from the command, were not walking in the other commandments themselves: Sabbath, eating clean food, staying away from Christmas worship of Babylonian deities, and so forth. It is better that I hear the wisdom from someone who has repented and follows the commands, however so few existed to help me who walked in the Torah of Elohim. It was Elohim Himself Who eased my mind from so steep of a command that I had believed, with a more rational explanation. I am no longer defiling my conscience with images, and I'm sure my parents and friends would like to see an image of my face after these few years and know who I am now. I may do it now without guilt, and I'm happy I didn't go against it when I believed otherwise.

I'm not so sure about statues or lifelike monuments and their reverence, because this would be honor to a block of concrete, when Elohim didn't make that person from concrete but rather a living being, who was, and is no longer with us. No form of concrete can represent a real person who lived, and thus I would find it idolatrous to give credit to a stone, as if it ever breathed through its nostrils, or heard things from it's ears.

While I have been pursuaded that images themselves of creation are not idolatrous themselves, I still remain careful not to value an image as something to be praised or glorified. Images at birthday parties, or images at funerals, I think it ok to view, but to pray or honor it as if that could represent the true person of creation, is bordering into idolatry I'm afraid.

To all you who I gave a shock to that your licenses and passports were wrong to have and idolatrous, I deeply regret my error now, though I don't regret giving you a challenge to consider in the lawless state of the Christian church, I now must repent on those teachings that no longer hold water to backup. I do hope you may forgive me in this. I'm not ashamed to be wrong in my zealousness, because being right is all we can do for the moment, while the moments keep changing. If you did follow my advice on the licenses and passports, to destroy them, then I pray the Master help me help you undo any damages I may have caused you in my error.

Now that I had previously eliminated my passport, licenses, money, photos, movies, videos, and everything related to images, I'm now in a state of rebuilding and letting Elohim do so from His foundation. I will once again attempt to get those things back and not remain in further willful violation to governing authorities as it seems unfit at this point without proper commandment opposing as did it formerly.

As for keeping Sabbath on the correct days, and remaining married to whom is the lawful husband, as well as the other commands, I relent not on those which are well documented, but we ought to be keeping His commandments, if we wish to enter into life, Matthew 19:17. It is better to surpass a command knowing we're doing it, rather than to cut it short and fall at judgment. I would rather be tamed in the commandments to correctness, than lazily cutting them short in failure.

Messiah said "If you love Me, keep My commandments," John 14:15.

Thank you for reading through this.

May Yahuah our Master be with you.

Sincerely,

JJD Peterson