Is it wrong to have images of animals or men for toys?

Question:

Are stuffed toys, teddy bears, barbie dolls, and so on related to witchcraft? In Deuteronomy 4:4-18 it mentions graven images. Is this really referring to teddy bears, stuffed toys, and so forth? As I believe, these verses are related to idols that people worshipped. Teddy bears, stuffed toys are only toys and not represent images of gods as mentioned in the Bible.

Answer:

"Take careful heed to yourselves, for you saw no form when the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire, lest you act corruptly and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of any figure: the likeness of male or female, the likeness of any animal that is on the earth or the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the air, the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground or the likeness of any fish that is in the water beneath the earth. And take heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the LORD your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage" (Deuteronomy 4:15-19).

You stopped before Deuteronomy 4:19, which holds the key. God is spelling out that they are not to make any image to represent God because God showed no form to the Israelites at Mount Sinai. They are not to have a physical representation of God to worship, nor are they to use things in nature, such as the sun, moon, or stars, to represent God. Otherwise, they will be worship the created instead of the Creator. "Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things" (Romans 1:22-23).

This isn't talking about toys, but objects of worship. "You shall not make for yourself a carved 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; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God" (Exodus 20:4-5). It is wrong, not because it is witchcraft (which is another form of sin) but because it is idolatry.

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