Tara Bible Study Tayo! Topic: Joshua 7:6 and the use of Religious Images

Bible Student: Pastor Ronald, ask ko lang po yung nasa Josue 7:6. Sabi kasi doon, lumuhod po si Josue sa harap ng Kaban ng Tipan (Ark of the Covenant) na may inukit po na mga kerubin. Eto po kasi ang ginagawang batayan ng mga Katoliko na kaya okay lang daw lumuhod sila sa mga rebulto. Ano po masasabi natin dito?

Pastor Ronald: Uy, that’s actually a prevalent question, bro. Magandang pag-usapan 'yan. First, let’s read the verse paragraph to clarify our understanding of the context.

Joshua 7:6

"Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown to the ground before the ark of the Lord, remaining there till evening. The elders of Israel did the same, and sprinkled dust on their heads."

So, valid yung observation mo. Joshua indeed fell facedown before the Ark. Pero, does this justify kneeling before statues of saints or deities today? Let's break it down using context and our New Covenant lens.

Bible Student: Sige po, Pastor. Kasi parang logic nila, may image yung Ark (yung mga cherubim), so okay lang na may image din tayo ngayon.

Pastor Ronald: I get the logic, pero may malaking difference. Here are three main points we need to consider so we don't misapply the Scripture.

1. The Command vs. The Prohibition

Pastor Ronald: First, we have to remember who designed the Ark. Sino ba nagpagawa nun?

Bible Student: Si God po. Kay Moses binigay yung instruction.

Pastor Ronald: Correct. The Ark, including the Cherubim on the Mercy Seat, was explicitly commanded by God (Exodus 25). God said, "Make this." Compare that to the statues used in veneration today. Did God command us to make images of Mary, the apostles, or Jesus for the purpose of kneeling before them?

Bible Student: Wala naman po akong nabasa sa New Testament na ganun.

Pastor Ronald: Exactly. In fact, the Second Commandment explicitly forbids making images for the purpose of bowing down to them (Exodus 20:4-5). The Ark was the exception because it was the specific place God chose to manifest His presence under the Old Covenant. You cannot use a specific command of God (the Ark) to justify a practice that violates a general prohibition (making images for worship), na wala namang utos si Lord.

2. The Locus of Presence (God vs. The Image)

Pastor Ronald: Second, let's look at intent. When Joshua fell facedown, was he praying to the wood? Was he asking the Cherubim for help?

Bible Student: Hindi po. Kay Lord po siya humihingi ng tulong kasi talo sila sa Ai.

Pastor Ronald: Tumpak. Joshua wasn't venerating the angels. He was bowing before Yahweh. Under the Old Covenant, God promised that His presence would dwell between the Cherubim above the Mercy Seat (Exodus 25:22). The Ark was God's "footstool." Joshua was facing the localized presence of God.

Bible Student: Ah, so hindi yung object yung sinasamba niya, kundi yung presence ni God na nandoon sa object na yun?

Pastor Ronald: Yes. But here is the problem with modern usage of statues: Catholics often say they are just using the image to focus on God or the saint. But Joshua wasn't using the Ark as a "visual aid" for someone elsewhere; He was bowing before the literal Throne of God on earth at that time.

3. The New Covenant Reality (The Game Changer)

Pastor Ronald: Eto yung pinaka-importante for us believers today. We hold to New Covenant Theology, di ba?

Bible Student: Opo, Pastor.

Pastor Ronald: So, ano ang difference ng presence ni God noon sa Old Covenant vs. New Covenant?

Bible Student: Dati nasa Temple or Ark, ngayon nasa believers na?

Pastor Ronald: Amen! That's the key. Jeremiah 3:16 actually prophesied a time when people would no longer talk about the Ark of the Covenant. Why? Because the Reality has come.

"When you multiply and increase in the land, in those days ​this is the LORD’s declaration, ​​no one will say again, 'The ark of the LORD’s covenant.” It will never come to mind, and no one will remember or miss it. Another one will not be made." Jeremiah 3:16 (CSB)

The Ark was just a shadow (Hebrews 10:1). Jesus Christ is the true mediator. And now, through the Holy Spirit, we are the temple of the living God (2 Corinthians 6:16).

If we go back to using physical objects, statues, or "holy corners" to kneel before, para tayong bumabalik sa shadows. We are stepping backward. We worship in "Spirit and in Truth" (John 4:24), hindi na sa harap ng box, bato, or ginto.

Bible Student: Grabe, ang linaw nun Pastor. So yung ginawa ni Joshua, valid yun for his time because of God's command and specific presence. Pero kung gagawin natin ngayon sa mga rebulto, mali na kasi wala namang utos, at iba na ang Covenant natin?

Pastor Ronald: Precisely. We don't need a statue to connect with Jesus. You can kneel right there where you are, close your eyes, and talk to the King directly. No middleman, no visual aid needed. The veil has been torn.

Real Talk Reflection

John 4:23 (CSB)

"But an hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth. Yes, the Father wants such people to worship him."

Let's Do This:

Check your own heart today. Do you need a physical object, a picture, or a specific ambiance just to feel close to God? Remember, under the New Covenant, His Spirit lives in you. You have direct access. Close your eyes, forget the external props, and worship Him in truth today.

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