Image – Selem
Hebrew #6754 – selem (tseh’-lem) – צלם
Definition: a visual representation of something, such as a likeness of an object or a person.
“And Elohim created the man in His image, in the image of Elohim He created him – male and female He created them.”
-Berĕshith (Genesis) 1:27
“But you took up Sikkuth your sovereign and Kiyyun, your idols, your astral mighty ones, which you made for yourselves!”
-Amos 5:26
“As but a shadow each one walks; They busy themselves, only in vain; He heaps up wealth, But knows not who gathers them.”
-Tehillim (Psalms) 39:6
“And all the people went to the house of Ba‛al, and broke it down. They completely broke up its slaughter-places and images, and killed Mattan the priest of Ba‛al before the slaughter-places.”
-Diḇre haYamim Bĕt (2 Chronicles) 23:17
The Power of Images
Images play a big part in everything we do, especially learning new things.
Have you ever seen an instruction manual without illustrations?
Yahuah has given us images and eyesight for a reason.
Why Images Are Powerful
Images are SO powerful, which is probably why Elohim said:
“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.”
— Shemoth (Exodus) 20:4
Why? Because we would have made some sort of image so we could see our Creator face-to-face, and it would seem easier to trust Him that way.
But He said not to — because we would have made an image and looked to it instead of looking to Him for help.
Where Does Our Help Come From?
As Psalm 121 says:
“I lift up my eyes to the hills;
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from יהוה,
Maker of the heavens and earth.”
As David put it, we should be looking up to Yahuah, our Creator, for help — not looking down or bowing to man-made images.
After all, what can stone and clay do to save someone’s soul compared to the mightiness of Elohim, the One who made the heavens and the earth?
Final Thought
To reiterate my point: let us not take our eyesight and images for granted.
They are very necessary and helpful tools that Yahuah has given us for a reason — as long as we don’t use them for what they weren’t meant for.
Shalom!
-AS
