Isaiah 44:18

"They know not, neither do they consider; for he hath shut their eyes that they cannot see; and their hearts that they cannot understand. And none calleth to mind, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire, also I have baked bread on the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree? He feedeth on ashes; a deceived heart hath turned him aside: and he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?"

This concludes the heavenly denunciation of idols and of idol worship. Note in Isaiah 44:18 that the fundamental reason why any man is able to engage in such folly is due to the fact that he has been blinded. This, of course, is a reference to the judicial blinding, or hardening of men's hearts by God Himself; but this must never be understood as a capricious or haphazard action on the part of the heavenly Father. "God closes the eyes and hearts of men, but that is never an arbitrary action on God's part. The hardened and blinded are themselves responsible for it (Romans 1:20-28). In their self-imposed darkened state the idolaters cannot understand their own folly."[13]

Furthermore, we consider the consecration of so-called "sacred images" in certain allegedly "Christian" communions of our own era as just as foolish, and just as loaded with folly, as was the practice of idolatry in ancient times. Yes indeed, we are familiar with the allegation that the "worshippers" who are bowing down in front of "images" are not actually worshipping the image; but that the image serves to "remind them" of realities which indeed they claim to worship. Yet God did not merely condemn "worshipping" images; he also outlawed and condemned the making of them and the bowing down before them as well (Exodus 20:4,5).

As for the silly notion that an "image" can remind people of any reality whatever: (1) How can an object which cannot think remind an intelligent person of God who is the Infinite Mind? (2) How can an object which can stand in only one place remind an intelligent person of Him who is ubiquitous? (3) How can an object which is totally without any strength or power whatever remind one of the all-powerful, omnipotent God? (4) How can an object, which itself had to be manufactured, improved, painted, and decorated remind any thoughtful person of God the Creator of all things? Etc.