An exact and complete copy or counterpart of any thing. Christ is called "the image of God," 2 Corinthians 4:4 Colossians 1:15 Hebrews 1:3, as being the same in nature and attributes. The image of God in which man was created, Genesis 1:27 was in his spiritual, intellectual, and moral nature, in righteousness and true holiness. The posterity of Adam were born in his fallen, sinful likeness, Genesis 5:3; and as we have borne the image of sinful Adam, so we should be molded into the moral image of the heavenly man Christ, 1 Corinthians 15:47-49 2 Corinthians 3:18.

"An image," Job 4:16, was that which seemed to the dreamer a reality. The word sometimes appears to include, with the image, the idea of the real object, Psalms 73:20 Hebrews 10:1. It is usually applied in the Bible to representations of false gods, painted, graven, etc., Daniel 3:1-30. All use of images in religious worship was clearly and peremptorily prohibited, Exodus 20:4,5 Deuteronomy 16:22 Acts 17:16 Romans 1:23. Their introduction into Christian churches, near the close of the fourth century, was at first strenuously resisted. Now, however, they are universally used by Papists: by most in a gross breach of the second commandment, and by the best in opposition to both the letter and the spirit of the Bible, Exodus 20:4,5 32:4,5 Deuteronomy 4:15 Isaiah 40:18-31 John 4:23,24 Revelation 22:8,9.

The "chambers of imagery," in Ezekiel 8:7-12, had their walls covered with idolatrous paintings, such as are found on the still more ancient stone walls of Egyptian temples, and such as modern researches have disclosed in Assyrian ruins. See NINEVEH.

IM'AGE, n. L. imago.

1. A representation or similitude of any person or thing, formed of a material substance; as an image wrought out of stone, wood or wax.

Whose is this image and superscription? Matt.22.

2. A statue.

3. An idol; the representation of any person or thing, that is an object of worship. The second commandment forbids the worship of images.

4. The likeness of any thing on canvas; a picture; a resemblance painted.

5. Any copy, representation or likeness.

The child is the image of its mother.

6. Semblance; show; appearance.

The face of things a frightful image bears.

7. An idea; a representation of any thing to the mind; a conception; a picture drawn by fancy.

Can we conceive

Image of aught delightful, soft or great?

8. In rhetoric, a lively description of any thing in discourse, which presents a kind of picture to the mind.

9. In optics, the figure of any object, made by rays of light proceeding from the several points of it. Thus a mirror reflects the image of a person standing before it, as does water in a vessel or stream, when undisturbed.

IM'AGE, v.t. To imagine; to copy by the imagination; to form a likeness in the mind by the fancy or recollection.

And image charms he must behold no more.

[IDOL]