I love the Second Commandment. “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image,” it begins (Ex. 20:4). I understand it to mean that we should have no separate mind from God, the one divine Mind, and that we should not believe any false, material views about anything.
A powerful illustration of a man who lived this commandment is seen in the Bible account of Daniel in the lions’ den (see Daniel 6). In my office are prints of two famous paintings of this story by Briton Rivière. In one, Daniel is looking directly at the lions. They appear to be vicious and grumpy. Yet Daniel, though standing in front of the lions with his hands tied behind his back, seems completely unafraid.
Daniel’s manner is peaceful and calm. I imagine that Daniel is so focused on lifting his thoughts to God that there is no room left in his consciousness for suggestions of danger and harm. His closeness to God prevents him from thinking any mistaken concepts, or “graven images,” that the princes and king held of lions as ferocious beasts. Daniel sees only innocence—the spiritual image, or divine Love’s idea—reflected in the lions.
