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He didn't. The command you are referring to in Exodus 20 v4 required people to not make 'unto thee' any graven image. Those words make all the difference to the meaning. They were not to bow down and worship an image. There is no suggestion made or implied in the verses mentioned in the question of bowing down and worshiping the cherubim decoration on the mercy seat, or the brass serpent. ** Quick reference; Exodus 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Exodus 25:18 And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat Exodus 25:20 And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be. Numbers 21:8And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.

The key phrase in Exodus 20 v 4 is 'unto thee' which is referring to making an image as an object of worship for oneself. Quite obviously, the commands to make the items mentioned in the other verses would aid the Israelites in their worship of the one true God. If one reads the chapters in Exodus where the details are given for the building of the tabernacle 24 through 27, the commands are quite exact. It also mentions a number of times that they were careful to do exactly as they were commanded. Thus both God himself and those who followed His instructions were quite particular and knowledgeable about what they were doing.

It is also of historical interest that when the image of the serpent on the pole was tending to become an image of worship in itself, rather than a symbol of God's deliverance and mercy that Hezekiah destroyed it calling it ' Nehushtan' which means '...its just a piece of brass.' (This of course in comparison to the greatness of God) see 2 Kings 18 v4.

So, once again, to put it simply, God clearly didn't break His own commandment.

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