Contradiction with Exodus 25:18-20
These verses describe God's instruction to make cherubim images for the Ark of the Covenant, which might seem contradictory given that 2 Kings 18:4 talks about destroying an image associated with idolatry.
Exodus 25:18-20: And thou shalt make two cherubims [of] gold, [of] beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.
Contradiction with Exodus 32:4
This verse describes the making of the golden calf, which was initially allowed and later condemned, paralleling the contradiction of sacred objects being used inappropriately.
Exodus 32:4: And he received [them] at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These [be] thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
Contradiction with Numbers 21:8-9
These verses describe the making of a bronze serpent, which was initially commanded by God, contradictory to the act of destroying the bronze serpent in 2 Kings 18:4.
Numbers 21:8-9: And 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.
Contradiction with 1 Kings 7:25
Describes the creation of bronze oxen for temple use, which might seem contradictory since other bronze figures like the serpent were destroyed.
1 Kings 7:25: It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east: and the sea [was set] above upon them, and all their hinder parts [were] inward.
Contradiction with 1 Kings 8:6-7
Details the presence of cherubim in the Holy of Holies, showing a sanctioned use of images within worship, potentially contradicting the act of removing images in 2 Kings 18:4.
1 Kings 8:6-7: And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy [place, even] under the wings of the cherubims.
Paradox #1
The theological conflict could arise from the act of destroying something that was once considered sacred. The bronze serpent, originally made by Moses as directed by God to heal the Israelites, had become an object of idolatry. This raises questions about how objects intended for good can later become a stumbling block and how to reconcile respect for tradition with a need for reform.
Paradox #2
The potential doctrinal conflict with 2 Kings 18:4 arises from the issue of idolatry. In this verse, King Hezekiah breaks a bronze serpent that Moses had made because the Israelites began to worship it. This could seem contradictory because the serpent was initially created as an instrument of God's salvation, with God's approval. However, it later became an object of idolatry, showing a shift from being a tool of faith to a symbol of false worship. The conflict lies in the transformation of a once holy object into something contrary to God's commandments.
Paradox #3
There is a contradiction related to the bronze serpent mentioned in that verse. In the Book of Numbers, Moses made a bronze serpent, which God used to heal the Israelites who were bitten by snakes. However, by the time of King Hezekiah, recorded in 2 Kings, the same bronze serpent had become an object of idol worship and was destroyed by the king to reform religious practices. This creates a conflict where something that was originally a tool for God's purpose became something associated with improper worship.
Paradox #4
The contradiction in 2 Kings 18:4 could be seen as the conflict between maintaining religious traditions and the need to reform practices that have become idolatrous. The verse describes the destruction of a bronze serpent, originally made by Moses, which the people began to worship. This shows the tension between preserving historical religious artifacts and correcting practices that stray into idol worship.