God is invisible
and inaccessible, unknown in essence (Exod. 33:20. 1 Tim. 1:17. 6:16. 1 John
4:12); it is not possible for Him to be depicted (Deuter. 4:12). However the
Son of God was come in the flesh (John 1:14. Col. 2:9); He revealed the image
(icon and not idol) of God (Matth. 11:27. Luke 10:22. John 1:18. 14:9. 2 Cor.
4:4. Col. 1:15). Therefore we can depict Him and confess our faith to the Theanthropos nature of our Lord.
On the other hand, the incarnation of Christ reveals the true nature of man, who similarly was shaped to the image of God (1 Cor. 15:49. 2 Corinth. 3:18). Thus the icons of the saints refer to the "new creation", to the "new man", and constitute confession of the christian hope for the new reality "in Christ" (Isai. 65:14-17. 66:22. 2 Cor. 5:17. Gal. 6:15. Ephes. 2:15. 4:24. 2 Peter 3:13. Revel. 21:5).
But this "new creation" that we await, does not only refer to man; it includes all creation (Rom. 8:21). Thus the construction and the honour to the icons in Church does not only happen "towards realisation of the true and not imaginary incarnation of the Word of God ..." (canon of the Seventh Oecumenical Synod); it does not only constitute a pre-image and confession to the "new man", but declaration and confession of our faith to the catholic transformation and glory of creation.
The Orthodox Church confesses "Christ, our true God and His saints ... the former as God and Prelate, bowing before Him [i.e. worshipping] and paying respect to Him, the latter, via the common Prelate, as His genuine servants honouring them and paying respect to them by proskynesis in a relative sense [i.e. honouring]" (Synodic of Orthodoxy). This honour is realised "by words, by writings, ..., by temples, by icons".
The difference therefore between the honour given to the Prelate Christ and to the saints is obvious; the former we honour "as God and Prelate", in other words we worship Him, the latter we honour as faithful servants of the Lord (c.f. canons of the Seventh Oecumenical Synod).
The Orthodox Church worships only the One and Triune God; she rejects the worship of false gods, idols and constructions. There are no other gods; any other worship to "other gods" is granted to the Devil. Such images are idols; their construction and any honour given to them is prohibited (Exod. 20:4-5. 23:24-25. Levit. 19:4. 26:1. Deuter. 4:15-28. 30:17-18. 32:16-21. Isai. 44:9-20. Jerem. 25:6. Dan. 5:23-25. Psalms 96/97:7. 113:12-16/115:4-8. 134/135:15-18. Rom. 1:23-24. Revel. 19:20).
The proskynesis of false gods and their idols or icons (in case they are personified deities) is severely punished (Exod. 22:20. Deuter. 13:6-11. 17:2-10. 3/1 Kings 9:6-9. 14:9-10. Jerem. 1:16). But this does not mean that christians are prohibited to love and honour everything that is related to the worship of the true God or even with the people that God loved and honoured Himself.
Already in the Old Testament, together with the prohibition of the idols, various objects for the divine worship were being constructed by God's command; the tent, the ark, the table, the altar of burnt offering, the altar of incense, cherubims, lions, boas and many others (Exod. 25-31. 3/1 Kings 6-7. Hebr. 9:1-5). Nobody ever thought of granting worshipping proskynesis to these objects, for they would automatically be transformed into idols and the worship of the true God would be transformed into idolatry. This is seen clearly with the "molten calf" that Aaron constructed during a time of apostasy of the people, which was completed with the phrase: "These are your gods, Israel!" (Exod. 32:4); this is the characteristic element of idolatry; to worship as god some construction, or some man-made object!
Never has any Orthodox christian stood in front of an icon thinking: "These are my gods"! No one ever payed respect to an icon thinking that the icon is a god! Those that accuse the Orthodox that they worship the saints or the icons , they have never understood, neither what Orthodoxy is, nor the true meaning of worship.
The devoutness and honour we grant the holy objects that exist in the place of worship, is based on the holy Scripture. God Himself honours these objects; they are incensed and sprinkled with blood (Exod. 30:6-7. 40:5. Levit. 16:12-13. 1 Omiss. 6:34/ 1 Chron. 6:49. 2 Omiss./Chron. 13:11. Hebr. 9:21) and God approves of the doings (c.f. 3/1 Kings 9:3).
All the things "near" God are holy, worthy of respect and honour; the place near the bush (Exod. 3:5), the ark (1 Kings/1 Sam. 6:3), the temple (Psalms 5:8/7), the mountain of God (Psalms 98/99:5.9. c.f. 131/132:7), Joseph's stick (Gen. 47:31. Hebr. 11:21), even the "land" in which angels of God appeared (Joshua 5:15). All are holy and worthy of honouring proskynesis!
God Himself honours the holy objects and grants them His thaumaturgical energy. We see this in Moses' stick (Exod. 4:2-3. 7:19-21. 9:23-26. 14:16.21. 15:26. 17:5-7), the copper snake, that was a pre-image of the honourable cross (Numbers 21:8-9. John 3:14), the ark (Joshua 3:15-17), Elijah's mantle (4 Kings 2:8-14) or even Christ's clothes (Matth. 9:20-22); in oil (Matth. 6:13. James 5:14), in water (John 5:2-4), in handkerchiefs and aprons (Acts 19:11-12). Apostle Peter's shadow becomes a miraculous image by the grace of God (Acts 5:12-16). Any desecration of the holy objects is severely punished by God (Numbers 4:15.20. 1 Kings/1 Sam. 5:2-4. 6:2-5. 2 Kings/2 Sam. 6:6-7. 1 Omiss./1 Chron. 13:9-10). Please also read an excellent article on the topic by Professor Arakaki here.
EXPLANATION OF TERMS USED IN THE CHAPTER
theanthropos = from Theos (=God) and anthropos (=man). God/man.
proskynesis = reverence, prostration; paying respect usu. by bowing before the icon, doing the sign of the cross and kissing the holy icon of the saint. More generally, visiting a place for proskynesis has the same meaning as pilgrimage. Even proskynesis at a saint's grave or another holy place involves proskynesis in front of the saint's icon that will be present by his or her grave. Veneration.