This principle extends beyond sculptural three-dimensional forms because to reduce God to any visible form both limits our concept of Him and misrepresents His nature. Artistic representations of angels and other creatures have biblical precedent, but never as objects of adoration. Aside from second commandments prohibitions, the key question is what an object means within a given culture. Clearly, condemning modern practice on the basis of former pagan use is untenable. To do so would disqualify virtually every object and practice in current use, for almost everything in worship today once was used in some ancient pagan religion.
Examples come to mind easily.
Most modern church buildings borrow architectural features refined in antiquity for pagan temples, including colonnades, pilasters, the arch, and even the pitched roof. Ancient writings describe the use of books, music, lamps, water, tables, chairs, wine, and bread in heathen rites prior to their mention in Hebrew practice. Yet wine and bread were selected by Jesus Himself as symbols to represent His blood and body, despite a history of their ritual use in pagan temples for thousands of years beforehand. To apply today the standard of whether an object or practice had pagan uses in antiquity is to establish a standard not demonstrated in the Scriptures themselves. Crowning these pillars was lily work, which recalls the style of certain Egyptian pillar motifs.