Philippians 3:18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
Again, if a person worships at the altar of food, what ever the stomach craves will be given it, regardless of what God says. A Foodie is one who allows desire to control what is eaten, even if it is known to cause illness, disease and death. In other words, if it tastes, smells and looks good, it will be eaten, with no consideration being given to the stipulations given by God to the human family, for our own good.
Therefore, in a nutshell, to bow down to anything or to anyone means to choose to do that which is quite contrary to what God says, and wherever that is the case, there you have a graven image, or other gods. However, for the purposes of this Bible study we will focus specifically on what it means to bow down in our day, for many folks are bowing and do not know. When a person, tells us to do things contrary to the Bible, if we do it, we are bowing, plain and simple.
Everything the Christian does conscientiously should have its roots and foundation in the Scriptures, for if God has not ordained it and if He has forbidden it in any form or fashion, adhering to it becomes a form of bowing down. For instance, when Moses refused to circumcise his son, because of remonstrances coming from his wife, he temporarily bowed down to her because he obeyed her voice instead of the instructions of God.
Exodus 4:24 And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the Lord met him, and sought to kill him. 25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me. 26 So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study of His word. God bless!