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Introduction
Many years ago
I heard the story of two men who met
and began to discuss where they had
been on the Sunday morning. One
gentleman said he worshipped at such
and such a church, the other
responded (perhaps thinking himself
to be better because of where he
went), that he worshipped in
Heaven. It all sounded very pious
but it begged the bigger questions
which are, “Did either of them
worship, and what is worship?” The
second man may well have remembered
the Lord but is remembrance
worship? Could both have remembered
the Lord as individuals where they
were? In the situation of the
second gentleman, others in that
gathering may have stood up and
thanked God for being among those
who thus gather, but is that
worship? They may collectively sing
hymns about the cross but is that
worship?
I say this because Satan is the
greatest counterfeiter eternity will
ever know. Consequently, as he does
with the way of salvation, baptism,
and the Lord’s supper, so he does
with worship. Some time ago I saw
something which astounded me. There
were people on a balcony in a church
service (I have no doubt they were
sincere) and they were moving about
in their area waving flags! I
thought they were moving material
which was wafting in the breeze
through the open doors, so I
watched, and realized they were
waving flags. I asked what they
were doing? The response was, “They
are worshipping God”. That is not
worship. It is a counterfeit for
worship and is something an unsaved
person can do for many an unsaved
person waves a flag. Furthermore,
worship is a spiritual exercise
resulting from the awe one has for
God, not a place to show my ability
to wave a flag.
Definition
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There are groups of saints who meet to remember the Lord each
Sunday, and having been with them for over fifty years, I have
heard that gathering called by three names, the worship
meeting, the remembrance meeting, and the Lord’s Supper. Now it
would seem to me that if an individual has attended the “worship
meeting” fifty times a year for ten years, that is five hundred
times and it ought to be exceedingly easy for them to tell what
worship is and what promotes it. Yet, when asked, “What is
worship?” I get the following explanations. Worship is: |
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a) |
The Christian’s highest occupation, a statement which does not
help me at all. |
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b) |
An act of homage or respect |
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c) |
To be in awe of a person |
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d) |
To show devotion towards |
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e) |
To adore |
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However, I see these as possible, and I stress possible
manifestations of worship, but they do not tell me what worship
is for the following reasons: |
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a) |
I have great respect for my father and mother, but I do not
worship either of them |
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b) |
I have an attitude of awe for the Queen due to her position, but
I do not worship her |
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c) |
I praise my daughter for a good meal, but I do not worship her |
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d) |
I give thanks to folk I stay with, but I do not worship them. |
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Therefore, what is worship? In its highest level, worship is
the automatic outflowing of a heart that has been caused by the
Holy Spirit to appreciate some particular wonder, moral
excellency, ability, or kindness of God or Christ. |
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There are other definitions which to my mind are closer to
signifying what worship is. They are: |
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a) |
The outpouring of a spirit at rest with God |
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b) |
The overflowing of a grateful heart due to divine kindness |
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c) |
The overflowing of a bowed heart which has been made aware of
the wonder of God or Christ |
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i) |
These convey the truth of the Psalmist when he wrote: “My heart
is inditing (bubbling up and overflowing) a good matter” (Psa.
45:1) and the good matter is the wonder of God. |
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ii) |
Again in Psalm 23 it is recorded: “My cup runneth over” (Psa.
23:5) |
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d) |
Worship is not the occupation of the individual with their needs
nor even thankfulness, but with God or Christ. This was the
experience of David when He wrote: “When I consider the heavens,
the work of Thy fingers
. . . . What is man, that Thou art mindful of Him?” (Psa.
8:3-4), or when after He sat before the Lord he recorded his
musings in the words: “Wherefore thou art great, O LORD God: for
there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee”
(2 Sam. 7:22). |
Distinctions
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Worship is distinctly different from: |
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a) |
Emotion.
While that is a characteristic of true worship, it is impossible
to worship God or Christ and not be emotional. Let me
illustrate. I recall in the remembrance meeting when there
would be sung the hymn, “When I Survey The Wondrous Cross” and
immediately afterward a brother would ask to sing the verse,
“See from His heard His hands and feet” and to sing it softly.
Of course one is moved but was it emotionalism, the words of the
hymn, or the tune it was being sung to? Is there a difference
between emotional maneuvering and spiritual worship? To what,
if any extent, do they overlap? |
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b) |
It is also different from praise which one can do due to their
ability to speak or do something. I certainly have no hesitance
to speak about the brilliance of Yehudi Menuhin the classical
violinist or Glen Gould the magnificent pianist, but that is not
worship. |
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c) |
The same goes for thanksgiving which again is taken up with my
blessings, temporal and spiritual from God, or prayer which is
also taken up with present needs in its petitioning God for
blessings to be received. |
The Word “Worship” In The Scriptures
The word “Worship” with its
associated words is used 106 times
in the Old Testament and 70 times in
the New Testament. Thus, in the
scriptures there are 182 references
to worship, however, they do not all
indicate the worshipping of God.
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The first reference to worship was when Abraham said to the
servants, “I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come
again to you” (Gen. 22:5). In this case there are two men going
to worship the Lord and they do it in two different ways. |
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a) |
The first reference to worship in the New Testament was when the
wise men came to Herod and said, “Where is He that is born King
of the Jews? for we have seen His star in the east, and are come
to worship Him” (Matt. 2:2). And again it is a collective group
for we do not know how many there were who came to worship the
Lord. |
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We must observe the sharp contrast between the first and last
references to worship in the two testaments. |
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a) |
The first reference in the Old Testament is when Abraham, at the
revelation of God and putting all his faith in God, went with
his son to worship the Lord (Gen. 22:5). The last reference to
worship in the Old Testament is in connection with the judgment
of God on those who will not worship the King, the Lord of hosts
(Zech. 14:17). |
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b) |
The first reference in the New Testament is when the wise men
came to worship the Lord. Note the preciseness and
exclusiveness of the wording, “And when they were come into the
house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell
down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their
treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and
frankincense, and myrrh” (Matt. 2:11). The last reference in
the New Testament is a warning against worshipping the wrong
persons, namely another man (Rev. 22:9) and the command to
“worship God”. |
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c) |
Two truths come into focus from these references: |
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i) |
The only two persons to be worshipped in the Bible are God and
Christ. This is of major importance when today man worships
Satan, stars, movie personalities, the earth, possessions,
prestige, and power. |
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ii) |
If people refuse to worship God then they will invariably
worship wrong persons or things and will ultimately be degraded
(Rom. 1:23-31; Psa. 115:4-8). |
Is There A Correct Position To Be
Taken When Worshipping?
There
is no Biblical instruction as to an
exclusive posture when worshipping.
It all depends on the situation. In
the scriptures there are at least
twelve different postures
individuals take when praying
but none has precedence over the
other in degree of spirituality.
Today, in some places, men stand to
pray, but is this so that the voice
can reach further, as when they give
out a hymn, OR is it an act of
reverence for God as when brought
before the monarch or a judge?
There must be no legalism as to what
posture or tone of voice to be used,
as if tone of voice indicates more
spirituality. Man can worship by
bowing down or kneeling (Psa. 95:6);
by singing (Psa. 66:4); by obeying
the commands of God (Mk. 7:7); or by
serving God (Rom. 1:9).
Who Can Worship?
When an individual reads the
Biblical narratives it is evident
that an individual can worship alone
or with a company of people. The
following are some of the
individuals and groups I have found,
and as I read them I see how I could
fit into at least one of these
categories.
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The person |
Reference |
Characteristic |
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The servant |
Gen. 24:26, 48, 52 |
One of the working class |
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Moses |
Ex. 34:8 |
A leader among God’s
people |
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Gideon |
Jud. 7:15 |
A man who did not know
what the future held |
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Job |
Job 1:20 |
A business man who had
lost possessions and
family |
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The Leper |
Matt. 8:2 |
An outcast because of
deformity |
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The ruler |
Matt. 9:18
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A political figure |
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The Syrophenician woman |
Matt. 15:25 |
A mother concerned for
her child |
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The man of Gadara |
Mk. 5:6 |
A man about to be saved |
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The blind man |
Jn. 9:38 |
A man who was given
sight |
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Jacob |
Heb. 11:21 |
An old trickster, always
contriving |
Some
who worshipped and will worship
collectively:
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The group |
Reference |
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Abraham and Issac |
Gen. 22:5 |
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The children of Israel |
Ex. 4:31 |
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Hezekiah and the
congregation |
2 Chron. 29:28-29 |
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The wise men |
Matt. 2:2 |
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The disciples |
Matt. 28:9 |
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All the celestial and
terrestrial hosts |
Rev. 5:11-14 |
But
that does not mean that man is
always worshipping God
Man is a worshipping creature, but
sadly and tragically if humanity
does not worship God they will find
someone or something else to
worship. From Romans 1:23 we learn
that man in his own perception
lowers God until He is liken to a
man, someone who one can debate
with; then like an animal, something
useful; thus lowering God on two
levels. Going further, man shows
his attitude toward the Almighty by
degrading Him to the likeness of a
creeping thing, which means nothing
and can be removed, apparently
without consequence. As man lowers
the god he worships, then
consciously and subconsciously that
God becomes his ideal, that which he
fashions his life after, that from
which he decides the doctrines that
will form his opinions and
decisions. As the scriptures say,
he becomes like the god he makes and
worships (Psa. 115:6; 135:18; Jer.
10:8). Some of the persons and
objects man worships.
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Person or Object |
Reference |
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Angels |
Col. 2:18 |
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Idols |
1 Kgs. 12:30 |
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Created life |
Rom. 1:23, 25 |
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Creation |
Deut. 4:19; Zeph. 1:5 |
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The image |
Dan. 3:5 |
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A man |
Rev. 13:8 |
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Demons |
Rev. 9:20 |
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Satan |
Rev. 13:4 |
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. . . To be continued next month
. . . Rowan Jennings |
