There are many commands in the Bible, the Holy Scriptures, however, there are only a handful that summarize what the Lord requires of us, or that state the conclusion of the most important matter. Perhaps the three principal ones are: (Conclusion) “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments… for God will bring every work into judgment… good or evil (Eccl. 12:13-14);” (Essence of the Law) “Shema (Listen)… What does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments… for your good (Deut. 10:12-13)?;” And (Worship) the time “is now, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth (John 4: 23-24).”
Definitions by Webster’s Dictionary (1828) & Strong’s Concordance (1890)
Adoration: “The act of paying honors to a divine being; the worship paid to God… consists in external homage, accompanied with the highest reverence. It is used for the act of praying, or preferring requests or thanksgiving, to the Supreme Being… among the Jews, as performed by bowing, kneeling and prostration… The Persians fell on the face… The adoration paid to the Grecian and Roman emperor, consisted in bowing and kneeling at the feet of the prince…”
Fear: “…the fear of God is a holy awe or reverence of God and His laws… the worship of God… ‘I will teach you the fear of the Lord (Psalms 34:7).” yirah = fear, terror, great fear, reverence… reverence for God, fear of God… devoutness…”
Honor: “The esteem due or paid to worth; high estimation… Reverence; veneration… as worship paid to the Supreme Being… to manifest the highest veneration for, in words and actions… to worship; to adore… to glorify…” “yeqar = precious… costliness, dignity… to favor… glorify… splendor, majesty… reverence.”
Love: “…free, willing… advancing, or drawing forward… to regard with affection… thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind (Matt. 22:37).” “Good will, esteem… charity, dear, love…” (levels… i.e. for a friend, family, child, spouse, God and Christ).
Reverence: “Fear mingled with respect and esteem; veneration… The fear acceptable to God… proceeding from a just esteem of His perfections, which produces in us an inclination to His service and an unwilling to offend Him. Reverence is nearly equivalent to veneration but expresses something less of the same emotion. If differs from awe, which is an emotion compounded of fear, dread or terror, with admiration of something great…”
Worship: “Excellence of character; dignity; worth; worthiness… honor… to adore; to pay divine honors to; to reverence with supreme respect and veneration. ‘Thou shalt worship no other god (Exodus 34:14).’ To respect; honor; to treat with civil reverence… To honor with extravagant love and extreme submission; as a lover… to perform acts of adoration. To perform religious service…” “shachah/segid = prostrate in homage to royalty or God; bow down; crouch, fall down, humbly beseech… do reverence… worship.”
True Worshipers… Worship Him… in Spirit and Truth
Before entering this topic and examining the most important ‘worship,’ yes there are many things a citizen or pilgrim of this earth should do for God, others and themselves. We are told “love your neighbor… (Matt. 12:31),’ and ‘bear each other’s burdens and fulfill the law of Christ (Gal. 6:2)’ Though essential and required love and service, this is ‘second,’ to the first, for “there is no other commandment greater (Mark 12:31):” “You shall love the Lord Your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and will all your strength and with all your mind (Luke 10:27).” This command was given by Moses directly from God (Deut. 6:5) and from Jesus Christ and His disciples.
All these vital mandates in the Holy Scriptures point to the truth that we have One God, and the Lord God desires and requires our worship. For He declares, “You shall have no other (false) gods before me… You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD you God, am a jealous God… (Exodus 20).” Now, let us examine these things: ‘true worshiper,’ ‘worship,’ and ‘in Spirit and Truth.’
True Worshipers
True Worshipers. True – real, sincere, those that are not fake or making actions – offerings – without sincerity. Worshipers – individuals that with heartfelt emotions are led to act being an offering, including offerings of honor, respect, love, worship, a bow offering, a wave offering, lift hands, their prayers, thanksgiving, etc. To those who are NOT sincere, the Lord sees and “He knows the secrets of the heart (Psalm 44:21);” and He says, “these people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship and fear of Me is but rules (laws and rituals) taught by men (Isaiah 29:13; Matthew 15:8).”
But, concerning true worshipers, the Lord God desires them, and they give Him pleasure. It is written, “with what shall I come to the Lord and bow myself before the High God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:6-8)?”
“Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has hot lifted up his soul to falsehood or sworn deceitfully (Psalm 24:3-4).” And when one gets to the holy place, the temple, the throne room of heaven, what does the Lord want? The Lord “does not desire sacrifices or offerings of beasts or fruits of the earth (Psalm 40:6);” and though “mercy” and “obedience is better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22),” the Lord desires worship in “Spirit and Truth (John 4:24).”
The worshiper is to be clean in heart, holy, sanctified, having repented from sins, and able to cry ‘Holy is the Lord.’ The worshiper has ‘freewill’ to “choose for (themselves) whom (they) will serve, whether the gods of their ancestors (even common idols, self, or nothing) …or the LORD (Joshua 24:15).” The Lord desires the freewill offering, even when the Sanctuary/Temple was being built, God called for “everyone who was willing and whose heart moved them” to “bring an offering to the LORD (Exo. 35:21).” Nevertheless, God will not be denied worship, “the heavens (universe) declare the glory of God (Psa. 19:1),” and “all the earth shall worship God (Psa. 66:4).”
Worship Him
What are some types of Worship and who do we worship? Jesus pointed to… “the Father,” “Spirit” as He does for prayer (which is often incorporated into worship), “when you pray, do not heap up babbling like pagans empty phrases, for they think will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, Holy is Your name… (Matthew 6:7-9).”
However, Christ, mystery of the Godhead, is the Son of God, “for to us a child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6);” He is “Immanuel (God with us, Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:23),” “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us… the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14).” He is the “one Mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus… (1 Tim. 2:5).” It is from Christ and God we receive the Holy Spirit: “the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you… (John 14:26).”
We do not see ANY examples in the Bible of worshiping the Holy Spirit, but we are shown the picture of pure and righteous worship: I, John… “was in the Spirit, and before me was a throne in heaven… surrounding the throne were… 24 elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits (see Isaiah 11:2) of God… In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures… Day and night they never stop saying: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.’
And “whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to Him sits on the throne and who lives forever, the 24 elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne (Yahweh) and worship… saying: ‘You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by Your will they were created and have their being (Revelation 4)…’
“And I looked and behold, in the midst of the Throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David… stood (as) a Lamb as though it had been slain, having …the seven Spirits of God… (and) the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp (a worship instrument), and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song (to the Lamb – Jesus Christ), saying: ‘You are worthy… for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood… and we shall reign on earth…’
‘And then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; they were ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: ‘Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!’ And every creature in heaven and on the earth… exclaimed, ‘Blessing and honor and glory and power be TO HIM who sits on the Throne (Father God, the Lord God Almighty, Yahweh), AND to The LAMB (Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Word, Immanuel), forever and ever (Revelation 5).”
We should fear, reverence and bow down and worship God because “the Lord our God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes (Deut. 10:17).” But it is a higher love and worship, to do so because we love the Lord God for all He is and does and will do; because “He (Almighty God) who sits on the Throne, and the Lamb (Jesus Christ, the Son of God)” are “worthy to receive… praise and honor and glory and blessing (Rev. 4:8; 5:12-13).”
Types of Worship
The apostle Paul wrote, “From God and through Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Therefore, I beseech you brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 11:36-12:1).”
Worship and Service are not the exact same things, they can overlap, but are not the same. And we can worship by bring physical or monetary offerings, and even by helping others in the sense that the Lord says, “what you do for the least of the brethren, you do for Me (Matt. 25:40),” but these are not the highest forms of worship. And why would a true worshiper want to avoid the most important. In fact, the soul and spirit of true worshiper cannot – they are “drawn by the Holy Spirit (John 6:44)” to our God and King.
Examples of Worship
“The Just shall live by faith… (Heb. 6:10; Rom. 1:17; Hab. 2:4)”
Foremostly notice the often horizontal, downward, humble position of the worshiper and the virtual direction of their worship (prayer, song, verbal offering with physical expressions. The soul is moved by the spirit and manifests worship with and through the body.
Job “blameless and upright, and feared God and shunned evil… (after losing) his sons and daughters and livestock… did not sin nor charge God with wrong… (but) fell to the ground and worshiped… ‘The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord’ (Job 1:1-22; 13:15).”
Moses, when on Mount Sinai before the very presence of God, as the Lord descended in a cloud and declared to Moses His name, “’The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty…’ Moses made haste and bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped… and prayed (Exodus 34:4-10).”
“Joshua came towards Jericho …he lifted his eyes and saw… a Man (angel) standing opposite him with His sword… And Joshua went to Him and said… ‘Are You for us or for our adversaries?’ He said, ‘No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.’ And Joshua fell on his face and worshiped, and said, ‘what does my Lord say to His servant?’ Then the Commander… said… ‘take off your sandals …for the place where you stand is holy’.”
David, a king, was often in the word of God and giving praise and thanksgiving to God. David said to God, ‘at midnight I will rise to give thanks to You, because of Your righteous judgments…’ He often asked God to ‘teach’ him and ‘give understanding.’ David often gave the Lord prayer and ‘the freewill offerings of his mouth.’ He said, ‘seven times a day I praise You…,’ ‘I spread out my hands to You; My soul longs for You Lord…’ He blessed the Lord alone and also ‘before all the assembly’ of Israel. And with the people, “all the assembly blessed the Lord God of their fathers and bowed their heads and prostrated themselves before the Lord… (1 Chronicles 29:20).”
Solomon ‘spread out his hands towards heaven, and said, “Lord God of Israel, there is no God in heaven above or on earth below like You, who keep Your covenant and mercy with Your servants who walk before You with all their hearts… forgive Your people…” And “when Solomon had finished praying… and making supplication to the Lord, he arose from before the altar of the Lord, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven… (1 Kings 8).”
Elijah “at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice… came near and said, ‘Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant… hear me, O Lord… that this people may know that You are the Lord God…’ Then the fire of the Lord fell… and all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, ‘The Lord, He is God (I Kings 18:36-)!”
Daniel, who often fasted and prayed and worshiped, even with faced with the penalty of death for praying to God, “went home, and in his upper room (upstairs), with his windows open toward Jerusalem, knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before God, as was his custom…” It was also his custom when moved, as he said: “I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications (thanksgiving), with fasting, sackcloth and ashes. And I prayed to the Lord my God, and made confession, and said, ‘O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him… we have sinned… rebelled… according to all Your righteousness, I pray, let Your anger and fury be turned away from Your city Jerusalem…’ as he was praying the Lord sent the angel Gabriel to give Daniel a vision… (Dan. 9)”
Even the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, upon discovering that the Lord God is the true God, “fell on his face, prostrate…” and said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings (see Deut. 10:17) and a revealer of secrets… (Dan. 2:46-)”
Likewise, king Darius said, “every where in my kingdom men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel. For he is the living God… (Dan. 6).”
As Nehemiah “stood up and read for the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for one-fourth of the day… another fourth of the day the congregation of Israel confessed and worshiped the Lord…”
The Wise men, when “they saw the young Child, Jesus, with Mary His mother… fell down and worshiped Him. And opened their treasures and presented gifts to Him… (Matthew 2; see Heb. 10:5-15).”
Peter, James and John… “fell on their faces” upon hearing God ‘voice out of a cloud (Matt. 17:5).”
Great Multitudes in Jerusalem said to Christ, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord (Matt. 21:9)!”
JESUS “lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said, ‘Father… I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father… (John 17).” In Gethsemane, He “fell with His face to the ground and prayed… He knelt down and prayed, ‘Father, if it is Your will… nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done (Matt. 26:39; Luke 22:42-).”
Peter and James “knelt down and prayed (Acts 7:54-; 9:40).”
The Most Important Worship (Section 1 of 3)
In explaining this let us consider the Temple. First, every major part or place was very significant; more important the that of any other religious place at the time. Also, they served very serious functions, but they also foreshadowed to us what was to come and was is. That is, the Altar of Burnt Offerings represented the place of sacrifice and the sacrifice such as of a unblemished lamb and ultimately of course, it was Jesus Christ our Salvation that became the holy Lamb of God that takes away the sins and provides a way of salvation to mankind. In this, the is no one thing more important to mankind.
However, at this time we are not speaking of salvation, but of worship; so we precede further; although, it must be noted that one had to have faith to come to the Temple in the first place, or be drawn there; and to “come into the gates with thanksgiving and praise (Psalm 100:4)” in order to move into the Temple. So we see the Laver, this represented the ‘washing’ or cleaning; now only provided through repentance and the Holy Spirit. It you do not understand or believe in repentance and or the Holy Spirit, then the rest of this with be useless to you. It is the Holy place, and without repentance, man can not be holy.
So we enter into the Temple itself, and the first two things we approach or find is the Table of Shewbread on the Right hand and the Menorah or Lampstand on the Left. The Shewbread, now the ‘bread of life,’ and ‘Word of God,’ represents not only the Word and Scriptures, ‘for man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds, out of the mouth of God (Matt. 4:4).’ “God, in past times and in different ways, spoke… by the prophets, but in these last days speaks to us by His son, who He has appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the universe; who is the brightness of His glory, and His express image… who has …sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high… (Hebrews 1:1-3). He, Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living and only God, now in the Throne Room of Heaven, soon to come again with glory and judgment is as He said, “I am the Bread of Life (John 6:48).”
Relief panel from the Arch of Titus in Rome
Then the Menorah, the seven-lamp lampstand of pure gold, was in the sanctuary and represented the Holy Spirit: as in Isaiah saying, “I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple… the the house was filled with smoke… (Isaiah 6:1, 4).” As John said in Revelation, “I was caught up in Spirit and saw a throne in heaven, and on the Throne sat One (who had a glorious) appearance… surrounding the throne …came flashes of lightning… thunder… Seven flaming torches or lamps burned in front of the Throne, which are the seven spirits of God… (Rev. 4:2-5).” Isaiah said, from the foremost “Spirit of the Lord (the center and foundation and all in all) …came a spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel, might (strength), knowledge and the fear of the Lord (Isa. 11:2).” The Menorah was carried way after the Romans destroyed the Temple in 70AD; nevertheless, today, through Jesus Christ and our Father in Heaven, we have access to the Holy Spirit to fill us and teach us (John 14:26; Ephesians 5:18; Acts 2:4).
We come to the Altar of Incense, which represents the prayers of the righteous. Except for repentance, “we know that God does not listen (count worthy) to the prayers of sinners, but if anyone is a WORSHIPER of GOD and does His will, He hears them (John 9:31). Now, the Incense represents that which John saw in Heaven, “gold bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints (Rev. 5:8).” It is worth noting that the Jews and righteous disciples of Christ would often mix prayer into their worship.
As to the Veil: the Gospels of Jesus Christ tell us that at the crucifixion of our Lord and Salvation Jesus Christ, the holy Son of God, and worth Lamb, “about 3 in the afternoon (that day) Jesus cried out to Father God… and when Jesus cried out again in a loud voice, He gave up His Spirit. At that moment the veil or curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and rocks split… (Matt. 27).” Paul said, to “anyone that turns to the LORD, the veil is taken away (2 Cor. 3:16).”
NOW, BEHOLD, of course, and with what words can I use to move our soul, spirit and body to understand that JESUS CHRIST, the HOLY SPIRIT, and the HOLY SCRIPTURES, along with Prayer and Sanctification (holiness, righteousness, pureness, repented from willful sin, walking in His way, clean), are a matter of life to the Christian, and a matter of eternal life to all mankind. However, we are speaking on Worship, so let us move into the Holy of Holies.
The Holy of Holies (Qodesh Ha-qadashim), the innermost and most sacred place in the ancient Tabernacle or Temple of Jerusalem. From the time of Moses to the destruction of the Temple, only the high priest of Israel could enter, and under certain pureness. And it was once a year, on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) that they entered and sprinkle the sacrificial animal blood on the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark of the Covenant (Aron Ha-berit) was a gold-plated wooden chest that housed Aaron’s staff and the two tablets of the Law (the Ten Commandments) given by God to Moses on a mountain top in the Sinai wilderness (Deut. 31:26; Num. 17:10).
The Ark of Covenant was most holy object; it represented the presence of God; even when the Israelites were transporting the Ark, a man stumbled and took hold of it and the Lord struck him down and he died. The Lord had specifically commanded through Moses, that only the Kohathites of the Levites could carry the Ark and that touching it would cause death (2 Samuel 6:1-7; Num. 4:15). The Ark was made an acacia wood overlaid with gold and had two winged cherubim on each side of the top. It has been called the ‘mercyseat (Exodus 26:34).’
Thus, we see that the Holy of Holies, place of the “Holy Spirit,” “the room behind the curtain” was as Moses said, “the Most Holy Place (Hebrews 9:3; 8).” Therefore, the Most Holy Place containing the Spirit of the Lord was the focus point for the highest form of worship. Now, of course, the Lamb of God – the Word – the Way, Truth and Life, King of kings is in Heaven, at the right hand as we say, of the Most High God, Him who sits on the Throne – God of gods. And thus, Heaven is the focus point of the most important worship.
The Most Important Worship (Section 2 of 3)
Who is the source of worship, the worshiper, the individual and conductor that worships; and in what compacity, form and place do they conduct this most important worship? First, understanding that “The LORD… is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish (eternally from His presence in Heaven), but desiring everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).” And thus, God has provided the way of salvation, “for God so loved us that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).”
However, belief is not enough, “you believe… Good. Even the demons believe (James 2:19; Matt. 25:41);” but “narrow is the way that leads to eternal life (Matt. 7:14)” and repentance and worship and confession for mankind of Jesus (Matt. 10:32) are requirements and character of the true Christian – or follower of Christ. God is just; yet, “God will bring into judgment both the righteous and the wicked… to judge every deed good or evil (Eccl. 3:17; 12:14).”
Now, the source is you, us, the individual sending their message to God. And we humans, of course, come with different mental and physical capacities, competencies and capabilities. We variety due to age, genetics, accidents, injuries, choices, abilities and disabilities. God is just and “the LORD searches the heart and examines the mind, to give each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve… each of us will give an account to God (Jeremiah 17:10; Roman 14:12).”
We understand by wisdom and logic that God’s justice and examination considers the different in a young child or an adult with dementia verses a young or old adult with the ability to make common choices. Likewise, one unable to knee or bow due to age or disability versus someone who simply choices not too. Additionally, the Lord has given various gifts and talents to all; nevertheless, the Holy Spirit is available to everyone.
Now, we humans, the worshiper, here referred to as the source of worship in communicating with God or the Lord Jesus, send our messages to Them (here referred to as the Receiver). However, there is a vast difficult in their reception versus human reception, regardless of technology. The LORD “knows when we sit down and when we rise… He knows our thoughts… where can we go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go to the heavens, You are there; If I make my bed in the depths, You are there… If I settle on the far side of the sea, even there You (are…; Psa. 139:2,7; 44:21, Isa. 66:18).”
The Transactional Model of Communication does not distinguish between the roles of source and receiver; it assumes that both people are simultaneously sources and receivers subjected to the same abilities and interferences. However, the Source – the individual person – though common to mankind, has unique abilities and disabilities, but the Receiver in this situation is the Lord God, Creator, Omniscient and Omnipotent Spirit. Thus, there is no interference to His reception of the message.
SO THE POINT is to those that have no choice in their ability to understand and worship God, He will be just in His judgments: To those only able to move their head or hand, but lift a finger or wink or bow their heads to the LORD, or who with the help of the Spirit use “wordless groans (Romans 8:26),” God will receive and delight in them if sincere and honoring the Most High.
AND, TO THOSE ABLE to lift their hands, bow, kneel, prostrate themselves, confess by words with or without song, to pray or groan or expressions in tongues, to sing or worship “with the Spirit and with the (earthly languages) understanding (1 Corinthians 14:15),” both in “your room… in secret (Matt. 6:6)” or “giving thanks and praise (and worship) in the great congregation or assembly (Psa. 35:18),” they have a choice to worship in Truth, they have the chance to seek and be filled with the Spirit of the Lord, and to WORSHIP the LORD GOD and our Lord and Salvation Jesus Christ. And they will be judge for whether they do so or not – nevertheless, “every knee will bow, of things in heaven and on earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Isa. 45:23; Phil. 2:10; Rom. 14:11; Rev. 1:7; 5:13).”
THUS, “O come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our Maker (Psa. 95:6).”
There will be a myriad of interferes, including: “spirits (of deception, anxiety, etc.; 1 John 4:1),” our own feelings or emotions and education and environments, the “philosophy and traditions of men (Col. 2:8),” “spiritual forces of this world (Col. 2:8)” and “powers and principalities and rulers of spiritual darkness in heavenly places (Eph. 6:12-).” Yet, we can be “more than conquerors (in worship and ‘all these things’) through Christ who loves and strengthens us (Rom. 8:37).”
THEN, as you do or develop a Worship life… as you Worship… more so… if you are able to find the Holy of Holies, that place of great spiritual communion and connection with God through the Spirit of God, then you will most certainly receive FEEDBACK from the LORD GOD.
The Most Important Worship (Section 3 of 3)
Lastly, a picture in Heaven, an encounter with Christ, and a few words on modern worship.
The Throne Room of Heaven
It does not get anymore worship than this: “Around the throne were… 24 elders… and from the Throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the Throne, which are the seven Spirits of God…. Four living creatures… did not rest day or night, saying: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!” And whenever the living creatures gave glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the 24 elders would fall down… saying: “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.” And… behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David (the Son of God, Jesus Christ)… (appeared) in the midst of the Throne… (as) a Lamb that had been slain… And when the Lamb came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the Throne… the 24 elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp (stringed instrument), and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints (righteous followers of Christ). And they sang: “You are worthy… for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood… and we shall reign on the earth.”
…And …millions of angels surrounded the Throne… worshiping with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!” And every creature in heaven and on earth… were saying: “Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the Throne and to the Lamb, forever and ever!” (Revelations chapters 4 & 5).”
NOTICE: who is worshipped: Almighty God and Jesus Christ. And how: with intense vocal thanksgiving, praise, worship, devotion; in Spirit and in Truth and sincerity; with physical reactions of bowing. We owe the Lord God and our King more than a weak gesture and a few words. “Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness (Psalm 29:2).”
An Encounter with Christ
“Jesus came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob (Israel) gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus, being wearied from His journey, sat by the well… A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, ‘Give Me a drink.’ …(She) said to Him, ‘How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?’ For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. Jesus answered…, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you Living Water’.”
“Then the woman said, ‘Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?’
“Jesus answered, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give will never thirst again. The water that I shall give will become in them a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.’
“The woman said to Him, ‘Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst…’ Jesus said to her, ‘Go, call you husband, and come here.’ “She said, ‘I have no husband.’ Jesus said, ‘You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.’ The woman said, ‘Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.’
“Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth’.”
“The woman said to Him, ‘I know that Messiah is coming; when He comes, He will tell us all things.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I who speak to you am He’.”
John 4:5-26 (the story continued about how the woman testified of Christ and many believed on Him).
There are so many lessons in this parable but see what is offered by Christ and what is required of us.
A word on modern worship
David played a harp before king Saul and “Saul would relax and feel better, and the evil spirit that tormented him would go away (1 Sam. 16:23).” “Paul and Silas prayed and sang hymns to God, while the other prisoners were listening to them. And an earthquake shook the foundations of the prison (Acts 16:25).” Of these are rarities, but it is not rare that our prayers and worship move God. And even if they did not, He is worthy to receive them. Moreover, as Jesus said, to the Pharisees who sought to quiet His disciples, “if they keep quiet, the rocks will cry out (Luke 19:39-40).”
Many have the preferences of music and styles and that in human. But many question modern worship because of certain sounds. An electric guitar is just an instrument; if electricity is from the devil then go back to candles, yet remember even the Throne Room in Heaven is filled with electricity of the highest magnitude – lightnings and thunder. A guitar is just a modified string instrument, kin to what David used in worship. The instrument does not have a spirit, human beings do. You can use a drum to carry trash or carry a beat; to call for battle or call to worship. Like a piano is a stringed instrument, and an electric or digital piano is just a modification. I personally hear a lot of the same type rifts and strumming and even banging sounds; and like all occupations, people have various skills and talents and blessings.
What is most important is the heart or spirit in the worship. We are drawn to those ‘skilled’ and blessed worship teams, but God “test the heart and minds” of all… and knows and loves the pure offering of worship, whether from a mute worshiper or an off-tuned one. Like many, I have an ear for great worship, but was not at all blessed with the ability to sing. However, I love to worship our God and King, and when among the congregation or assembly of the brethren, especially at large events, I can worship as lead by the Spirit of the Lord and not be a verbal distraction – I may be a visual distraction to some – because if the worship welcomes the presence of the Holy Spirit and is deep calling to deep, I will likely at some point kneel and even fall and bow down prostrating myself to Him who is worthy, to Him who sits on the Throne and the Lamb.
For more: WORSHIP: beyond Praise & Thanksgiving
Link to over 100 powerful and deep worship songs: INTENSE THRONE ROOM WORSHIP
The TRUTH SOURCE 