A Vision of Worship

The fifth in A Biblical Vision series is the vision of Worship.

The Bible teaches and describes many things about the worship of God.  True worship will rise up out of a heart and mind that is consumed with God, both from hearing the truth of God in Scripture and also from receiving the grace of Christ in our lives.

Ge.2:2-3, "And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.  So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation."

- We see that God created a day of rest from labor, and even God rested from his creation work.  God created the seventh day for His worship.

Ex.15:1-2, "Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord, saying, I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.  The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him."

- In the Exodus, the Lord intervened and destroyed the Egyptian army in the Red Sea.  The Israelites were filled with jubilation and worshiped the Lord.

Ex.20:1-3, 8, 11, "And God spoke all these words, saying, I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.  You shall have no other gods before me ... Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy ... For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day.  Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy."

- God proclaims that He is the Lord God, and He brought the Israelites out of slavery, and then gives them His Law.  God gives us instruction on worship of Him.

2Sa.22:1-2, "And David spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul.  He said, The Lord is my rock and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence.

- David was delivered from the hand of Saul and certain destruction.  He thus worships the Lord for His glory and his own salvation.

Ps.16:8-11, "I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.  Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.  For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.  You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.  

- David exalts the Lord in worship because God will not abandon him to the grave.  David is filled with joy, and sees the pleasures of the Lord are forevermore.

Ps.33:1-3, "Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous!  Praise befits the upright.  Give thanks to the Lord with lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!  Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings with loud shouts."

- David the Psalmist instructs us to praise the Lord.  We are to praise Him with instruments, and play a new song, with loud shouts.  Because God is our Savior!

Ps. 86:11-13, "Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.  I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.  For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol."

- David prays that God would teach us the way of truth.  And because God’s love is steadfast he glorifies His name forever.

Ps. 150:1-2, "Praise the Lord!  Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens!  Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness!

- All through the Bible there is worship to God for God's greatness.  Everything is God centered and based upon the knowledge of God.  This is theocentric worship.

Is.6:1-4, "In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.  Above him stood the seraphim.  Each had six wings; with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.  And one called to another and said: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!  And the foundations shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke."

- Isaiah sees the most amazing vision of the holiness of God.  In turn this causes us to see our sinfulness and we can only respond in exalted worship for God’s salvation.

Mt.17:5-6, "(Jesus) was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.  When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified."

- When people are in the presence of God, people fall down in worship and fear.  There is no casual worship of God in the Bible.

Jn.4:23-24, "But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.  God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."

- Jesus teaches us that we must worship in spirit and truth.  We must guard against a worship that leads to an emotional or man centered orientation.

1Ti.6:15-16, "(He) who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see.  To him be honor and eternal dominion.  Amen."

- Paul concludes his first letter to Timothy with a doxology because of the magnitude of the glory of the Lord.  This is the summation and essence of the true worship to God.

Re.4:11, "“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."

- When we come to see God for who He truly is, it changes everything, and we live our lives in worship to Him.  God is worthy of our worship in our whole lives.

We cannot help but worship God when we come to know Him, and for receiving His grace and blessings.  In our consciences we know that He is the God of creation and worthy of worship.  Augustine acknowledged that we were created for worship and "our hearts are restless until we do."