What does it mean to worship? There are so many views on the subject. How do we determine what is considered worship? Let's start with these explanations of worship:
The primary Hebrew word for worship, Shachah means "to depress, i.e. prostrate (in homage to royalty or God): bow (self) down, crouch, fall down (flat), humbly beseech, do (make) obeisance, do reverence, make to stoop, worship."
Three Greek words used to define worship are: Proskuneo - "meaning to kiss, like a dog licking his master's hand), to fawn or crouch to, homage (do reverence to, adore): worship." It occurs 59 times in the New Testament. It originally carried with it the idea of subjects falling down to kiss the ground before a king or kiss their feet. Sebomai - "to reverence, hold in awe." Used 10 times in the New Testament. Latreuo - "to render religious service of homage." Used 21 times in the New Testament.
The English word for worship means to ascribe worth to something.
Now let's move on to my thoughts:
I have often said that obedience is the purest form of worship, for without it, any act considered to be worship is useless. In other words, we can be doing all the so called right things and still not be worshippers. Let's take a look at the story found in 1 Samuel 15:2-23:
This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.’" So Saul summoned the men and mustered them at Telaim— two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men from Judah. Saul went to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the ravine. Then he said to the Kenites, "Go away, leave the Amalekites so that I do not destroy you along with them; for you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt." So the Kenites moved away from the Amalekites. Then Saul attacked the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, to the east of Egypt. He took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword. But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs— everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed. Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel: "I am grieved that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions." Samuel was troubled, and he cried out to the LORD all that night. Early in the morning Samuel got up and went to meet Saul, but he was told, "Saul has gone to Carmel. There he has set up a monument in his own honor and has turned and gone on down to Gilgal." When Samuel reached him, Saul said, "The LORD bless you! I have carried out the LORD’s instructions." But Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?" Saul answered, "The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the LORD your God, but we totally destroyed the rest." "Stop!" Samuel said to Saul. "Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night." "Tell me," Saul replied. Samuel said, "Although you were once small in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel. And he sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; make war on them until you have wiped them out.’ Why did you not obey the LORD? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the LORD?" "But I did obey the LORD," Saul said. "I went on the mission the LORD assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God at Gilgal." But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king."
This is a prime example of what I am referring to when I speak about obedience in regard to worship. In this passage Saul tried to justify his partial obedience by saying they were going to use the animals for worship sacrifices. That clearly wasn't what God had instructed him to do. And we all know that partial obedience is still disobedience in the eyes of God. Saul rejected the word of the Lord. As a result, he was rejected as King. To obey is better than sacrifice.
In Amos 5:21-24 it says:
"I hate, I despise your religious feasts; I cannot stand your assemblies. Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!
So why were their religious feasts and offerings despised by God? Weren't these considered acts of worship? They were despised because they oppressed the righteous and were taking bribes and depriving the poor of justice in the courts. Proverbs 21:3 says: "To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice." God would have much rather had them treat others right than to have some ritualistic act of worship. Their hearts were far from Him.
Romans 12:1 tells us: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God— this is your spiritual act of worship."
Offering our bodies as living sacrifices means putting God's priorities above our own. It means obeying His commands and doing what is pleasing in His sight; sacrificing our ways in order to live according to His way. He views this as a spiritual act of worship. Wow! Isn't that incredible? By doing what God wants us to do we are considered worshippers. I like that. This takes a lot of pressure off of me when I come into the house of God to worship with other believers. I don't have to DO any specific act to be considered a worshipper. My lifestyle is the act that determines worship.
So, does this mean that our acts of worship at church are not really worship? No, it doesn't mean that at all. As long as our heart motives are pure, and we are consistently walking in obedience to God's commands, our expressions are an overflow of a lifestyle of worship. Those expressions may include bowing and other outward displays. But the act itself is not what constitutes worship. It requires relationship with God, and a pure heart.
I was thinking about the story of the wise men and how they were traveling to see Jesus when he was born. They rejoiced when they saw the star. There was an excitement at the anticipation of being in the presence of the Messiah. They were joyful. Once they were actually in His presence they paid honor to Him. Or another way of putting it is they ascribed worth to Him. They fell to the ground and worshipped. They also offered gifts. What they didn't do was ask for something. Now right about now I can hear some of you grumbling....many believe that God will grant things like healing and deliverance in times of intense worship. And while this may be true, our focus should not be on what we might get from God, but rather on what we can give to God. Also, let me make another point here....the wise men were excited about being in the presence of Jesus...we have Jesus living on the inside of us. So this tells me that we should have an excitement about God in our every day lives. And while we may not always be in a position to bow before the Lord, we are to be humble before Him.
Okay, so there are a few of the thoughts I have on worship. I could say so much more, but will close for now.
Until next time...
~jan~
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