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Introduction - The Greatness of God Why Worship? Modern"Worship" The Meaning of "Worship" As Defined by Bible
The Hebrew Words Translated "Worship"
The Greek Words Translated "Worship" What Does it Mean to 'Serve' the Lord? Warning... God Can and Does Reject Worship In Spirit And In Truth Introduction - The Greatness of God
Ray Stedman expressed it perfectly when he said... "Prayer is our occupation with our human needs and problems. We come to God with our needs and ask him for his supply", and "Praise is the occupation of our minds with his blessings. We are thinking of all that God has done for us and give thanks for how he has blessed us". Worship is our occupation with God himself, with the greatness of his being. [01]
The apostle John penned these words in an impressive description of the Father's majesty And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads. Out from the throne come flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God; (Revelation 4:3-5 NASB)
What about us? For the most part we seem to have lost sight of the sheer majesty, grandeur, and infinite power of the Almighty. In our never ending downward spiral to the mundane we have replaced the loftiness and exaltedness of the One we claim to worship with what may be best described as an easygoing lightweight. As A.W. Tozer, an outspoken minister and author of more than 40 books, once said "In my opinion, the great single need of the moment is that light-hearted superficial religionists be struck down with a vision of God high and lifted up, with His train filling the temple. [02] The prophet Isaiah was certainly overwhelmed when one day in the temple he came face to face with a vision of the Ancient of Days. In the year of King Uzziah's death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called out to another and said, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory." And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke. (Isaiah 6:1-4 NASB) Note: Hebrew doesn't have any words to express comparison therefore the threefold repetition expresses superlative. Also See Revelation 4:8
One would have to be dead inside not to be as struck by the grandeur of this scene as Isaiah Was. His reaction to what he saw and heard? Then I said, "Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts." (Isaiah 6:5 NASB)
Like Isaiah our reaction to a true understanding of the Ancient of Days should bring us to our knees overcome with the realization of our own 'smallness' and sinfulness. Wonder, awe, and humility, at the grandeur, infinite power, and sheer majesty of the transcendent God and should be a significant part of every believer's life.
Why Worship?
The simple answer is that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is the only one being is worthy of it. The questions God asked Job say it all.. Read them slowly allowing the words to sink in and allow yourself to visualize the scenarios God was describing.
"Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding, Who set its measurements? Since you know. Or who stretched the line on it? "On what were its bases sunk? Or who laid its cornerstone, When the morning stars sang together And all the sons of God shouted for joy? "Or who enclosed the sea with doors When, bursting forth, it went out from the womb; When I made a cloud its garment And thick darkness its swaddling band, And I placed boundaries on it And set a bolt and doors, And I said, 'Thus far you shall come, but no farther; And here shall your proud waves stop'? "Have you ever in your life commanded the morning, And caused the dawn to know its place, That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, And the wicked be shaken out of it? "It is changed like clay under the seal; And they stand forth like a garment. "From the wicked their light is withheld, And the uplifted arm is broken. "Have you entered into the springs of the sea Or walked in the recesses of the deep? "Have the gates of death been revealed to you, Or have you seen the gates of deep darkness? "Have you understood the expanse of the earth? Tell Me, if you know all this. "Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And darkness, where is its place, That you may take it to its territory And that you may discern the paths to its home? "You know, for you were born then, And the number of your days is great! " Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, Or have you seen the storehouses of the hail, Which I have reserved for the time of distress, For the day of war and battle? "Where is the way that the light is divided, Or the east wind scattered on the earth? "Who has cleft a channel for the flood, Or a way for the thunderbolt, To bring rain on a land without people, On a desert without a man in it, To satisfy the waste and desolate land And to make the seeds of grass to sprout? "Has the rain a father? Or who has begotten the drops of dew? "From whose womb has come the ice? And the frost of heaven, who has given it birth? "Water becomes hard like stone, And the surface of the deep is imprisoned. "Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades, Or loose the cords of Orion? "Can you lead forth a constellation in its season, And guide the Bear with her satellites? "Do you know the ordinances of the heavens, Or fix their rule over the earth? "Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, So that an abundance of water will cover you? "Can you send forth lightnings that they may go And say to you, 'Here we are'? "Who has put wisdom in the innermost being Or given understanding to the mind? "Who can count the clouds by wisdom, Or tip the water jars of the heavens, (Job 38:4-37 NASB)
And the God who accomplished all that (and plenty more) is the same God who sent His son to die a horrible death so that man can be spared from the penalty for his own sins and inherit eternal life in His perfect kingdom. See Salvation And What and Where is Heaven? It is no wonder that the author of Chronicles wrote. Sing to the Lord, all the earth; Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day. Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples. For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; He also is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols, But the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before Him, Strength and joy are in His place. Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name; Bring an offering, and come before Him; Worship the Lord in holy array. Tremble before Him, all the earth; Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved. Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; And let them say among the nations, "The Lord reigns." (1 Chronicles 16:23-31 NASB)
Modern"Worship"
Many modern Christians seem to believe that worship is restricted to Sunday mornings... the word "worship" itself seems to conjure up images of a group of believers, singing, praying, and praising God. In fact, it is quite common for Christians to refer to the Sunday morning church meeting as a "worship service".
Is "worship" the primary reason why Christians are supposed to meet?
See The Church... Then and Now - Chapter III - Why Christians Assemble Together In today's church 'worship' is either traditional or contemporary. Some believers lean towards more formal form of worship which involves certain rituals. Others approach worship in a free and unceremonious fashion often looking for "worship" that is alive and inspiring - many working themselves into a state of fervor believing that the more intense their emotions get, the more they can let themselves go to the music and lyrics of the song, the more real and relevant their "worship" is. It is true that hymns and songs of praise were not unknown in the New Testament... After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. (Matthew 26:30 NASB) But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; (Acts 16:25 NASB) speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; (Ephesians 5:19 NASB) Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (Colossians 3:16 NASB)
However, while the singing of hymns can be incorporated into genuine worship, the Biblical meaning of worship is far more than songs of praise. Like so many other words in the Christian vocabulary, "worship" can become a meaningless cliché if we do not take the time to consider what exactly the Bible means by worship. Since all too many seem to have confused tradition with true worship, the question that has to be answered is what exactly is "worship".
The Meaning of "Worship" As Defined by Bible
The word 'worship' is usually defined on the basis of the English word "worship" derived from the Old English weordhscipe that means the "condition of being worthy". The original sense is preserved in the title "worshipful" inasmuch as someone with the title of 'worshipful' is considered worthy of honor and respect etc. [03]
Thus most English speakers understand word 'worship' as the reverence offered a divine being or supernatural power and/or the act of expressing such reverence (ceremonies, prayer etc.). While there is no question that above all others God is worthy of honor and respect, there is a little more to the Hebrew and Greek terms translated "worship" that just someone who is "worthy". It takes some study of these terms to come to a more complete understanding of what the Bible means when it says "worship". Although a critical study, it is not a very complicated one.
The Hebrew Words Translated "Worship"
The word "worship" in the English Old Testament has virtually always been translated from one of two Hebrew words. The first is
1) shâchâh, used some 220 times in the Old Testament has been variously rendered "worship", "bow down", "prostrate", or "homage. However, several verses make it very clear that shâchâh was some form of physical prostration (regardless of whom one is bowing down to) The book of Proverbs uses it as an expression of heaviness or weight (all emphasis added)
Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening as Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed (shâchâh) down with his face to the ground. Genesis 19:1 NASB) But he himself passed on ahead of them and bowed down (shâchâh) to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. (Genesis 33:3 NASB) "The sons of those who afflicted you will come bowing (shâchâh) to you, And all those who despised you will bow (shâchâh) themselves at the soles of your feet; And they will call you the city of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. (Isaiah 60:14 NASB) Anxiety in a man's heart weighs it down (shâchâh) , But a good word makes it glad. (Proverbs 12:25 NASB)
Bearing in mind that we almost always use the word "worship" as reverence offered a divine being, shâchâh could not be translated "worship" in Genesis 23:7 when Abraham asked for and was granted a burial plot for Sarah from the sons of Heth. Then Abraham rose from before his dead, and spoke to the sons of Heth, saying, "I am a stranger and a sojourner among you; give me a burial site among you that I may bury my dead out of my sight." The sons of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him, "Hear us, my lord, you are a mighty prince among us; bury your dead in the choicest of our graves; none of us will refuse you his grave for burying your dead. So Abraham rose and bowed (shâchâh) to the people of the land, the sons of Heth. " (Genesis 23:3-7 NASB)
Abraham certainly did not "worship" these people. Heth was Canaan's son (Genesis 10:15) and his tribe became the Hittites who the Lord said He would utterly destroy along with the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Jebusites etc. See Exodus 23:23. Abraham bowing to them was a form of respect in the Middle East as was the sons of Heth calling Abraham "my lord.” Similarly, in the following verses Jacob did not "worship" Esau nor did Moses "worship" his father in law. Their 'worship' was a purely a physical act of respect different - forms of which are seen in India and many middle eastern countries to this day. But he himself (Jacob) passed on ahead of them and bowed (shâchâh) down to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. (Genesis 33:3 NASB) Then Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and he bowed down (shâchâh) and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare and went into the tent. (Exodus 18:7 NASB)
Because one can bow down to another without "worshipping" them (as we understand the term), the NASB added the words "in worship" to Genesis 47:31 (below), so that it is understood that Jacob was bowing down to God. He said, "Swear to me." So he swore to him. Then Israel bowed (shâchâh) in worship at the head of the bed. (Genesis 47:31 NASB) (The italics means that the words were not in the original Hebrew, but were added for clarification)
2) âbad, literally means to work (in any sense) including working on the land. therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate (âbad) the ground from which he was taken. (Genesis 3:23 NASB) Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, 'Leave us alone that we may serve (âbad) the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve (âbad) the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness." (Exodus 14:12 NASB) If you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve (âbad) for six years; but on the seventh he shall go out as a free man without payment. (Exodus 21:2 NASB) You shall work (âbad) six days, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during plowing time and harvest you shall rest. (Exodus 34:21 NASB)
âbad was also used in association with the temple rituals. For instance... "Only the Levites shall perform (âbad) the service (abôdâh) of the tent of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity; it shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations, and among the sons of Israel they shall have no inheritance. (Numbers 18:23 NASB)
Although âbad has only been translated into the English "worship" less than 15 times out of the 300 times it appears in the Old Testament, one has to wonder why it was ever done so. Note: There are several instance in the Old Testament where both words - âbad and shâchâh are used together in the same sentence. Remembering that shâchâh means to physically prostrate oneself, the people were often warned not to serve or bow down before other gods/graven images. "You shall not worship (shâchâh) them or serve (âbad) them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, (Exodus 20:5 NASB) And beware not to lift up your eyes to heaven and see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, and be drawn away and worship (shâchâh) them and serve (âbad) them, those which the LORD your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven. (Deuteronomy 4:19 NASB) "But if you or your sons indeed turn away from following Me, and do not keep My commandments and My statutes which I have set before you, and go and serve (âbad) other gods and worship (shâchâh) them, (1 Kings 9:6 NASB) and do not go after other gods to serve (âbad) them and to worship (shâchâh) them, and do not provoke Me to anger with the work of your hands, and I will do you no harm.' (Jeremiah 25:6 NASB
(Note that graven images are simply the physical representation of spiritual beings See Idol Worship... The Spirits Behind The Idols
The Greek Words Translated "Worship"
proskuneo
In the New Testament, the word "worship" has been overwhelmingly translated from the Greek proskuneo derived from pros ("towards"), and kuneo ("to kiss"). In other words, proskuneo means to to do homage, make obeisance, kneel or prostrate oneself, in order to in order to express respect or to make supplication. As said by the web site biblestudytools.com...
Used to designate the custom of prostrating oneself before a person and kissing his feet, the hem of his garment, the ground, etc.; the Persians did this in the presence of their deified king, and the Greeks before a divinity.” [04] Yet, in about 60 occurrences of proskuneo in the New Testament it was only in a handful of cases that it was rendered "bow down" or "prostrate". For example.. And a leper came to Him and bowed down (proskuneo) before Him, and said, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." (Matthew 8:2 NASB) So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated (proskuneo) himself before him, saying, 'Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.' (Matthew 18:26 NASB) Note: the fact that the phrase "to the ground" was put into italics in the NASB, means that it did not exist in the original text, but was added for clarity. Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus with her sons, bowing down (proskuneo) and making a request of Him. (Matthew 20:20 NASB) They kept beating His head with a reed, and spitting on Him, and kneeling and bowing (proskuneo) before Him. (Mark 15:19 NASB) Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie--I will make them come and bow down (proskuneo) at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you. (Revelation 3:9 NASB)
Because the general idea of worship that we hold today is so far removed from the literal meaning of the Greek word proskuneo translating it into "worship" makes certain verses very bewildering. For example, the KJV version of Mark 15:19 says the soldiers spat on Jesus, and "bowing their knees worshipped him" which is a contradiction in terms. You don't spit on something you worship. Seeking to clarify this the NASB says the soldiers were mocking Jesus as "King of the Jews" ... by kneeling and bowing to Him. (Vs. 18-20) All of which could have been averted if proskuneo had always been translated "bow down" or prostrate which is what the word literally means.
latreia
However, there are two other Greek words, both used rather sparingly in the New Testament. Used a mere 8 times latreia means "service" which reflects the concept of the Hebrew âbad. In the following verse the priests were physically performing the acts of worship which God had instructed them to do. Now when these things have been so prepared, the priests are continually entering the outer tabernacle performing the divine worship (latreia). (Hebrews 9:6 NASB)
Latreia was also used in two other well known verses, both of which show physical action Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship (latreia). (Romans 12:1 NASB). "They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service (latreia) to God. (John 16:2 NASB)
Just as âbad (serve) and shâchâh (prostrate), were used together in some sentences in the Old Testament... "You shall not worship (shâchâh) them or serve (âbad) them (Exodus 20:5) ('them' being other gods/graven images), Jesus used both proskuneo and latreuo in the same sentence (latreia is derived from latreuo) Then Jesus said to him, "Go, Satan! For it is written, 'you shall worship (proskuneo) the Lord your God, and serve (latreuo) Him only.'" (Matthew 4:10 NASB)
Obviously although serve and bow down before mean different things they are two sides of one coin. sebomai
The Greek words sebomai used ten times in the New Testament means to venerate or revere. In the NASB it has been translated worship (Matthew 15:9, Mark 7:7, Acts 18:13, 19:27), worshiper (Acts 16:14, 18:7), devout (Acts 13:50), or God-fearing (Acts 13:43, 17:4, 7:17). A derivative, sebazomai is used once (Romans 1:15) where it is translated "worshiped"
Summary...
The English word "worship" has largely been translated from the Hebrew
âbad - to work (in any sense); by implication to serve,
shâchâh, - to prostrate, or bow down, or fall flat,
and the Greek proskuneo - to do homage, or make obeisance...to kneel or prostrate oneself,
latreia - to serve,
sebomai - to venerate or revere.
Thus when you put it all together the Bible tells us that to worship God is to "work" for or "serve" Him with an attitude of deference, humility and reverence. A mental prostration, if you will. Joshua warned the people... "Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God and walk in all His ways and keep His commandments and hold fast to Him and serve (âbad) Him with all your heart and with all your soul." (Joshua 22:5 NASB)
Serving Him with all your heart and soul cannot be limited to a couple of hours on a Sunday morning. So...
What Does it Mean to 'Serve' the Lord?
Wrongly Separating The "Spiritual" and The Secular
Many consider serving the Lord as doing something related to religion and church... attendance at weekly church services, the giving of tithes and offerings etc. However, we cannot compartmentalize our lives but have to serve the Lord wherever we are and what ever we happen to be doing.
Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31 NASB) Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. (Colossians 3:23-24 NASB)
The Bible has some very illuminating examples of what it describes as service to the Lord. How the Prophet Daniel Served The Lord.
Remember king Nebuchadnezzar's words to Daniel before he was forced to throw him into the den of lions. He said Then the king gave orders, and Daniel was brought in and cast into the lions' den. The king spoke and said to Daniel, "Your God whom you constantly serve will Himself deliver you." (Daniel 6:16 NASB)
And, as we all know, God did protect Daniel from the lions, but is what Daniel did that was counted as serving God? The book tells us of several things... Daniel and his three friends refused to eat of meat forbidden by Mosaic law, although their daily ration was from the king's choice food and from the wine which he drank Chapter 1). They refused to serve the Babylonian gods, not fall down and worship the huge golden image that the king had made although they were commanded to by the king himself who threatened them that they would be burned alive if they did not do so. (Chapter 3) They refused to obey the injunction that, for thirty days, anyone who made a petition to any god or man besides the king, would be cast into a lions' den. Even though Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously. (Chapter 6).
In summary, Daniel and his friends put the Lord and His word well ahead of any other considerations including their own lives. Everything they did was in simple obedience to the Lord's commands from not eating forbidden meat and not serving any other Gods to praying only to Yahweh. In other words... obedience. Jesus also reminded us that "No servant can serve (douleuo) two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve (douleuo) God and wealth." (Luke 16:13 NASB)
In this respect "serve" literally or figuratively means to be a slave to. Either God controls what you say and do and the decisions you make, or money does. It cannot be both ways.
A Warning... God Can and Does Reject Worship
We live in an age where everything is either designed to appeal to our emotions, amuse us, and/or ensure we are having fun... a superficial mindset that has tragically spilled over into the modern church. What often passes for corporate worship today is little more than an "emotional high" passed off as genuine worship on Sunday mornings. Contrary to what we seem to believe, God will not accept anything we happen to offer... even if we happen to think it is fitting and good. In fact, He may consider some of our worship meaningless and even despicable.
Music, verbal praise, and the many "amens" and "Hallelujahs" all of which may appear as very successful worship to us may not even be considered worship by the Lord simply because because He looks much deeper than what might be surface expressions. On more than one occasion He made it very clear that the offerings, the feasts and festivals, solemn assemblies, music, and even prayer had become a burden to Him. "What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me?" Says the LORD. "I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle; And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs or goats. "When you come to appear before Me, Who requires of you this trampling of My courts? "Bring your worthless offerings no longer, Incense is an abomination to Me. New moon and Sabbath, the calling of assemblies-- I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly. "I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts, They have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them. "So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; Yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood. "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow. (Isaiah 1:11-17 NASB)
Think about that for a moment. Is it possible that you return from church on Sunday morning happy at how much you sang His praises and how good the 'worship' was but was blissfully unaware that the Lord turned His face away from you and did not accept your worship. Worse, He asked why you dared to tread His courts with your hollow and worthless offerings and music He did not even want to hear? "I hate, I reject your festivals, Nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies. "Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them; And I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fatlings. "Take away from Me the noise of your songs; I will not even listen to the sound of your harps. "But let justice roll down like waters And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. (Amos 5:21-24 NASB)
In short, acceptance and approval has nothing to do with mere outward forms. Unless accompanied by godliness our religious ceremonies are worthless. See What Is Holiness
Too many modern day teachers say "just believe" -
the Bible says "Pursue... holiness, without which no one will see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14). Who are you going to believe? So, what does it take to ensure that our worship is not rejected and the Lord takes pleasure in it? The answer is perfectly summed up in the 15th chapter of 1 Samuel Saul
In the book of I Samuel the Lord told king Saul to strike the Amalekites and utterly destroy man and beast (Vs.3) because of how they treated the nation of Israel as they were on their way out of Egypt (Vs.2). However, Saul did not obey and "spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good" (Vs 9) with the excuse that the people had taken "some of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the choicest of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord your God at Gilgal". This is when the prophet Samuel told king Saul "Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. "For rebellion is as the sin of divination, And insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being king." (1 Samuel 15:22-23 NASB)
Note that the people supposedly took the best of the sheep and oxen to offer in sacrifice to the Lord, which they obviously considered the right thing to do. However, the bottom line is that they, with the tacit approval of their king, disobeyed the Lord... something He did not take lightly. He did not overlook their disobedience because they intended to sacrifice the sheep to Him but, because they were a nation under a king He held Saul responsible. This is a lesson that all Christians need to take to heart. Simply professing Christ as Lord, attending church, reading the latest "Christian" book, or attending the never ending "Christian" conferences (whatever those are), or drinking your coffee from a mug marked with a Bible verse, will do nothing for you. We can come to church and sing our hearts out. We can praise Him to the high heavens and our "Amens" and "Hallelujahs"can shake the rafters. But, unless we are obedient to his commandments, all we have done is waste our time... and His. To quote Sandy Simpson once again... "The next time you go to church, raise your hands, and shout out to the Lord in "worship" keep in mind that He also expects you to live that worship out in real life. Don't bring your excuses with you as Saul did thinking that your mere act of worship will be pleasing to God and will absolve you of your sin".
To obey is all important and takes precedence over everything else. If we do not do obey His commands regardless of how much we sing and dance every Sunday, we will hear the same words that Saul did..."The Lord has rejected you". (1 Samuel 15: 23 and 26)
Also See Aaron’s Sons - Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
One of the more inexplicable events in the Bible was when Aaron’s two eldest sons Nadab and Abihu, were struck dead by the Lord because they violated one of the Lord’s very specific instructions. However, the two younger brothers, Eleazar and Ithamar, and very likely Aaron as well, deliberately disobeyed God's instructions, but were not struck down. In fact, God blessed their lives and the lives of their descendants. Why? Why did two perish and two prosper?
In Spirit And In Truth
There is another aspect of worship which Jesus Himself told us about in His conversation with the woman He spoke to at the well of Samaria. But first a little background... The Samaritans were descendants of intermarriage between the Hebrews who were not deported after the fall of the Northern Kingdom in 722 BC, and heathens from other lands who were brought in to replaced the dispersed Israelites (2 Kings 17:23-24). The Jews of the Southern Kingdom of Judah therefore considered them half-breeds. It is believed that the Samaritans were among those who offered to help rebuild the temple after the Babylonian captivity (Ezra 4:2-3), but were rebuffed. The Samaritans differed from the Jews in several key ways. For example, they believed their line of priests were legitimate and accepted only the Pentateuch as authoritative (the Prophets and Writings were not considered divinely inspired). The relationship between the two nations was definitely strained especially after the Samaritans constructed their own temple on Mount Gerizim.
When the Samaritan woman who perceived Jesus to be a prophet, asked Him to solve a long standing disagreement between the Samaritans and the Jews as to whether Jerusalem or Mount Gerizim was the right place for the temple, Jesus' reply was "Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. "You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. "But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. (John 4:19-23 NASB)
Jesus said there are "true worshipers" which, by implication, means there are false worshipers. Men cannot worship God any way they choose. True worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. In Spirit: The hour was coming when the place would not matter... men no longer had to go to the right place to find God's presence but would have to go to the right person... Jesus Christ. External worship in the form of rites and ceremonies mean nothing. All that counts is when the body and soul, mind and heart are offered to God as a living sacrifice. Christ said the greatest of the two most important commandments in the Law (upon which all the others hung) was that we should love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind.' (Matthew 22:36-37. In other words, only the human spirit transformed by the New Birth can worship in a way that pleases God. As Paul told the Romans... and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. (Romans 8:8-9 NASB)
Born Again
These days, almost everyone talks about being born again; but virtually no one knows what the Word of God teaches about the new birth. While you don’t have to do all things people think they must do... get an education, get married, have children, carve out a career etc, and you don’t have to have all of the things people think they must have ...a home, a car etc... The one thing you have to do during your lifetime is be born again... your future for an entire eternity hangs on it. In Truth: The second phrase Jesus used was that the Father had to be worshipped "in truth" which is particularly significant in this day and age of great apostasy. Men can only worship God in truth... which means the God we worship must not only be the true God, but has to be worshipped in accordance with what He has divinely revealed in His Word. Worship that is not Scripturally accurate, but consistently deviates from the Word of God, is meaningless. Unfortunately, our entertainment oriented, anti-intellectual, often lazy and superficial culture, that wants everything including religion, in pre-digested convenient little packages, is giving less and less heed to in-depth Biblical study and understanding which leads to right doctrine (The word "doctrine" comes from from the Latin doctrina, which simply means instruction or teaching). I The logical thinking part of our brains has been bypassed in favor of what we feel - what we experience. See Theology and Doctrine The Father is not seeking any old worshipers but a particular kind of worshiper... one who meets these two criteria.
Authentic Worship
has to begin with a vision of the authentic God not the superficial lightweight that presides over too many of our modern churches.
If our vision of God is that of Him "high and lifted up, with His train filling the temple". If we constantly hear the voices of the seraphim proclaiming that "the whole earth is full of His glory". If we never lose sight of the warning given us by the author of Hebrews who said, "It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (10:31). If we follow in the footsteps of the prophet Daniel who served and worshipped the Lord by putting Him first and obeying His commandments...
It is pretty certain that our worship is pleasing to Him. If not, regardless of how much we sing and dance every Sunday, we will hear the same words that Saul did..."The Lord has rejected you". (1 Samuel 15: 23 and 26) End Notes
[01] Why Worship? by Ray C. Stedman. https://www.ldolphin.org/worship-brh.html [02] A.W. Tozer, Keys to the Deeper Life (Grand Rapids, Mich.:Zondervan, 1957), 87-88 [03] https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=worship [04] Bauer, Danker, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and other Early Christian Literature, (Chicago, Illinois: The University of Chicago Press, 2000), page 882.] As quoted on the page https://calvaryroadbaptist.church/sermons/00-05/sermon__revelation_14.9-10.htm#_ftn1 | 
