God knows how He wants to be worshiped. Do we?
The Law of God Miscellanies (11)
“You shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations which you shall dispossess served their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree. And you shall destroy their altars, break their sacred pillars, and burn their wooden images with fire; you shall cut down the carved images of their gods and destroy their names from that place. You shall not worship the LORD your God with such things.” Deuteronomy 12.2-4
Reflect and discuss.
1. How do we know how to worship God? That is, how do we know what is or is not appropriate to do in worship?
2. Do you suppose God might have a preferred way of being worshiped? Should we learn God’s way of worship, or are we free to worship Him any way we like?
Think about it.
The ESV has the better translation here: “You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way.” While the verb, עשה, means essentially “do” or “make,” the context is clearly dealing with worship, and the focus is not so much on things as on the waywe worship God.
God's people must not “do” or “make” worship the way pagan peoples do. There is a way to worship God, and He has revealed it in His Word. But we must not incorporate into divine worship any ways of worship which pagans employ, lest we insult the majesty and dignity of God.
In the days of ancient Israel, pagan worship was reductive, man-centered, immoral, irrational, and fruitless, because it was false. It centered on created things that were employed as means for gratifying human needs. Pagan gods were to be placated, so that they would do good to those who worshiped them. They were worshiped for what they could do for people, not what they had done, and much less for who they were (except insofar as what they were was related to what they could do for the worshipers).
Paganism today, though less formal in its rituals, and hardly conscious at all of the religious nature of its practices, is the same in many respects as paganism in the Old Testament. It reduces God to created things, which are sought, served, and savored for the benefits they confer, and not for any inherent worth they may possess (cf. Rom. 1.18ff). The “worship” of things or status or sensual pleasure or leisure or other forms of pagan deities involves whole-hearted devotion to such things, not because they are in themselves worthy of devotion, but because by devoting oneself to them, one finds – or hopes to find – satisfaction.
Thus, pagan “worship” is self-serving, shape-shifting – according to the pleasures of the moment – pragmatic, and vain. Its sole purpose is to please the worshiper, not the thing worshiped. For the thing worshiped itself exists for the one who pursues it, and not because it has any inherent value or worth.
Pagan ways have no place in the worship of God. We must make certain that, in our worship, we are practicing only those ways God commands or commends.
There is a way to worship God which, because it acknowledges His character, conforms to His will, and follows His prescriptions, can fulfill the purposes and promise of worship, which are to meet and honor God and to enter more fully into His blessing. He shows us the pattern of sound worship in His Word, beginning in the Law. Our duty is to discern, practice, and teach this pattern, at the same time making sure no pagan influences are introduced.
We must be careful and consistent in worshipping God, for only as we practice sound worship do we worship truly.
Meditate and discuss.
1. Meditate on Leviticus 10.1, 2. What happened here? What is the key phrase? Why did this happen? What are we supposed to learn from it?
2. How confident are you that the worship your church offers reflects a full understanding of what God is seeking from you in worship? Explain.
3. The Law warns us of what we must notdo in worshiping God. Should we expect it to guide us in what we should do? Such as?
“‘When the land shall have been given into your power’—he says first ‘into your power’ and so enjoins what is to be done—'then you shall destroy their altars and break in pieces their groves, and hew down all their images.”’When the power has not been given us, do not do it; when it is given, do not neglect it.” Augustine (354-430 AD)
I want to worship You truly, Lord, so show me…
Pray Psalm 95.1-11.
Use the words of this psalm to worship God. Which words tell you what to do? Which words tell you why to do it? What seems to be the end of worship?
Psalm 95.1-11 (Tidings: O Zion, Haste, Thy Mission High Fulfilling)
Come, let us sing with joy to God, our Savior!
Let us with joy to Him, our Rock, bow down!
Come now before Him, grateful for His favor;
Let joyful psalms break forth from all around.
Refrain v. 6
Come let us worship, kneel to our Lord;
Worship our Maker: Father, Holy Spirit, Word.
Great are You, Lord, a King above all nations.
All of earth’s depths lie hidden in Your hand.
Yours are the mountains, Yours the sea, You made it;
You by Your hands created the dry land.
Refrain
You are our God, we are Your sheep, Your people:
Speak, Lord, and let us hearken to Your Word.
Let not our hearts grow hard through sin, and feeble,
As when our fathers sinned against You, Lord.
Refrain
Long years You loathed that wicked generation,
Who in their hearts, rebelled against Your path.
Them You forsook, and kept from Your salvation;
Them You subjected to Your fearsome wrath.
Refrain
T. M. Moore
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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006.
