FOUNDATIONS OF WORSHIP PART 1

 It has been quite a while since I did any blogging. To my readers I apologise. I can only say that I keep fighting the good fight of faith. Any fight of faith is a good fight. But I have learnt so much over the period that I feel like bursting. My desire with the blogging is to encourage and build faith in Christ Jesus as our LORD AND SAVIOUR. 

I want to share with you what I learnt about worship. It is a good point to re-start. Understanding how to worship is foundational and necessary. I have discovered many Christians do not understand how to worship and what it really is. 

Worship proves our dedication to Him, our reverence, our love for Him, and shows that we chose Him and say "yes" to Him while denying self and others. The question now is "How can we love God and worship Him only?" 

To answer we refer to the scriptures. There are several words in the Bible used for worship so let us start there. Worship according to scripture has several meanings but you will find that It is more about obedience, submission and a life of sacrifice. 

The three main words used to mean worship are: "shachah" (Hebrew), "proskuneo" (Greek) and "abad" (Hebrew). However, I will include a few other words used.

Shachah is the most commonly used today but used only 172 times in the Bible. It means "to bow down" or "prostrate self". It is an act of submission to the authority of God as found in Genesis 22:5, “Stay here with the donkey,” Abraham told his servants. “The boy and I will go over there to worship, and then we will return to you.”

The Greek word for shachah is "proskuneo" and it is also the most commonly used in the New Testament. This is probably why most people think that worship is a show or display of submission. It means to "bow down", "kneel down", "kiss the hand". I have found that many people forget that along with the outward action there should be an inward adoration of God. 

A key verse is Romans 12:1, "Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship." Here "latreuo" (Greek) meaning "to serve" or "minister" is used. It highlights priestly service or spiritual service to God. 

The Hebrew version to "latreuo" is the verb "avad/abad" which is used about 290 times, to describe serving a master, tilling the ground, or worshipping God. There is a related noun "eved/ebed", meaning "servant," "slave," or "subject," which appears an additional 800 plus times. The noun "avodah/abodah" meaning "service," "labor," or "work", occurs about 145 times. This meaning is the most used in the Bible for worship. 

"Yare" is also used and it is Hebrew for "fear" and "awe". It is great reverence for God's sovreignty and greatness. The Greek version would be "sabomai" indicating that it is a permanent show of devotion.

Nowhere in the Bible does it say worship is to sing songs specifically. In fact in Luke 3, John the Baptist charged the Pharisees who were the spiritual leaders of the Jews with not producing fruit;

"Then John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The axe lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”" Luke 3:7-9 

When the "The crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” John replied, “Whoever has two tunics should share with him who has none, and whoever has food should do the same.” Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?” “Collect no more than you are authorized,” he answered. Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?” “Do not take money by force or false accusation,” he said. “Be content with your wages.” Luke 3:10-14

Worship is mostly about obedience and service. The first commission in the Bible is to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:28). In Matthew 23:13 Jesus says;

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let in those who wish to enter"

But if you read from verse 1-7 you will see why today many people focus on the outward action of demonstrating worship and not on having a ife of worship.

END TIMES ALMOST OVER

Jordan's King Abdullah said that his country
had been attacked by Iranian made drones

    In the next few weeks I want to focus on the end of times and I hope that is okay with you. So many of us want to learn more about this time that we are in. We have been hearing about the end for almost 2,000 years. From what I can tell it is the end of time, sinful life and the kingdoms of the earth. 

Praise God for giving us this time to work out our salvation. For centuries we have heard, Jesus is coming! But do you know that the end begins with Jesus? He is the beginning of the end. He is the fulfilment of Adam 

And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 1 Corinthians 15:45

This is how the New Testament started: 

God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 1 Hebrews 1:1-2

Jesus brought a new administration or phase. He fulfils Messianic Judaism and he taught a gospel for the Gentiles. As He started His ministry, we are told that the end is coming. 

John the Baptist said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” Matthew 3:2. Yes, he ushered in Jesus's ministry. He spoke of the Kingdom. The Kingdom as spoken of in Daniel 2:44

And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.

This prophesy has not happened as yet but it will soon. The Book of Revelation speaks of this kingdom. At the end of time after the tribulation the Kingdom of God will be fully established. Jesus's Lordship will no longer be in heaven only. His kingdom will not be simply on a personal level, it will be on a global scale.

Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” Revelation 11:15

Before the kingdom of God can be established for eternity, there are several events that occur. Here are the key events that define the end of times:

• tribulations
• pre-tribulation war Ezekiel 38
• alliance against Israel
• rapture
• new order 
• anti-Christ tribulation
• apocalypse
• the Second Coming
• 1000 year reign
• devil loosed
• eternal judgement
• the third beast
• the second beast
• the first beast

It is important to understand the setting that pushes or catapults the sequence of events. The pre-tribulation war will be because of economics or innovation. It may or may not be because of chaos but it will add to the chaos. The build up for the anti-Christ is the chaos or problems overwhelming mankind. This will be the reason he is popular and looked on as the solution to the problems.

Can you name some contributions to a chaotic world? All over the world people are crying out for against pain, poverty, freedom, rights and justice. Protests for different reasons are occurring globally. Here are some of the scenes:

Military troops surround the Parliament in Tunisia
July 26, 2021, photo sourced from Behold Israel

Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. Revelations 20:7-15

There will be only one King and one kingdom. King Abdullah would not have to worry about Iran and Iranian drones. After the final judgement there will be no more sin and no more time, only eternity.

Please do not think that you can be saved after the rapture or during tribulation. There are skeptics who think that they have to see the tribulation before they can believe Jesus is the Saviour or God. While this is possible it will be a very difficult life. In fact, when the Anti-Christ declares he is God, you will have to decide to accept Jesus as Saviour upon death. This is where the mark of the Beast comes in.

A little reality here. If you find it hard to believe now, it will be harder when you are faced with a life and death situation. During the tribulation, the evil will be great. Today there is so much wickedness. During the tribulation it will be worse. 

Thank you Father for waiting for us and for the plan of salvation. I pray every reader can submit to God with their whole heart. I pray that none will see the tribulation but will have eternal life with Christ.

If you have not accepted Jesus as your Lord and Saviour you may say this prayer;

Dear Heavenly Father,

I ask you to forgive my sins in knowledge or ignorance. Please forgive me. I accept Jesus as my Saviour. I ask that Jesus comes into my life as I live to be a witness for Him. Please change my life and make me into the person you want me to be, in Jesus name I pray. Thank you.

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