As I've watched the news this week with the uprising in Egypt, it was interesting to see how when it came time for the Muslims to worship, they immediately stopped their protesting and fell to their knees. This got me to wondering about the form of Christian worship we've been taught to practice. Is going to church, singing, praying, standing, clapping hands, reading the Bible, sitting quietly, taking an offering, (just to name a few) - really what God means by the word "worship"? Has the Apostasy and the false teaching in our churches of "Lawless Grace" taken us away from the heart of worship?
In order to answer that question, I immediately turned to the Bible, God's Word. Because it is written in Hebrew (the Old Testament) and Greek (the New Testament), that meant getting out my Strong's Concordance and looking up the word "Worship" in those two languages. What I found out totally surprised me!! There are only three Hebrew words in the Old Testament that refer to worship. The main word, "shachah" is mentioned 55 times and means to "prostrate oneself, bow down, fall down flat, or make to stoop." The other two Hebrew words have the same meaning as well. I was rather fearful as I approached the New Testament's Greek word for "worship". Again, the main Greek word for worship is "proskuneo" which means to "crouch, or to prostrate oneself in homage." This word is used 34 times! Lastly, I went to my Webster's Dictionary and looked up the word "prostrate". It's definition is "to throw flat on the ground, lying flat, crushed, submissive, overcome."
I'm sure I don't have to tell you just how HUMBLING it is to get down on your knees with your face to the floor, or better yet - lying down FLAT on the floor with your face down. Yet, religions all around the world are able to humble themselves in that way for their FALSE gods. We Christians belong to the TRUE and LIVING God and yet we can't even get down on our knees to pray!
As you read your Bible through this year and see the word, "worship", remind yourself that it's true meaning is "to prostrate myself by falling down flat or bowing down." "Lawless Grace" in our churches today says Jesus is a God of love and forgiveness so we as Christians just don't need to be that extreme in our worship of Him. He will surely understand how embarrassing that posture can be for us. Right? WRONG!! Jesus is coming back very soon and He has promised that when He comes back, "That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow , of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth." (Philippians 2:10) God clarifies it even more in I Corinthians 14:25: "...and so falling down on his face, he will worship God..."
One last verse I must share with you before closing is 2 Chronicles 7:14 because it is a favorite of Christians in these last days as they seek a church revival:
"If My people who are called by My Name will HUMBLE themselves and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:14)
The Hebrew word for "Humble" is "kana" which means "to bend the knee; to humiliate; to bring down low." Sounds like "prostrate" doesn't it? Do you really desire a church revival in our land? Then join me and others this year as we "prostrate" ourselves before the One and Only True God - Jesus Christ!! Here's a great song to help us do just that: "Here I Am To Worship"
2 comments:
Interesting article, Chris.
In my experience I've concluded that most people, in using the word 'worship,' are referring to one of two things: either the concept of prayer (as in, "those people worship idols"); or to the church service itself.
Without thinking to go to the dictionery, I had come to an understanding of the word worship...to mean a serious and sublime connection with God.
But I have witnessed people prostrating themselves....during the Lenten season (prior to Easter Sunday), but only in the Catholic Church.
And here's a ponderable for you: I've always wondered if people of Eastern religions would ever, ever use the name of Allah in the casual way modern Christians use the name of their Creator & His Son Jesus Christ, including their euphemisms such as, "Geez!" "Sheesh!"
"Gol!" and the such.
What say you?
Very Good. How many so called christians take on the humility of Christ. We need to remember God is the creator and we are the created. Most of the time christians look to God as a genie to answer our requests and resolve our situations and never recognize Him
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