PRAISE AND WORSHIP

In seeking to discover the “God meaning” behind the two words praise and worship, one needs to look at the first time they appear in the Scriptures. The Law of First Mention in which a word or phrase appears for the first time in the Bible explains to us the heart of what God means and sees.

Worship

The word worship appears for the very first time in Gen 22 v 5. The text reads: “ He (Abraham) said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.” This is the first time that the word worship is mentioned and therefore God has a specific lesson to teach us. Contrary to popular opinion, Abraham didn’t take his worship team with him up the mountain. No one carried a guitar, a portable keyboard, microphones or even an overhead projector and screen. All Abraham and Isaac had with them was the wood for the burnt offering, the fire and the knife, v6. Even Isaac knew that something different was happening here as he said his father, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering.”

Prior to them setting out on the journey of a lifetime, God had spoken to Abraham and said, “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.” Abraham had every right to be mad at God. Isaac, after all, was the child of promise and through him; Abraham’s offspring were to be as numerous as the stars of the sky, Gen 15 v 5. God had also told him that he would be the father of many nations, Gen. 17 v 4.

So here we have this scenario acted out where God, whose intent was to test Abraham, told him to go and sacrifice his only son. Yet, in the light of all of this, we see the heart of the man who was truly to become the father of many nations. No anger, no questioning God, but simple obedience.

In Gen 22 v 3 after God had spoken to him Abraham wasted no time in responding. He arose early the next morning and set off on a three-day journey. For each of those three days questions must have been flying around this traveling party. Questions not only from Isaac, but probably from the servants too. Where are we going? How long will it take us to get there? Etc., etc., etc.

Once they had reached the place that God had ordained, Abraham told his servants to stay there with the donkey, and Isaac and himself were going to worship and then they would return. What had got into Abraham’s mind? He was just about to sacrifice his only son. Just about to kill the one of whom Gad had spoken of. But no matter what the outcome, Abraham knew that God had spoken and he believed what God said, Gen 15 v 6. So off they went to the place of sacrifice; or should I say worship; or could we say obedience? Actually, all three are true. It was an obedient father that led his son up the mountain. He was about to sacrifice what was probably the most precious thing he had, and he called it worship.

In the same way it was a Father that sent his son to earth to eventually be sacrificed as a lamb led to the slaughter; Is. 53 v 7. Jesus is called the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, John 1 v 29. Now Abraham was a worshipper, because he was obedient to God’s word. God himself is a worshipper. He always does what he says he is going to do, and he will have his image, reproduced in the hearts and lives of his people, seen in the earth. Also, in Hebrews 2 v 12, Jesus says, “I will declare your name to my brothers; in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises.” As a leader of worshippers Jesus, here, is singing to the Father. God is seeking those who worship in Spirit and in Truth, John 4 v 23-24.

In the Old Testament there are many uses of the word worship (shachah) and the common translation of the word means the following: to prostrate in homage to royalty or God; to bow down, to fall down flat, to be in reverence of, to stoop. Proskuneo, the Greek word, translated worship has the following meaning: to kiss, prostrate oneself in homage, do reverence to.

Abraham and Isaac were on a journey into a discovery of the heart of worship and the outworking of being a worshipper. And yet we see no mention of instruments, singing, or songs. We have been duped to think that worship is exclusively pertaining to the singing of ‘songs of worship’ at the beginning of a meeting. That concept is so far from God’s heart that it is laughable, and terrifying to think that we have strayed so far from the original pattern. In Acts 3 v 21 we read, “He (Jesus) must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything as he promised long ago through is holy prophets.” This restoration of everything, of course includes worship. Getting back to God’s original intention of what it is supposed to be. Instead of following a trend of what we, or others think it might be.

A worshipper: to be in reverence of God, to revere him, to bow before him. To submit my will under his will. The altar building that went on, on that mountain was so significant, and supernatural that Abraham did not even allow his servants to be there. It was as if it was a holy moment and Abraham and Isaac were entering the holy place, while his servants were left in the outer courts.

Abraham had responded to God’s word to him in such a way that he epitomized the heart of a worshiper. He was ready to respond by immediately rising and setting out on the journey, without a question. He was obedient to all that God asked him to do, and he was willing to sacrifice his son. God is seeking worshippers, who will worship him in spirit and in truth. Undoubtedly, in Abraham, God found a worshipper.

Praise

The first mention of praise in the Scriptures is found in Gen 29 v 35. She (Leah) conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” So she named him Judah. The Hebrew word used here is yadah. Meaning literally to ‘hold out the hand,’ to revere or worship with extended hands, to confess, to give thanks. Other meanings of the word praise, hilluwl, in the Old Testament are: a celebration of thanksgiving for harvest, halal, to shine, to boast, to be clamorously foolish, to rave, to celebrate and to commend.

As we delve into the full potential and understanding of what praise actually is, and how we can be people of praise, my prayer is that revelation comes. Praise and worship are not two types of song played and sung at differing speeds and volumes. Once again we laugh at the simplicity of that last statement, but we must hold our hands up and confess that at one time in our lives we have believed that is what those two words meant.

Unfortunately, as I said before there is a gross misunderstanding of the full meaning and potential of praise and worship. Therefore as students of the Word and those who want to understand fully what God has in heart, let us lay aside our preconceived ideas and find out what God has to say. It will take brave people to comprehend and walk in the full will of God.

To hold out the hand………. Not to be reproved, or hope to receive something, but to signify that there is one greater than us. All over our world people lift their hands to show approval of their favorite sports personalities, pop stars and political figures. I wonder where and when that all started? Does the church lift up hands to the Lord because the world does it? I think not. God has never followed the world’s lead in anything. He is the initiator and creator of all things. He doesn’t take his lead from the world and he never will.

I am saying that there is someone greater than me; and in holding out my hands I acknowledge that God is greater, far greater than I am. This is nothing to do with how I feel on the inside, or what I might get. It is all about honoring God, and all about him receiving my praise. Giving him thanks for who he is; and for what he has done are flip side of the coin. However, we must school ourselves to thanking him for who he is first, as it focuses our attention totally on him. Praise by its nature is God centered. Leah said that she would praise the Lord. Not the baby that was born, not her husband, and not her ability to be a mother to all these children.

God focused, Christ centred, Holy Spirit led

Notice it doesn’t say Church focused, man centered and worship leader led! In Exodus 20 v3 we read, “You shall have no other gods before me.” A command that God gave to his people, through Moses, yet flaunted today in our 21st century world. God doesn’t speak like this without purpose. He means what he says and says what he means. Our praise must be God focused, Christ centered and Holy Spirit led. It is very easy to get into a pattern of doing things just because one week they work. Who’s to say that next it will? There is a way and it is God’s way. We find it in Ps 100 v 4, which says, “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise.” We can argue all we like, but there is a right way to come before God. That is with thanksgiving and with praise.

When I was a young boy my father taught me how to say thank you. Frequently, he would bring something home for me. A little surprise: and he trained me to be thankful before I received it. If we are wise, we will be thankful to the one who is the ultimate giver, our source, and our supply. The King of kings, the Lord of lords, and the Prince of peace. The one who is the creator of all that we know, and all that we don’t know.

When we enter into praise, as David did when he brought the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem (2Sam. 6 & 1Chron. 15) there was no holding back. An earlier attempt at restoring the Ark to Jerusalem had failed miserably. That first attempt failed because David did not insist on things being done the right way. The Egyptians had returned the Ark on a cart, and that seemed good enough for the Israelites, but not for God. In 1Chron. 13 Uzzah died because he reached out his hand to steady the Ark when the oxen stumbled. Now as this was happening there was lots of music and singing, and much celebrating before God with all their might. Strange how they got it all wrong. It must have sounded like the celebration of all celebrations, yet God has a prescribed way of doing things and the plumb line had been moved. What sounded great was empty, what looked anointed was sterile. We read two chapters later of the glorious of the tremendous preparation, and organization that went into the culmination of what David had on his heart. People were set in their calling and priests were to be consecrated.

Then we read in Ch16 v 4 that Levites were appointed to minister before the ark of the Lord, to make petition, to give thanks, and to praise the Lord, the God of Israel. Thanksgiving and praise is a key for us in our generation. As we enter into giving God thanks for who he is, he will release to us life, joy, provision, healing etc., etc. And then the thanksgiving begins all over again. To summarize, praise is the exalting of someone other that yourself who is greater that you are. As Christians we recognize God as the greatest one, and therefore we praise him, we honor his name, exalt him to the highest place.

Worship and praise are differing facets of our daily life before God. A life lived in obedience and surrender, and a life given over to honouring him.