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What are the definitions?

 

There is a lot of space given for the definitions. Why put so much emphasis on such a boring topic? Well, it's only boring to those who don't have the gift of teaching (which is the majority). The reason there is so much emphasis given is that there are many pre-conceived ideas about thanks, praise and worship that wouldn't exist if the definitions were widely known. So, please bear with the monotony and see what discoveries we can make.

 

Bless

1.      See 1288 under Praise  It is interesting to me that the word for God to bless us or for us to bless each other or for us to bless God is the exact same word. Used in over 400 verses. Dt. 10.8 At that time the Lord separated the tribe of Levi to bear the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, to stand before the Lord to minister to Him and to bless in His name, to this day. (The verses connected with the definitions are the first mention of the Hebrew or Greek word in the Bible.)  Word Usage - Total: 526 Gen. 14.20 and blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand." And he gave him a tithe of all.

 

Exalt -- Extol

1.            Strong's Number: 7311 ruwm Definition lift or hold  up, high, offer, give, heave, extol, lofty, tall, rise up, be set on high, to be raised, be uplifted, magnify. Word Usage - Total: 200 Ex. 15.2 The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; my father’s God, and I will exalt Him.

 

2.            Strong's Number 4984 mithnasseÕ Definition one who exalts himself. Word Usage - Total: 2 1 Chron. 29.11 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, The power and the glory, The victory and the majesty; For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, And You are exalted as head over all. Interesting, isn't it, that God exalts Himself. That's something to ponder…

 

Glorify

1.            Strong's Number: 01935 howd Definition splendor, majesty, vigor, glory, honor, beauty, comeliness, goodly, honorable. Word Usage - Total: 24 1 Chron. 29.11 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, The power and the glory, The victory and the majesty; For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, And You are exalted as head over all.

 

2.            Strong's Number: 03513 kabad Definition honor, honorable, harden, made heavy, great, promote, be weighty, be grievous, be rich, be burdensome, be made abundant, to get oneself glory or honor, gain glory. Word Usage - Total: 113 Lev. 10.3 And Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke, saying: ‘By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; and before all the people I must be glorified.’ ”So Aaron held his peace.

 

3.            Strong's Number: 1392 doxazo  Definition glorify, honor, magnify, to praise, extol, celebrate, adorn with luster, clothe with splendor, to impart glory to something, render it excellent, make renowned, render illustrious, to cause the dignity and worth of some person or thing to become manifest and acknowledged. Word Usage - Total: 62 Mt. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

 

4.            See also #9 Doxa under Praise, and all definitions under Honor

 

Honor

1.          Strong's Number: 01921 hadar Verb Definition ornament, splendor, honor, majesty, glory, beauty, comeliness, excellency, goodly. Word Usage - Total: 30 1 Chron. 1627 Honor and majesty are before Him; Strength and gladness are in His place.

 

2.          Strong's Number: 01922 hadar Verb Definition honor, glorify. Word Usage - Total: 3 Dan. 4.37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.

 

3.          Strong's Number: 03519 kabowd Noun masculine Definition glory, honor, glorious, abundance, abundance, riches, dignity, reputation, reverence. Word Usage - Total: 200 Ps. 66.2 Sing out the honor of His name; Make His praise glorious.

 

4.          Strong's Number: 08597 tiph'arah or tiph'ereth Noun feminine Definition beauty, splendor, glory, of rank, renown as attribute of God, boasting, excellent.  Word Usage - Total: 51 Ps. 71.8 Let my mouth be filled with your praise and with your honor all the day.

 

5.          Strong's Number: 5091 timao Verb Definition to estimate, fix the value, to have in honor, to revere, venerate.  Word Usage - Total: 2 1 Jn. 5.23 that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

 

6.          Strong's Number: 5092 time Verb Definition valuing by which the price is fixed, of the price paid or received for a person or thing bought or sold, honor which belongs or is shown to one, of the honor which one has by reason of rank and state of office which he holds, deference, reverence, sum, precious. Word Usage - Total: 43 1 Tim. 1.17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. 

 

7.          Strong's Number: 1392 doxazo noun feminine  Definition opinion, judgment, view, opinion, estimate, whether good or bad concerning someone, in the NT always a good opinion concerning one, resulting in praise, honor, and glory, splendor, brightness, magnificence, excellence, preeminence, dignity, grace, majesty, a thing belonging to God, the kingly majesty which belongs to him as supreme ruler, majesty in the sense of the absolute perfection of the deity, a thing belonging to Christ, the kingly majesty of the Messiah, the absolutely perfect inward or personal excellency of Christ; the majesty, as apparent in exterior brightness, a most glorious condition, most exalted state, of that condition with God the Father in heaven to which Christ was raised after he had achieved his work on earth, dignity, worship. Word Usage - Total: 168 Rev. 19.1 After these things I heard* a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, "Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord+ our God!

 

8.          See #1 Kabad under Glory

 

Magnify

1.            Strong's Number: 01431 gadal Verb Definition to grow, become great or important, promote, make powerful, praise, magnify, do great things, to be brought up, to do great things, to magnify oneself, greater. Word Usage - Total: 115 Ps. 34.3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt His name together.

 

2.            Strong's Number: 3170 megaluno Verb Definition to make, deem, show or declare great, to make conspicuous, to esteem highly, to extol, laud, celebrate, to get glory and praise, enlarge. Word Usage - Total: 8 And Mary said: "My soul magnifies the Lord,

 

Praise

3.            Strong's Number: 01288 Barak Verb Definition to bless, kneel, be adored, to praise, salute, congratulate. Word Usage - Total: 330 Ps 72.15 And He shall live; and the gold of Sheba will be given to Him; Prayer also will be made for Him continually, And daily He shall be praised.

 

4.            Strong's Number: 02167 Zamar Verb Definition sing praise, psalms, forth, make music, to play a musical instrument -- the Hebrew word for psalms. Word Usage - Total: 63 2 Sam. 22.50 Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the Gentiles, And sing praises to Your name.

 

5.            Strong's Number: 03034 Yadah Verb Definition to throw, shoot, cast to give thanks, laud, praise, to confess. Word Usage - Total: 114 Gen. 29.35 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, "Now I will praise the Lord." Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she stopped bearing.

 

6.            Strong's Number: 07623 Shabach Verb Definition to soothe, still, stroke, to laud, praise, commend, congratulate, to boast, keep it in, glory, triumph. Word Usage - Total: 11 Ps. 63.3 Because Your loving-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You.

 

7.            Strong's Number: 07624 Sh@bach (Aramaic) Verb Definition to laud, praise, adulate, adore. Word Usage - Total: 5 Dan. 2.23 "I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and might, And have now made known to me what we asked of You, For You have made known to us the king's demand."

 

8.            Strong's Number: 08416 T@hillah Noun Feminine Definition song or hymn of praise, adoration, thanksgiving (paid to God), act of general or public praise, song, demanded by qualities or deeds or attributes of God, renown, fame, glory, object of praise, possessor of renown. Word Usage - Total: 57 Ex. 15.11 "Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders?

 

9.            Strong's Number: 08426 Towdah Noun Feminine Definition confession, thanksgiving, give praise to God, thanksgiving in songs of liturgical worship, hymn of praise, thanksgiving choir or procession or line or company, thank-offering, sacrifice of thanksgiving, offerings. Word Usage - Total: 32 Ps. 42.4 When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast.

 

10.       Strong's Number: 134 Aineo Verb Definition to praise, extol, to sing praises in honor to God to allow, recommend to promise or vow. Word Usage - Total: 9 Lk. 2.13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

 

11.       Strong's Number: 1391 Doxa Noun Feminine Definition opinion, judgment, view, estimate, whether good or bad concerning someone in the NT always a good opinion concerning one, resulting in praise, honor, and glory splendor, brightness of the moon, sun, stars magnificence, excellence, preeminence, dignity, grace, majesty, a thing belonging to God, the kingly majesty which belongs to him as supreme ruler, majesty in the sense of the absolute perfection of the deity, a thing belonging to Christ, the kingly majesty of the Messiah, the absolutely perfect inward or personal excellency of Christ; the majesty, of the angels, as apparent in their exterior brightness, a most glorious condition, most exalted state, of that condition with God the Father in heaven to which Christ was raised after he had achieved his work on earth, the glorious condition of blessedness into which is appointed and promised that true Christians shall enter after their Savior's return from heaven, dignity, worship. Word Usage - Total: 168 Eph. 1.14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

 

12.       Strong's Number: 1868 Epainos Definition praise. Word Usage - Total: 11 Eph. 1.6   to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved. 

 

13.       Strong's Number: 5214 Humneo Verb Definition to sing the praise of, sing hymns to, to sing a hymn, to sing singing of paschal hymns. Word Usage - Total: 4 Heb. 2.12 saying: "I will declare Your name to my brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You."

 

Rejoice

1.          Strong's Number: 01523 Giyl Verb Definition exult, be glad, to tremble (from fear), joyful, delight. Word Usage - Total: 44 Ps. 2.11 Serve the Lord with fear, And rejoice with trembling.

 

2.          Strong's Number: 01524 Giyl Noun Masculine Definition joy, gladness, exceedingly. Word Usage - Total: 10 Ps. 43.4 Then I will go to the altar of God, To God my exceeding joy; And on the harp I will praise You, O God, my God.

 

3.          Strong's Number: 04885 Masows Noun Masculine Definition exultation, joy, mirth. Word Usage - Total: 17 Is. 66.10  "Rejoice with Jerusalem, And be glad with her, all you who love her; Rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn for her; 

 

4.          Strong's Number: 05937 `alaz Verb Definition to exult, triumph, joyful. Word Usage - Total: 16 Ps. 28.7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him.

 

5.          Strong's Number: 05947 alliyz Adjective Definition exultant, jubilant, joyous. Word Usage - Total: 7 Is. 13.3 I have commanded My sanctified ones; I have also called My mighty ones for My anger-- Those who rejoice in My exaltation."

 

6.          Strong's Number: 05970 `alats Verb Definition exult, joyful, triumph. Word Usage - Total: 8 1 Sam. 2.1 And Hannah prayed and said: "My heart rejoices in the Lord; my horn is exalted in the Lord. I smile at my enemies, because I rejoice in Your salvation.

 

7.          Strong's Number: 07442 Ranan Verb Definition to overcome, to cry out, shout for joy, give a ringing cry (in joy, exaltation, distress), to cry aloud (in summons, exhortation of wisdom), exultation, praise, singing out (for joy). Word Usage - Total: 52 Dt. 32.43 "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people; For He will avenge the blood of His servants, And render vengeance to His adversaries; He will provide atonement for His land and His people."

 

8.          Strong's Number: 07797 Suws Verb Definition to exult, display joy, glad, mirth. Word Usage - Total: 27 Ps. 35.9 And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord; It shall rejoice in His salvation.

 

9.          Strong's Number: 08055 Samach Verb Definition to rejoice (arrogantly, religiously), exult, gladden, joyful, merry. Word Usage - Total: 152 Lev. 23.40 And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees, the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days.

 

10.     Strong's Number: 08056 Sameach Adjective Definition joyful, merry, glad. Word Usage - Total: 23 Ps. 126.3 The Lord has done great things for us, and we are glad.

 

11.     Strong's Number: 08057 Simchah Noun Feminine Definition joy, mirth, gladness, gaiety, pleasure, glad result, happy issue. Word Usage - Total: 94 1 Chron. 15.16 Then David spoke to the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers accompanied by instruments of music, stringed instruments, harps, and cymbals, by raising the voice with resounding joy.

 

12.     Strong's Number: 21 Agalliao Verb Definition to exult, rejoice exceedingly, be exceeding glad. Word Usage - Total: 11 Lk. 1.47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.

 

13.     Strong's Number: 5463 chairo Primary Verb Definition rejoice exceedingly, be glad, joy, hail, greeting, God speed, all hail, joyfully, farewell, to be well, thrive. Word Usage - Total: 74 Mt. 5.12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

 

Thanks

1.            Strong's Number: 1843 Exomologeo Verb Definition to confess, to profess, acknowledge openly and joyfully, to one's honor, to celebrate, give praise to, to profess that one will do something, to promise, agree, engage. Word Usage - Total: 11 Mt.  11.25 At that time Jesus answered and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes.

 

2.            Strong's Number: 2168 Eucharisteo Verb Definition to be grateful, feel thankful, give thanks. Word Usage - Total: 39 Mt. 15.36 And He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitude.

 

3.            Strong's Number: 3670 Homologeo Verb Definition to say the same thing as another, i.e. to agree with, assent to, concede, not to refuse, to promise, not to deny, to confess, i.e. to admit or declare one's self guilty of what one is accused of, to declare openly, speak out freely, to profess one's self the worshipper of one, to praise, celebrate. Word Usage - Total: 24 Heb. 13.15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

 

See also 3034 and 8426 under Praise

 

Worship

1.            Strong's Number: 05457 C@gid (Aramaic) Verb Definition to prostrate oneself, do homage, worship. Word Usage - Total: 12 Dan. 3.28 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God!

 

2.            Strong's Number: 07812 Shachah Verb Definition to bow down, to depress (fig), prostrate oneself, before superior in homage, before God in worship, obeisance, reverence, fall down, stoop, crouch. Word Usage - Total: 172 Gen. 22.5 And Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you."

 

3.            Strong's Number: 4352 Proskuneo Verb Definition to kiss the hand to (towards) one, in token of reverence, among the Orientals, esp. the Persians, to fall upon the knees and touch the ground with the forehead as an expression of profound reverence, in the NT by kneeling or prostration to do homage (to one) or make obeisance, whether in order to express respect or to make supplication, used of homage shown to men and beings of superior rank. Word Usage - Total: 60 Mt. 2.2 saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."

 

4.            Strong's Number: 4576 Sebomai Verb Definition to revere, to worship, devout. Word Usage - Total: 10 Acts 18.7 And he departed from there and entered the house of a certain man named Justus, one who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue.

 

5.            Strong's Number: 3000 Latreuo Verb Definition to serve for hire, to serve, minister to, either to the gods or men and used alike of slaves and freemen, in the NT, to render religious service or homage, to worship, to perform sacred services, to offer gifts, to worship God in the observance of the rites instituted for his worship, of priests, to officiate, to discharge the sacred office. Word Usage - Total: 21 Acts. 24.16 This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men. I have heard it preached that this was the definition for worship, which is to serve. In reality, that is only part of this definition and it is #3 in rank of usage (7.6%). 

 

If you check out the number of references concerning many important topics in the Bible, in comparison to thanks, praise & worship, there is in fact no comparison (total number of verses where the definitions are used 3237). Missions and evangelism may have a few dozen references, obedience a couple hundred, etc. This is obviously a major topic on God's heart and it should be on ours.

 

Who is to worship?

 

2 Chronicles 29.3 In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them…sanctify the house of the Lord God of your fathers, and carry out the rubbish from the holy place. 7 They have also shut up the doors of the vestibule, put out the lamps, and have not burned incense or offered burnt offerings in the holy place to the God of Israel. 11 My sons, do not be negligent now, for the Lord has chosen you to stand before Him, to serve Him, and that you should minister to Him and burn incense.” 12 Then these Levites arose…15 And they gathered their brethren, sanctified themselves, and went according to the commandment of the king, at the words of the Lord, to cleanse the house of the Lord…18 Then they went in to King Hezekiah and said, “We have cleansed all the house of the Lord, the altar of burnt offerings with all its articles, and the table of the show-bread with all its articles. 19 Moreover all the articles which King Ahaz in his reign had cast aside in his transgression we have prepared and sanctified; and there they are, before the altar of the Lord.” …26 The Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets. 27 Then Hezekiah commanded them to offer the burnt offering on the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song of the Lord also began, with the trumpets and with the instruments of David king of Israel. 28 So all the assembly worshiped, the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded; all this continued until the burnt offering was finished. 29 And when they had finished offering, the king and all who were present with him bowed and worshiped. 30 Moreover King Hezekiah and the leaders commanded the Levites to sing praise to the Lord with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. So they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshiped. 31 Then Hezekiah answered and said, “Now that you have consecrated yourselves to the Lord, come near, and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of the Lord.” So the assembly brought in sacrifices and thank offerings, and as many as were of a willing heart brought burnt offerings…34 But the priests were too few, so that they could not skin all the burnt offerings; therefore their brethren the Levites helped them until the work was ended and until the other priests had sanctified themselves, for the Levites were more diligent in sanctifying themselves than the priests...36 Then Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced that God had prepared the people, since the events took place so suddenly.

 

30.1 And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, to keep the Passover to the Lord God of Israel. 2 For the king and his leaders and all the assembly in Jerusalem had agreed to keep the Passover in the second month. 3 For they could not keep it at the regular time, because a sufficient number of priests had not consecrated themselves, nor had the people gathered together at Jerusalem…that they should come to keep the Passover to the Lord God of Israel at Jerusalem, since they had not done it for a long time in the prescribed manner…14 They arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and they took away all the incense altars and cast them into the Brook Kidron…17 For there were many in the assembly who had not sanctified themselves; therefore the Levites had charge of the slaughter of the Passover lambs for everyone who was not clean, to sanctify them to the Lord. 18 For a multitude of the people, many from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate the Passover contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the good Lord provide atonement for everyone 19 who prepares his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though he is not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.” 20 And the Lord listened to Hezekiah and healed the people. 21 So the children of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with great gladness; and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day by day, singing to the Lord, accompanied by loud instruments…23 Then the whole assembly agreed to keep the feast another seven days, and they kept it another seven days with gladness.

 

According to the New Testament, who are the priests?

1 Pet. 2.5, 9 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Rev. 1.6 and (Jesus) has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. All Christians.

 

What is the temple of God?

1 Cor. 6.19-20 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. Eph. 2.19-22 Now, therefore, you are…fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. Each of us individually and together corporately we are the temple. What would it mean for our lives to repair the doors and clean out the temple?  Have the lights gone out in our temple?  (These lights were never to be allowed to go out.)  What could that mean to us?

 

A very important side issue is the whole tabernacle/temple concept and what David did. We will discuss that below.

 

Another key part is 30.17-20.  What happened here?  Why do you think that God was not angry with the people, even though they were unclean and celebrated Passover a month late?

 

In summary, we are all to be priests to our God in this temple of the Holy Spirit we call our body. We are all to minister to God as our primary duty, if you will. But worship is much more than duty; it is an extreme pleasure and privilege. The following verses show us that it is all creation's destiny to praise the Lord. We can't and won't fulfill ours unless we do! Ps. 96.11-12 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and all its fullness; Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it. Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice before the Lord. Ps. 102.18-21 This will be written for the generation to come, that a people yet to be created may praise the LORD. For He looked down from the height of His sanctuary; from heaven the LORD viewed the earth, to hear the groaning of the prisoner, to release those appointed to death, to declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and His praise in Jerusalem. Ps. 148.7-12 Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all the depths; fire and hail, snow and clouds; stormy wind, fulfilling His word; mountains and all hills; fruitful trees and all cedars; beasts and all cattle; creeping things and flying fowl; kings of the earth and all peoples; princes and all judges of the earth; both young men and maidens; old men and children. Is. 43.20-21 The beast of the field will honor Me, the jackals and the ostriches, because I give waters in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My people, My chosen. This people I have formed for Myself; they shall declare My praise. Lk. 19.37-40 …the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, saying. “ ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” But He answered and said to them,  “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.” Ps. 150.6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord! Jn. 4.23-24 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

 

How are we supposed to worship?

Can't we worship any way we desire?

 

Let's think back on that passage in 2 Chron. 29 & 30. What are the modern-day sacrifices and incense?

 

Gen. 22.2, 5 Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.” This is the first time worship is mentioned in the Bible and it involved the supreme sacrifice. 2 Sam. 24.24 Then the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God with that which costs me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. Here is the principle for our worship, not offering God that which costs nothing. Ps. 27.6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord. Ps. 51.16-17 For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart—these, O God, You will not despise. ­­(Broken -- Strong's #7665 shabar destroy, break in pieces, break down, hurt, torn, give birth, crush, quench, rend violently, wreck, rupture, maimed, be crippled, to shatter, bring to the birth) Ps. 107.22 Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His works with rejoicing. Ps. 141.2 Let my prayer be set before You as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. Rom. 12.1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. Phil. 4.18 Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. Heb. 13.15-16 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. 1 Pet. 2.5, 9 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Rev. 5.8 Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

 

Joshua -- Ex. 20.18 Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off. 19 Then they said to Moses, “You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.” 20 And Moses said to the people, “Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin.” 21 So the people stood afar off, but Moses drew near the thick darkness where God was.

 

Ex. 33.11 So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle.

 

David -- 1 Chron. 15.1 David built houses for himself in the City of David; and he prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched a tent for it. 3 And David gathered all Israel together at Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the Lord to its place, which he had prepared for it. 25 So David, the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the house of Obed-Edom with joy. 26 And so it was, when God helped the Levites who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord, that they offered seven bulls and seven rams. 27 David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who bore the ark, the singers, and Chenaniah the music master with the singers. David also wore a linen ephod. 28 Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the horn, with trumpets and with cymbals, making music with stringed instruments and harps. 29 And it happened, as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the City of David, that Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window and saw King David whirling and playing music; and she despised him in her heart.

 

16.1 So they brought the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tabernacle that David had erected for it. Then they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. 37 So he left Asaph and his brothers there before the ark of the covenant of the Lord to minister before the ark regularly, as every day’s work required; 38 and Obed-Edom with his sixty-eight brethren, including Obed-Edom the son of Jeduthun, and Hosah, to be gatekeepers; 39 and Zadok the priest and his brethren the priests, before the tabernacle of the Lord at the high place that was at Gibeon, 40 to offer burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar of burnt offering regularly morning and evening, and to do according to all that is written in the Law of the Lord which He commanded Israel.

 

Acts 15.16 ‘After this I will return and will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will set it up; 17 So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, says the Lord who does all these things.’ So the tabernacle with all its sacrifices, etc. was in Gibeon and the ark was miles away in Jerusalem. There was no presence of God in the tabernacle without the ark; there was just ritual and animal sacrifice. David and all Israel now had direct access to the presence of God! David was setting up his kingdom, there was the tabernacle site where all the sacrifices took place, everything was 'normal', except that he placed the Ark in a tent on a separate mountain. That meant that the people were going through all their rituals, with no presence of God. That was on another mountain, where David kept the Ark in a tent. It is also key that of all the tabernacles and temples that there were, it is only David's that will be restored!

 

Mary, who anointed Jesus with the perfume from the broken alabaster box, is a beautiful picture of this. Jn. 12.3-8 Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.  But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said,  “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the moneybox; and he used to take what was put in it. But Jesus said,  “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.” Mark 14.3-9 And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head. But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they criticized her sharply. But Jesus said,  “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always. She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.” This was likely her dowry, the most precious thing she had, her only guarantee for her future.  This was a true sacrifice, a picture of brokenness (because the box had to be broken and she was taking the position of a slave). What is your alabaster box?

 

So then, joy, a broken and contrite spirit, thanks, prayer and lifting hands, presenting our bodies, giving, praise, doing good and sharing are all the equivalent of sacrifices and incense today. Most of this list can and should be fulfilled in our thanks, praise and worship of our God.

 

Back to 2 Chronicles, 29.11 is the key verse for me. What does it mean to minister to the Lord?  (This phrase is used often in the scripture. One such reference is Acts 13.2 As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Another is 1 Sam. 2.18 But Samuel ministered before the Lord, even as a child, wearing a linen ephod.) How about to be His ministers (Num. 6.22-27)?  Burning incense we will discuss in the next section.

 

Have you ever thought of yourself as a minister to God?  God does not need our worship: Acts 17.24-25 God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. However, we are given the privilege to bless our Creator. 1 Chron. 29.20 Then David said to all the assembly, “Now bless the LORD your God.” So all the assembly blessed the LORD God of their fathers, and bowed their heads and prostrated themselves before the LORD and the king. The Psalms tell us many times that we can bless God Ps. 34.1 I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. (Here we see that praise is how we can bless Him.) 63.4 Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. (This verse tells us that raising our hands to the Lord blesses Him.) Ps. 96.2 Sing to the Lord, bless His name; proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. Ps. 100.4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. (Thanks blesses God.) (See also Ps. 134.) Ps. 103.1-2 Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits. Ps. 145.1-3, 21 I will extol You, my God, O King; and I will bless Your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable. My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord, and all flesh shall bless His holy name forever and ever.

 

We are also told that we can please the Lord 1 Kings 3.10 The speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. Ps. 69.30-31 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving. This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bull, which has horns and hooves. Ps. 149.1-5 Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, and His praise in the assembly of saints. Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. Let them praise His name with the dance; let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp. For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation. Let the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing aloud on their beds. Pr. 16.7 When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. 1 Thes. 4.1 Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God. Heb. 11.5-6 By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Heb, 13.15-16 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

 

Is there such a thing as alleviating the agony of God? I believe that as God is angry with sin every day and is grieved over the way humanity behaves toward Him and each other, in the same way we can alleviate some of that by ministering, blessing and not profaning God's holy name. We can bring pleasure to Him.  What a privilege!

 

Jn. 4.23-24 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” Did you realize that God is seeking worshippers? What could be a better motivation to worship than because Father God is seeking us to worship Him? He is scouring the earth for those who will worship Him spiritually and truthfully! Let's decide to end His search and be those people today!

 

Ps. 50.23 Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; and to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God. If we offer praise to God, we glorify Him. What a promise that we can live out by faith! Does your heart yearn to glorify Him as mine does? Here is a simple way we can do that daily, moment-by-moment: praise Him!

 

In the USA we have freedom of religion. We can choose where, who or if we worship. That is a tremendous blessing and privilege that none of us should take for granted. However, I would submit to you that Christians and churches take that privilege too far. Once we have decided to follow God and be disciples of Jesus Christ, our decision-making in the area of worship (or any other area, for that matter) ends. We are now to follow the road map, our instruction manual, in order to find out how the Sovereign Lord and Creator of the universe wants to be praised. Like any king, there is protocol with our God in how He chooses to be approached. Yes, tastes in music may vary, but what does God's word tell us about how to worship Him?  Let's see…

 

A Flow to worship

There is a flow to our worship outlined in the Word. It begins in Ps. 100.4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. And in Ps. 99.5 Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at His footstool—He is holy.

 

We begin our approach to God by thanking Him and entering into His gates. Thanks focuses on what God has done for or given to us, it tends to be about God and not necessarily to Him. We draw nearer to God by praising Him and coming into His courts. Praise focuses on who God is to us (character traits). Being at a person's footstool is being quite close. We do that by worship. Worship focuses on our love and adoration of God and our surrendering and yielding all to Him. Worship tends to be sung directly to God.

 

Worship in spirit & truth

Jn. 4.23-24 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” There are various possible interpretations to this scripture. The one that makes the most sense to me is this: Holy Spirit guides us into how Father God wishes to be worshiped, we, then, act out Father's wishes in truth. In other words Holy Spirit moves us to worship according to the word (our source of truth).

 

Actions of thanks, praise and worship

 

Many of the definitions above indicate the action that was to be done or what posture was to be taken. In scripture, some of the following actions and postures are added:

 

Bow*, kneel* and prostrate* used in hundreds of verses. In addition, the Hebrew word barak includes kneeling in its definition. The word is used over 400 times as bless*, 330 times as praise, and once as thank. Most of the various Hebrew and Greek words for worship include bowing or prostrating oneself, a total of 244 verses.

 

Clap* used in 9 verses. And God claps with us -- Eze. 21.14-17 “You therefore, son of man, prophesy, and strike your hands together. The third time let the sword do double damage. It is the sword that slays, the sword that slays the great men, that enters their private chambers. I have set the point of the sword against all their gates, that the heart may melt and many may stumble. Ah! It is made bright; it is grasped for slaughter: “Swords at the ready! Thrust right! Set your blade! Thrust left— wherever your edge is ordered! “I also will beat My fists together, and I will cause My fury to rest; I, the Lord, have spoken.”

 

Dance* used in 20 verses. Ps. 149.3 Let them praise His name with the dance; let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp. If you check out the definitions for rejoice, it is not much of a stretch to realize that clapping and dancing accompanied the rejoicing in 535 verses.

 

Lift* hands used in 7 verses. Ps. 63.4 and 134.2 Our hands uplifted in praise blesses God. Hands raised can signify many things including: surrender, knowing the answer, wanting to be lifted up by a parent, wanting to give or receive affection, etc.

 

Instruments used in 42 verses. 1 Chron. 23.5 four thousand were gatekeepers, and four thousand praised the Lord with musical instruments, “which I made,” said David, “for giving praise.” Zamar, a Hebrew word for praise, and psalmos, a Greek word for psalms, both imply striking an instrument.

 

Shout* used in 79 verses. 2 Chron. 20.19 Then the Levites of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with voices loud and high. Ps. 95.2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. And God shouts with us -- Is. 42.11-13 Let the wilderness and its cities lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar inhabits. Let the inhabitants of Sela sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains. Let them give glory to the Lord, and declare His praise in the coastlands. The Lord shall go forth like a mighty man; He shall stir up His zeal like a man of war. He shall cry out, yes, shout aloud; He shall prevail against His enemies.

 

Sing*, sang*, song, sung used in 219 verses, music used in 23 verses. 2 Chron. 29.30 Moreover King Hezekiah and the leaders commanded the Levites to sing praise to the Lord with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. So they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshiped. And God sings over or back to us -- Zeph. 3.14-17 Sing, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away your judgments, He has cast out your enemy. The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall see disaster no more. In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Do not fear; Zion, let not your hands be weak. The Lord your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”

*Signifies various tenses were used in the count

 

Neh. 9.5-38 They blessed by reciting back to God all of His glorious works and praising Him.

 

Ps. 103.2 Don't forget any of all His benefits to us.

 

Ps. 149.1-5 Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, And His praise in the assembly of saints. Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. Let them praise His name with the dance; Let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp. For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation. Let the saints be joyful in glory; Let them sing aloud on their beds. Praise the Lord! This is one of nine references to a 'new song' in the Bible, from Psalms to Revelation. Why do you think God might mention singing Him a new song nine different times? I think that at least part of the answer lies in our ability to stagnate on something that is memorized. We get it lodged in our minds and it can lose its significance. So, when we allow Holy Spirit to create a new song in our hearts and mouths, it is something new and fresh and truly blesses our Lord!

 

Ps. 150.3 Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; praise Him with the lute and harp! Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes! Praise Him with loud cymbals; praise Him with clashing cymbals! String, percussion and wind instruments (I think that about covers all instruments) are all included in this command to praise the Lord!

 

Zeph. 3.14 Sing, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!

 

Scripture outlines a very physical worship, from varied use of our voices, hands, and entire bodies. I propose that something special happens when we align our soul and body with what our spirit is doing. This happens in prayer, partaking of the word, fellowship, ministry and worship. The more we line up spirit soul and body doing God's will, the more we will sense the Spirit flowing through us, His presence manifest around us and the anointing. Mark 12.30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength: this is the first commandment. Rom. 6.13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. Rom. 12.1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 1 Cor. 6.20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

 

I would also propose that we offer physical appreciation to entertainers, athletes, politicians, etc. that should be reserved for God alone. The acts mentioned above: clapping, bowing, singing, shouting, raising hands, dancing, declaring, etc. are all acts of thanks, praise and worship. We should be careful who we offer them to, to what extent we offer them to others and why. This is not something to be taken lightly!

 

What Not to Worship

Perspective on Life, Love and Ministry

 

Ex. 20.1-4 And God spoke all these words, saying: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. “You shall have no other gods before Me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. The first two of the Ten Commandments tell us what not to worship. Most of us have no issue with bowing down to a physical representative of a god. However, there are many things that can become god in our life….

 

The bottom line is that it is all about God and what He desires to do within us.

 

Rom 8.28-29 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

 

Phil. 1.6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.