WORSHIP
Worship is the outward expression of the honor and respect one has in his heart
toward God. Worship is the spiritual connection between man and his Creator. A
worshiper is one who believes God is to be regarded as an object of praise and adoration.
He is a man who is desperately hungry for the presence of God.
2 Sam 6:1-17
6:1 Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.
2 And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah,
to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the LORD
of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims.
3 And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of
Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new
cart.
4 And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab which was at Gibeah, accompanying
the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark.
5 And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of
instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on
cornets, and on cymbals.
6 And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of
God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it.
7 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for
his error; and there he died by the ark of God.
8 And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon Uzzah: and he
called the name of the place Perez-uzzah to this day.
9 And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and said, How shall the ark of the LORD
come to me?
10 So David would not remove the ark of the LORD unto him into the city of David: but
David carried it aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.
11 And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three
months: and the LORD blessed Obed-edom, and all his household.
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12 And it was told king David, saying, The LORD hath blessed the house of Obed-edom,
and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. So David went and brought
up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with gladness.
13 And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he
sacrificed oxen and fatlings.
14 And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a
linen ephod.
15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting,
and with the sound of the trumpet.
16 And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter
looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD;
and she despised him in her heart.
17 And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in his place, in the midst of the
tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace
offerings before the LORD.
18 And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt offerings and peace
offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts.
19 And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well
to the women as men, to every one a cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a
flagon of wine. So all the people departed every one to his house.
20 Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came
out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered
himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows
shamelessly uncovereth himself!
21 And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me before thy
father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over
Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD.
22 And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the
maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.
23 Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.
KJV
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Num 4:15-20
15 "After Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy furnishings and all the holy
articles, and when the camp is ready to move, the Kohathites are to come to do the
carrying. But they must not touch the holy things or they will die. The Kohathites are to
carry those things that are in the Tent of Meeting.
16 "Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest, is to have charge of the oil for the light, the fragrant
incense, the regular grain offering and the anointing oil. He is to be in charge of the entire
tabernacle and everything in it, including its holy furnishings and articles."
17 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, 18 "See that the Kohathite tribal clans are not
cut off from the Levites. 19 So that they may live and not die when they come near the
most holy things, do this for them: Aaron and his sons are to go into the sanctuary and
assign to each man his work and what he is to carry. 20 But the Kohathites must not go in
to look at the holy things, even for a moment, or they will die."
NIV
Num 16:1-17:1
Numbers 16
16:1 Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and
Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men:
2 And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and
fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown:
3 And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto
them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of
them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the
congregation of the LORD?
4 And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face:
5 And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to morrow the LORD
will shew who are his, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto him: even
him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him.
6 This do; Take you censers, Korah, and all his company;
7 And put fire therein, and put incense in them before the LORD to morrow: and it shall
be that the man whom the LORD doth choose, he shall be holy: ye take too much upon
you, ye sons of Levi.
8 And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi:
9 Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from
the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle
of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them?
10 And he hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee:
and seek ye the priesthood also?
11 For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the
LORD: and what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him?
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12 And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab: which said, We will not
come up:
13 Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and
honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us?
14 Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or
given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we
will not come up.
15 And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the LORD, Respect not thou their offering:
I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them.
16 And Moses said unto Korah, Be thou and all thy company before the LORD, thou, and
they, and Aaron, to morrow:
17 And take every man his censer, and put incense in them, and bring ye before the
LORD every man his censer, two hundred and fifty censers; thou also, and Aaron, each
of you his censer.
18 And they took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense thereon,
and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron.
19 And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle
of the congregation: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the congregation.
20 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
21 Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a
moment.
22 And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh,
shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation?
23 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
24 Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah,
Dathan, and Abiram.
25 And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel
followed him.
26 And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of
these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.
27 So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and
Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and
their sons, and their little children.
28 And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me to do all these
works; for I have not done them of mine own mind.
29 If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation
of all men; then the LORD hath not sent me.
30 But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them
up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall
understand that these men have provoked the LORD.
31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the
ground clave asunder that was under them:
32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the
men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.
33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth
closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.
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34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest
the earth swallow us up also.
35 And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty
men that offered incense.
36 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
37 Speak unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers out of the
burning, and scatter thou the fire yonder; for they are hallowed.
38 The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates
for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before the LORD, therefore they are
hallowed: and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel.
39 And Eleazar the priest took the brasen censers, wherewith they that were burnt had
offered; and they were made broad plates for a covering of the altar:
40 To be a memorial unto the children of Israel, that no stranger, which is not of the seed
of Aaron, come near to offer incense before the LORD; that he be not as Korah, and as
his company: as the LORD said to him by the hand of Moses.
41 But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against
Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the LORD.
42 And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against
Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation: and, behold, the cloud
covered it, and the glory of the LORD appeared.
43 And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation.
44 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
45 Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment.
And they fell upon their faces.
46 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and
put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them:
for there is wrath gone out from the LORD; the plague is begun.
47 And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation;
and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an
atonement for the people.
48 And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.
49 Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside
them that died about the matter of Korah.
50 And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation:
and the plague was stayed.
1 Sam 6:1-7
1 Samuel 6
6:1 And the ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines seven months.
2 And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What shall we do to
the ark of the LORD? tell us wherewith we shall send it to his place.
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3 And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not empty; but in
any wise return him a trespass offering: then ye shall be healed, and it shall be known to
you why his hand is not removed from you.
4 Then said they, What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him? They
answered, Five golden emerods, and five golden mice, according to the number of the
lords of the Philistines: for one plague was on you all, and on your lords.
5 Wherefore ye shall make images of your emerods, and images of your mice that mar
the land; and ye shall give glory unto the God of Israel: peradventure he will lighten his
hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.
6 Wherefore then do ye harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their
hearts? when he had wrought wonderfully among them, did they not let the people go,
and they departed?
7 Now therefore make a new cart, and take two milch kine, on which there hath come no
yoke, and tie the kine to the cart, and bring their calves home from them:
KJV
1 Sam 7:1-2
7:1 And the men of Kirjath-jearim came, and fetched up the ark of the LORD, and
brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep
the ark of the LORD.
2 And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjath-jearim, that the time was long; for it
was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.
KJV
KJV
WORSHIP
Reverent devotion and allegiance pledged to God; the rituals or ceremonies by which this
reverence is expressed. The English word worship comes from the Old English word
worthship, a word which denotes the worthiness of the one receiving the special honor or
devotion.
In Old Testament times Abraham built altars to the Lord and called on His name (Gen
12:8; 13:18). This worship of God required no elaborate priesthood or ritual.
After God's appearance to Moses and the deliverance of the Israelites from slavery in
Egypt, the foundations of Israelite ritual were laid. This worship took place in the light of
history, especially the Exodus of the Hebrew people from Egypt. Through Moses, God
established the form and principles of Israelite worship (Ex 25-31; 35:1-40:38).
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After the occupation of the Promised Land, Israel's exposure to Canaanite worship
affected the nation's own worship. The Old Testament reveals clearly that Israel adopted
some of the practices of the pagan people around them. At various times God's people
lapsed into idolatry. Some idols were placed on pedestals and sometimes they were
adorned or fastened with silver chains (Isa 40:19) or fastened with pegs lest they totter
and fall (Isa 41:7). Shrines and altars were sometimes erected to these pagan gods. But
such idolatry was condemned by God and His special spokesmen, the PROPHETS of the
Old Testament.
New Testament worship was characterized by a joy and thanksgiving because of God's
gracious redemption in Christ. This early Christian worship focused on God's saving
work in Jesus Christ. True worship was that which occurred under the inspiration of
God's Spirit (John 4:23-24; Phil 3:3).
The Jewish Sabbath was quickly replaced by the first day of the week as the time for
weekly public worship (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor 16:2); it was called the Lord's Day (Rev 1:10).
This was the occasion for celebration of the resurrection of Jesus, since He arose on the
first day of the week (Mark 16:2).
At first worship services were conducted in private houses. Possibly for a time the first
Christians worshiped in the synagogues as well as private homes. Some scholars believe
the Jewish Christians would go to the synagogues on Saturday and to their own meeting
on Sunday.
Many early Christians of Jewish background continued to follow the law and customs of
their people. They observed the Sabbath and the Jewish holy days, such as the great
annual festivals. However, the apostle Paul held himself free from any obligation to these
and never laid an obligation to observe them on his converts (Col 2:16). The New
Testament itself contains no references to any yearly Christian festivals. The KJV
mention of Easter (Acts 12:4) is a mistranslation; the NKJV has Passover.
Although the New Testament does not instruct worshipers in a specific procedure to
follow in their services, several elements appear regularly in the worship practices of the
early church.
Prayer apparently had a leading place in Christian worship. The letters of Paul regularly
open with references to prayer for fellow-Christians who are instructed to "pray without
ceasing" (1 Thess 5:17). Praise, either by individuals or in hymns sung in common,
reflects the frequent use of psalms in the synagogue. Also, possible fragments of
Christian hymns appear scattered through the New Testament (Acts 4:24-30; Eph 5:14; 1
Tim 3:16; Rev 4:8,11; 5:9-10,12-13).
Lessons from the Bible to be read and studied were another part of the worship procedure
of the New Testament church. Emphasis was probably given to the messianic prophecies
which had been fulfilled in Jesus Christ. His teachings also received a prlmary place.
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Prophecy, inspired preaching by one filled with the Holy Spirit, helped build up the
church, the body of Christ (Eph. 12:6 ). Contributions were also collected on the first day
of each week (1 Cor 16:2). Other details about the worship procedures of the early
Christians in the New Testament times are spotty. But these elements must have been
regularly included in the weekly worship service.
(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright (c)1986, Thomas Nelson
Publishers)
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