WORSHIP GOD!
Albert Farley
God Is! From everlasting to everlasting, He is God! According to His holy will, He made all things and by Him all things consist. He made us in His image and He, alone, is worthy to receive glory, honor and power! Our great sin is our failure to give these to Him. Our fault is NOT that we do not worship. The Bible teaches that we worship the wrong things, in the wrong ways, and for the wrong purposes! Without divine guidance, man will worship nature, the creation: animals, mountains, the sun, moon, stars, planets, precious metals, wealth, making gods of wood, metal. He worships angels; he worships Satan. He worships other men; he even worships himself!
In prophetic and poetic language, the revelation of the closing days of time are recorded in Revelation, chapter 19. The wicked spiritual city and empire of Babylon is forever fallen! “Babylon” represents all of the wicked religious and secular powers embodied in the Roman Empire and the false Church that so opposed God and Christ and were so intense in destroying the kingdom and church built by Jesus Christ! Many saints were murdered.
When the news of the fall of Babylon was announced, the voice of a great multitude in heaven broke out in a great song of praise to God, singing four times, “Alleluia (Hallelujah)” (19:1, 3, 4, 6). Alleluia means “Praise yJah!” – Praise Jehovah! This great announcement caused the apostle John to fall down before the angel to worship him. The angel immediately and with great urgency forbad him, saying, “See that you do not do that! … Worship God!”
Worship is “worthiness, repute, respect, reverence tendered a divine being or supernatural power; the acts of expressing such reverence.” The Old Testament word worship means: to depress, prostrate in homage; bow down, fall flat; do obeisance.” The New Testament word means to kiss, prostrate oneself in homage, do reverence to; adore, praise, glory, honor, serve.
Jesus said true worship is offered in spirit and in truth. John 4:23, 24. God seeks such to worship Him. “In truth” means according to the revealed will of God in His Holy Word. “Sanctify them (set them apart) through thy truth: thy word is truth.” Jn 17:17. “In spirit” means our worship must come from the heart – not simply going through the motions, rituals, or ceremonies. 1 Cor 14:15.
Jesus said our worship is “vain” [useless, of no purpose] when based on the doctrines and commandments of men and not on God’s Word. (Mt 15:9). Without the Word, we will worship God ignorantly. Acts 17:22-23.
Paul condemned “will worship” or “self-imposed religion” in Colossians 2:18-23. This is worship that is based on man’s own invented, imagined ways.
Jesus has revealed, in His New Testament, the actions He demands of His church in offering true worship. (1) The Communion service. Acts 20:7; 1 Cor 10:16; 1 Cor 11:23-28. (2) Singing. Eph 5:19; Col 3:16; Mt 26:30. (3) Praying. Acts 2:42; 1 Thess 5:17; 1 Tim 2:8. (4) Teaching and preaching the Word. Acts 2:42; 2 Tim 4:1-4; Acts 20:7; Mt 28:18-20. (5) Giving of our means. 1 Cor 16:1,2; 2 Cor 8:1-5; 8:1-5. The church of the New Testament came together every first day of the week to offer this worship through Christ. Acts 2:41, Heb 10:25, Rev 1:10.
Dear friends, Revelation 19 announces the coming of the marriage supper of the Lamb. Jesus is returning to claim His bride, the faithful church. Eph 5:22-33. Are you a member of His church? Have you made yourself ready by obeying His gospel and living by it, dressed in clean, fine linen? Are you a true worshipper of God? Jn 9:31.