Worshiping God

Genesis 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.”

Today, we tend to think of forms of “worship” as singing, or testimonies, or hearing a message. I can remember the first time that I heard the term “worship” used for singing and it was for contemporary Christian music. But, this could hardly be the meaning in the Genesis text above, however, for Abraham was intending to offer Isaac on a sacrificial altar in accordance with God’s command.

Psalm 29:2 “Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name; Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.”

I read that the first time the Hebrew word for “worship” is used is in Genesis 18:2. When Abraham saw three men approaching (later revealed as the Lord and two angels), he “bowed himself toward the ground.” Thus, “worship” means, essentially, “bow down” in obedience to the will of the one deserving “worship.” That detail I had not heard before, but totally makes sense. The article stated that Abraham’s supreme act of worship, however, was his willingness even to sacrifice his beloved son, if God’s will so require. He trusted so fully in God that he knew “God was able to raise him up, even from the dead” explained Hebrews 11:19, and so he could tell his two servants that he and Isaac would “come again to you.” No wonder Abraham is called “the father of all them that believe”. He was, indeed, “strong in faith”.

Psalm 66:4 “All the earth shall worship You and sing praises to You; They shall sing praises to Your name.”

The article goes on to point out that the New Testament Greek word for “worship” also means essentially to bow down to God’s will. It occurs first when the wise men came to King Herod seeking the infant Savior, in Matthew 2:2 saying: “We come to worship him”. As long ago a great man of faith on Earth (Abraham) bowed down to the three from heaven, so now faithful men and women on Earth bow down to One from heaven, the One who alone is worthy of true worship. Love people, use things and worship God.

Psalm 95:6 “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.”