WORSHIP
INTERACTIVE BIBLE STUDY
How should we worship? Study what the Scriptures teach about whether worship is necessary, and who, when, where and how we should worship.
"All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee" (Psalm 22:27).
To begin, click on the "Start" button. Use the "Next" and "Back" buttons to navigate through the study.
How should we worship? Study what the Scriptures teach about whether worship is necessary, and who, when, where and how we should worship.
"All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee" (Psalm 22:27).
To begin, click on the "Start" button. Use the "Next" and "Back" buttons to navigate through the study. How should we worship?
The following answers present several options:- A. Worship appeases God, so we should worship in a way that lessens our punishment.
- B. A God who requires worship is selfish and a tyrant, so we shouldn't worship a God who requires it.
- C. Worship is a state of mind that manifests in obedience, so we should worship God with conviction, honesty and true thoughts.
- D. Worship in an individual choice, so we are free to worship God in any way that feels right to us.
How is worship translated in the Bible?
Hebrew:
"shachah" = to bow down, humbly beseech, do reverence
(This same word is also translated to "bow", "reverence", "obeisance" and "humbly".)
Greek:
"latreuo" = to minister and serve
"proskuneo" = to move toward, adore, prostrate oneself in homage
"sebomai" = revere, adore, be devout
"shachah" = to bow down, humbly beseech, do reverence
(This same word is also translated to "bow", "reverence", "obeisance" and "humbly".)
Greek:
"latreuo" = to minister and serve
"proskuneo" = to move toward, adore, prostrate oneself in homage
"sebomai" = revere, adore, be devout
Worship involves recognizing the superiority of another, acknowledging the power they have, and respecting, adoring and serving them.
Who should we worship?
1
"And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve" (Matt. 4:9-10).
"For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God" (Ex. 34:14).
"And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him" (Heb. 1:6).
1
Worship God and His son, Jesus.
Who should we NOT worship?
1
"And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things" (Rev. 22:8).
"And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name" (Rev. 14:11).
"And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk" (Rev. 9:20).
"And they left all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal" (2 Kings 17:16).
1
There are many warnings in the Bible against worshipping various entities that will deceive and hurt you.
Who should we not worship?
1
"Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these. And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD'S house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east" (Ez. 8:15-16).
"Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen" (Rom. 1:25).
1
The Creator is the one worthy of worship, not any created thing.
Why should we worship?
1
"Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest" (Rev. 15:4).
1
Worship God because He is just and right in all He does.
2
"And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth" (1 Cor. 14:25).
2
God knows everything about us and when we realize our sinfulness and wretchedness without God, we worship Him.
Why should we worship
1
"I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name" (Psalm 138:2).
1
Worship God because He loves you and because He tells you the truth.
2
"Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy" (Psalm 99:5).
2
God is holy (sacred).
3
"Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth" (John 9:31).
3
God hears the prayers of those who worship Him and do His will.
Where should we worship?
1
"Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped..." (2 Sam. 12:20).
"But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple" (Psalm 5:7).
1
David and the Israelites worshipped in the temple or toward it.
2
"Because that thou mayest understand, that there are yet but twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem for to worship. And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city" (Acts 24:11-12).
2
Paul went to Jerusalem to worship in the temple and the synagogues.
3
"O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth" (Psalm 96:9).
3
The word "holiness" in Hebrew means a sacred place (dedicated, hallowed, sanctuary). Churches today, like synagogues in the bible, are a place dedicated to God and designed for worship.
Where should we worship?
1
"And it came to pass, that when David was come to the top of the mount, where he worshipped God..." (2 Sam. 15:32).
1
David also worshipped on the top of a mountain.
2
"And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent door" (Ex. 33:10).
2
Worship can also be done at a person's place of dwelling.
Where should we worship?
1
"This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us" (Acts 7:38).
1
Jesus was in the church in the wilderness (temple). His presence made it a place of worship.
2
"For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matt. 18:20).
2
Jesus promises to be with us, wherever we are, when we gather together in His name.
3
"But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him" (John 4:23).
3
There are many benefits and reasons for regularly worshipping in church with other believers. However, true worship can be accomplished anywhere, because it is done in the mind (in spirit) and honestly, without concealing (in truth).
When should we worship?
1
"And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read" (Luke 4:16).
1
Since churches are places dedicated for worship, it makes sense that Jesus set us an example of regularly going to church every week on the Sabbath.
2
"And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught" (Mark 1:21).
2
Jesus and the apostles regularly went to church on the Sabbath, which is the seventh day of the week.
3
"And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made" (Genesis 2:3).
3
The Hebrew word for sanctify means to pronounce clean, to dedicate and to make holy. The Sabbath was sanctified at creation. It was not established only for the Israelite nation, which was formed over 1500 years later, but for all believers. There is no place in the Bible teaching that the sanctity was transferred to a different day.
When should we worship?
1
"And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean" (Matt. 8:2).
1
God pours out His blessings, such as healing, at all times. Responding to God's goodness and making requests to Him along with worship is done at any time, as illustrated throughout the Bible by grateful recipients of God's grace.
2
"Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews" (Acts 26:7).
2
While the Sabbath is a special day set aside to worship our Creator, worship can be done continually (day and night). Worship can be a state of mind. Note: The Greek word in this text translated to "serving" is the same word often translated into "worship".
How should we worship?
1
"For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh" (Philip. 3:3).
1
Our spirit (or mind) accomplishes true worship. Just doing certain things or actions alone, doesn't work. Honesty of heart in truly acknowledging the goodness and supremacy of God equals true worship.
2
"But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets" (Acts 24:14).
2
Worship includes believing the entire Bible, which is God's word.
How should we worship?
1
"And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever" (2 Chron. 7:3).
1
Although worship and praise are separate concepts in the Bible, they are often accomplished together. Examples of praising God in the Bible most often involve external behaviour, such as singing or talking out loud. Praise can involve celebration, commendation and honouring.
2
"And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the LORD their God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the LORD their God" (Neh. 9:3).
2
Confession also accompanies worship. The Hebrew word for confessed in this text is "yadah", which means to revere, to confess, praise, and be thankful.
How should we worship?
1
"Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness" (1 Chron. 16:29).
1
Giving offerings also accompanies worship.
2
"O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker" (Psalm 95:6).
2
Bow or kneel before God in worship. In the Christian world today, kneeling is sometimes done, but typically only while praying. However, kneeling, bowing or falling down before God is very much a part of worship in the Bible.
How should we NOT worship?
1
"But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men" (Matt. 15:9).
1
When a person worships God while knowingly placing the teachings of men above teachings in the Bible, the worship serves no purpose.
2
"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ" (Col. 2:8).
2
The Greek word for spoil means to lead away or seduce. Any type of worship or activity that doesn't have Christ at the center, is done in vain.
Do only God's people worship Him?
1
"Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee" (Rev. 3:9).
1
Some types of worship are not out of love, but as a result of recognizing a truth or being forced to acknowledge it. This is not the type of worship that God desires from His children.
2
"All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name" (Psalm 86:9).
"For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God" (Rom. 14:11).
2
All people will one day worship God. When He returns to this earth a second time, every person will acknowledge that He is God.
What role does worship have in the last days?
1
"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God" (2 Thess. 2:3-4).
1
After the death of Christ and before His second coming, the extraordinary evil actions of a man are revealed. This man exalts himself and accepts worship as if he is God.
What role does worship have in the last days?
1
"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters" (Rev. 14:6-7).
1
In the last days, special messages are given to people. One of these messages contains a specific reminder to worship the Creator. This indicates that many fall away from properly worshipping God, or that they do not even believe that God is the creator. This is readily seen in the rapid rise of belief in evolution during the 1800's and more recently the rise in scientific twisting of the Biblical account of creation, which reduces the role of God and undermines the reliability of the Scriptures.
2
"And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God..." (Rev. 14:9-10).
2
The third special message warns us all to be careful who we worship in these last days.
Review the original question
How should we worship?- A. Worship appeases God, so we should worship in a way that lessens our punishment.
- B. A God who requires worship is selfish and a tyrant, so we shouldn't worship a God who requires it.
- C. Worship is a state of mind that manifests in obedience, so we should worship God with conviction, honesty and true thoughts.
- D. Worship in an individual choice, so we are free to worship God in any way that feels right to us.
End of Study
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All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the King James Version of the Bible (KJV). Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The "NIV" and "New International Version" are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the King James Version of the Bible (KJV). Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The "NIV" and "New International Version" are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™