Scripture Reading: Exo. 20:3-11; 32:8; 34:14; Deut. 4:15-19; 8:19; 11:16-17; 17:2-5; 29:26-27; 30:17, 19; 1 Kings 9:6-7, 9; 2 Chron. 29:28-30; Neh. 9:3-6; Matt. 2:2, 11; 4:9-10; Rev. 4:10-11; 5:14; 7:11-12; 9:20-21; 11:1, 16-17; 13:4, 8, 12, 15; 14:7, 9, 11; 16:2; 19:4, 6; 20:4; 22:8-9
Many people give more importance to the Lord as the Savior than to Him as the Creator. It is true that we must first recognize Him as our Savior before we can know the Lord as God. But it is not enough to know Him only as the Savior; it is not enough to know only His redeeming work. His redeeming work is to lead men to know Him as the Creator.
The blood is first in order but not in importance. God's motive is not that we should just know Him as Savior. In Matthew 4:10 the Lord added the words, "You shall worship the Lord your God," to the first commandment in Exodus. God wants worship. The meaning of the word worship in Hebrew is "to kneel down." The meaning of this word in Greek is "to go forward to kiss the hand" and give everything to Him. Many do not know the secret of worshipping God. Yet we have to know that the Lord is God.
Jesus is God. How precious this fact is! God wants man to declare that He is God. The Lord's prayer is connected with the Ten Commandments. He told the disciples what God wanted. "Your name be sanctified" (Matt. 6:9). This tells us the first thing God hopes to see. What does it mean for the Lord's name to be sanctified? The word holiness or sanctification means to be set apart for God. For example, if I buy a Bible, it becomes mine. It is set apart for me, and I can say that it has become holy unto me. The name of God is set apart for God; it can be used only by God. This is the meaning of "Your name be sanctified." Now the name is being used by others; now it is general. One day it will be specific. Only Jehovah will be called God; nothing else will be called God.
God's demand of men is that they know Him as God. The Lord said to Mary after resurrection, "My Father and your Father, and My God and your God" (John 20:17). The word Father speaks of an individual relationship, whereas the name God speaks of a universal relationship.
Worship is confessing that He is God. Deuteronomy is the epistle of the Old Testament. It is Moses' epistle to the Israelites. In Deuteronomy he told them to worship God and nothing else. If they worshipped something else, they would be stoned to death.
What is the work of the devil? In Eden we cannot see what the work of the devil is. Isaiah shows us the devil wants to be like God; but we do not see what his purpose is. In Matthew 4 we can see his purpose. The devil tempted the Lord Jesus. In the first two temptations the devil had no special emphasis, but the goal of the third was that the Lord would "worship me." This was the devil's motive. The Lord quoted from Deuteronomy: "You shall worship the Lord your God." For six thousand years the devil has been seeking worship. God wants worship, and Satan also wants worship. All of the worship of idols is actually the worship of Satan. Satan fears for men to be saved because they will worship God. This is why he hates for men to be saved. In the book of Revelation we see a special line — the line of worship. In chapters four, five, and nineteen, we see the elders and living creatures worship. In chapter thirteen there is the contrast of the beast and his image being worshipped on earth. Satan wants to obtain on earth what God is receiving above. Satan's motive is not only just to make man sin but to make man worship him. Satan's kingdom is maintained by man's worship. The result of this worship is sin.
Satan's happiest day will be when Antichrist calls himself "God" (2 Thes. 2:4). This is what Satan has wanted throughout the past six thousand years. The worship of the beast is the worship of Satan. Revelation 13 shows that the beast wants worship. The message of the "eternal gospel" in 14:6 and 7 is to "worship Him." In Revelation 22 the last commandment in the New Testament is to worship God. Since God's motive is to obtain worship and Satan's motive is to obtain worship, what is the duty of a Christian? It is not enough to just have salvation. What will satisfy God? It is not enough to just pray or preach. God needs our worship of Him, and what Satan fears is our worship of God.
Worshipping is giving God that which one day will be exclusively His. Christ is the firstfruit. We give Him now what one day the world will give Him. We should not wait for the new heaven and new earth to come before we worship God. Now in the old creation, we can worship Him. At this time we want to give special worship to God, because Satan is getting worship for himself more and more. If we are defeated in worship, we will be defeated in other things.
Scripture Reading: Psa. 5:7; 29:2; 66:4; 86:9-10; 132:7; 138:2; Isa. 66:23; Zech. 14:16-17; Deut. 26:10; Rom. 1:25; Isa. 27:13; 2 Sam. 12:20; 2 Chron. 32:12; Gen. 24:26, 52; Exo. 4:30-31; 12:27; 24:1; 34:5-8; Josh. 5:13-14; Judg. 7:15; 1 Sam. 1:27-28; Job 1:20; Matt. 2:2, 11
The object of creation is that God may receive worship, while the object of Satan's work is to receive worship as well. The Ten Commandments reveal God's heart and His demands. In the Ten Commandments idolatry is prohibited. What are idols? They are objects of worship outside of God. Through idolatry Israel lost its position as a nation of priests. After that, only the Levites had the position of priests. The most serious punishment is not going to hell but losing the position of priests. When God loses the priesthood, His people also lose their blessing. Canaan soon had high places, altars, and other gods, resulting in dispersion. During the great revival under Hezekiah, worship was recovered. The next revival under Nehemiah also was a revival of worship.
Not very long after Nehemiah's revival, the Lord Jesus came. Matthew 2 records the wise men coming to worship. Only those who had the eyesight could see that the small child was God. The greatest revelation of the New Testament is found in the temptation in the wilderness. It opens our eyes to see what Satan wants — the worship of man. We have what God wants and what Satan wants; what heaven wants and what hell wants. Both heaven and hell are fighting for worship.
Two thrones are now at war. What are they fighting for? They are fighting for worship. Matthew shows us in particular that Jesus is King. This is why Matthew specially speaks of those who worship Him. The Lord Jesus received what God should receive from His people. God wants to get a people who know Him and who are for Him. God wants to get a people, not just children. We must first know the Father to know God. Our beginning is a father-son relationship. Then we go on to know Him as God. The knowledge of Him as Father is a personal relationship. The knowledge of Him as God is a knowledge of His official standing in the universe. Many know the Father, but not many know God.
What is worship? It is a recognition that He is God and that we are men. We were saved when we saw He was the Father. We are finished when we see that He is God; we can only fall down and worship. It is all a matter of seeing. Worship comes from seeing; it takes revelation to worship. Praise is objective, whereas thanksgiving is subjective. When we know God, our hearts will be filled with glory. When we know the Father, our hearts are filled with joy. Glory cannot be explained; only those who see God know what glory is. Consider the experience of Mrs. Penn-Lewis. One day God revealed Himself to her. She just fell on her face. In 2 Corinthians 5:11 Paul said, "Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord." God is lovable; yet He is also fearful. Those who are proud and who condemn others have not seen God. True humility comes from seeing God. The humility which comes from knowing God is unshakable. We need a new revelation of God and a deeper knowledge. If we do not have revelation and knowledge, we only have doctrines.
Two things are needed to worship — holiness and fear. "Worship Jehovah in holy splendor" (Psa. 29:2). No one who has seen God can allow sin or any unrighteousness to remain. When we go before people, our first thought is of our clothing; the same is true when we go before God. We must worship Him in holy splendor. Those who live under the glory of God say, "I am a sinner." Those who see God, fear Him. "Our God is also a consuming fire" (Heb. 12:29). Everything that can be burned, He will burn. God cannot consume those who have passed through drastic dealings by the cross. However, it is dangerous for those who do not know the work of the cross to meet God. Fire could not consume Daniel's three companions. Once a person sees God, he will spontaneously fear God.
What should we do since God wants worship and Satan wants worship? The life of God's people should be a life of worship. Every day of our life should begin with worship. Often it is necessary to kneel in prayer. God wants us to worship Him in everything. We will find that the more we worship, the more reason we will have to worship. The more we know what eternity is, the more we will worship. We should never begin anything without first worshipping God. We should first give God His portion before asking for our portion. If the church gives God His portion of worship, the result will be the establishment of God's worship on this earth. In the new heaven and new earth, all flesh will worship God. Now He does not have the worship of everything; He only has the worship of those who will worship Him. We should not look lightly upon work, prayer, etc., but we must realize that God highly esteems worship.
Scripture Reading: Gen. 1:27; 2:7; 3:5; 46:27; Matt. 2:3, 5; 10:38-39; John 4:19-24; 1 Cor. 2:14; 1:26-28; 6:17
In order to understand worship we must understand John 4. The special question in view is worship in relationship to man's creation and man's salvation. Just being a good Christian is too small. John 4:24 says, "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truthfulness." God is Spirit; therefore, we must use our spirit to worship Him. If we do not use our spirit, we cannot worship Him. The creation of man is unlike the rest of creation. Man's constitution has a part that is like God's constitution. If man has a question about his spirit, he will also have a question about worship. First Corinthians 6:17 says, "He who is joined to the Lord is one spirit." If we pour water into water, the result is water. But water with oil does not mix. We are joined to the Lord because our spirit can be mingled with His Spirit. When we are joined to Him, we do not become one body but one spirit. Flesh and blood and will and feelings are useless to God; only our spirit can touch God the Spirit. When God created man, He put a spirit within him. This is the only part of man which is like God. Man has an element in him which is like an element in God. He is Spirit, and a little part of us is spirit. This little part in us can touch God; it can touch eternity.
The lower forms of created life have feelings; they can choose, but they cannot worship, because they have no spirit. Although man is very small, he is very precious. He is a special creation. If man wants to use his spirit to worship God, he must live in the spirit. He must maintain his fellowship with God, his communication with God. Man's fall not only resulted in wrong acts; it affected man's whole constitution. In the fall we see the record of human behavior and the change in the human constitution. Man ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and as a result, his will changed, his feelings changed, and his thoughts changed. Then he was able to understand the difference between good and evil. Through their sin, Adam and Eve changed the constitution God had created in them. Before the fall man had a spirit and could touch God. After the fall his spirit died. Sin affected his constitution. Man became different. Biologically, he was changed. He added his own feelings to his power of decision. If Satan wants worship, he needs something in man that will worship him. Through his soul, man can worship Satan. Satan did not keep his original position. He said, "I will be like the Most High" (Isa. 14:14). When he deceives man, he induces him to abide by his soul, not his spirit. It takes the life of God to enliven and nourish the spirit. Satan originally had a spirit. After he sinned, his spirit was cut off from fellowship with God. Satan now lives by his "I." As such, he works through the self, the "I" of man. We must see the difference between the spirit and the soul. The soul is now a faculty that can decide for itself. Man can be independent of God. In this way Satan receives worship.
This is the meaning of the story in Eden. Before the fall man had to trust in God for everything. After the fall it was no longer necessary for man to trust in God; he could decide for himself. Man was never created with such power, but through the fall his constitution was changed.
The spirit is forever tied to dependence; whereas the soul is forever tied to independence. The man God created was of no use to Satan; he had to have an independent and proud man for his purpose. When man lives by his soul, he has an arrogant attitude, and Satan gains his worship. Every means is used today to enlarge man's soul through education, knowledge, etc. This generation of men is very independent and stubborn. God wants people who are dependent upon Him. Satan wants men who can do everything by themselves. So we must learn how to live by the spirit and ask the Lord to deliver us from the power of the soul. If one is spiritual, there will be humility; if he is soulish, he will be proud.
What is salvation? Salvation not only deals with our sins, but also restores our constitution. Man is wrong both inwardly and outwardly. This is why he needs both the outward restitution as well as the inward restoration. "That which is born of the Spirit is spirit." This is regeneration in our constitution. When a man is saved, he is cleansed outwardly as well as changed constitutionally.
The soul cannot understand God; only the Spirit can. We must learn to lose our soul. It is a daily work to lose our soul. God does not deal with our soul in the same way that he dealt with our sins in his substitutionary work. We must lose our own souls, and we must bear our cross daily. What does this mean? It means to come to God and not make any judgment by ourselves.
First Corinthians 1:27-28 says that God has chosen the foolish, weak, and the lowborn. This is because they are those whose souls are not enlarged. If we live according to the spirit, God will gain our worship. But if we live according to the soul, Satan will gain our worship.
Scripture Reading: John 4; Gen. 22; Isa. 27:1; 2 Sam. 12:20; Psa. 132:7; Zech. 14:16-17; 2 Chron. 32:12
Because of man's fall, worship was ruined. Without salvation man cannot worship God. John 4:23 says that "the Father...seeks such to worship Him." Who are these "such"? They are the ones who are "born anew" (3:3). The Father wants such to worship Him. John 4:24 tell us of an eternal principle: God is Spirit. Since man's spirit was poisoned, he could no longer come to God. He could have feelings and thoughts about God, but he could not worship Him. After the fall man became twisted in his feeling, reasoning, and thought.
"Those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truthfulness." The word "truthfulness" can also be translated as truth. Only that which is of the spirit is truth. Using thoughts or feelings to praise God is not worshipping in truth. According to the Old Testament, the proper worship was at Jerusalem. The sacrifice of Isaac was on Mount Moriah. The Old Testament records many times that worship should be in Jerusalem. Even in the kingdom, the nations will worship in Jerusalem. The temple, altar, and sanctuary were all in Jerusalem. Yet these were but shadows. People forgot what they spoke of. In actuality it is all a matter of the spirit. The reality of Jerusalem in God's plan is the spirit. It is not enough to worship God in Jerusalem; we must worship Him in spirit.
We must also realize the position of Jerusalem in God's plan. Jerusalem represents God's purpose; it is God's inheritance. God will inherit Jerusalem as His dwelling. Ephesians tells us that the saints are God's inheritance. However, what in us can we give to God? There is one thing which God will inherit in us; it is our free will. Satan is doing his best to hinder our free will from being occupied by God. He is doing his best to frustrate God's purpose and to destroy any worship to God. When our free will is taken up by God, we render God the proper worship.
In Jerusalem there is the temple on Mount Moriah. Where there is the reality of worship, there is the need of the cross. "And I, if I be lifted up" (John 12:32). "So must the Son of Man be lifted up" (3:14). Worship and the cross are related. If we do not know the cross, we cannot worship God. God must touch the natural life before He can secure in us the proper worship. When the cross touches man, his constitution is changed. On the one hand, we are dead with Christ, but on the other hand, the death of Christ is killing us daily. In order for God to gain our worship, we must go to the cross. The special characteristic of the cross is its stripping us of our trust in ourselves. The cross makes us dependent. If we do not take a position of dependence, we cannot worship God.
The Old Testament temple is also a type of the New Testament church. In the Old Testament, no one could worship outside the temple. the temple was the container of God. Today worship is realized in the Body of Christ. Apart from the Body, it is difficult to have the proper worship. Worship in the New Testament is a corporate matter.
Once I went to Fukien to preach the gospel, but I knew that the Lord was not in my endeavor. Yet the result was marvelous: two hundred souls were saved. Later, I read John 15:5, which says, "Apart from Me you can do nothing." It was quite hard for me to believe this verse. According to my thought, there were many things that could be done without Him. Yet we will not be judged by how much we can do, but by how much we are doing things by Him. The principle of the fall in Eden is to boast that we can do what God can do. Such an attitude must go if we are to worship God.
In the temple there is the incense altar, which signifies that everything that we are and have belongs to God. All that we have is God's. If we can say, "Lord, I want nothing for myself," God will get the glory. When all that we have is offered to God, He will gain the glory. The ultimate point of the Lord's prayer is that God gains everything. The kingdom is His, not ours or Satan's. The power is His, and the glory is His. If we stand in this position, God will receive worship.
In summary, worship is typified by: (1) Jerusalem, which is God's central purpose, (2) Mount Moriah, which includes the dealing of the cross on our soul, and the (3) incense table, which signifies that everything that we are and have belongs to God.
Scripture Reading: Gen. 24:12-14; Exo. 4:31; 12:27; 34:8-9; Josh. 5:13-14; Judg. 7:13-15; 1 Sam. 1:27-28; 2 Sam. 12:20; Job 1:20-22; Matt. 2:9-11
We can trace a line right through Revelation and see what the devil is fighting for. In the first chapter of Revelation we see Christ as the Lord of war, not as the Head of the church or as the Savior. Previously, John laid on His bosom, now he lay as dead at the feet of the Lord. The Lord is revealed as a man of war. Out of His mouth proceeds a sword, and His eyes are like a flame of fire. He is a Lamb who is filled with wrath. In Revelation we see two thrones at war. Heaven and hell are in conflict. They are fighting to obtain the worship of man. Revelation 1—3 reveals Him as Lord, the One to be worshipped. Chapters four and five are not prophetic; they do not speak of future things; rather, they are a picture of the eternal scene in heaven (Rev. 4:1-4, 6, 9-11; 5:6, 12-14). In heaven there is only one throne, which is for worship.
Everything has its beginning from the throne. John saw the throne and the One seated there who was worthy of all praise. The throne has never changed. The elders represent all spiritual beings and the four living creatures represent the whole creation. (The twenty-four elders are not part of the church. The number of the church is twelve, not twenty-four. The elders also have crowns and thrones, and they were enthroned and crowned before the Lamb was. If it was possible for the church to be enthroned and crowned before the Lamb, then the twenty-four elders could represent the church. However, the church was never enthroned and crowned before the Lord was; therefore, we cannot say that the twenty-four elders represent the church.)
Since the sphere is the universe, the twenty-four elders are the twenty-four elders of the universe. The church is "the brothers of the Lord"! David set up twenty-four groups to minister to God, so the twenty-four elders are a band who serve God. They are kings and priests, and they represent the angels. They are a special group who serve God.
The living creatures represent all of God's creation, including man. This picture shows us that from eternity to eternity God has His throne and continual worship. In zoology we have men, domestic animals, beasts, birds, fish, and creeping things. In Genesis 1:24-26 we also have six kinds of creatures: man, cattle, beasts, fowl, fish, and creeping things. Only four are represented in the four living creatures; two kinds are missing. Fish and creeping things are not represented. The creeping things represent demons and the dragon, and fish represent the unsaved. In the new heaven and new earth there will be no sea, so the creatures of the sea are not represented in this scene of worship. The creeping things are headed by the dragon and, of course, are not included in this worship. God does not need creeping things and fish to worship Him.
On the veil of the temple, which represents the body of Christ, the four living creatures — the lion, the bird, the calf, and the man — are embroidered. When the veil was split, everything on it was also rent. By the death of Christ all of creation is redeemed. In His body He redeemed all creation.
The worship in Revelation 4 did not begin when John saw it. God has had this worship from before the foundation of the world. On the earth it is possible to have sin and the work of the devil; the earth is the sphere of the devil's activity now. Eventually, the sea will be his sphere. All that transpires on the earth, however, does not move the throne. On the earth men can worship lions, birds, and calves, but in heaven only God is worshipped.
God rests on His throne and that is the place of our rest too. Men of the world say, "Where is your God?" He is on His throne receiving worship. Revelation 4 is a picture of eternity. In Revelation 5 time enters in. John saw the Lamb come. Who can obtain for God what He wants? Only the Lamb can restore what God is after. God's throne is from eternity to eternity in the heavens.
In Revelation 5 we see a throne. Around the throne there are representatives of the physical and spiritual creation, and in the midst of it the Lamb comes upon the scene. Philippians 2 is the Lamb in time. Revelation 5 is the Lamb's return to heaven. In Revelation 4 we see that because of creation God receives worship. In Revelation 5 we see that because of redemption God receives worship. Revelation 5 is the coronation of the Lord.
The rest of Revelation deals mainly with the three and a half years of the tribulation. Revelation 6—19 deals with the tribulation. It speaks of the tribulation because it is the last war; it is the end of the war between God and Satan. Satan wants the great tribulation so that He will receive worship through the beast, the dragon, and the image. Satan is not ignorant of the events of Revelation 13 through 19. He works up to this for the sake of worship. He risks the lake of fire and the bottomless pit for the sake of worship. At the present time, he does not receive direct worship through idols, but during the tribulation men will worship the dragon. There will be direct worship.
Revelation 13:8 says, "All those dwelling on the earth will worship him." Satan will receive universal worship. Verse 12 tells us that he will make the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast. Many say that they do not worship anything now, but then all will worship the beast. The devil has a spirit, and by it he will move men to worship him. Verses 14 and 15 speak of the worshipping of the image of the beast, the false Christ, which is Satan himself.
In chapter fourteen three angels from heaven declare God's will. In verse 6 the eternal gospel is proclaimed. Verse 7 tells us that this gospel is to fear God and worship Him. God also stops men from worshipping His enemy. In verse 8 the second angel proclaims the fall of Babylon, and in verses 9 and 10 the third angel proclaims God's wrath upon those who have worshipped the beast. In chapter fourteen God makes a dis- tinction between two kinds of men, according to whether or not they have worshipped Satan.
Chapter fifteen speaks of the victory over the beast and the song of the Lamb (vv. 2-4). Salvation is the human portion and worship is the divine portion of the spoils of victory. By then "all the nations will come and worship before You" (v. 4).
In chapter sixteen there is a picture of the unsaved. In verses 1 and 2 we see God's judgment upon the worshippers of the beast. In verses 9 and 11 men still have not repented, and in verse 21 they blaspheme God.
Chronologically, chapter nineteen follows chapter sixteen. In verse 4 we see the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures worshipping God again. In verse 5 His slaves are praising Him. There is no mention of salvation in verse 6 because it is improper to mention salvation in such a praise. Verse 20 tells us that all those who have worshipped the image are cast alive into the lake of fire.
Revelation 20:4 speaks of those who did not worship the beast or his image; they reigned with Christ a thousand years. Whether or not these ones enter the kingdom depends on whether they have worshipped Satan.
Revelation 21:1-3 speaks of His people, which relates to God's position, His Godhead. Verses 4 through 7 say that God will be God to these ones and they shall be his sons. In order to know Him as God, we must know Him as Father, but the highest knowledge of God is not of His Fatherhood but of His Godhead. Verse 7 says, "He who overcomes will inherit these things." This overcoming is the overcoming spoken of in 1 John.
Revelation 22:8-9 contain the last reference to worship. When John saw all these wonderful things, he fell down to worship the angel. The tendency to worship something other than God is always in us. "Worship God" is the last command in the Scripture. Genuine worship is acknowledging our limitations and acknowledging that God has no limitations. We must bow before Him; He is beyond us in everything.
