Christian Worship

Understanding Christian praise and worship is very important to our faith. Let’s take a look at the Old Testament to see how God’s purpose of the Old Testament priests and how it relates to Christian worship today.

The priests in Israel who were appointed by God to direct praise and worship to Him in the Old Testament were Levites. Now, as New Testament believers we are also called priests.

When we understand that the word Levi means “joined” or “united” and God calls the fallen creature (Satan) who once used to cover the throne of God and to direct God’s worship before the throne, Leviathan (note the term “Levi”-athan) in Job 41:1; and the earthly directing of God’s worship in the Old Testament was guarded and directed by the “Levi”-tes, and as New Testament priests we are to guard and direct the praises of God, we begin to see that God has established in His creation a sacred place of intimacy with Him by being intimately joined or united to Him through worship.

Praise is the personal expression of worship to one’s personal Lord. Praise and worship go hand in hand. You can’t truly worship without praise and you can’t truly praise without worship. Leviathan is not united with God but the point is he once was the Messianic Cherub who once before his fall directed and enjoined the heavenly hosts in intimate united praise to the Most High.

He is now the united serpent who seeks to have God’s creation enjoined in worship to him for his glorification by doing all he can to corrupt, distort and steal the worship and praise from the priesthood that should only be given to the true God. He desires to be king and lord and desires the worship from God’s creation from whom he wishes to be the object of praise.

In Exodus 32:26 the Levites demonstrated their loyalty to the Lord by joining themselves to Moses when they executed the righteous judgment of the Lord in the camp of Israel at the sin of the golden calf. As a result, God made them the priests to direct His praise to Him and to enjoin Israel in united worship to the Most High God of heaven and earth.

As New Testament priests we need to be joined in spirit to the leadership of the local church to be united in worshipping our God in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24). We are to direct our worship and make Him the object of our praise.

All through the Bible, praising the Lord identifies and celebrates the amazing grace and awesome glory of the Lord. The purpose is for his exaltation and glorification. In the Old Testament it was exalting the covenant God of Israel and in the New Testament, exalting the name and person of the risen Lord Jesus Christ. We are to praise the Lord and worship Jesus Christ.

When we are truly entered into the presence of God and united in intimate praise and worship with Him, we’ll be in awe. We’ll have no problem yielding ourselves to His authority and control in our lives and in the church. The church or individual that is truly entering into the presence of God will be on fire. This has been the problem of the church in this Laodicean church age, Jesus says we’re lukewarm (Rev 3:16).

Lukewarm Christians are complacent, apathetic with a lack of heart for the things of God without a true understanding of Christian worship.

It would be great offense if anyone would question the heart of someone’s favorite sports player, yet that is exactly what is at issue here. The church today lacks a fire and heart for the Lord Jesus Christ. His word has been watered down and the praise becomes about the people instead of the Lord of the people. The church turns to activities and methods of entertainment to hold the interests of the people. After all, why would anyone want to be at church if it can’t be about them? I believe it’s time for believers to understand what true Christian worship is!

More on:
Praise and Worship
Christian Praise and Worship
Biblical Worship
Biblical Praise
Worshipping God

Posted: 12|17|09 at 6:08 pm. Filed under: Church Worship.
Comment | Trackback