History of Worship

HISTORY OF WORSHIP

From as early as the Garden of Eden, one couple, who lived in perfect harmony and communion with God, bequeathed worship to Him. Their sons also worshipped God with sacrifices of thanksgiving. As soon as people began to multiply on the earth there is an indication of the beginning of public worship; "then began men to call upon the name of the LORD." (Genesis 4:26). Already the first human family was attending the Service of the Church and singing the Song of the Church, exhorting one another: "O come, let us worship!"

The Old Testament's history of worship involved resting from work on the Sabbath day to hear God's Word. The patriarchs' offerings and sacrifices to God were in response to His words and promises. Hill stated that "they bowed down before Him because He had redeemed them, had called, gathered, and enlightened them, and had given them His Word. God served them with the Bread of life; they responded with songs and prayers of praise and thanksgiving."

During Israel's exodus from Egypt as a great nation, they were told by God how to worship Him and how He would come to them; "in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee." (Exodus 20:24). Although initially the people worshiped in tabernacles that were transportable, later the Lord commanded Solomon to build a temple for Him as a place of worship, and reemphasized the promise to hear the prayers of His people wherever He put His name.

Whether worshiping in the tabernacle in the wilderness or the Temple in Jerusalem, the worship service was a liturgy of sin and grace, confession and absolution, law and gospel. According to Bromily "the sinner came before God and confessed his sins; the sacrifice was made and the blood sprinkled on the altar, and the priest pronounced God's forgiveness and grace to the believer." This is shown in how Moses instituted the first covenant (Hebrews 9:19-20). All these foreshadowed the one perfect sacrifice of Christ for the sins of the world and the forgiveness which He gives to all who believe (1 John 1:7). Thus God does not command us to do all of these things today, for the Old Testament sacrifices and festivals were "a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ" (Colossians 2:17). Yet the heritage and precedent of giving our best in worship is clearly set forth in Scripture itself for the Church of all the ages.

New Testament worship was expected to be as sincere and full of reverence as Old Testament worship. According to Robert Webber, "the basis of New Testament worship can be drawn from Jesus' attitude toward worship." Evidently, while Jesus' sojourned on this earth, He supported Israelite worship. His concern for the purity of temple worship is seen in the zeal he employed while cleansing the temple (Matthew