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Uncovering the Biblical Definition of Worship!
The
Bible uses three words to describe God honouring worship.
Different words are used to speak of other forms of worship.
The Proper OT word for
“worship” is:
shachah
{shaw-khaw'}
means to bow yourself down, in loving
obedience and service, clearly by choice.
- Found 172 times in OT
usually translated as “worship”!
- Used in Genesis 22:5 in
the story of Abraham and Isaac.
- The only word
translated worship in the Psalms.
3 other
words were translated worship in the OT:
`atsab
{aw-tsab'} The word ‘atsab
was used when referring to idol worship or giving gifts in
worship and is only found in Jer. 44:19.
`abad
{aw-bad'} The word ‘abad is defined by service but has
connotations of compelling to serve or being led or enticed to
serve! Used in 2 Kings 10 as a description of the worshippers of
Baal.
c@gid
{seg-eed'} literally means
to bow down physically but it only refers to the body posture, not
the choice to bow. It is found in Daniel 3 in reference to the
worshippers bowing before King
Nebuchadnezzar’s Idol by ultimatum.
There
are 2 proper words for “worship” in the NT:
Proskuneo and Latreuo.
1.
proskuneo {pros-koo-neh'-o}
means to kiss your hand
towards in reverence, or to bow and be obedient towards. Found 60
times in the NT and always translated as “worship”
Proskuneo
is used in John 4:21-24 and best defines authentic worship:
John 421Jesus
declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will
worship
the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.
22You
Samaritans
worship
what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is
from the Jews.
23Yet
a time is coming and has now come when the true
worshipers
will
worship
the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of
worshipers
the
Father seeks.
24God
is spirit, and his
worshipers
must
worship
in spirit and in truth."
Authentic Worship is in spirit and truth!
The
word “spirit” means the soul or consciousness by which we feel,
think and decide.
This is the indication of our choice! We are to choose to bow
down and kiss towards God!
WORSHIP
IN SPIRIT BUT WITHOUT TRUTH WAS CALLED:
Eusebeo
{yoo-seb-eh'-o} meant to worship out of reverential fear. Similar
to ‘atsab.
Paul used this term in reference to the worship of the Altar to an
Unknown God in Acts 17. The people feared God but did not know
the “truth” of Christ and therefore were unable to worship in
truth.
The
word “truth” means respecting God and the execution of His
purposes through Christ.
This indicates faith in
Christ as God’s Son and obedience to His will and His Word!
WORSHIPING IN TRUTH WITHOUT SPIRIT WAS CALLED
Sebomai
{seb'-om-ahee} means proper respect
but did not imply that there was a love or relationship to the one
worshiped.
Found in Acts 16 and is
speaking of a woman who respected God but did not yet know the
truth of Christ so was following the right God but not yet with a
spirit relationship to Christ.
The
other NT word for “worship” in the New Testament is:
2. Latreuo
{lat-ryoo'-o} is found 21
times in scripture and is translated either as serve or worship.
Latreuo literally means the service of God! to perform sacred
services, to offer gifts. Some scholars believe there should be
greater differentiation between proskuneo and latreuo yet
regardless of your opinion it is plain in scripture that service
and worship are inseparable since you cannot have one without the
other! Service without a chosen surrender is not worship and
surrender without serving is not true surrender.
HOWEVER
THERE IS A WORD FOR SERVICE WITHOUT SURRENDER
Threskeia
{thrace-ki'-ah} means religious service but does not imply
relationship! Found in Colossians 2:18 speaking about rituals in
angel worship.
CONCLUSIONS:
The basic conclusions we can draw from this basic study of the
words translated as “worship” is that different words were used to
mean different types of worship, yet worship in spirit and truth
is clearly what God desires.
True or
authentic worship is a whole hearted, surrender to the truth of
Christ and a relationship of loving obedience to Him and His Word!
Bow yourself down (shachah) and kiss towards Christ (proskuneo)
The heart of worship is surrender!
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