By Sister Monique Bell
Exodus 20:18-26
Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid[a] and trembled, and they stood far off 19 and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.” 20 Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.” 21 The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.
22 And the Lord said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the people of Israel: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have talked with you from heaven. 23 You shall not make gods of silver to be with me, nor shall you make for yourselves gods of gold. 24 An altar of earth you shall make for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen. In every place where I cause my name to be remembered I will come to you and bless you. 25 If you make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stones, for if you wield your tool on it you profane it. 26 And you shall not go up by steps to my altar, that your nakedness be not exposed on it.’
The children of Israel had freed from the clutches of slavery, escaped 400 years of bondage. They journeyed through the Red Sea, watched the Egyptian army drown, been fed with manna. They came to God’s Holy mountain to receive instruction. They saw God as He truly is a great and terrible God. They heard and saw the smoke, thunder, and lightning.
God attempted to draw close to his people whom He rescued by His hand. It was God who sent the plagues and finally the death angel to destroy every firstborn child in Egypt. From the firstborn of Pharaoh to the firstborn every living animal, cursed because they had not been obedient to God by placing the sign of Passover over the doorposts
The same God who spoke all into existence who destroyed the sin-sick people by the flood but allowed one family who was obedient to survive is the same God who placed a child in the womb of Sarah, Hannah, and Mary.
The same God who rescued Hagar and Ishmael. He is the one whom Hagar called “The God who sees Me.” He is the same that He was over 6,000 years ago brought the Israelites to this place to worship Him
God’s goal has always been to be close to his creation and to have His creation Worship Him. Our response should not be like the Israelites at Mount Sinai. We don’t need anyone to take our place worshipping God.
What does it mean to worship God? What is Worship?
It is spoken about over 99 times in scripture. The Hebrew word for Shachah meaning to depress, to lay prostrate, bow down.
And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, “What does my lord say to his servant?” This is worship. Notice it is not related to how someone feels about God. American Church seems to be too much into an experience instead of teaching that we need to bow down before our Creator.
Real Worship is our acknowledgment that God is greater than us. He is greater than our situation. He is higher than any single person, the thing that we know.
When all the people of Israel saw the fire come down and the glory of the Lord on the temple, they bowed down with their faces to the ground on the pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.”
And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground
The New testament word Proskuneo is worship down on knees it is still the act of putting ourselves below a Great and Gracious God. It is to bow down our lives, our will, our stubbornness, bow down our wants and desires.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.
Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
Verse 23 talks about how God wants no part of our ideas that are made up of silver and gold. You know those idols we talked about this week. The idols we create to take the place of the real living God. It should bring us to our knees when we think of what our God has done for us. Our heart should be the place we create for Him to come and rest His spirit in. Our heart is a place where we worship God and a place where we sacrifice. Don’t allow anything to block your worship of God.
God himself tells you in verses 24 and 25 not to make an alter to him of stone that was created by our hands. Worship is created out of a heart that understands what God has done for us through His Son Jesus. We should be like Mary with our expensive ointment pouring it out and washing our feet with our tears and wiping them with our hair. (John 12) That was her act of worship. What is your act of worship? Are you willing to give up all for God? Are you willing to pour out our life? It was His sacrifice on the cross that gives us the example we must follow.
It is our obedience that makes us a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1)
Psalm 100:4 states “Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name”!
Giving Thanks and bowing down to God is true worship. We thank Him for allowing us to see a new day. We thank God for our family and friends. These are ways we can worship God by staying continually in His presence. We can thank God for all that He has done for us.
And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.
But the real way you can worship God is by pouring out your life to Him. Worship God by acknowledging His free gift of salvation through His son Jesus Christ. Today is the day to begin to worship God to tell him that you aren’t worth His gift but you accept it. Without reservation, without hesitation, you believe that Jesus Christ is your savior. Scripture tells us how and why we must worship God. Today, if you haven’t worshipped God in the way He demands, start by bowing your heart to His will.
God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
And the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited the people of Israel and that he had seen their affliction, they bowed their heads and worshiped.
And when all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise up and worship, each at his tent door
And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped.
(for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God)
the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God
In Him Ministries 