“The People Bowed The Head And Worshipped”
“That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped” (Ex. 12:27). Exodus twelve records the instructions and procedure for the Children of Israel when the Lord delivered them out of bondage. Moses instructed them to keep this Passover and teach it to their children. After giving those instructions the text says, “…The people bowed the head and worshipped.”
The New Testament teaches us, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth’ (John 4:24). We know from scripture that the church met on the first day of the week to break bread (Acts 20:7). We know the church at Corinth came together as Paul gave them instruction as to how they were to act (1 Cor. 11) and he followed up by telling them, “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come” (1 Cor. 16:2).
Worship! What is it? It is not the “entertainment hour” that many have made it out to be with bands, praise teams, choral groups, hand clapping and whatever the imagination of man can create. One denominational church has three assemblies, (Modern, Majestic and Kid’s Church). Wow! The only thing poor ole Peter, Paul and the early church could come up with was singing, praying, giving, preaching and communing with the Lord’s Supper. They didn’t have the local Jerusalem or Antioch Orchestra to come and perform. The latest Rock Band was not in the making. The kid’s just had to make do with whatever the adults did (poor little deprived souls). The definition of worship is: “extravagant respect or admiration for or devotion to an object of esteem.”
Worship! What is it? Worship is faith in God and in His word. He tells us what he wants us to do just as he did Cain and Abel (Heb. 11:4). We are to worship “In spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).
Worship! What is it? Worship is focused on God. Again John four tells us, “God is a spirit and they that worship him…” (vs. 4). Notice the “Him.” Man is not the center of worship. God is! The choir sings, the orchestra plays, everyone claps and exalts to performers. God is left out.
Worship! What is it? Worship is fixed in the heart. When we sing (Notice not when the orchestra plays or the choir sings) the Bible says, “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Eph. 5:19). It’s in the heart. Worship is fixed in man’s heart.
Worship! What is worship? “THE PEOPLE BOWED THE HEAD AND WORSHIPPED.”
