“They have seen Thy goings, O God; even the goings of my God, my King, in the sanctuary.” Psalm 68:24
From the writings of Moses in the book of Deuteronomy, to the meeting between Satan and Jesus in the wilderness, to the glorious vision of heaven that John the apostle gives us in Revelation, we are confronted with the fact that God is a God to be worshipped. Moses would write, under the direction of the Spirit of God, that God was to be feared. His creation was to hold him in absolute awe and wonder, admiration, and honor, worthy to be praised for what He is.
When Jesus was confronted by Satan in the wilderness, seeking to tempt him with “all the kingdoms of the world,” and their power, Jesus responded emphatically: “Get thee behind Me Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.” (Luke 4:8) Jesus said this because Satan was aiming at one thing, to persuade Jesus to worship him, rather than the Father. Why was worship the key issue in this temptation? It was because man was created to worship God alone, and out of that true worship would flow a singular devotion to God alone. Satan was a creation of God, and thus, was not worthy to be worshipped as Creator, and certainly not as Redeemer.
Finally, we follow John the Apostle into heaven where it is revealed to him the reason for which worship is supremely paramount in the believer’s relationship with God. God gives to John the vision of God sitting upon His throne. This is the Father, and all creation is worshipping Him, with the exception of Satan and his followers. But even so, one day, every knee will bow before the sovereign greatness and power of the Redeemer, Christ. This includes all the powers of darkness and rebellion in the kingdom of darkness and deception. There is in that vision of God the Father, the Creator, and Maker of us all by Christ, and by the Spirit, the great reason for which all creation is called to worship Him. As we see in the first chapter of Revelation, the Lord Jesus declares Himself to be the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the Ending. All creatures in heaven and earth are called to not only recognize that God is the creator of all things, both visible and invisible, but in Christ, that He is the primary object of worship as Savior and Redeemer of all men. The trinity of God is revealed not only in heaven by this vision, as being worthy of worship and admiration because of God’s worth, but God in the trinity will be revealed in men’s hearts, on earth, “…as it is in heaven.” So, again, why is worship so very important, singular in consideration and practice, and then of paramount, highest importance? It is because of the personal vision that God gives the individual believer when he worships according to the truth of Scripture. He also gives faith, grace, His strength and power, according to that vision, to serve Him aright.
We see how important the matter is when we consider Daniel in Babylon. First of all, in his devotion to God, he would not defile himself by eating food that was sacrificed to idols. But there would come a day, when his enemies would seek to destroy him by the king’s law, for worshipping three times a day. Nothing, and certainly no decree of the king or any other person, would persuade him to cease to worship. Why? Worship was essential, especially in wicked and idolatrous Babylon, for Daniel to keep a clear vision of who God was, and thus, serve Him above all. This was borne out in King Darius’ declaration concerning Daniel: “Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?” (Daniel 6:20) Because Daniel continued to worship God, God continued to give him clarity of vision, and the grace to believe.
Dear Father, Make us true worshippers. In Jesus’ name, Amen.