Tag Archives: sacrifice

How the Order of OT Sacrifices Communicated a Theology of Worship

How the Order of OT Sacrifices Communicated a Theology of Worship

Last week I described how the layout and structure of the tabernacle communicated a particular transcendent theology of worship. Even the order of the sacrifices pictures this. God gave specific instructions concerning sacrifices to him: An altar of earth you shall make for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your… Continue Reading

Called by God to Worship

Called by God to Worship

The first Patriarch of Israel, Abraham, was not originally a worshiper of the true God; he dwelt the land of Ur, worshiping many false gods (Josh 24:2). God initiated his contact with Abraham (Gen 12:1), confirming a central that principle that all true worship begins with the God who reveals himself to his people. Each… Continue Reading

Jesus Fulfills Old Testament Worship

Jesus Fulfills Old Testament Worship

In the Old Testament economy, God established particular means through which his people were enabled to draw near to him in worship, although since the sacrifices were not completely pure and the worshipers remained sinful, no one could enter God’s presence for free and open communion with him. Jesus enabled such communion by himself fulfilling… Continue Reading

All Things to All Men | Part 5: What the Passage Means (vv22-23)

All Things to All Men | Part 5: What the Passage Means (vv22-23)

This entry is part of 6 in the series All Things to All Men You can read more posts from the series by using the Contents in the right sidebar.

In 1 Cor 9:22, Paul says, “I have become all things to all men that by all means I might save some.” This should not be seen as a declaration of ministry pragmatism, but a rhetorically powerful restatement of the great depths of slavery Paul embraced to make Christ known to all men. Indeed, one could very… Continue Reading

The Lord is God (still)

The Lord is God (still)

As conservatives, it can be easy to grow discouraged. There are very few of us. It seems that all of American Christianity (sorry, David de Bruyn) is abandoning the way of worship that we understand to be reverent. The good, the  true, and the beautiful rarely brings in an audience. Our churches are shrinking. Fundamentalism… Continue Reading

The building blocks of worship

The building blocks of worship

This entry is part 1 of 5 in the series The Building Blocks of Worship You can read more posts from the series by using the Contents in the right sidebar.

Synthesizing an essential definition of worship is a perennial problem. Many have tried, several have given us very helpful definitions, yet few are fully satisfactory. Part of the problem is trying to develop an understanding of worship that encompasses the essence of worship regardless of religion but that also incorporates a particularly biblical/Christian flavor as well. One… Continue Reading

What was Cain’s problem?

What was Cain’s problem?

I’ve often said that from creation to consummation, people have had problems with proper worship. The first sins were ones of false worship, and so will the last be. The same is true for the first murder. Cain’s brutal slaying of his brother stemmed from his anger over his offering of worship not being acceptable… Continue Reading

Worldly Worship

Worldly Worship

This entry is part 4 of 4 in the series Faulty Worship You can read more posts from the series by using the Contents in the right sidebar.

Because the Bible tells us that we must worship God acceptably (Hebrews 12:28), there is by necessity the possibility of worshipping God in an unacceptable, or faulty, way. Faulty worship occurs in different ways. Worship can be faulty because of a lack of heart in the worship, because it is focused on the wrong object,… Continue Reading

Improper Worship

Improper Worship

This entry is part 3 of 4 in the series Faulty Worship You can read more posts from the series by using the Contents in the right sidebar.

Faulty worship is not often a topic of discussion in today’s Christianity. Many Christians seem to think that God is only concerned that our hearts are sincere in our worship of Him. However, from a biblical perspective, that is just not correct. Don’t misunderstand me; God is concerned about the heart of worship. Isaiah 1… Continue Reading

Heartless Worship

Heartless Worship

This entry is part 1 of 4 in the series Faulty Worship You can read more posts from the series by using the Contents in the right sidebar.

Does God care about how His people worship Him? Some would argue that God does not care how we worship Him as long as we seek to worship Him out of a heart of love. If the heart is sincere, anything and everything else is acceptable. However, is that really the case? If God put… Continue Reading

Jesus Christ as the Fulfillment of OT Worship

Jesus Christ as the Fulfillment of OT Worship

This entry is part 5 of 10 in the series Worship in Hebrews You can read more posts from the series by using the Contents in the right sidebar.

Significant discontinuities exist between OT and NT worship, and it is important to note that each of these cases of discontinuity stems from the author of Hebrews’ primary discontinuity, that of the physical vs. the metaphysical. Human prophets, a mediator, priests, animal sacrifices, and a Temple each represent physical realties that Hebrew worshipers could see,… Continue Reading

The Sacrifice of Worship

The Sacrifice of Worship

This entry is part 4 of 10 in the series Worship in Hebrews You can read more posts from the series by using the Contents in the right sidebar.

God required OT saints to offer sacrifices with him as means of temporary forgiveness. These sacrifices themselves were imperfect, and they did nothing to change the heart of the one offering the sacrifice. They did not provide full atonement (10:4, 11), but rather a temporary, legal satisfaction of immediate wrath.1 They could not cleanse sin, but… Continue Reading