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9. A Story of Worship

Introduction

  • a story worth telling
  • Who or What do you worship
  • 102 verses, worship (166x "shachah"): +bowed, bow down, fell flat, obesiance, humbly beseech
  • instruments of worship:
  • first occurrence of "worship" Genesis 22:5 (vs. 1tempt = test; offer a burnt offering upon a mountain <= OFFERING & PLACE & OBJECT OF WORSHIP)
  • ATTITUDE, PHYSICAL ACT,

WORSHIP: STRONG's 07812. shachah a primitive root; to depress, i.e. prostrate (especially reflexive, in homage to royalty or God):--bow (self) down, crouch, fall down (flat), humbly beseech, do (make) obeisance, do reverence, make to stoop, worship.

OBESIENCE a physical act of reverence, such as a bow, courtesy, or prostration, signifying submission, honor, or homage to a superior or deity ( more broadly, an attitude of deep respect: reverance)

HOMAGE a public show of high respect through artistic immitation or direct attribute

1. God Did Tempt Abraham

James 1:12-17 — Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. 13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: Jas 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. 16 Do not err, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

  • vs. 1 TEMPTED? tested, proved, tried

Genesis 22:5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.

God organized a meeting with Abraham and Isaac on Mount Moriah. "And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham". The devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness in Matthew 4 hoping he would fail while God tested Abraham in Genessis 22 (in a sense) hoping he would pass. God proved or tested Abraham on Mount Moriah.

  • (Is this sort of testing a habit of God?) YES, generally speaking. The temptation or test Genesis 22 is just 1 section in a series of quizzes God gave to Abraham:

  • Genesis 12 Before Abraham was Abraham and he was the son of an idol salesmen in Ur of the Chaldees. God intructed Abraham "Go from your country," - leave behind everything familiar for something I will show you later

  • Genesis 15: The Delay in Abraham receiving a son, did not mean God would provide in an unconventional way (God didn't take the off ramp suggested by Abraham), but Abraham was to wait for hs promised heir despite the physical impossibilities.

  • Genesis 21 Finally Abraham received a son (Ishmael) which proved problemsome. When Ishmael was 14-16 years old, after Sarah had given birth to Isaac and he was weaned. Ishmael "made sport of" or "mocked" Isaac. Paul in Galations 4 called it "persecuting".

Galatians 4:29 — But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.

This is clearly not light hearted jest or simple silliness on Ishmael's part. They were threats of more serious behavior to come. There is quite a bit of irony still to consider here.

  • Isaac's name literally means "he laughs"
  • Sarah laughed in disbelief years before when hearing the prophesy she would give birth.
  • Sarah also testifies in Genesis 21:6, after Isaac's birth that "God had made her to laugh" and she rejoiced "All that hear will laugh WITH ME"
  • Ishmael's mocking was no joke, he was not laughting WITH sarah, but was laughing AT Isaac
  • Instead of everything just coming together for Abraham, God tested Abraham. This division in his home was a burden on Abraham and he did not want to send one of his son's away. God then tells him not to grieve over Ishmael because it was in Isaac God would fulfill his promise.
  • THEN comes Genesis 22 and GOD DID TEST ABRAHAM
  • BUT this particular binding of Isaac is a ONE TIME THING (hapax legomenon: a word that occurs only once in the Bible) Abraham tied the hands and feet of Isaac as one would to an animal for sacrifice. The binding of Isaac was a singular, unprecedented event intended never to be repeated.
  • What was it that God was testing exactly about Abraham? the binding of Isaac [the Akedah]: Abraham was to bind and offer his only son, Isaac, as a burnt offering.

Exodus 24:1 — And he said unto Moses, Come up unto the LORD, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship ye afar off.

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