When they started worshiping

hieroglyphicsOn Sundays, in our Bible class, we are studying the book of Exodus, using some materials that Mark Hamilton prepared for our church. This past Sunday we were looking at Exodus 12-13, the establishment of the Passover. It struck me that this would have been something totally new to the Israelites. They hadn’t been worshiping God as a community, from what we can tell. Remember that Moses worried about who to tell the people had sent him to free them. He couldn’t say “our God” because they wouldn’t have known which god he was talking about.

Then you add to that the fact that we don’t see any sort of structured worship in the book of Genesis. No assemblies. No feast days. No weekly gatherings. All you have are some people who recognize that God is God and offer sacrifices to His name, circumcising their young men as a sign of their identity as God’s people.

I guess such realizations make me stop and look at what I consider as worship. Even the establishment of Passover doesn’t fit most of my presuppositions. It was family-based worship, not community assemblies. It was once a year, not once a week. It was meal-based, not act-of-worship based. That’s where things started as far as corporate worship. I don’t think that’s where we’re supposed to be today, but I do think there are some things we can learn. I certainly don’t think we should look to be at the other end of the spectrum.

I’m grateful that God has such grace that he can meet each of us where we are and take us where he wants us to be.

5 thoughts on “When they started worshiping

  1. laymond

    “On Sundays, in our Bible class, we are studying the book of Exodus”
    Tim, I have the same question for you that my then 16 year old granddaughter had for me, WHY ? (she is 18, and in college now, but she had a good point)
    I spend about as much time in Exodus as I do in Leviticus, which as you found out “AIN’T MUCH”
    My granddaughter told me going to bible study is like sitting around listing to old people talk about the good old days, and we wonder why we are loosing the younger generation. Just asking why do we spend so much time talking about the past when the younger generation is looking to the future?

  2. Jessica

    While later passages talk about other types of worship, the way you pointed this out does make it clear that “family worship” is probably something we should all be considering.
    You always hear people talking about praying with your family or even volunteering and doing works together, but how often do you hear about family worship? But that is what Israel had with one another, and perhaps we should also have with our families (of course not exclusively.) It would definitely help strengthen the family dynamic.

  3. Tim Archer Post author

    Laymond,
    It’s my belief that the Word of God is living and active. Men can make it seem boring and out of date, but it never is.
    If we are Christians, why would we not want to study the Scriptures Christ studied? If we believe in God, why would we not want to know Him better and understand Him more?
    Paul said that studying Exodus and Leviticus would make you “wise unto salvation” and “prepare you for every good work.” Seems good enough reason to me. (OK, he was talking about the whole Old Testament, but that does include these two books)
    Hope you have a great day!
    Grace and peace,
    Tim

  4. Tim Archer Post author

    Jessica,
    I think we at times lose the family focus that we should have. I love the way Passover naturally involves the kids, with them asking questions at times during the meal. I know the old Passover meals weren’t like the modern seders, but I still think we could learn a thing or two by observing how the Jews take the Passover.
    Grace and peace,
    Tim

  5. nick gill

    Let’s see — why should we study Exodus?

    Because Jesus was the Passover Lamb?
    Because “out of Egypt I brought my son”?

    Because Yeshua, as a rabbi with authority, would have known the entire Tanakh by heart?

    Because Paul taught his disciple Timothy that the Tanakh would make him “wise unto salvation”?

    But mostly because without understanding Israel, you can’t have more than the shallowest understanding of Jesus or the New Testament?

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