23rd February 2014
God is changing the way that we worship. God is wooing us that we may also woo Him. This is through the work of the Holy Spirit. There is a restoration of worship that attracts the manifest presence of God.
When we gather together as a body, there are things that God wants to do and worship ushers them in. God is bringing the understanding of what true worship is. It is more than singing a song, it is more than a song service. Every part of the service is important. From the time that the service begins till it ends, it is worship.
In the Old Testament, man would build an altar and dedicate it to God. Adam and Eve didn’t need an altar because they had God with them. Worship is giving to God, it is sacrifice unto God. In Genesis 4:3-5, Cain and Abel came to God and worshipped. In Genesis 12:8, Abraham built an altar and worshipped God. God established a tabernacle where people came and sacrificed to Him. There were altars set up where people would bring a sacrifice and connect with God there and then. There was an outer court, an inner court and the Holy of Holies. Within the Holy of Holies, there was the ark of the covenant and the ten commandments. When the priest entered there, they had to be silent and the only thing that was heard was the bell attached to their clothes.
The tabernacle was a shadow of the true tabernacle in heaven. This tabernacle has one room, the Holy of Holies. In Hebrews 9:6-10, it is seen that the priest could never enter the inner room without blood which was offered for himself and the sins of the people. They could not do what they wanted but there were certain procedures they had to follow. In verse 8 of Hebrews 9, it is said that the way to the most holy tabernacle was still be disclosed as long as the old tabernacle was still standing. There is still a way to worship God that is acceptable to Him. We need to come before God with a reverential fear. He is an all consuming fire.
A different style of worship was introduced during the reign of King David. In 2 Samuel 6:16-18, David broke the rules by dancing because in that time, ministry was given to God in silence. David took off his kingly garments because he realized that there is only one King. Michal, his wife despised him in her heart. This is even seen today when things are not done according to the norm. When you understand what God did for you, worship Him. Do not be concerned about the people who will despise your worship. Those people who despise become barren and are unable to bare fruit like Michal. King David set up a tent which was not like the tabernacle of Moses. It had one room, the Holy of Holies. After David’s death, Solomon built a tabernacle for God with three rooms which were the outer court, the inner court and the Holy of Holies.
The restoration of the tabernacle of God is so that Gentiles can come to worship God just like the Jews did (Acts 15:14-17). They would have the opportunity to experience God. What is this tabernacle of David? It is spontaneous and exuberant worship before God. God is after that kind of worship in the time of David. The tabernacle of David is what he established for worship to God (2 Samuel 6:12-19). The tabernacle of David only had the ark of the covenant which was in the Holy of Holies. The rebuilding of the tabernacle of God is the rebuilding of worship. David tapped into the worship of Heaven which pleased the heart of God.
In the book of Revelation, we get a glimpse of the worship in heaven. In Revelation 4:6-11, we see something happening around the throne of God that did not happen before in the tabernacle of Moses. People were casting their crowns. In Revelations 5:9-12, they were singing new songs that were never heard in heaven which are also known as spiritual songs or the song of the Lord. This was just a snippet of what worship is like in the Holy of Holies. God is rebuilding in the church, the worship of heaven. It is the kind of worship where God responds.
In the book of Hebrews, it says that we the church can enter the Holy of Holies through the blood of Jesus. God wants us to worship on earth even as it is in heaven. God wants to take things up in worship and not down. Worship is not about us, it is not about hearing our favorite song but it is about God and God alone. We do not sing to each other but we sing to God. We can not get bored of singing a song, it is not to us but to God. We have to worship God in spirit and truth. We have to glorify God in our body, soul and spirit.
You are released to worship. We declare over you an anointing to dance and worship before God.
