3:16

Greetings...

Recently, I was thinking about John 3:16, which is, probably, the most famous scripture verse in all the Bible.  I mean, when was the last time you saw some dude, all dressed up at a football game on national TV, holding a sign that reads "Leviticus 3:16"?  Never?  That's what I thought.  Anyway, as I was thinking about this very thing, I got to wondering about all the other 3:16s in the Bible.  While I was at home sick, yesterday, I compiled all of them (from the NIV) and have provided them below.  Below the verses, I share a few random, unfiltered thoughts that arose while I was doing this little exercise.

Grace and peace to all of you,

Dave

Genesis 3:16:  To the woman he said, “I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children.  Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”

Exodus 3:16:  Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—appeared to me and said:  I have watched over you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt.

Leviticus 3:16:  The priest shall burn them on the altar as food, an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma.  All the fat is the Lord’s.

Numbers 3:16:  So Moses counted them, as he was commanded by the word of the Lord.

Deuteronomy 3:16:  But to the Reubenites and the Gadites I gave the territory extending from Gilead down to the Arnon Gorge (the middle of the gorge being the border) and out to the Jabbok River, which is the border of the Ammonites.

Joshua 3:16:  the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea) was completely cut off.  So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.

Judges 3:16:  Now Ehud had made a double-edged sword about a foot and a half long, which he strapped to his right thigh under his clothing.

Ruth 3:16:  When Ruth came to her mother-in-law, Naomi asked, “How did it go, my daughter?”  Then she told her everything Boaz had done for her

1 Samuel 3:16:  but Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son.”  Samuel answered, “Here I am.”

2 Samuel 3:16:  Her husband, however, went with her, weeping behind her all the way to Bahurim.  Then Abner said to him, “Go back home!”  So he went back.

1 Kings 3:16:  Now two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him.

2 Kings 3:16:  and he said, “This is what the Lord says:  Make this valley full of ditches.

1 Chronicles 3:16:  The successors of Jehoiakim:  Jehoiachin his son, and Zedekiah.

2 Chronicles 3:16:  He made interwoven chains and put them on top of the pillars.  He also made a hundred pomegranates and attached them to the chains.

Ezra 3:16 does not exist.

Nehemiah 3:16:  Beyond him, Nehemiah son of Azbuk, ruler of a half-district of Beth Zur, made repairs up to a point opposite the tombs of David, as far as the artificial pool and the House of the Heroes.

Esther 3:16 does not exist.

Job 3:16:  Or why was I not hidden in the ground like a stillborn child, like an infant who never saw the light of day?

Psalm 3:16 does not exist.

Proverbs 3:16:  Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.

Ecclesiastes 3:16:  And I saw something else under the sun:  In the place of judgment—wickedness was there, in the place of justice—wickedness was there.

Song of Songs 3:16 does not exist.

Isaiah 3:16:  The Lord says, “The women of Zion are haughty, walking along with outstretched necks, flirting with their eyes, tripping along with mincing steps, with ornaments jingling on their ankles.

Jeremiah 3:16:  In those days, when your numbers have increased greatly in the land,” declares the Lord, “men will no longer say, ‘The ark of the covenant of the Lord.’ It will never enter their minds or be remembered; it will not be missed, nor will another one be made.

Lamentations 3:16:  He has broken my teeth with gravel; he has trampled me in the dust.

Ezekiel 3:16:  At the end of seven days the word of the LORD came to me:

Daniel 3:16:  Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter.

Hosea 3:16 does not exist.

Joel 3:16:  The Lord will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the sky will tremble.  But the Lord will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of israel.

Amos 3:16 does not exist.

Obadiah 3:16 does not exist.

Jonah 3:16 does not exist.

Micah 3:16 does not exist.

Nahum 3:16:  You have increased the number of your merchants till they are more than the stars of the sky, but like locusts they strip the land and then fly away.

Habakkuk 3:16:  I heard and my heart pounded, my lips quivered at the sound; decay crept into my bones, and my legs trembled.  Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation invading us.

Zephaniah 3:16:  On that day they will say to Jerusalem, “Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands hang limp.

Haggai 3:16 does not exist.

Zechariah 3:16 does not exist.

Malachi 3:16:  Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name.

Matthew 3:16:  As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him.

Mark 3:16:  These are the twelve he appointed:  Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter);

Luke 3:16:  John answered them all, “I baptize you with water.  But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.  He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

John 3:16 does not exist.  (Just kidding.)

John 3:16:  “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Acts 3:16:  By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong.  It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.

Romans 3:16:  ruin and misery mark their ways,

1 Corinthians 3:16:  Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?

2 Corinthians 3:16:  But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

Galatians 3:16:  The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed.  The Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ.

Ephesians 3:16:  I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,

Philippians 3:16:  Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

Colossians 3:16:  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

1 Thessalonians 3:16 does not exist.

2 Thessalonians 3:16:  Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.

1 Timothy 3:16:  Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great:  He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.

2 Timothy 3:16:  All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

Titus 3:16 does not exist.

Philemon 3:16 does not exist.

Hebrews 3:16:  Who were they who heard and rebelled?  Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt?

James 3:16:  For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

1 Peter 3:16:  keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

2 Peter 3:16:  He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters.  His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

1 John 3:16:  This is how we know what love is:  Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.  And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

2 John 3:16 does not exist.

3 John 3:16 does not exist.

Jude 3:16 does not exist.

Revelation 3:16:  So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.



Some Unfiltered Thoughts on this Exercise

1. For some reason, the verse 2 Kings 3:16 keeps hitting my funny-bone (kind of like the Kenny G make it stop guy on "Psych"):  and he said, “This is what the Lord says:  Make this valley full of ditches.
2. The verse in 1 Kings 3:16 is also kind of funny:  Now two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him.
3. Isn't it interesting how the 45+ verses above, when taken together, give you a smattering of the histroy and flavor for the whole Bible as well as for each book within the Bible.  I just find that kind of thing fascinating.
4. Chapter and verse references were not included with the original writing.
5. Don't build an argument or a theological view point around a single verse, and don't string two verses together to make an argument either (Believe me, I have heard this done in sermons before.).  A wonderful example of such a thing would be the stringing together of 1 Kings 3:16 with 2 Kings 3:16:  Now two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him.  And he said, "This is what the Lord says:  'Make this valley full of ditches.'"
6. What does John 3:15 say?  that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him."
7. Okay...how'bout 3:17?  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
8. Regarding the above, I had to look them up.
9. My favorite verse from the above (after John 3:16) is 1 John 3:16, which reads, This is how we know what love is:  Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.  And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.
10. The only verse from the above, besides John 3:16, that I had memorized prior to doing this exercise is Colossians 3:16, which reads, Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
11. To me, the most disturbing of any of the above is Revelation 3:16, which reads, So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

The Practice of Sacramental Devotion -- Part IV

From Part III…

And so Song of Songs ends (in 8:14) with the Beloved’s bid for her Lover to "come away" with her. As uncomfortable as it might feel to insert Jesus into such a passionately romantic context, it would be good to remember that it was Jesus, after all, Who thought up love, sex, and romance and that it was He Who created wine, poetry, and music. These very things came (and still come) from Him, my friends…from His Being…from Who He is as a Person.

And now (and in conclusion) Part IV…

Each of us, as image-bearers, are endowed with the ability to love so passionately that it can lead to a state of near insanity if it is not channeled ordinately. Similarly, our capacities to receive and to be loved can result in the same thing. God is the same way; but, unlike us, He always acts ordinately and fittingly, because that is Who He is, and it is impossible for Him to act in ways contrary to Who He is. The abilities to love and to adore and to worship are so very Godlike, my friends, for they come from God Himself.

Just as a husband and a wife invite each other to partake of each other, so also God invites us to come and partake of Him, and He waits for us to invite Him to come and partake of us. This, my friends, is the sacrament (or sacred mystery) of worship. And it extends so far beyond just the singing of songs, the playing of instruments, or the falling prostrate on our faces before God. This dance of adoration and worship between Jesus and us is divine love-making in its purest sense, and it is not just that which the human physical act of intercourse "images," for it includes the entire breadth of the enrapturing romance of God Almighty toward us and of us toward Him. Worship is the fire of our heart’s devotion to God and of His Heart’s adoration of us. It is what creates the music we play, the songs we sing, and the poems we write, and it is what brings about such delight in God’s Heart.

During this foreplay of mutual loving expression, God prepares us to receive the seed of His Word (which is just a greater unveiling to us of Who He is). And it is in this impartation—or impregnation—that God fertilizes the egg of His Image within us that His Life-giving Word might become incarnate within us (see Jeremiah 31:31-35, Hebrews 8:10, and Hebrews 10:16). This, too, my friends, is the sacrament of worship and is, I believe, the ultimate reason why Jesus came: So that we might be able to, as His Bride, become the corporate Thoughts, Feelings, and Ways of God. Just as the Eucharist (or the Lord’s Supper) is the sacrament of remembering the death of Jesus, worship (in Spirit and in Truth—see John 4:24) is the sacrament of celebrating the resurrection of Jesus (our Husband and Lover) and the resurrection of we the Church (His Bride and Eternal Beloved).

To be invited to such an intimate encounter with God—to be invited not just to honor Him, but to partake of Him (see Psalms 34:8 and 63:5) and to find all our delight and satisfaction in Him (see Psalm 16:11)—is a mysterious privilege, and it is one that changes us continually (as I have written previously) from the inside-out and from the outside-in.

So, you may very well be asking at this point, "And how does 'practice' fit into our adoration of God, Dave?" That’s a really good question. But, before I answer you, though, I want to preface what I write with a perspective that is often missed in our modern lives, and that’s this: That which is being experienced in our physical world is only a representation or a reflection of that which is happening in the spirit realm. (Reread that, and think upon that thought for a moment.)

Okay...so here’s my answer to the question...(the one I just put in your mouth)…

For those of you who are married, do you remember those initial months when you and your girlfriend or boyfriend were first dating? If you’re like most people, that particular season of life is not easily forgotten. In delving into such things, what I want to suggest (and strongly encourage) here is this: Many of the very things you did when you were dating, such as spending great amounts of time together, talking with each other, holding hands and snuggling close to each other, writing of your love for each other, etc., can be adapted and then adopted (almost readily) into your relationship (read, "courtship") with God. This can be done both individually and corporately as a community. A biblical example of God’s Heart on this very thing can be found in Revelation 2:4-5, which reads as follows: "Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first."

As foreign as it might sound or feel right now, date God, my friends. Seek Him out, make yourself available to Him, and ask Him to come and spend time with you. Talk with and open yourself up to Him, and let Him share a little of Himself with you. AND…(if you will!)…let Him romance you. Again, and I don’t think this can be overstated, that which is being experienced in this physical world is only a representation or a reflection of that which is happening in the spirit realm. Expressed differently, that which happens in the spirit realm is intended to be reflected or imaged (read, "brought to solid form") in this physical world. Viewing life in this way can begin to tear down the dividing wall between that which was heretofore deemed sacred and that which was viewed as secular. When living in such a manner, EVERYTHING becomes sacred (because it really is): Sharing the gospel, brushing your teeth, helping your wife out of a car, taking out the trash, going for a walk, going to church, returning a phone call, creating a budget, building a stone wall, etc. In 1 Corinthians 10:31, Paul wrote, "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." And THAT right there, my friends, is the practice:  Doing EVERYTHING for the glory, honor, and love of God.

Even though I have written of this already, I think it bears repeating: "God is most glorified (read, “honored, magnified, hallowed, loved, and worshiped”) in us when we are most satisfied in Him." (Again, I wish to shout out a very special thank you to John Piper for illuminating these truths in his seminal book, Desiring God.)

So, to put it all together...worshiping God is doing everything you do as a way of enjoying Him and finding in Him the satisfaction of your deepest, most heart-felt longings. Court God, oh dear ones, love Him, and let Him come for you "like a wild stag on the spice mountains."

Those very things, my friends, comprise "the practice of sacred devotion."

Dave

The Practice of Sacramental Devotion -- Part III

From Part II…

"My prayer is not for them alone.  I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their Message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as You Are in Me and I AM in You.  May they also be in Us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me.  I have given them the glory that You gave Me, that they may be one as We Are One:  I in them and You in Me.  May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me.  Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I AM, and to see My glory, the glory You have given Me because You loved Me before the creation of the world.  Righteous Father, though the world does not know You, I know You, and they know that You have sent Me.  I have made You known to them, and will continue to make You known in order that the love You have for Me may be in them and that I Myself may be in them."—John 17:20-26

And now, Part III…

As mysterious as it might seem, God not only worships within the Loving Oneness of His Triuneness, but He expresses elements of worship (love and devotion) in a seemingly unlikely context:  And that is, in creation; and, more specifically, in His relationship with mankind.  Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, likens a man’s love for and devotion to his wife to that of Jesus toward the Church (see Ephesians 5:25-33).  In the Old Testament book, Song of Songs, The Lover (Jesus) feels a love and expresses a devotion toward His Beloved (The Church) in a manner that is nearly impossible to miss.  Provided below are some excerpts from this surprisingly erotic work:

The Lover/Jesus (1:10):  Your cheeks are beautiful with earrings, your neck with strings of jewels (NIV). You remind me of Pharaoh's well-groomed and satiny mares.  Pendant earrings line the elegance of your cheeks; strands of jewels illumine the curve of your throat.  I'm making jewelry for you, gold and silver jewelry that will mark and accent your beauty (The Message).

Lover (1:15):  How beautiful you are, my darling!  Oh, how beautiful!  Your eyes are doves (NIV).  Oh, my dear friend!  You're so beautiful!  And your eyes so beautiful—like doves (The Message)!

Lover (2:14):  My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding places on the mountainside, show me your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely (NIV).  Oh, get up, dear friend, my fair and beautiful lover—come to me!  Come, my shy and modest dove—leave your seclusion, come out in the open.  Let me see your face, let me hear your voice.  For your voice is soothing, and your face is ravishing (The Message).

Lover (6:4):  You are beautiful, my darling, as Tirzah, lovely as Jerusalem, majestic as troops with banners (NIV).  Dear, dear friend and lover, you're as beautiful as Tirzah, city of delights, lovely as Jerusalem, city of dreams, the ravishing visions of my ecstasy (The Message).

Lover (6:5):  Turn your eyes from me; they overwhelm me (NIV).  Your beauty is too much for me—I'm in over my head.  I'm not used to this!  I can't take it in (The Message).

Lover (6:9):  My dove, my perfect one, is unique (NIV).  There's no one like her on earth, never has been, never will be.  She's a woman beyond compare.  My dove is perfection, pure and innocent as the day she was born, and cradled in joy by her mother (The Message).

Lover (6:11):  I went down to the grove of nut trees to look at the new growth in the valley, to see if the vines had budded or the pomegranates were in bloom (NIV).  One day I went strolling through the orchard, looking for signs of spring, looking for buds about to burst into flower, anticipating readiness, ripeness (The Message).

Lover (6:12):  Before I realized it, my desire set me among the royal chariots of my people (NIV).  Before I knew it, my heart was raptured, carried away by lofty thoughts (The Message)!

Lover (7:5):  Your head crowns you like Mount Carmel.  Your hair is like royal tapestry; the King is held captive by its tresses (NIV).  Shapely and graceful your sandaled feet, and queenly your movement—your limbs are lithe and elegant, the work of a master artist (The Message).

Lover (7:6):  How beautiful you are and how pleasing, O love, with your delights (NIV)!  Your body is a chalice, wine-filled.  Your skin is silken and tawny, like a field of wheat touched by the breeze (The Message).

Lover (7:7):  Your stature is like that of the palm, and your breasts like clusters of fruit (NIV).  Your breasts are like fawns, twins of a gazelle.  Your neck is carved ivory, curved and slender.  Your eyes are wells of light, deep with mystery.  Quintessentially feminine!  Your profile turns all heads, commanding attention (The Message).

Lover (7:8):  I said, "I will climb the palm tree; I will take hold of its fruit."  May your breasts be like the clusters of the vine, the fragrance of your breath like apples, and your mouth like the best wine (NIV).  The feelings I get when I see the high mountain ranges—stirrings of desire, longings for the heights—remind me of you, and I'm spoiled for anyone else!  Your beauty, within and without, is absolute, dear lover, close companion.  You are tall and supple, like the palm tree, and your full breasts are like sweet clusters of dates.  I say, "I'm going to climb that palm tree!  I'm going to caress its fruit!"  Oh yes!  Your breasts will be clusters of sweet fruit to me, your breath clean and cool like fresh mint, your tongue and lips like the best wine (The Message).

In response to her Lover's Words of adoration and passionately expressed Desires, the Lover’s Beloved reaches out to her Lover as seen in the passages provided below:

The Beloved/Church (7:9):  May the wine go straight to my Lover, flowing gently over lips and teeth (NIV).  Yes, and yours are, too—my Love's kisses flow from His lips to mine (The Message).

Beloved (7:10):  I belong to my Lover, and His desire is for me (NIV).  I am my Lover's.  I'm all He wants.  I'm all the world to Him (The Message)!

Beloved (7:11):  Come, my Lover, let us go to the countryside, let us spend the night in the villages (NIV).  Come, dear Lover—let's tramp through the countryside.  Let's sleep at some wayside inn, then rise early and listen to bird-song (The Message).

Beloved (7:12):  Let us go early to the vineyards to see if the vines have budded, if their blossoms have opened, and if the pomegranates are in bloom—there I will give You my love (NIV).  Let's look for wildflowers in bloom, blackberry bushes blossoming white (The Message).

Beloved (7:13):  The mandrakes send out their fragrance, and at our door is every delicacy, both new and old, that I have stored up for you, my Lover (NIV).  Fruit trees festooned with cascading flowers.  And there I'll give myself to You, my love to Your Love (The Message)!

Beloved (8:10):  I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers.  Thus I have become in His Eyes like one bringing contentment (NIV).  Dear brothers, I'm a walled-in virgin still, but my breasts are full—and when my Lover sees me, He knows He'll soon be satisfied (The Message).

Beloved (8:12):  My own vineyard is mine to give (NIV).  But my vineyard is all mine, and I'm keeping it to myself (The Message).

Beloved (8:14):  Come away, my Lover, and be like a gazelle or like a young stag on the spice-laden mountains (NIV).  Run to me, dear Lover.  Come like a gazelle.  Leap like a wild stag on the spice mountains (The Message).

And so Song of Songs ends (as we see in 8:14) with the Beloved’s bid for her Lover to “come away” with her.  As uncomfortable as it might feel to insert Jesus into such a passionately romantic context, it would be good to remember that it was Jesus, after all, Who thought up love, sex, and romance and that it was He Who created wine, poetry, and music.  These very things came (and still come) from Him, my friends…from His Being…from Who He is as a Person.

Peace,

Dave

The Practice of Sacramental Devotion -- Part II

From the last time…

In the Old Testament, the principal way in which God reveals Himself is through the unveiling of His many Names (each, of which, represents a different facet [or, perhaps, several facets] of His Character and Nature).  The loftiest of all the Names with which God identifies Himself is found in the four-lettered, Hebraic, Tetragammaton:  Yud Heh Vav Heh.  Pronounced Ye-veh or Shem Havayah, YHVH literally means "The Name of Existence."  Most English versions of the scriptures interchangeably translate Shem Havayah as "I AM," "Yahweh," or “Jehovah.”  Shem Havayah is the Name that is above all other Names, and it is reserved only for the Supremem God of the Hebrews:  Jesus, the Almighty and the Creator of the heavens and the earth.  It is more than just interesting to note, though, that, in Genesis 1:26, the word translated God or Lord is NOT Shem Havayeh, but, rather, the less specific (and plural) Elokim, which, in its most literal translation, means "Masters of Strength" or "Masters of Forces."

And now Part II…

As startling and as controversial as this might read, we, as human beings, are elokim (little e) created in the Image of the Elokim of elokim (see Psalm 82:6 and Jesus’ Words in John 10:34-38).  If this is the case (and I believe it to be so), we human beings, in our capacities, powers, and endowments, so closely resemble Elokim that, by design, it is, at times, difficult to distinguish between Him and us.  This, my friends, is what I believe God had in Mind when He made you and me.  He desired a family (and an army, too) of loving, powerful beings who could think, feel, and act just the way He does and who could exercise dominion and mastery over the forces of nature and the spirit world.  Now, of course (and quite obviously), there are significant differences between us and God (for we are not Shem Havayeh).  God (big G!) alone is Shem Havayeh (The Name of Existence), He has always been Shem Havayeh, and He will always be Shem Havayeh, the Supreme Creator "of all that is, seen and unseen," as the Nicene Creed reads, the Everlasting Father and Breathe of Existence, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, and the ultimate Elokim of elokim.  We, on the other hand, are not Shem Havayeh, and neither will we ever be so.  For we are created elokim, and there was a time when we (mankind) were not.  Even though God (as Shem Havayeh) is so far beyond us, it is my belief that, because we bear the Image and Likeness of Elokim, we resemble God about as much as any created beings can.  And, as such—and in submission to Elokim, we do some of the things He does, and this includes our worship of Him.

Worship, because it is an endowment that was stamped in us at creation, is not just something we are commanded to do (see Matthew 4:10 and Deuteronomy 6:13), but something we cannot help but do.  As controversial as this might seem, I think it bears repeating:  We worship, because we are image-bearers of a worshiping God.  If to worship is to adore or to devote oneself to another, well, God has been doing this very thing since before time began.  The Godhead (Father, Son, and Spirit) exists in a state of eternal worship.  The Father adores the Son, the Son is devoted to the Father, and the Spirit glorifies and hallows the Son and the Father.  Provided below are several passages of scripture that allude to this very thing (Note:  As you read through these passages, notice the love, adoration, and devotion expressed and demonstrated within the Godhead.):

"This is My Beloved Son, in Whom I find all My delight."—Matthew 4:8-10

Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.  "All this I will give you," he said, "if You will bow down and worship me."  Jesus said to him, "Away from Me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.'"—Matthew 4:8-10

...a light-radiant cloud enveloped them, and sounding from deep in the cloud a voice:  "This is My Son, marked by My Love, focus of My Delight,  Listen to Him."—Matthew 17:5

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.  Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made.  In Him was Life, and that Life was the Light of men.  The Light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.  There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John.  He came as a witness to testify concerning that Light, so that through Him all men might believe.  He himself was not the Light; he came only as a witness to the Light.  The true Light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.  He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him.  He came to that which was His Own, but His Own did not receive Him.  Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.  The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.  We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, Who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.  John testifies concerning Him.  He cries out, saying, "This was He of Whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.'"  From the fullness of His grace, we have all received one blessing after another.  For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.  No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, Who is at the Father’s side, has made Him known.—John 1:1-18

When he was gone, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him.  If God is glorified in Him, God will glorify the Son in Himself, and will glorify Him at once."—John 13:31-32

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.  Now remain in My love."—John 15:9

"I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.  But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth.  He will not Speak on His Own; He will Speak only what He Hears, and He will Tell you what is yet to come.  He will bring glory to Me by taking from what is Mine and making it known to you.  All that belongs to the Father is Mine.  That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is Mine and make it known to you."—John 16:12-15

After Jesus said this, He looked toward heaven and prayed:  "Father, the time has come.  Glorify Your Son, that your Son may glorify You.  For you granted Him authority over all people that He might give eternal life to all those You have given Him.  Now this is eternal life:  That they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, Whom You have sent.  I have brought You glory on earth by completing the work You gave Me to do.  And now, Father, glorify Me in Your Presence with the glory I had with You before the world began".—John 17:1-5

"My prayer is not for them alone.  I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their Message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as You Are in Me and I AM in You.  May they also be in Us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me.  I have given them the glory that You gave Me, that they may be one as We Are One:  I in them and You in Me.  May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me.  Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I AM, and to see My glory, the glory You have given Me because You loved Me before the creation of the world.  Righteous Father, though the world does not know You, I know You, and they know that You have sent Me.  I have made You known to them, and will continue to make You known in order that the love You have for Me may be in them and that I Myself may be in them."—John 17:20-26

Okay…that’s all for now.  Tune in tomorrow for Part III!

CU…

Dave

The Practice of Sacramental Devotion -- Part I

Worship is as old as humanity itself.

Actually, it’s older.

In its most distilled form, worship is, quite simply, "the transpersonal adoration of one being for another and the transcendent devotion of one being to another."  Even though there are many facets of worship that can be experienced in human relationships, such as being devoted to one's spouse or significant other, the adoration and devotion of worship is something that is to be reserved for God, and God alone (see Matthew 4:10).  To worship anything or anyone other than God is idolatry (see Exodus 20:3-6, Exodus 20:23, Exodus 23:13, Deuteronomy 4:16-18, Deuteronomy 7:25-26, 2 Kings 17:35, and Isaiah 44:6-20).


Genesis 1:26 reads, "Then God said, 'Let Us make man in Our Image, in Our Likeness...'"  What do you think God meant when He used the words "Image" and "Likeness" in the Genesis account.  To help with beginning to answer such things, I’ve always found it useful to try to return, as best as I can, to the original language and context in which such things were written…

The Hebrew word for image in this verse is tselem (Strong's #6754), which means "reflection" or "a shadow, which is the outline or representation of the original."  The Hebrew word for likeness is demuth (Strong's #1823), which means "similar" and can be used interchangeably with image.

In John 4:24, Jesus said, "God is spirit…," meaning God is a Being without corporeal (bodily) existence.  As such, for us to have been created in the Image of God, most likely, does not mean we were created to look like God in terms of our physical, bodily appearance (because, of course, God does not exist corporeally).  Rather, I think it means that we were created in the likeness of God in our spirits.  Meaning who we are in our spirits reflects Who God is, principally through the capacities, powers, and endowments we share in common with Him.  By capacities, I mean our abilities to receive, to absorb, and to contain or retain; by powers, I mean our abilities to control forces and to exercise dominion (or mastery) over oneself, creation, and the principalities and powers in the heavenly realms; and by endowments, I mean our abilities to observe, to think, to dream, to feel, to desire (generatively), to love, to exercise judgment, to express ourselves creatively, to act above or outside of our instincts, and to worship (to adore/to be devoted to).  These capacities, powers, and endowments come from God and are, in fact, of Him; and, by the Touch of His Finger and the Life in His Breath (see Genesis 2:7), they are of us, too.

In the Old Testament, the principal way in which God reveals Himself is through the unveiling of His many Names (each, of which, represents a different facet [or, perhaps, several facets] of His Character and Nature).  The loftiest of all the Names with which God identifies Himself is found in the four-lettered, Hebraic, Tetragammaton:  Yud Heh Vav Heh.  Pronounced Ye-veh or Shem Havayah, YHVH literally means "The Name of Existence."  Most English versions of the scriptures interchangeably translate Shem Havayah as "I AM," "Yahweh," or "Jehovah."  Shem Havayah is the Name that is above all other Names, and it is reserved only for the Supreme God of the Hebrews:  Jesus, the Almighty and the Creator of the heavens and the earth.  It is more than just interesting to note, though, that, in Genesis 1:26, the word translated God is NOT Shem Havayeh, but, rather, the less specific (and plural) Elokim, which in its most literal translation, means "Masters of Strength" or "Masters of Forces."

Okay...that's all for now.  Please stay tuned for Part II (of several more to come!) tomorrow…

May God’s peace be with all'y'all!

Dave