134.2

Worship has been defined as ‘the honor and adoration which are rendered to God by reason of what He is in Himself and what He is to those who render it.’  Scripture is very clear that we worship God and only God.  We read in Exodus 34:14, “For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.”  The Lord does not take it lightly if we worship any other besides Himself.  He is jealous of our loyalty and affection.  Consider the words of the psalmist in Psalms 99:5, “Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy.”  Our God is glorious in His holiness as a divine Person, and therefore He alone is to be worshipped.  The Lord, Himself, said in Isaiah 42:8, “I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.” 

The testimony of the angel to the Apostle John in the book of Revelation is that only God is to be worshipped.  In Revelation 22:8-9we read, “And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.”  John was overwhelmed by the revelation that had been given to him and he attempted to worship the angel that had delivered this incredible revelation to him.  The angel refused to accept John’s worship and warned him that we should only worship God. 

With all that being said, let’s read Revelation 11:16-17, “And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.”  In this Heavenly scene, we find these 24 elders worshipping God, offering Him thanks as the One ‘which art, and wast, and are to come’.  Let’s compare that with the words of the Lord Jesus in Revelation 1:8, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.”  Jesus is the one that the 24 elders fall on their faces and worship.  Jesus is God and His holiness demands that we worship Him. 

1 Timothy 3:16 tells us, “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”  God was manifest, or made known, in the flesh.  When did this happen?  It was when the Lord Jesus was born into this world.  The announcement of His birth to the virgin Mary declared that Jesus is God.  Matthew 1:23says, “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”  This means more that the fact that God was for His people.  It means that in the person of Christ, God was physically in the presence of His people.  Indeed, “God was manifest in the flesh…”  We read in John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”  We then read in John 1:14, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”    It is indisputable that Jesus is God and that He should be worshipped.  This leads us nicely to our next question, “Did Jesus ever tell people to worship Him?”  (134.2)