Untitled Sermon

True Worship of GOD

And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped. Exodus 34:8

Context

In Exodus 32, Israel sinned with the golden calf, breaking the covenant.

In Exodus 33, Moses pleaded with God not to abandon His people and asked to see God’s glory.

In Exodus 34:6–7, God proclaimed His name and character to Moses: merciful, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love, forgiving, yet just.

Exodus 34:8 is Moses’ response to this revelation.

True Worship is a Response to God’s Revelation

All he reveals is infallible truth, all he promises is in faithfulness. Keeping mercy for thousands; he continually shows mercy to sinners, and has treasures, which cannot be exhausted, to the end of time. Forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin; his mercy and goodness reach to the full and free forgiveness of sin. And will by no means clear the guilty; the holiness and justice of God are part of his goodness and love towards all his creatures

Isaiah 6:1-8

in the same

Isaiah’s response is humility and confession — he doesn’t start singing or dancing; he bows in brokenness.

Parallel: Moses bowed, Josiah tore his clothes, Isaiah cries “woe is me.” True worship flows from seeing who God is and who we are.

in the same way God revealed his name to Moses and Moses responds in worship so to does Isaiah upon seeing the holiness of God

Revelation 4:8-11

Revelation 5:9 , 12-13

Exodus 34:6–8 → God reveals Himself as merciful and just → Moses bows in worship.

Revelation 4–5 → God reveals Himself as holy Creator and Christ as Redeemer → heaven bows in worship.

When we come into relationship and the knowledge of God we can't help but worship his Majesty, for who is like him: there is none in heaven or on earth who's goodness and Majesty is greater then that of the Lord God Almighty, creature of all things, knower of all things,

Moses doesn't worship because of blessing or needs, rather he worships because he sees who God is. his worship flows from revelation of who God is and his character

True worship is getting out of the way so that everyone can see God for who he is. Here we also see where true worship comes from. Worship is a response to the revealed character of God.

Worship is not a style of music, and worship is not a feeling or emotion. Worship is a response of the will to the revealed character of God. Worship is getting low in the presence of God so he can be seen for who he is in all his

Moses doesn’t wait, discuss, or reason. He immediately bows

2 worship involves physical and spiritual Unity

“Bowed” = וַיִּקֹּד (vayyiqōd) vah-yee-KODE

Meaning: “to bow the head, bend low, stoop”

Definition: A physical act of lowering oneself in humility. Often the first movement before worship.

“Worshiped” = וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ (vayyištaḥū) vah-yee-sh’tah-KHOO

Meaning: “to prostrate oneself, bow down, pay homage, worship”

Definition: To fall flat or bow in adoration, reverence, or submission, especially to God or royalty.

Psalm 95:6 – “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.”

Moses’ physical act (bowing) mirrors his spiritual act (worship). It’s total surrender.

Moses bows down (physical posture) and worships (inner posture).

Worship isn’t just inner feelings; it often overflows into embodied expression (kneeling, singing, lifting hands).

Moses made haste to bow low toward the earth and worship: Bowing low speaks of his willingness to humble himself before the LORD. Worship also conveys the sense of bowing down, so it is as if he bowed down while bowing down. Note that Moses is responding to a "sermon" from Jehovah in verses 6-7 which obviously is great "theology" and which prompts grateful worship. This is the proper response we should all have in the presence of God.

Moses gets low in the presence of God. God is the only being in existence who is worthy to be exalted. Genuine worship does not draw attention to the worshiper, but deflects all attention to the all-glorious God.

From Moses, to Isaiah, to John, the pattern is always the same: God reveals → we bow → He cleanses → we serve.

3 Foreshadow of New Covenant Worship

In Exodus, Moses bowed alone. In Revelation 5, the whole redeemed community worships together. New Covenant worship is communal, global, and eternal.

In Moses’ day, the people needed a mediator. In Christ, we have the Mediator—our worship is acceptable because it is joined to His perfect obedience.

Hebrews 10 tells us we can draw near with confidence because of His blood. Revelation 5 shows the fulfillment—an entire redeemed people from every tribe and nation falling down before the Lamb.

Exodus 34:8 is a miniature picture of salvation:

God reveals Himself (grace and justice).

Humanity responds by bowing in worship.

This foreshadows the ultimate salvation in Christ, where God’s justice and mercy meet at the cross, and the redeemed fall down in worship forever.

Philippians 2:8

And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross1

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Christ death on the Cross in not weakness but the victory over corruption and death,

The Word perceived that corruption could not be got rid of otherwise than through death… He took to Himself a body capable of death, that it might, through belonging to the Word Who is above all, become in dying a sufficient exchange for all.” (On the Incarnation, §9)

Christ going to the cross is the ultimate form of God revealing Who he Is God in his great mercy lowered himself in order to bring us into the divine life with God

“The Word was made man in order that we might be made divine.” (§54)

what does this mean

in Christ's sufferings, the Divine holiness and justice are fully shown, and the evil of sin is made known. God's forgiving mercy is always attended by his converting, sanctifying grace. None are pardoned but those who repent and forsake the allowed practice of every sin; nor shall any escape, who abuse, neglect, or despise this great salvation. Moses bowed down, and worshipped reverently. Every perfection in the name of God, the believer may plead with Him for the forgiveness of his sins

Isaiah 53:5-6

On the cross, God’s holiness, justice, and mercy meet perfectly:

Justice → Sin is condemned, holiness is revealed.

Mercy → Forgiveness offered to the repentant.

Grace → We are not only pardoned, but also sanctified and drawn into the divine life.

Worship, therefore, is not just bowing before a distant God (like Moses in Exodus 34), but entering into communion with the God who bowed down first in Christ.

Exodus 34 was only a shadow. In Jesus, the full reality comes: God descends to us, bears our sin, and lifts us up into His life. Revelation 5 shows the result—redeemed people from every tribe and nation falling down in worship before the Lamb who was slain.

Exodus 34 shows a foreshadow: God reveals, man bows.

Philippians 2 shows the fulfillment: God reveals Himself fully in Christ’s humility and the cross.

Christ’s humility leads to our exaltation — worship is our participation in His victory and life.

Revelation 4–5 shows the eternal reality: the redeemed fall down in worship forever before the Lamb who was slain.

Exodus 34 points forward to something not yet fully revealed. In the New Covenant, we worship in the Spirit now (John 4:23–24), but we await the ultimate fulfillment in Revelation 21–22, where worship becomes unbroken communion.