From the Garden to the Throne

In this first week of study, we have examined the question, “What is Worship?” We saw that worship is not a music style, a specific action, or a set worship structure. We determined that worship is God’s idea, it is something that we actively do, it’s a lifestyle, and it’s a celebration.

We then examined some foundational principles of worship:

Worship is focused on Christ Worship’s pattern is revelation and response Worship is centered on the Gospel Worship is corporate in nature

As we conclude this introductory study of the Biblical Themes of Worship, it is important for us to gain an understanding of the overarching story of worship in both the Old and New Testaments. The word we used to describe this story is metanarrative. The Bible is God’s revelation of himself and is the story of creation, the fall, redemption, and recreation. This story is depicted vividly as we begin in the Garden of Eden and journey until the final refrain of Revelation around the throne of God.

The Garden: A Mirror to Reflect God’s Glory (Genesis 1:26-28)

The story begins with God speaking creation into existence. Theologians call this creation ex nihilo which literally “means out of nothing.” He didn’t make things like we do, with raw materials. His word formed the universe and all within it - this same Word is identified in John 1 as Jesus, the Logos of God.

But why did God create in the first place. God was perfect in every way and does not need something outside himself to provide meaning or value. God created the universe to declare his glory and his nature. We seen this displayed throughout the Scriptures.

Psalm 8:1, tells us,

English Standard Version Psalm 8

1  O LORD, our Lord,

how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory above the heavens.

Likewise we find in Romans 1:20,

English Standard Version Chapter 1

20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

While all of creation reflects God’s glory and nature, he takes great care to craft the most accurate representation of his glory and nature - humanity.

Genesis 1:26-28

English Standard Version Chapter 1

26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

27  So God created man in his own image,

in the image of God he created him;

male and female he created them.

28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

This couple served as God’s image bearers who were tasked to reflect his image to all of the world.

As image bearers, they were created to have a special relationship with God that differed from the rest of creation. Genesis 3:8 describes God walking through the Garden in the cool of the day looking for his image bearers.

A critical part of the task of image bearing involved being called to holiness. Whenever the Scriptures speak of holiness, it is always in reference to something being set apart. In this case we see in Genesis 2:15-17 that God sets apart the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and commands the couple not to eat of the fruit of the tree.

We know how this story ends. Tragically Adam and Even fail to obey God’s command and sin by eating the fruit of the tree. If they were to serve as mirrors to reflect the glory of God, then sin shattered this mirror’s reflection and their relationship with God. The consequences of their actions brought sin and destruction into the creation and humanity continues to this day with a marred reflection of its Creator.

Even in this suffering and shame, we see the loving God displaying his mercy and justice. Genesis 3:21 tells us, “And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.” God provides atonement - the reconciliation and restoration of the broken relationship. This can only be accomplished through the shedding of blood.

This first sacrifice is the first glimpse of the Gospel in the Scriptures. It depicts and foretells the ultimate sacrifice that Christ would make.

The Heart of Idolatry (Romans 1:21-25)

At the heart of Adam and Eve’s initial sin, and all sin thereafter, was their desire to elevate something in place of God as the object of worship. The term for this is idolatry.

When we think of an idol, perhaps we think of a Hindu or Buddhist statue or a totem pole. The reality is, for many of us, idols look more like possessions, or position and status, or perhaps our favorite sports team.

The Apostle Paul describes this universal tendency toward idolatry in Romans 1:21-25:

For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

When humanity fails to worship and reflect God, we always replace him with something else. These idolatrous acts devolve into the worship of the closest image of God, ourselves. It’s easy to look out into the world today and see that the cause of pain, suffering, sin, and corruption is the replacement of God as the object of worship with ourselves.

G.K. Beale Quote

In his work, We Become What We Worship, theologian G.K. Beale describes this phenomenon:

“God has made humans to reflect him but if they do not commit themselves to him, they will not reflect him but something else in creation.  At the core of our beings we are imaging creatures.  It is not possible to be neutral on this issue: we either reflect the Creator or something in creation.”

A Covenant God: What Does God Required? (Exodus 19:1-9)

The next act in this grand story takes place in the book of Exodus. We see God fulfilling his promises to Abraham and saving his descendant from Egyptian bondage. Through the leadership of Moses, the multitude of the Israelites cross the Red Sea and find their way to Mount Sinai where the people have an incredible encounter with Yahweh.

Exodus 19:1-9 records what happens at Mount Sinai.

On the third new moon after the people of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. They set out from Rephidim and came into the wilderness of Sinai, and they encamped in the wilderness. There Israel encamped before the mountain, while Moses went up to God. The Lord called to him out of the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.” So Moses came and called the elders of the people and set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him. All the people answered together and said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do.” And Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord. And the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am coming to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe you forever.” When Moses told the words of the people to the Lord,

In this incredible passage we see God choosing to enter into a covenant relationship with the people of Israel. “If you will obey my voice and keep my covenant, you will be my people.”

This special relationship is similar to the relationship that God had with Adam and Eve in the Garden. In the same way, this relationship requires the people to live holy lives. They are called to be a kingdom of priests and a holy, set apart nation.

Yahweh then proceeds to detail the ways in which these people were to worship him. He provides Moses with detailed blueprints of a tent for worship - the Tabernacle. This structure, along with the Temple that would follow it, a physical symbols of the distance between humanity and God. The outer courts, the Holy Place, and the Holy of Holies all dramatically demonstrated how far the people were from God.

Likewise, the sacrificial system viscerally displayed the seriousness of sin and the need for reconciliation. Each time the people would gather in the presence of God, the immense price of redemption played out in front of them.

Throughout the Old Testament, this story of worship, idolatry, and redemption played out numerous times. When the people inevitably strayed and returned, their worship would be a response to God’s character, actions, and his Word.

Jesus: The Second Adam (John 4:21-24)

As we move to the New Testament, our story reaches its apex in the life of Christ. Jesus radically reorients worship away from the practices of the Old Testament.

In his conversation with the Samaritan women at the well, he proclaims that worship in the Kingdom of God is based on a person, not a location.

He amazingly states that God is actively seeking those who would worship him in Spirit and Truth.

Jesus comes to earth to fulfill God’s eternal plan of redemption by taking on human flesh. In so doing, he becomes like the fallen image bearers in order to save them from their sins.

The doxological outpouring in Colossians 1:1-15 describes Christ, the perfect image of God.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

Jesus perfectly fulfills the covenant commands and laws in his life and became the perfect substitutionary atonement for our sins in his death and resurrection.

Because of these facts, He is worthy of our worship and adoration. Hebrews 1:1-4 beautifully demonstrates his surpassing worth:

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

Because of the salvation provided through the work of Christ, believers can now boldly come into God’s presence (Hebrews 4:16). Where once we were separated from God and access to his presence was restricted, now we can freely come into his presence as his children.

The Church: Priests in God’s New Kingdom (1 Peter 2:9)

Following Christ’s work on the cross and resurrection and ascension, God continues to work with a covenant people. Where in the Old Testament, he set apart a small nation to be his people, access to his Kingdom is now available to anyone who will put their faith in Christ.

The Book of Acts describes the first advances in the Kingdom of God in the ministry and actions of his first disciples. Acts 2 describes the Day of Pentecost where the Holy Spirit comes to earth and thousands come to faith. In Acts 2;42-47, we find a description of the worship practices of these earliest believers.

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

In addition to regular gatherings of corporate worship, Paul explains that worship is part of the lifestyle of every believer.

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. (Romans 12:1)

1 Peter 2:9 describes the Church as the new nation of God with language that mirrors the earlier Exodus passage.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Here we see God again choosing a people in Christ, calling them to be priests - those who would demonstrate his love and faithfulness to the unbelieving world and who would bring the lost to Christ. As the church proclaims the wonderful things He has done in both praise and service, they fulfill their original purposes as image bearers of the nature and work of God.

The Throne: Worship Restored (Revelation 4:1-11)

Our story reaches its conclusion in the Book of Revelation. Throughout the Book, we encounter various refrains of worship being offered to God in song.

Revelation 4:1–11 (ESV)

After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. 3 And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. 4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, 6 and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal.

And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: 7 the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. 8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say,

“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,

who was and is and is to come!”

9 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

11  “Worthy are you, our Lord and God,

to receive glory and honor and power,

for you created all things,

and by your will they existed and were created.”

In the study of music, and specifically sonata form in the Classical Symphonies, we encounter a beautiful concept called recapitulation. In the classic form, primary themes of a symphony occur in the exposition. In the development section the composer explores these themes creatively - often inverting them or transposing them. In the third section, the recapitulation, the main themes make a triumphant return. This time, however, these themes have been changed into something more glorious than the first because of the journey which they have undertaken.

One day our worship will be recapitulated in heaven.

Just as in the Garden, Adam and Even enjoyed worshiping in the presence of God with unveiled face, all of creation will recognize God’s holiness and greatness.

The meals that accompanied God’s covenants in both the Old and New Covenants find their ultimate fulfillment in the great gathering around the Table at the Marriage Feast of the Lamb (Revelation 19:6-9).

Ultimately creation itself will be restored and made new (Revelation 21:9-14, 22-26).

This grand narrative is overarching story that Christians tell each time we gather together to worship. Sometimes we are only remembering and celebrating a small portion of this story. Other times we proclaim the full narrative of creation, fall, redemption, and recreation.

As we add our voice the refrain of the song of God’s people, we place ourselves into this story and became part of God’s beautiful unfolding of his eternal plan of redemption.