Worship God

TEXT: 2 KINGS 17:24-41

Key Verse: “They feared the LORD, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations whom they carried away from thence. Unto this day they do after the former manners: they fear not the LORD, neither do they after their statutes, or after their ordinances, or after the law and commandment which the LORD commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel” (2 Kings 17:33,34).

Charles Spurgeon said, “My happiest moments are when I am worshipping God, really adoring the Lord Jesus Christ, and having fellowship with the ever-blessed Spirit. In that worship I forget the cares of everything else. To me it is the nearest approach to what it will be in heaven”.

In our passage today, we see the confusion and punishment that false worship brings. Israel did not serve God out of a true heart, due to the idols Jeroboam introduced in Bethel. For this and many other sins, God sent Israel, His chosen one into Babylonian slavery. When the king of Babylon sent a priest to go and teach them the way of God, he taught them what took Israel into captivity, the fear of God and the worship of idols combined!

The gem and lesson from this passage is the understanding of what true worship of God should entail. The passage reveals God’s declaration of what should be the object of, the reason for, the spirit and manner of true worship. The LORD Jehovah, the Supreme, Self-Existent, and eternal Being, Author of life should be the sole object and heart of our worship and adoration. Any other thing that diverts our concentration from this holy God is false worship and rejected by Heaven.

The reason for our worship of God, apart from the fact that we are created for this purpose, is that we show our gratitude and appreciation to God who created us and redeemed us from the fall through the offering of Jesus Christ His Son, who willingly offered Himself as our acceptable Substitute to satisfy the judgment of God for the sin and rebellion of man.

The spirit and manner of true worship is that which is carried out from true love and fear of God. Fear that makes us love what He loves and hate what He hates. Fear that makes us obey His commandments and walk with Him in humility all the days of our life, recognizing that we belong to Him. Godly fear makes us bring our worship and service to Him in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Worship God with holy fear.