Praise & Worship
 

Radio teaching notes from Rabbi Jeremy Storch

Today I would like to talk to you about the biblical Jewish roots of worship

The earliest biblical accounts of worship through the patriarchs included; (1) The sacrifice of Abel, who brought fat portions from the firstborn of his flock (Gen. 4:4); (2) Noah, who sacrificed "clean animals and birds" to the Lord after coming out of the Ark (Gen. 8:20); and Abraham, who was willing to sacrifice his son Isaac on Mt. Moriah, but in the end God provided a ram for the sacrifice in place of Isaac (Gen. 22:13). All of these acts of worship included "burnt offerings" and the shedding of "blood".

This form of worship carried over into corporate worship in the Tabernacle of Moses where the Levitical priesthood was also established (scripture references are Ex. 25-40).

The Tabernacle of Moses consisted of three main areas; the outer court, the holy place and the Holy of Holies. In each of these three main areas were special "furnishings" which establish a pattern of worship for believers in Jesus today.

In the outer court was the bronze altar of sacrifice. This was the place where the animal sacrifices themselves were presented as "burnt offerings" to the Lord. Also in the outer court was the bronze laver, where the priests washed before ministering to the Lord.

In the Holy Place (the second main area of the Tabernacle) was the Table of bread, which had 12 loaves of consecrated bread eaten by the priests from Sabbath to Sabbath. Also there was the golden lamp stand which Aaron and his sons filled with oil ever evening and morning to keep the lamps burning. In the Holy Place there was also the golden altar of incense. Aaron and his sons placed fresh incense on the altar every evening and morning when they trimmed the lamps. The fragrance of the incense "permeated" the "veil" which separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies.

In the Holy of holies was the Ark of the Covenant, covered by a lid which is called the "mercy seat", with two cherubim, whose wings overshadowed the Ark. Between the cherubim was the "She'cheenah", the glorious Presence of God.

The Tabernacle of Moses is a pattern for the praise and worship of believers in Yeshua today. We enter His gates and come into His "courts" with praise, says Psalm 100, singing up-tempo songs, clapping, dancing, rejoicing, giving wave offerings and shouting for joy. In this way we are offering ourselves as "living sacrifices on the altar of God" (Rom. 12:1). We are also being "washed by the water of the word" as we sing these songs based on the scriptures represented by the laver.

As we enter the Holy Place, a transition takes place. The music slows down and we feed further upon the word, the bread of life itself. Our minds are illuminated by the fire of the Holy Spirit, represented by the lamp stand. We place "fresh incense" on the altar as we "sing in the Spirit" with "tongues of angels". The fragrance of pure worship "permeates the veil "and pleases God.

The veil is parted and now we have access into the Holy of holies, in a tabernacle pitched not by man, but by the Lord Himself. As we enter in we are consumed by a cloud of glory, fall down before the Throne of the Almighty, and worship Him in Spirit and truth as a royal priesthood, purchased by the blood of Yeshua.
 

Yesterday, we took a closer look at the biblical Jewish roots of worship as we examined the Tabernacle of Moses. We saw how the layout of the Tabernacle served as a biblical pattern for the worship of believers in Jesus (Yeshua) today. About 500 years after Moses built the Tabernacle in the Wilderness, King David established a whole new order of worship in Israel, different from the Mosaic sacrificial system of "burnt offerings" and "animal sacrifices". It was called the Tabernacle of David, according to I Chronicles chapters 15 and 16.

David pitched a tent on Mt. Zion as a "resting place" for the Ark of God, which represented the very Presence of God, Himself. David then took from the Levites a singing, music making, songwriting, prophesying, Spirit-filled priesthood and commissioned them to continually give thanks and praise to the Lord God of Israel (The Sparks were Flying On Mt. Zion). David also danced before the Lord with all his might as the Ark was being brought into Jerusalem and placed in the tent on Mt. Zion, establishing "dance ministry" as an important part of worship in Israel. David also formed a temple orchestra of 4,000 members (I Ch 23:5), and a school of music and prophecy (I Ch. 25:1-7). He also made the lifting up of banners an important part of worship (Psalms 20:5).

In all of these things we see a pattern for the way the church should praise and worship the Lord today; through singing the psalms, most of which were written on Mt. Zion under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit; through the writing of new songs that are also based upon the Word of God and inspired by the Ruach Ha Kodesh (the Holy Spirit); by playing our instruments skillfully before the Lord (skill plays an important role in anointed worship); by learning how to operate in the "prophetic realm" which brings congregations into higher levels of worship; through "dance teams" that understand the "biblical precepts" of dance ministry and who know how to "flow" in the Spirit; and through the making and lifting up of banners as we worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness.

All of the above is anointed worship before the Lord. They are all scriptural, and they are all for the church today.

Through the prophet Amos, in chapter 9, verses 11&12, God said that in the last days He would restore the Tabernacle of David, and that the Gentiles would be a part of it, as well as Jewish believers. This was further confirmed by Yeshua's disciples in Acts 15.

Davidic praise and worship is part of the restoration of the church to its biblical Jewish roots in the Messiah Jesus.

At the Tabernacle, here in Branson, Missouri, we place an emphasis on Spirit-filled Davidic praise and worship. Please come and worship with us as we exalt Yeshua, King of kings and Lord of lords!

For the past few days I've been speaking to you about the biblical Jewish roots of praise and worship. In particular, we have examined the Tabernacle of Moses and the Tabernacle of David, and we have seen how they both establish a biblical pattern for the way believers in Yeshua (Jesus) should praise and worship the Lord today. Scripture references for the Tabernacle of Moses and the Tabernacle of David can be found in Exodus chapters 25-40 and I Chronicles chapters 15-25

Today, I would like to speak to you about the connection between "praise" and "spiritual warfare", because according to the Scriptures, praise is often on the "frontlines of the battle". According to Gen. 29:35, when Leah, the wife of Jacob, bore her fourth son, she said "now I will praise the Lord" and she named the child Judah. The name "Judah" is pronounced in Hebrew "Y'hudah" from the root word "Yadah" which means to "thank and praise God with extended hands".

In the book of Judges, chapter 1, verses 1 & 2, after the death of Joshua, the Israelites asked the Lord "who shall go up first to fight against the Canaanites?" The Lord said "Let Judah go up first" or, in other words, let "praise" be on the frontlines of the battle.

In a later account in the bible, according to II Ch. 20, three enemy nations were coming to invade and make war against King Jehoshaphat and as the people were seriously praying to the Lord, the "Spirit of the Lord" came upon Jahaziel, who was a Levite, and a direct descendant of Asaph. He then prophesied and said, "Do not fear, for the battle is not yours, it belongs to the Lord…only place singers on the frontline of the battle. Early the next morning Jehoshaphat placed singers at the head of the army and they sang "Hodu L'Adonai Ki le olam chasdo" which means "give thanks to the Lord, for His love endures forever!" As they sang, God sent "confusion into the camp of the enemy" to the point where all three enemy nations began to slaughter each other. But He sent "victory into the camp of the righteous" and delivered Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah from their enemies and gave them great joy!

What kind of battle are you facing today? What kind of enemy are you facing today? The biblical and spiritual principles remain the same for God's people today in "spiritual warfare". Eph 6:12 says, "We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, rulers of darkness, and spiritual wickedness in high places."

Whatever opposition you may be facing, take your position on the front lines of the battle and stand firm in the Lord! Lift up your hands in praise and sing "give thanks to the Lord for His love endures forever". Watch Him throw your enemies into complete confusion and give you the victory.

Remember, the battle belongs to the Lord, and if God be for you, who can be against you!
 

Yesterday we took a closer look at the connections between "praise and warfare" and how praise is often on the frontlines of the battle. We saw examples of this in Judges 1:1,2 when God said, "Let Judah (which means "praise") go up first to fight against the Canaanites". We saw another example of this in II Ch. 20, when three enemy nations were coming to attack King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah. God told Jehoshaphat to place singers on the frontlines of the battle, which he did, and the Lord sent all three enemy nations into complete confusion slaughtering one another, but to Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah, God gave a complete victory.

Perhaps you're fighting some battles today against spiritual enemies. If you are, listen to the words of this song and remember that deliverance comes through praising the Lord! And if God be for you, who can be against you!

“Let Judah Go Up” is available on the “On Mount Zion” CD
 

For the past few days, I've been speaking to you about praise and worship. We've seen the biblical Jewish roots of worship in the Tabernacle of Moses and in the Tabernacle of David. We've also seen connections between praise and spiritual warfare, how praise is often on the frontlines of the battle. But one of the greatest things about praising the Lord, is that it brings forth the "fruit of joy", and the "joy of the Lord is our strength" says He. 8:10. One of the Hebrew words for "joy" is pronounced "simcha". Listen to the words of this song, called "Simchat Adonai" which is one of the songs we sing at the Tabernacle, and remember always to praise the Lord, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!

“Simchat Adonai” can be ordered on the “He Reigns” CD