Worship (Act)

Acting in a way that shows love, respect, and honor to God through prayers, songs, and rituals.

About Worship (Act)

Expression of reverence and adoration of God.

The 1,500 years from the days of Abraham to the time of Ezra (c. 1900–450 BC) saw many significant changes in the form of worship in ancient Israel. Abraham, the wandering nomad, built altars and offered sacrifices wherever God appeared to him. In Moses’ time the tabernacle served as a portable sanctuary for the Israelite tribes journeying through the wilderness. Solomon built a temple in Jerusalem that lasted more than three centuries until its destruction by the Babylonians in 586 BC. When the Jews returned from exile, they built a new temple, which was later renovated and enlarged by Herod the Great. Though all the temple buildings were destroyed by the Romans in AD 70, the foundations remained. Jews still pray by the Western Wall (called the Wailing Wall).

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Temple Worship Theme

In the ancient Near East, kings had to provide for their nation's temple. King David, who started the family line (dynasty) of Judah's kings, made Jerusalem the capital of...

Worship in Jerusalem Theme

The Old Testament prophets understood that true worship requires knowing God and his expectations. God decided that the temple in Jerusalem would be the main place for his...

Key References

Acts 13:43

After the synagogue was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.

Acts 17:23

For as I walked around and examined your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore what you worship as something unknown, I now proclaim to you.

Acts 18:7

So Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titus Justus, a worshiper of God.

Romans 1:25

They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is forever worthy of praise! Amen.

All Scripture References (12)

Matthew (1)
Matthew 15:9

They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’”

Mark (1)
Mark 7:7

They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’

Acts (9)
Acts 13:43

After the synagogue was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.

Acts 13:50

The Jews, however, incited the religious women of prominence and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of their district.

Acts 16:14

Among those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.

Acts 17:4

Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few leading women.

Acts 17:17

So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and God-fearing Gentiles, and in the marketplace with those he met each day.

Acts 17:23

For as I walked around and examined your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore what you worship as something unknown, I now proclaim to you.

Acts 18:7

So Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titus Justus, a worshiper of God.

Acts 18:13

“This man is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law,” they said.

Acts 19:27

There is danger not only that our business will fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited and her majesty deposed—she who is worshiped by all the province of Asia and the whole world.”

Romans (1)
Romans 1:25

They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is forever worthy of praise! Amen.