Posted By: Daryl
What Does The Bible Say About Reverence? - 06/11/03 06:58 AM
Our Sabbath School class discussion the other week was on reverence.
Last SAbbath our pastor preached a very heavy sermon on reverence.
What does the Bible actually say about reverence?
Posted By: Cheri Fritz
Re: What Does The Bible Say About Reverence? - 07/11/03 03:43 AM
Hi Daryl,
Thought of this verse when I saw your question.
Psa 46:10 Be still, and know that I [am] God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
The word "reverence" has several meanings in the dictionary. The term that caught my eye was: profound adoring awed respect.
- profound - having intellectual depth and insight
- adore - to regard with loving admiration and devotion
- awe - to inspire with awe
- respect - an act of giving particular attention
Praise the Lord for those that will be still to hear the "still small voice!"
Sr. Cheri
So perhaps we could term reverence as being still just like the Bible teaches!
Posted By: Daryl
Re: What Does The Bible Say About Reverence? - 07/11/03 07:45 PM
That's one good reference.
Any other good ones?
Posted By: Boblee
Re: What Does The Bible Say About Reverence? - 07/16/03 07:57 AM
When we think of "reverence," I fear we are biased by the atmosphere in which we were raised. Psa 46:10, for instance was quoted above as a norm: "Be still, and know that I am God." But this psalm shows no evidence of any application to a worship service. If you go to psalms which present activities in the sanctuary such as Psalm 150, you find the use of trumpets, harp and lyre, tambourine and dancing, strings and flute, and the clash of symbols. This is NOT silence. This is joyous praise.
Most of the important meetings in Old Testament times involved feasts--eating and drinking and making merry (praising God). Sometimes for seven full days (or perhaps eight, see Lev 23:36). We don't know much about the New Testament synagogue services, but we do know that Jesus interrupted at least one service in Nazareth where He got the people so riled up that they drove him out of town (Luke 4:16-30) and that Paul stirred up quite a ruckus at the synagogue in Corinth (Acts 18:4-7).
Perhaps as Daryl implies, it's time we restudy just what God does want in our worship. I might suggest a good starting point would be John 15:15 where Jesus says "I no longer call you servants. ... Instead, I have called you friends." As friends of Jesus or brothers of Jesus (Heb 2:11) or sons of God (Heb 12:5-7), our reverence for Them should take a different perspective than when we thought of ourselves as servants.
Bob Lee