Now before we begin, let us turn this time to God in prayer.

“Our Father in heaven, we ask this time that the Spirit who inspired the written Word in front of us will likewise work in our hearts to enlighten our minds. Illumine our hearts to enable to understand the passage in which we will be looking at. We pray for obedience, pray for humility. We pray for help from above at this point of time, in Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.”

Now, do you remember where we are at on this particular book, the Old Testament book of Ezra? Now if you don’t, let me just remind you real quick. Now it has been seventy years of exile alright. The Jews were taken into captivity seventy years ago by the world power at that point of time. You know the world power at the point of time was the Babylonian Empire alright. But seventy years have now passed. The Babylonian Empire has come and gone. It is no longer the reign of the world power, the Babylonian Empire. But now it is the reign of the next world power, which is the Medo-Persian Empire.

And now in Ezra chapter 1, we looked before that King Cyrus, who was the king of this empire (the Medo-Persian Empire) issued a decree known as Cyrus’ decree or Cyrus’ proclamation. Now you see that in the first part of chapter 1 of Ezra where he issued this decree, allowing the Jews who were taken into captivity seventy years ago to now go back to Jerusalem. You saw that in his decree. But we know that this wasn’t just random act in history. Now we know that this was prophesied long ago even before King Cyrus was born.

So we learned in Ezra chapter 1 that the word of the Lord will come to pass prophetically. It has been prophesied, and it will come to pass. It had come to pass. And we also saw that the Word of the Lord will come to pass providentially because King Cyrus not only allow the people to go back. In fact, he ushered them out. He gave them money, he gave them support, he helped them. He ensured that the people in the country even helped them on their way back to Jerusalem. He returned temple articles and he enabled them to go out of the Medo-Persian empire back to Jerusalem.

Now that’s why most theologians, they called this “The Second Exodus”, very similar to the first Exodus where the Israelites left Egypt to the Promised Land. Now, so that was in Ezra chapter 1. Now then Ezra chapter 2, we saw a list of names alright. Seventy verses, a lot of names. And we know that this passage is not just names alright because there is a message in the inspired Word of God. And we saw that God was faithful. We saw the faithfulness of God in allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem okay. He remembered His faithful covenant made to His forefathers, and He allowed them to return.

We saw the faithfulness of God in them returning, and we saw the faithfulness of the exiles. Not just in their coming back but in their joyful and generous giving. So that was Ezra chapter 2, and we continue our story this morning in Ezra chapter 3. Now but before we look at this passage, let me ask you if you recall the reason why the Jews came back to Jerusalem. Why did they have to journey for four months? We know it took them four months, leaving the greatest world power at that point of time. Probably something like the New York, or the Paris, or the Tokyo, KL of that time. Leave all those, leave their family, leave their friends, leave everything they knew about the Medo-Persian Empire, and come back to Jerusalem.

And what was the reason for them doing so? So you know for some of them, seventy years have passed. In fact, one generation has come and gone, seventy years. So most of those people who came back (you saw in chapter 2), we can safely assume that they would be young people because you have to travel four months to come back to Jerusalem. So you have to be able to endure the journey. So for these people, they might not even have seen this part of the world. But why did they leave and come to Jerusalem? Was there a reason, we want to ask?

Now we saw that yes, there was a reason. There was an aim as to why they came back to Jerusalem. And what was that aim? Now if you recall, the aim was to rebuild the temple of the Lord. It was to rebuild the temple. Now you see, the previous temple which was built by King Solomon was destroyed. And the Babylonian came in and took the Jews into captivity. So it was destroyed, it was completely gone. And now the people are coming back with this one motive in mind, which is to rebuild the temple of the Lord.

But still, we want to ask the question. We have to press a bit deeper: Why did they need to come back to rebuild the temple of the Lord? Or was it so important that they again are willing to leave all that they have to come back to a foreign land to do this one thing? Now you know sometimes people do things that are little bit extreme or little bit drastic to some other people. And if you look at you know the first few chapters here in Ezra, here could be an example of such.

So if you saw a returning exile, now you stopped this person and asked: Mr. Exile, can I ask you a question? What is the reason for you doing this? Why must you leave all you know and come back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple? And what would Mr. Exile say? What would this person say? Is there a reason that they are coming back to rebuild the temple? Now I say to you yes, there is a reason that the Jews are coming back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple of the Lord because they saw the importance of one area in their lives alright. And as we look at Ezra chapter 3, there is a central theme that flows throughout the entire passage.

And that is the reason why the Jews came back to rebuild the temple of the Lord, and that central theme is this: it is the theme of worship. It is the theme of worship. So this morning we want to see this. What was it about worship that the exiles that returned saw was so significant, was so crucial? And we will look at this in just two points. Two points. Number one, we want to see the priority of worship. The priority of worship.

Now the Jews that returned saw the priority of worship. They saw the importance of worship in their lives. Now let me ask you: Is the worship of God a priority in your life? How much is it a priority in your life? Is it even important to you? Do you think very much about the worship of Almighty God? You see for the Jews, this was no doubt a priority as we shall see. But in fact, before we even move to address the priority of worship, we need to first consider how many people have a clear idea of what is worship. What is the worship of Almighty God?

If I were to ask you to think in your head and give a definition (one or two-sentence). If somebody asked you what is worship, would you have an idea as to what that is? Now the Anglican theologian J.I. Packer, in his famous book “Knowing God”, he helpfully summarized worship for us in one sentence. And he said worship is this: “Now worship is an act of giving honour, homage, reverence, respect, adoration, praise, or glory to God.”. Now he said worship is an act of giving honour, homage, reverence, respect, adoration, praise, or glory to God. So that is J.I. Packer’s definition of worship in one sentence, a summary of what worship is.

Now see as you look through the Bible, you would note that there is a progression in the way God has instituted worship for His people such that when you look at the Israelites as they were wandering around in the wilderness, how did they worship God? They worshipped God by coming to the tabernacle. Now the tabernacle is again God’s instituted design for the Israelites as they wandered around that they are to pitch up this tabernacle everywhere they stopped. Now but if the Israelites wanted to worship God, they go to the tabernacle and they brought along an animal sacrifice alright.

And when it came to the time of the kings, King Solomon built the Solomon’s Temple. And how did the people of God worshipped God? Again they drew near to the temple and they brought along an animal sacrifice to worship God. Now after Jesus came in the New Testament, believers or Christians, we no longer need to go to a tabernacle or go to a temple to worship God. Why? Because First Corinthians 6 says that our body is “the temple of the Holy Spirit”. The Holy Spirit dwells within us alright in a sense we no longer need to be confined to a particular location as in the tabernacle or the temple when we worship. But our whole life is a form of worship to God.

This is not to say that we don’t have to come and gather in church to worship God. No, that’s not what I’m trying to say because the Bible is filled with passages of the importance of the need in fact to gather together to worship. No, that’s not what I’m saying. What I’m saying is that worship now is every moment of our lives. It enraptures every moment of our lives such that our very act that everything that we do must bring honour and homage and respect and adoration and praise and glory and honour to God.

And so we see in the Old Testament when they came to worship, they drew near to the tabernacle or the temple and they brought along an animal sacrifice. For us today, do we come and bring an animal sacrifice with us? Now we do not. Why not? Because Romans chapter 12 says that we are to offer up our bodies as living sacrifices. So our bodies are now living sacrifice.

We are the living sacrifice. So we do not bring a goat or a bull or an animal whenever we come to worship or even in our daily lives, but we are the living sacrifice. And so worship in the New Testament constitutes the whole of a person. And the sacrifices we now offer is no longer animals but our very lives. So that would be what worship is.

But now we come back to Ezra chapter 3. Let us look at verse 1 of this particular chapter. But at this point in redemptive history, the way the Jews or the Israelites were commanded to worship God is to still by coming to the temple and bringing along an animal sacrifice. Therefore, they knew that it was imperative. It was important that the temple of the Lord be made ready so that they can come and worship because they knew full well that no temple equals no worship of God. So they yearned for that day. That’s why we saw the priority of worship.

Now look at verse 1: “And when the seventh month had come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered together as one man to Jerusalem.”. Now the first thing that came to mind (at least came to my mind, hopefully, it came to your mind as well) is: What is this seventh month? What is this seventh month? When is it? Is it referring to the seventh month from the time since they came back from the Medo-Persian Empire from Babylon, or is it something else? Now if you were following Pastor Kek’s sermon on the dedication of GRC a couple of weeks ago, you’ll probably remember what the seventh month is. But let me turn you to the Book of Leviticus and chapter 23.

So turn with me to Leviticus chapter 23. Now Leviticus is the third book of the Bible, chapter 23. Let me read from verse 23: “Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.””. Look at the same chapter at verse 26: “And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: “Also the tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement. It shall be a holy convocation for you; you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire to the LORD.””.

Now verse 33, same chapter: “Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the LORD.’””. Now you see clearly the seventh month is an important month in the Jewish calendar alright. It is known as the month of Tishri (T I S H R I), which is somewhere around the month of September or October. And in this particular month, the Israelites actually celebrated three very important feasts or festivals. It’s known as the Feast of Trumpets in the first passage that we read just now in Leviticus, and the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), which is the second feast that they celebrate, and the Feast of Tabernacles.

So they celebrate three important festivals during this month. In fact, it is even mentioned in our passage. If we just turn back to Ezra chapter 3 (if you still have your finger there) and look in verse 4. See, “they also kept the Feast of Tabernacles, as it is written”. Verse 5: And “afterwards they offered the regular burnt offering, and those for New Moons and for all the appointed feasts of the LORD”. So it’s mentioned also in Ezra chapter 3 that they were celebrating these feasts and these festivals.

Now we continue in verse 2: Now “then Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his brethren, arose and built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the Law of Moses the man of God.”. Now you see the first thing that they did even before they celebrated the feast or the festivals was that this phrase: “they built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings”. Now, what is a burnt offering? A burnt offering is one of the five Levitical offerings that were instituted by God to the Jewish community.

So you had the sin offering, the trespass offering, the peace offering, the grain offering, and the burnt offering. So for the burnt offering, the offeror would come and bring an animal to the priest. If you were rich, you’ll bring a bull. If you are middle-class, you bring a goat. If you’re poor, you can bring a pair of birds alright. And you offer it to the priest. And the difference between the burnt offering and all the other Levitical offerings is this. Now for the burnt offering, the priest or the offeror do not take anything back. And for some of the other offerings, the priest can withhold some.

And in fact, for some others, the offeror also can take back some. But not for the burnt offering. For the burnt offering, everything is burnt. Everything is burnt on the altar. So when someone comes to the priest and offers a burnt offering, what does it mean? It is like this person is saying to God: “God, I have sinned and I have not been wholehearted in my worship of You. Therefore, this animal is a sacrifice on my behalf to atone for my sin of not giving myself wholly to You.”.

You see, this is a sign of worship. The burnt offering is a sign of worship. So that is what we see in verse 2. Now we continue in verse 3: “Though fear had come upon them because of the people of those countries, they set the altar on its bases; and they offered burnt offerings on it to the LORD, both the morning and evening burnt offerings.”. Now you see at this point of time, the temple (the second temple) was not built yet. In fact, the foundation of the temple was not even laid.

But what did the people do? They didn’t say: Oh you know, let’s wait for the temple of the Lord to be built first before we start to you know build the altar and offer the burnt offering because we don’t know where to put right. You have to have the temple structure, then we know okay it’s supposed to be here. But no, they didn’t do that. In fact, they wasted no time in quickly building the altar and starting off with what needs to be done- the worship of God. And you see, the worship of God was a priority for them.

You see through at least the first half of Ezra chapter 3 that this phrase “they built the altar of God the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings” repeated in virtually, literally every verse. Look at verse 2, we saw just now that the people or the leaders this time, they “arose and built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it”. Now verse 3, we saw that “they set the altar on its bases; and they offered burnt offerings on it to the LORD, both the morning and evening burnt offerings.”.

Verse 4: “offered the daily burnt offerings in the number required by ordinance for each day.”. Verse 5: And “afterwards they offered the regular burnt offering”. Verse 6: “From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the LORD”. Now you see clearly Ezra is trying to focus in as a scribe on what was important to the people at this point of time when they came back from exile alright. It is as if as you read this chapter, there’s such a strong desire. There’s such a strong sense of urgency for these people to come together, quickly put the altar in place. And we need to start offering burnt offerings to the Lord as a sign of worship.

We’ve not be able to do that for the past seventy years, now we have a chance. We cannot hesitate. There’s no lingering. There is no waiting. There is no take it easy. There is no like let us build this temple first. But they started off with the worship of God. So you see that the priority of worship is clearly seen in these people. And I wonder how many people has this type of mindset today. Now you look at this chapter at the first part at least and you say: How does this relate to me? We no longer have a temple. We do not offer any burnt offerings. How does that relate to me?

Now I think we can look at this from two areas. Number one we can see the priority of worship (if you are a believer) in a believer’s personal life. The priority of worship in a believer’s personal life. So you ask yourself the question: Is the worship of God a priority in my personal life, in your personal life? How many people even think of the worship of God like the exiles did, that they were prepared to come back all the way for this one reason?

And you know that your whole life is a form of worship. And then you’re supposed to bring honour and adoration and praise and glory and homage and reverence to God in your conduct, in the way you live, in the things you do, in the decisions you make, in the life that you live. Now Romans 12:1, as I mentioned just now, says that we are to offer up our bodies as a living sacrifice. But what does that mean? What does offering up my body as a living sacrifice means?

But thankfully Paul does not leave us to just guess. Now he explains it to us in verse 2 of Romans chapter 12. He says that “do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind”. So what does it mean to offer my body as a living sacrifice? It means to not be in conformity to the world, to say no to “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life”, and that we are to bring honour and glory to God in the life that we live. Now is that a priority in your life? Is the honour of God number one in your actions, in your decisions, in your thoughts? Or do you do simply just what the fleshly desires want you to do?

Maybe it’s about going to certain sinful immoral places or doing certain things to get rich quicker and quicker. Or how about engaging in gossip in your school, in your workplace? Or maybe just in the day to day ordinary things in life. When you do certain things, is the honour of God a priority? Is the worship of God a priority? Is it number one, or do you just live to please the flesh? Now I say, to the exiled Jews that returned, there was no question the worship of God was utmost priority. So that is the first area of what we can see how this passage relates to us as Christians, as believers. 

Now secondly, we also see the priority of worship in a believer’s church life. Not just in a believer’s personal life, but in a believer’s church life. Now look at verse 1 again, and this is very clear in verse 1: “And when the seventh month had come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered together as one man to Jerusalem.”. They gathered together as one man. Now it wasn’t like some came first to build the altar and offer the sacrifices, and some stayed back and build their houses.

You know in chapter 2 of Ezra, fifty thousand people came back, including the male and female servants. So twenty-five thousand go and built the altar and offer sacrifices first, the rest of us will continue to stay back and build the homes. And then we swap you know so that we can do things a little bit faster.

No, it wasn’t what they did. You know the corporate gathering together of the people to worship God was important. It was priority. See, they were willing to stop what they were doing and gather together to worship God. Bear in mind that these people came back from a faraway land. They journeyed for four months and didn’t come to Jerusalem to check into a hotel and take a nice shower and rest and wait for the next agenda on the timetable. Oh, it’s time to go build the altar. No, they didn’t do that.

If you wanted water, you had to dig a well. There was basically nothing there. If you wanted to provide for your family, simple things like water, you need to make sure you dig a well. If you wanted to provide food for yourself and for your families, you had to quickly go and plant something while you rely on your reserve when you came back. Now if you wanted a bed to sleep, if you wanted a shelter over your head, you have to build yourself. 

So there was nothing there, and there was so much to do. But when it came time to worship God, these people that came back were willing to let all these things stop. They were willing to let all these legitimate activities. And it’s legitimate in providing for your family, surviving you know, building a house. It’s all legitimate, rightful activities. But when it came time to worship God as one body, they were willing to stop and come together to worship God.

Now, how about you today? We may all have legitimate activities, we are all busy with things in school, things in work, with things that pertain to our family, our lives, legitimate rightful things. But is the gathering of the saints to worship God important enough to you that it is a priority in your life? Or are you willing to let anything that comes by in your life hinder the gathering together to worship God together with the people of God? Is that a priority in your life? Is that a priority in your church life?

I’m sure you’ve heard of Eric Liddle, you know the son of a Scottish missionary, who was scheduled to run at the 1924 Olympics finals. Now he was a runner by profession, that’s his career. There is a legitimate thing for him to do, and he got into the Olympic finals. And the Olympic finals was scheduled to be on a Sunday. And running was what he did, but you know the story. He pulled out of the Olympic finals. Why? Because he didn’t want to miss Sunday worship. Now the worship of God was a priority in his life. Is the gathering together of the people of God to worship God a priority for you?

So we saw the priority of worship, how it relates to you personally, how it relates to your church life. And next, the second point, we want to see is the prescription of worship. So we see in this chapter (in Ezra chapter 3) not just the priority of worship, but we also see the prescription of worship. Now you know what is a prescription right. If you are sick; if you’re not well, you go to the doctor. The doctor looks at you and he says that you are unwell and he gives you a written prescription with the medications necessary that you’re supposed to take. So if you look at the written prescription, it says to take X medicine three times a day and Y medicine two times a day.

What do you do? You follow the written prescription. Now you don’t say today I don’t feel like taking X medicine. Maybe tomorrow I will take it ten times. Now you won’t do that right. You will be quite silly if you do that. You won’t get well. Now likewise in worship. Now, in this case, focusing more on gather for corporate worship, now there is also a prescription. Did you know that there is a prescription in worship? Now you don’t say: Oh, I come to worship God as I like, when I like, how I like, the way I like. Now that’s not how we come to worship God. Now there is a prescription.

Now back to our text in Ezra chapter 3. You see from verse 1 to verse 7, we saw already that the people were given to the building of the altar of the burnt offerings and they also kept the feast. But from verse 8 onwards, they started the work of rebuilding the temple. Now you see “in the second month of the second year” in verse 8 “of their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem”, here are the leaders: “Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the rest of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all those who had come out of the captivity to Jerusalem, began work and appointed the Levites from twenty years old and above to oversee the work of the house of the LORD.”.

Now the leaders appointed the Levites to oversee the building of the temple. So that’s what he’s saying in verse 8. Now even during this time, even during the building of the temple, there is worship. Now there is worship in verse 10: “When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests stood in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the LORD, according to the ordinance of David king of Israel.

And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the LORD: “For He is good, For His mercy endures forever toward Israel.” Then all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.”. Now you see, there is worship. There is singing of psalms, there’s praising God, there’s musical accompaniment. We saw that they offered the burnt offerings. So all throughout this chapter, there is worship. But there is not just worship, there is prescribed worship. There is prescribed worship. 

Look at verse 2 again. The leaders, “Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his brethren, arose”. We saw that they “built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it”. Now keyword: “as it is written in the Law of Moses the man of God.”. Verse 4: “They also kept the Feast of Tabernacles, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings in the number required by ordinance for each day.”.

Verse 10, we saw that the people were singing, they were praising God. They had cymbals, and what was it in the last part of that verse? “According to the ordinance of David king of Israel.” Everything was done according to what was written. It was according to the Law of Moses. It was according to what was written. It was according to what was required by the ordinance, “according to the ordinance of David king of Israel”.

So everything was done according to prescription. Now, these returning Jews that came back were very careful not to mess up this time. Now, in fact, we know that one of the main reasons why the Northern Kingdom of Israel was taken into captivity by the Assyrians was exactly because they were careless in their worship of God. They practiced not just idolatry but they practiced unprescribed worship. Now turn with me to Amos chapter 5. Amos chapter 5. Now as you turn there, you know the prophet Amos was a prophet that came from the Southern Kingdom of Judah. But he prophesied mainly to the Northern Kingdom of Israel. He preached to them. 

You look at Amos 5:21. So this is what Amos is saying to the Northern Kingdom of Israel. That is the Word of God. You see in verse 21, he says: “I hate, I despise your feast days, And I do not savour your sacred assemblies. Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them, nor will I regard your fattened peace offerings. Take away from Me the noise of your songs, for I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments. But let justice run down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream.”. 

Now you see here God is saying through Amos that these people, you are observing the feast, yes. You are offering Me burnt offerings, yes. You are offering Me peace offerings, you are singing to Me, you are making melody with string instruments. But I hate, I despise what you are doing. Why? Verse 25: “Did you offer Me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel?”. This is the reason. Verse 26: “You also carried Sikkuth your king and Chiun, your idols, the star of your gods, which you made for yourselves. Therefore I will send you into captivity beyond Damascus,” says the LORD, whose name is the God of hosts.”.

So here the people or the Northern Kingdom of Israel not just were engaged in idolatry, but they didn’t follow what was prescribed. They did, they worshipped Yahweh, the true God. They offered sacrifices. They observed the feast days. They sang. They used musical instruments. But here, on the other hand, they were also worshipping Sikkuth, worshiping Chiun, which was not prescribed. For God has said that you shall have no other gods before Me. So here the warning of Amos must be ringing in their ears.

See, there is a prescription in worship. But then you ask yourself: Why must there be a prescription in worship? Why must there be a certain way that we should follow when we come to worship? After all, we are New Testament believers right, the temple of God is within us. Why do we need to have a certain prescription when we come to worship? Now we know that the two sons of the high priest Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, they approached God in a very casual way, in a very cool, cavalier, flippant way. And they offered what was known as profane fire or strange fire on the altar.

And what did God do? And God struck them dead immediately. Now there is a way in which we are to do things, especially when it comes to worship. So why is it that there must be a prescription in worship? Let me tell you why. Because worship is about God. Because worship is about God. It is not about us, it is not about man, it is about God. Now let me show you from the book of Revelation and chapter 4.

You turn with me to Revelation chapter 4. The last book of the Bible, Revelation chapter 4. And just a little bit of context as to what Revelation chapter 4 is speaking about, the Apostle John was the last standing apostle, was exiled also to the island of Patmos, and it was in this island of Patmos that he had a vision. He was called up into the courtroom of heaven as it were. He had a vision of what is going on in heaven. And let me tell you what he saw in Revelation chapter 4 is the ongoing of a heavenly worship service.

So we want to know how we should conduct ourselves on earth when it comes to worship, look at Revelation chapter 4. Here’s a glimpse of what is going on in heaven as the worship of God is ongoing. Now let me read for you actually the entire chapter, all eleven verses, and then I will show you what John saw. Now verse 1: “After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”

Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. 

Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. And the four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!”

Whenever the living creatures give glory and honour and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: “You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honour and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.”.

Now as John was given this glimpse of the courtroom of heaven as he had this vision, what did he first see in verse 2? “Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.”. What is the throne that is in heaven? The throne represents the presence, the sovereignty of God. And One who sat on the throne, there is no doubt that is God who was sitting on the throne.

And the rest of the chapter speaks regardless of what you were saying in relation to the throne alright. Whether it is talking about the One that is sitting on the throne, whether that the rainbow that is around the throne, twenty-four elders around the throne. And there is lightning and thundering and voices that come from the throne and the seven lamps of fire that’s burning before the throne. And there was a sea of glass in the midst of the throne, and around the throne were the four living creatures. 

And you see in the last part of this chapter, they give thanks to Him who sits on the throne. And they cast their crowns before the throne. Everything is done in this worship service in relation to the throne, in relation to the One who sits on the throne because worship is about God. Worship is about God. Here is a glimpse of what worship is like in heaven. It is all about God. It is God-centred, not man-centred.

So do you realise that corporate worship is solemn, serious thing that when we come, we come gather to give glory and honour to God and to hear Him speak to us through His Word? And so as we gather to worship, we don’t gather to be entertained. We don’t gather to be amused. We don’t gather to have our ears tickled, to feel good. But unfortunately, this is what is happening around us today. And churches around us have gotten this concept backward because worship is catered to men rather than catered to God. It is focused on the horizontal rather than the vertical. It is focused on being relaxed rather than having a reverence for God. It’s catered to the crowd, not more than catered for the glory of God.

See, there was a survey that was conducted by a large church, a seeker-sensitive church in Chicago. And this church conducted this survey and asked this question: If you don’t go to church, why not? So if you don’t go to church, why not? And then they distributed the survey and they gathered feedback. And the result of this survey showed that there were five biggest reasons why people don’t go to church. Number one, church is boring. Number two, church is irrelevant. Number three, church is asking me for my money all the time. Number four, I’m too busy already. Number five, I feel awkward at church. Boring, irrelevant, asking for money, too busy, I feel awkward.

It’s all about how they feel, and what they want, and how it makes them happy. So that’s why if church is boring, let us make church exciting. Let us invite artists and singers and famous people to come and not preach. Come and sing a song, come and make you not feel boring. If you think church is not relevant, well we will not preach about the Bible. We will preach about ways on how you are supposed to manage your household, ways on how to have your children be more obedient. So they displaced what is important in worship to cater to the crowd. 

But is that what God wants? Now God has said in John chapter 4 that He’s seeking for true worshipers who will worship Him “in spirit and in truth”. So churches nowadays dim the lights. They play modern music, and the people in one particular church even do the Harlem Shake. And they do not preach about sin or God or hell or punishment, but just give some motivational talks. All in place of trying to draw a crowd. Now of course worship in the New Testament as we have seen is a part of a Christian, of a believer’s life.

And so people say that: Oh, you know I’m a New Testament believer, so there is no prescription as mentioned. But remember that as we come together to worship God, there is a sense that we must operate within the bounds of the Word. We must operate within Scripture. Now we call this the regulative principle of worship. The regulative principle of worship because it is prescribed in Scripture. Now therefore when we come for our worship, we read the Word because Paul tells Timothy to read the Word. He says in 1 Timothy 4:13- “Till I come, give attention to reading, to doctrine, to exhortation.”.

So we read the Word. And we sing the Word because Ephesians chapter 5 says that we are to encourage “one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs”. Therefore, we sing the Word. Of course, we preach the Word. Paul tells Timothy in Second Timothy chapter 4 to “preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season.”. Preach the Word. And we pray the Word. Now you know Jesus said: “In this manner, therefore, pray”, and He gave the Lord’s Prayer. And so we do all these things because it is explicitly written or prescribed in the Bible, in the Word of God. 

But contrary to the regulative principle is the normative principle. But people say that: I’m a New Testament believer because the Bible doesn’t mention it, I can do it in my church. So who’s to say I cannot introduce motocross racing, and do the Harlem Shake, and do all sorts of things to draw people because the Bible doesn’t condemn it? Now once again remember who worship is for. Is it for God or is it for men? If churches can keep in mind this point, we should see a significant reduction in the filth all around us. Worship is for God. Worship is prescribed by God. 

Now listen to this quote from John Calvin, the reformer. He says: “God disapproves of all modes of worship not expressly sanctioned by His Word.”. God disapproves of all modes of worship not expressly sanctioned by His Word. Now the Second London Baptist Confession of 1689 says this as well. It says: “The acceptable way of worshipping the true God, is instituted by himself, and so limited by his own revealed will, that he may not be worshipped according to the imagination and devices of men, nor the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representations, or any other way not prescribed in the Holy Scriptures.”.

So our confession (the London Baptist Confession of Faith) says that we are not to worship God as He has not prescribed in the Holy Scriptures. Therefore, a prescription of worship is important. Now let’s go back to Ezra chapter 3. Now Ezra chapter 3, we’ve seen the priority of worship for the returning exiles, and we also see that there is a prescribed way of worship that the Jews were careful to follow upon them returning. Now let us read verse 12.

Let’s look at verse 12: “When many of the priests and Levites and heads of the fathers’ houses who were old men, who had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this temple was laid before their eyes. Yet many shouted aloud for joy, so that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people, for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the sound was heard afar off.”.

Now you see, what is happening in the second part of verse 12 to the end of verse 13 is that the foundation of the temple known as “the Second Temple” or “the Zerubbabel’s Temple” has now been laid. And there was mixed emotions from the people. Now you had some people who were overjoyed. They shouted aloud for joy because now the reason why they are coming back for is slowly coming to fruition right. So the foundation of the temple is being laid before their eyes. Now the temple is coming up already. Pieces by pieces, it is coming up.

But yet there are some old men (it was mentioned) who had seen the first temple, they wept. But because they saw the glory of the Solomon’s Temple, and as they looked at what is being constructed now, they compared it to the Solomon’s Temple and they were sorrowful. They wept. They were sad. And so there was a mixed emotion to the extent that the people couldn’t discern whether the noise came from the shout or the noise came from the cry.

But one thing we know for sure is that when we gather together one day in heaven as we saw in Revelation chapter 4, there will be no more weeping. There will be no more crying. There will be no more tears. There will be no more sadness, but there will be only awe and rejoicing and gladness and reverence as we stand with other believers before the King of kings and the Lord of lords in perfect worship and perfect adoration of our God.

So until that day, do you look forward to the worship of God each week as you gather with the people of God to worship? Is that a priority? Is the worship of God a priority in your personal life? Is the worship of God a priority in your church life? And as you come to worship God, do you come knowing that there is a prescription, or do you come to just be entertained, to just listen to a good preacher? You just come for fellowship. Is the worship of God a priority in your life? Let us pray.

“Our Father in heaven, we indeed thank You for Your Word. We know that Your Word is truth. May You sanctify us with Your truth. Help us this day to catch a glimpse of what it means to worship You, both in our personal life, in our church life, and in the way we see ultimate gathering, the worship of God, worship of God among Your people. Pray that You will be with us for the rest of this day, in Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.”

This transcript has been lightly edited for readability.