THE PROMISE OF THE WORSHIP DAY—

TRANSFORMATION OF OUR DAILY WORSHIP

 Rev. Milan Tamang, RPS

Sometimes two spheres of our life can feel like they are in an adversarial relationship— “worship” & “work.”  “Weekly worship” begins to feel like medicine that keeps us from perishing in the daily grind and boredom that we call “daily work.”  But is “worship” merely a mechanism for coping with a completely different sphere of life that we call “work”?

The current issue of Restorers explores how “worship” transforms the lives of God’s people.  We focus on weekly worship’s transformative power on the sphere of life we call “work.”  A main purpose of weekly worship is to prepare us to return with joy and purpose to our primary worship—weekday work.

The article has three movements.  (I) We will explore a three-letter Hebrew root [עבד] toward examining an Old Testament belief, inseparable union between “worship” and “work.”  (II) We will examine how the Hebrew root is used in a primary text: The Moses(Aaron)-Pharaoh Narrative (Exodus 6:28-12:32).  (III) We will use lexical and textual discoveries toward making four applications.  We believe that these applications flow naturally from the text, and that they can guide “worship services” toward their ultimate purpose.  Worship services prepare God’s people for purposeful return to the daily “service of worship.”

(I)  The lexical subject of our paper is a three-letter, Hebrew root [עבד].  A whole network of related words form on these three Hebrew letters.[1]

To summarize the meaning of the root in its primary verbal form:  [עָבַד][2]

ato work, to serve; bto worship”

The Hebrew thought world sees a deep continuity between “work” and “worship.”  Consequently, to properly articulate the root in verbal form, we believe it appropriate articulate the verb’s English meaning with a hyphen: “to serve—to worship”.

Or to clarify this surprising concept another way.  Where most of the world’s languages make a significant distinction between what is considered two spheres of life—

Nepali:             “अ। र। धन। गर्न”            “काम गर्न”

English:             “to worship”                 “to work”

Spanish:           “adorar”                       “trabahar”

Korean:            “예배하다”                   “일하다”

–the Hebrew language sees a single, unified action.  So then, “to worship-to serve” are two strands composing one thread.

Consider similar conclusions with an examination of the nominal form: [עֶ֫בֶד] [3]

a servant, slave; b a subject under a chief; ca worshipper”

If the verbal form connotes “to worship—to serve,” this nominal form emphasizes relationship, the subordinate as contrasted to the superior.  The word expresses relationship in view of the economic, legal, political, religious spheres, or a combination of them.  The word then, implies to whom the subordinate’s “labor—worship” belongs, whether they function as member of a community (ie. clan, family) or personally.[4]

(II)  Consider the “Moses(Aaron)-Pharoah Narrative” (Exodus 6:28-12:32) toward engaging in a more practical discussion.  In this pericope’s action, the ‘Ten Plagues’ are front and center.  But theologically, the main concern is a matter of “worship”  (verbal- עָבַד) [5].  To whom does Israel belong and to whom she shall render her life as “servant” (nominal- עֶ֫בֶד)?

The key refrain throughout the narrative is—

HEBREW:  כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה שַׁלַּח עַמִּי וְיַעַבְדֻנִי [6]

ENGLISH: “Thus says the Lord, let my people go

so that they might worship me in the wilderness.”  (Exodus 8:20-NIV)

The matter of “Who” Israel should “worship—serve” is resolved narratively, through the drama of ‘The Ten Plagues’.  The drama builds through the main dialog:  (a) Moses(Aaron)—“The Demand” (above)  (b) Pharoah—“A Response”.  The story follows Egypt’s “man-god”(Pharoah) as he slowly loses confidence in view of The LORD’s mighty signs and wonders—

“…go to offer sacrifices…but you must not go very far.”                                 (8:28)

“Go worship…but”   …not the women and children                                         (10:8)

“Go worship…only leave your flocks and herds behind.”                               (10:24)

Unconditional release is granted only after Pharoah’s “hard heart” is broken for good, in the most tragic of the plagues—the death of all the Egyptian’s first-born.  To prevent any greater destruction of his nation, a fearful, angry Pharaoh demands—

“Up! Leave my people…Go worship…!”                                                                (12:31)

The matter of “What” Israel’s “worship—service” means is resolved at Mt. Sinai (Ex 20:1-21).[7]  The LORD writes The Decalog with His finger on two tablets.  Ten Commandments serve as charter for Israel’s new life.  The Ten Principles are not merely elements for a once-per-week liturgy, they are the foundations for Israel’s daily “worship—service.”

(III)  The theme of this current journal volume is “Unveiling the Transformative Essence of Worship.”  We now summarize the transformative essence of “worship”(ie. the weekly worship service) in it’s impact on our everyday “work/service.”  Consider our conclusions in four phrases that flow from our grammatical and textual work above.

A MATTER of WHAT:  The Hebrew root [עבד] urges one to see “worship–service” and being “worshipper–servant” as a unified whole.  The call for Israel to change her allegiance from Pharaoh to The LORD meant a transformation of every hour of the week and every minute of the day.  The point of contemporary worship is the same.  In view of mixed alliances, The LORD’s people must be reminded of His claim over all areas of life (ie. The Decalog). Though in view of Christ’s coming, God’s people must disciple where Moses(Aaron) left off.

A MATTER of WHO:  In the narrative, the main issue of [עבד] is to whom Israel (ie. their clan, family) should serve.  Pharoah (“The Culture of Unbelief”) aggressively claims ownership of Israel’s service.  Moses(Aaron) proclaim a “New Kingdom” under the rule of “The True Sovereign.”  Today, worship should prepare people for their daily life in all spheres of life with the same question.  Will it be “The LORD’s Kingdom” or “The Kingdom of this World”?

A MATTER of WHEN:    At Mt. Sinai, Israel began their one-time gathering by reflecting on and rejoice in the nation’s deliverance.  Yet, the high point at Mt. Sinai was Moses’ receiving and transmitting The Decalog (Ten Commandments), the call to an entire life of service.  In the same way today, God’s people gather weekly to remember their salvation and celebrate (ie. “Worship Service”).  Yet, the point of the service is to move people confidently back into the world for everyday “worship-service” (ie. Service of Worship”).  As worship leaders or congregation members, the equipping for everyday is our high aim.

A MATTER of WHERE:  The Decalog invites Israel into shalom-filled living in her daily engagements with unbelieving ANE neighbors. In the same way, our calling apart on “The Festive Day” has one purpose—singing, praying, reading and teaching that fosters joyful return to “regular, everyday work” as a “Holy People” among and unbelieving world.[8]

Reformed Presbyterian Seminary has a high calling.  We are raising up pastors, worship planners and interns who will invite the congregation into God’s grand story and His claims over everyday.  The calling is to prepare for ‘The Worship’ beyond the 2-3 hours on “The Worship Day.”  The Story moves us from the old narrative—Pharaohs (“Culture in Rebellion”) demanding self-glorifying service toward increased misery of those around.  Rather, it’s a new narrative—The LORD ( “The Holy City,” a “New Kingdom”) inviting people into regular, everyday life through His son, toward joyful service with other in all areas of life.

Hear the lovely words of The LORD’s Messiah,

“…no longer slaves.  I call you friends” (Jn 15:15). 

Of our cross-purchased new relationship, we are told

“…my yoke is easy, my burden is light.” (Mt 11:28-30)

Sometimes spiritual lives feel like out-of-breath living toward next week’s “weekly retreat.”  Nevertheless, there is a God-Centered kind of worship that sends The LORD’s people with clarity and expectation into the “worship-service” of every day.  Let’s promote together, The LORD’s everyday “worship” spaces— fields & kitchens, classrooms & offices.  May we go out with joy, armed with His everyday worship tools—phones & shovels, pencils & pans.

[1] Most Hebrew words are formed from a three-letter root.  Nuances to the root meaning (eg. nominal, verbal, adjectival, etc.) are indicated the addition of prefixes, suffixes or—since the introduction of the Massoretic System—various vowel pointings.

[2] Francis Brown, Samuel Rolles Driver, and Charles Augustus Briggs, Enhanced Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1977), 712.

[3] Ibid, 713–714.

[4] Among other key forms of this word, we should also consider the nominal form [עֲבֹדָה].  Close examination will elicit similar results.  One will find a unity and overlap between concepts rendered in English “work, worship, service”.  (Cf. BDB)

[5] For the key use of עָבַד in the narrative, cf: 3:12, 4:23, 7:16, 8:1,20; 9:1,13; 10:3,7,8,11,24,26; 12:31

[6] Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia: With Westminster Hebrew Morphology. (Stuttgart; Glenside PA: German Bible Society; Westminster Seminary, 1995), Ex 8:16.

[7]Here may be as good time to remember The LORD’s prophetic word to Moses during his ordination at the burning bush—  “When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship…on the mountain.” (Ex 3:12b)

[8] A good way to move toward  [עבד] “work-worship” is through a thorough familiarity with the Ten Commands (Ex 20, Dt 5) understood throughout their illustration and application in the various genres of The Old and New Testament.  These commands are not old or outmoded.  Especially as understood in the ministry of Christ, they are the patterns of His New Testament ministry and the fresh breeze of His Spirit from early church times until today.  Of course, the truest understanding of “worship-service” is not through mere precepts or principles, but The LORD’s living grace alive and well in His people, as foretastes of what will be fulfilled in His people on that Great Day.

TRANSFORMATION OF OUR DAILY WORSHIP