What the book of Genesis has to say about the Worship of God

By John Chopores

 

 

Ge 22:5 And Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you." [NKJV].
 A person can worship God anyplace that they are! However, sometimes God wants us to also worship Him, in a particular place.

"Abraham made them to understand that he was going to one of the mountains which were in sight,  and there worship God by offering sacrifice to him" [JOHN GILL].

Abraham knew that when you worship God; you never lose. Cf. Heb 11:19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.

“And offer him for a burnt-offering. Abraham must have felt the outward inconsistency between the sacrifice of his son, and the promise that in him

should his seed be called. But in the triumph of faith he accounted that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead. On no other principle can the

prompt, mute, unquestioning obedience of Abraham be explained.” [A. Barnes].

Genesis 24:26  And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the LORD.

  " And the man bowed down his head,  &c.] To show what a deep sense he had of the divine goodness,  and in humble acknowledgment of the favours he had received in being thus providentially directed:

 

and worshipped the Lord; gave thanks unto him,  that he had thus far prospered him,  hoping and believing that things were in good forwardness,  according to his master's mind and will." [JOHN GILL].

“Bowed his head and worshipped. The bowing of the head and of the body are here combined to indicate the aged servant’s deep thankfulness for the guidance of the Lord. The utterance of the mouth accompanies the external gesture of reverence.[A. BARNES].

“And the man bowed down his head. When the servant of Abraham hears that he had alighted upon the daughter of Bethel, he is more and more elated with hope. Yet he does not exult, as profane men are wont to do, as if the occurrence were fortuitous; but he gives thanks to God, regarding it, as the result of Providence, that he had been thus opportunely led straight to the place he had wished. He does not, therefore, boast of his

good fortune; but he declares that God had dealt kindly and faithfully with.

Abraham; or, in other words, that, for his own mercy’s sake, God had been faithful in fulfilling his promises.

…This thanksgiving, therefore, teaches us always to have the providence of God before our eyes, in order that we may ascribe to him whatever happens prosperously to us.” [JOHN CALVIN].

 

Genesis 24:48  And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the LORD, and blessed the LORD God of my master Abraham, which had led me in the right way to take my master's brother's daughter unto his son.

Should we not thank and worship God for all of His help in our lives?

 

 

Genesis 24:52  And it came to pass, that, when Abraham's servant heard their words, he worshipped the LORD, bowing himself to the earth.

We see that "Abraham's servant" worshiped God often for God's help. No wonder God helped him so much!

"he worshipped the Lord,  [bowing himself] to the earth; in the most humble manner he prostrated himself before the Lord,  acknowledging his kindness,  and goodness,  his faithfulness and truth,  his power and his providence in this affair." [JOHN GILL].