First of all in O.T. worship we see the importance of the worshipper being holy as he approaches worship. Do we not need to give thought to this principal in our approaching worship? According to Lev. 10:3, we need to both approach God and address God in ways that acknowledge both His glory and His holiness. There is much in the O.T. given to the way we are to approach worship. We need to see that in the context of the teaching of the O.T., that we see both a formal and free worship. Formal structures of worship are rooted in God's holiness, and also spontaneous worship comes from the very nature and character of God. He is a covenanting God who enters into a covenant relationship with God's people. But, He is also a Sovereign and free Spirit who can be elusive not to be taken for granted or put into a box. The very paradox of God's immanence and transcendence creates "tension between structure and spontaneous freedom in worship experience." Any worship that represents the fullness of the Godhead must always show a healthy balance between freedom and structure. As God's glory and holiness will be made manifest to all through worship, it behooves us to approach with clean hearts and clean hands as we come to worship Him. So, we must approach with a right heart.
Also, in the O.T. we see the principle of "removing your sandals, because you are on holy ground" (a sacred place). What can we learn from the idea of "the sacred places" of worship we see in the O.T.? We come before Him to a place where we acknowledge and affirm His "Otherness" and our complete, total and desperate need of His mercy and grace. We reaffirm His glory and our need in our worship experiences. All through the O. T. we see the emphasis on places where God does a work in festivals, ceremonies, landmarks, and even stone pillars. But the place of worship changes as we move into the New Testament. The church gathered becomes a sacred place because, "The word became flesh and dwelt among us full of grace and truth (John1:14). And now, He chooses to dwell in us by the Spirit thus reflecting the presence of God on earth. Therefore, wherever the in-dwelt church gathers, it becomes a sacred place. If we see these principles of holiness and holy ground, would we approach our worship differently each week as the gathered church? mjm
