There is a common verse that is often used in relation to marriage but today I would like to introduce this verse from a different perspective. This verse speaks clearly about a strand rope that can never be broken. In marriage it is always said that it is made up of 3 people. Jesus must always be in the centre of any relationship. Today I would like to look at the number 3 in terms of worship.
The number 3 represents completeness and perfection. If we look at many things in the Bible you will see this so clearly. The wise men brought 3 gifts for Jesus. When Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love me?”, He asked him 3 times. We see countless verse in the Bible where God is exalted as Holy and it is always 3 times ”Holy, Holy, Holy” (Rev 4:8).
There are many things even in the natural world that we see appearing in 3s. Allow me to give you some common examples. A triangle is said to be the strongest geometrical shape with 3 corners and 3 lines. This is the reason that many structures take on a triangular shape to ensure greater stability. In a triangle pressure is evenly distributed and it gives it a stronger base. (The Pyramids of Giza, the Eiffel Tower and The Louvre to name a few).
Even in fairy tale stories, once again we see the mention of things in 3s. The 3 little pigs, Goldilocks and the 3 bears, the 3 blind mice, the 3 Stooges and the list goes on. You can see the direction that I am going in and so now let’s look into the area of Worship. Did God teach us how to worship Him in 3 ways? Are there 3 aspects of praise and worship? Indeed there is, so let’s discover it in the Scriptures.
In the Old Testament we see that the tabernacle was set up to have 3 different areas each for a specific reason. We had the gates, the courts and the Holy of Holies. Although today we do not have Tabernacles that we go to but the concept of these 3 areas remains the same.
Psalm 100:4 says that we are to “Enter His gates with thanksgiving”. This is the first aspect of developing an intimate relationship with God. In the Old Testament, the gate was the only way into a city and it was very wide. It was seen as a fortress and a symbol of strength.
The Hebrew word for for gate is “Shawar” meaning an entry point, an open space, a place for meeting, discussion, a place to reason and be set free. It is a place where you would go to, to meet judges, officers and even prophets. (Deut. 16:18, Jer 17:19-20, Gen 23:10)
The first aspect for us today is to always have a spirit of thanksgiving. We don’t come to God asking and demanding things all the time like a grocery list. Imagine if our children only came to us when they wanted something!! How would that make us feel? The same thing applies to God, we should some to God appreciating all that we have and being grateful for all He has already poured into our lives. Take time to thank Him instead of just asking. Many times in my personal time with God I focus only on thanking Him with no asking at all. It was difficult in the beginning but now it has become a habit. You can do the same.
In the same verse of Psalm 100:4. The second part says that we should “enter His courts with praise” This is the second aspect of a deeper relationship with God. Some might say, “well, isn’t thanking and praising the same thing?” No it is not. Let me explain why. The courts of praise in Hebrew is “Chaster” means an open enclosure. There are no walls or structures around it so it is an open area where people would gather, like a courtyard.
In the Old Testament, the court was made up of 2 sections. One was called the outer court and the other, the inner court. What is the difference? The outer court was place where everyone could enter without any restrictions. You would be able to see many performances and rituals like dancers and singers. It was actually a place where people would sit and socialise, catch up with friends and chat. The problem is many who came to the Tabernacle for worship ended up stopping here. They would walk through the gates, step into the outer court and chat with their friend. It was nothing more than a social meeting. Sad to say, many people still do it till today. Church has become a meeting place to catch up with friends and not commune with God. Some claim they went to church, but it was only done as a duty or ritual. They do not worship, some are dreaming or even asleep during the sermon!! That’s the outer court.
There are others however who know the actual reason for church. The move into the inner courts. The inner court is a place where burnt offerings are presented. People who want to deal with a sin area in their lives, and desire spiritual cleansing and want things to be right with God, would bring an animal as an offering. The desire a personal encounter with God.
Some may bring a turtledove, a sheep or even a bull. Note that the animal is not a symbol of the sin. It is not that the greater the sin, the bigger the animal. The animal they bring is based on what they can afford, their economic status.
At the inner courts is where a person would meet the priest. You would see this outlined in Leviticus 1 and 6. The person bringing the offering would need to kill it, skin it, and cut it. The priest would then prepare the wood for the altar, sprinkle the blood and lay the animal on the fire as an offering. The inner court is where deep repentance and communion with God takes place. There are people who in today’s perspective, worship God, connect in the spirit, receive the Word and outwork it in their lives.
The third and final part is the Holy of Holies. In the Old Testament only the priest could enter this place. But today we can all enter into the Holy presence of God. There are 2 Hebrew words to describe this. The first is “Kodesh” meaning to be devoted dedicated and set apart for God. The second is “Dabar” meaning a place where we will speak and talk to God in His holy presence. It is the Throne room of God like what we see in Rev 4:10-11. It is where we get into deep communion with God. It is where we express our deep worship to God.
The question in all our lives today is, are we doing all 3? Are we thankful to God for all we have, do we praise God and work at changing our lives and not just sitting in the outer courts and do we step into the Holy of Holies to worship Him? If there is anything lacking in our lives today, our prayer is that having read this, we will become more aware and change the way we praise and worship.
About the Ryans: Ps. Justin Ryan & his wife Ps. Jacquie are the founders of One Voice Ministries, established in 2008. It is a missions and training ministry focused on reaching the 10/40 Window. To date they have ministered in 11 nations including Malaysia, teaching and training pastors and leaders as well as evangelising many of the unreached peoples groups. Here in Malaysia, One Voice has an established work with the Orang Asli.
In 2013, the Lord led them to establish Issachar Academy where they provide a Certificate, Diploma, Associate Degree, Bachelors and Masters in Missions and Practical Ministry. Through the academy, the Ryans also help Christians recognise and move in their seasons with God.For more details please visit them at www.onevm.net
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