true worship

 

A Word on Honor and Humility

 

 

It is often said in Messianic/Christian circles that our Father YAH "shares His glory with no one." And of course, this is taken to mean that we as His children must praise Him, and Him alone. For most of us, proper worship of YAH includes the doctrine that "All praises are due to the Most High." But is this really a Biblically supportable truth?

 

In this final hour, like virtually all major points of doctrine, the subjects of worship and praise among the faithful have become highly controversial. It includes everything from confusion around the gift of tongues, to the endless and unsolvable debate on the pronunciation of the Sacred Names, to the strict insistence upon this man-made formula for praising the Most High...

 

But if our present assumptions on worship and praise truly represent sound doctrine, then just as with all Biblical truth, they must withstand the scrutiny of critical analysis.

 

As we all know, it is written, "I am the LORD [YHWH]: that is My name: and My glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images." (YeshaYahu [Isaiah.] 42:8). For many of us, this verse of scripture has somehow come to mean that ALL glory, honor and praise belongs to YHWH and Him ALONE...

 

But is this really what our Father commands?

 

According to the dictionary, the word 'worship' means, among other things, "The reverent love and devotion accorded a deity..." The word 'praise', however, is described as "expression of approval, commendation, or admiration." And thus, all worship is also praise, and yet not all praise is worship. Sélah.

 

A careful reading of the above passage reveals that in context, YAH is simply referring to His people having no other 'gods' before Him - not to who among them is worthy of praise other than Himself! Notice He says, it is HIS glory that He will not give to another... In other words, He says that He alone shall receive His glory, honor and praise as the Most High - His WORSHIP! Not that no one else shall receive glory, honor or praise but Himself!

 

Behold Yisrael - this subtle error in our worship and praise of YAH is a direct cause of several key obstacles in our road to spiritual maturity and the unity of the faith.

 

To begin with, it paints a false image of YAH as a selfish tyrant who will tolerate no one being honored among His people but Himself! Obviously, this has lead to great dysfunction in our relationships with YAH. After all, how can we fully trust in an immature and insecure Father? Of course, we cannot.

 

Behold, Abeinu (our Father) is the ALMIGHTY - and our worship belongs to Him and Him alone, for He alone is worthy!!

 

But like any good father, He certainly wants His children to be glorified, honored and praised! And surely those of us in the Western hemisphere who constitute the lost/found Kingdom of Judah must become particularly familiar with this truth. Why?

 

The very name of our pre-eminent tribe Yehudah [Judah] means 'praised' in the Hebrew tongue. And what was prophesied to be Judah's destiny? "Yehudah, you are he whom your brethren shall praise: your hand shall be in the neck of your enemies; your father's children shall bow down before you." (Bereshit [Gen.] 49:8).

 

If we as 'Judahites' are to fulfill our destiny in Christ as the praise leaders of true Yisrael as a whole, we must not only glorify, honor and praise YAH in the highest; but we must be prepared to rightfully receive unto ourselves the glory, honor and praise that will soon come from our brethren who are scattered abroad, as well as the Gentiles whom we shall receive as an inheritance! Again, Yehudah (Judah) [Praised] is he whom his brethren shall praise!

 

A second obstacle caused by the "all praises are due" doctrine is the failure to fully edify one another in our most holy faith.

 

This is much of the reason why the remnant remains so extremely vulnerable to being weakened with envy and strife. After all, we don't want to give any glory, honor or praise to one another, since it belongs "only to YAH." Really...

 

The apostle Paul wrote, "Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you." (1 Cor. 11:2). This word of praise no doubt served as a badly needed source of strength and encouragement for the newly converted pagans at Corinth - not as a threat to YAH's glory, honor and praise as the Most High!

 

As it is written, we are commanded - even toward unbelievers - to "Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor." (Rom. 13:7). Surely the hour has come for the very  Commonwealth of Israel in Christ to worship YAH in Spirit and in truth, and begin to edify and encourage one another with due honor and praise!

 

Thirdly, false worship creates a false sense of humility.

 

The doctrine that YAH and YAH alone is "worthy of our praise" appears at first glance to represent the word of a meek and contrite spirit. But in truth, anyone who believes there are none among his brethren worthy of glory, honor, or praise, is by definition walking in arrogance - however unknowingly. And walking in this false humility makes true humility impossible to achieve. Sélah.

 

True humility is not a failure to recognize one's own growth, labor, or authority in Christ. Nor is it to reject or withhold the glory, honor, and praise, [along with rebuking, reproving and admonishing], that rightfully belongs to one's brethren.

 

True humility, as it is written, is not to think more HIGHLY of ourselves than we ought! We should never feign that we're not worthy of praise at those moments when we are. When we do, we rob ourselves of the much-needed hope and encouragement that a fitly spoken word of praise can bring; as well as the blessings that come upon our brothers and sisters who wisely honor and commend us for our obedience and good works in Mashiach!
 

Finally my brothers, the "all praises are due" doctrine simply strips us of the enormous amount of inspiration and motivation it takes to fight the good fight of faith.

 

The heart and soul of our faith as Hebrew Israelites in Christ is the crucifixion and resurrection of Y'shua (Yah'shua). As it is written, "And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain." (1 Cor. 15:14). So then we would be wise to determine what gave Him the strength to endure such humiliation and disgrace, that we also may learn to do likewise, and thereby inherit eternal life...

 

The prophet Shmu'el (Samuel) declared, "...to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams." (1 Shmu'el [Samuel] 15:22b).

 

While praise is obviously an indispensable part of our worship of YAH; surely the obedience that comes from true worship far outweighs the sacrifice of praise! It was the Master Himself who taught us that those who worship the Father must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. And with all of the marvelous words of praise He spoke concerning His Father, it was His OBEDIENCE to the Truth of YAH - His worship - that carried the day...

 

It is written, "Looking unto Y'shua, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of YHWH." (Ibrim [Hebrews] 12:2).

 

The "joy that was set before Him" is expressed in Paul's letter to the Philippians - "And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore YAH also has highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Y'shua, every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth... " (Phil. 2:8-10).

 

Likewise brethren, we must know that second only to our love of YAH and Y'shua, and of our neighbors as ourselves; our true inspiration and motivation for continuing to war against the world, the flesh, and the devil, is to be highly exalted with Christ!

 

Hear O Yisrael, and hearken you ends of the earth: Y'shua humbled Himself to seek - not deny - glory, honor and praise! The glory, honor and praise that comes from our Father alone - both in heaven, and through these vessels of clay! True humility among the faithful remnant is found not in refusing this praise, but in pursuing it!

As it is written unto "...them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life..." -- "Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not..."

 

Thunderous praises be unto YHWH our Father, and His Son, Y'shua our Savior, both now and forevermore! YBY

May the grace of YAH be with us all. Ahmein & Amen!