Worship

It’s Serious Business.

The Scriptures have made it very clear that worship, or any act of bowing down, is reserved for God alone.

“You shall not make for yourself a carved image,
or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above,
or that is in the earth beneath,
or that is in the water under the earth;
you shall not bow down to them nor serve them.
For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God,
visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children
to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me.”
Exodus 20:4-5

This passage shows us that worship to anyone other than to God is so serious in God’s eyes that there is judgment on anyone who does so, and that judgment will pass down not only to the person him/herself, but even to their children to the third and fourth generation.

In Satan’s rage against Christ, he tries to divert worship to anyone else BUT Christ. In his unmitigated gall, he even tempted Jesus to worship him. But the Scriptures have made it plain that worship is for God ALONE.

The Supreme Desire of Satan is to be Worshiped

“Then the devil, taking him up on a high mountain, showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to him, ‘All this authority I will give you, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if you will worship before me, all will be yours.”
Luke 4:5-7

vs 8:
And Jesus answered and said to him, Get behind me, Satan!
For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only you shall serve.’

Paul Refused Worship

Now when the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lyconian language, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!”

And Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker…

But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them.
Acts 14:11-15

Peter Refused Worship

As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I myself am also a man.”
Acts 10:26-27

The Angel in the Book of Revelation Refused Worship

Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things.

Then he said to me, “See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”
Revelation 22:8-9

Apparitions

The “apparitions of Mary” have taken place in many places, especially in this century. Invariably this “apparition” demands some form of worship. Sometimes it’s a shrine she wants built to her, or a medal with her image on it which she wants worn. That these apparitions are supernatural there is no doubt, but one thing is certain, this is not Mary the mother of Jesus. No person from heaven other than God himself would demand any kind of worship or homage.

It’s the very supernaturalness of these apparitions that deceives the people, but it should be noted that Satan can and does produce supernatural phenomena. In fact, in the last book of the Bible, the Book of Revelation, Satan puts forth a man whom all the world will worship, because this man has the power to do supernatural works.

Antichrist: Satan Finally Gets The Worship He So Desires

“So they worshiped the dragon (Satan) who gave authority to the beast (Antichrist);
and they worshiped the beast, saying, ‘Who is like the beast? Who is able to make
war with him?’”

And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies,
and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months
Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God,
to blaspheme his name, his tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.
It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them.

And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.
All who dwell on the earth will worship him,
whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb
slain from the foundation of the world.”
Revelation 13:4-8

Is your name written in Jesus’ Book of Life?