Worship by the Book: "...Not in the Realm of Shadows"
In my study of biblical worship two principles stand out. The first is the principle of continuity: in every period of redemptive history, God alone prescribes the proper manner of worship. The second is the principle of discontinuity: the worship of God has differed from one period of redemptive history to another.We can see both this continuity and discontinuity in a careful look at worship in the old and new covenants. Worship in the time of the Patriarchs, for example, differs in many ways from worship in the time of Moses; and Mosaic worship differs from that in the New Testament church. Yet worship in all three periods was prescribed by God for his people.Worship Under MosesThe worship instituted by God through Moses was very elaborate and included many objects and rituals unknown in the worship of earlier times. Yet no part of that worship was left to human invention.When the Israelites were constructing the tabernacle, the Lord said to Moses, "See that you make them according to the pattern shown you on the mountain" (Ex. 25:40). And when all was finished, "Moses inspected the work and saw that they had done it just as the Lord had commanded" (Ex. 39:43).Some commentators suggest that much human art work went into the preparation of the tabernacle and temple. This is true in one sense and not in another. Neither building contained products of human creativity or innovation. Instead, inspired "artists" created exactly what God intended (Ex. 31:2-11)—-just as the biblical writers wrote down only what God inspired them to include in Scripture.Out of the ShadowsUnder the new covenant the ceremonial worship of the tabernacle and temple are no longer appropriate. We now live in that realm of reality of which the tabernacle and temple worship were mere symbolic representations. When Jesus was on earth, he spoke of the hour soon to come when no earthly location would have special significance for worship (John 4:19-24). This hour came when he "sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven … in the sanctuary, the true [or real] tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man" (Heb. 8:1-2). "For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence" (Heb. 9:24).The meaning is clear. In our worship today we are supposed to come not to an earthly tabernacle or temple but to "Mount Zion… the heavenly Jerusalem … the church of the firstborn… to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant" (Heb. 12:22-24). Our worship today is not supposed to remain in the realm of shadows, or symbolic representation.Temple worship in the time of David was far more elaborate than the earlier tabernacle worship had been. But again it's important to note that the changes in worship were not the product of human invention. All changes that David made, including the addition of a choir (1 Chron. 20:21), were revealed to him by God (1 Chron 28:19). The orchestra played and the choir sang during the sacrifice of the burnt offering (2 Chron 29:27-28). This "performance" was appropriate then for the same reason that background music is appropriate today for a television drama. The need for music arises because the enactment is synthetic, and the mood music induces a feeling of authenticity.However, in the New Covenant such things as choirs and special music hinder true worship rather than help it. The church today is supposed to live in the realm of the "real thing," and special effects and mood music only lead it back to the realm of shadowy symbolism. What would we think of a mother who neglected her own real baby to go up into the attic and play with the dolls that had been dear to her as a child? That's exactly what we are seeing in the phenomenon of modern Reformed churches going back to the weak and beggarly elements of ceremonial symbolic worship.Spirit and TruthAs New Testament Christians we are supposed to worship in the realm of "spirit and truth" (John 4:24—24), not in the realm of the material and representational, as our Old Testament brothers and sisters did.Yet today we see Reformed churches returning to precisely these symbolic Old Testament elements—or at least to some of them. If these churches were consistent in their return to Old Testament ordinances (choirs, robes, candles, musical instruments, etc.), they would show respect for the complete system—and for the Author of that system—by going all the way. They would have a choir made up of people from the tribe of Levi. They would gather an entire orchestra instead of just the combo of their own choice. They would even advocate rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem. If they did these things, we would at least respect them for their consistency.But the truth is, these Old Testament elements have no place in our worship. We don't need choirs, orchestras, purple robes, candles, incense, or dramatic performances. Why? Because these shadowy representations only get in the way of the great reality of New Testament worship: the privilege of going—each Lord's Day— by means of God's Word and Spirit, right into the heavenly places where Christ is. May the Lord revive and reform his church again so that it will stop going back to these weak and beggarly things—stop acting like a full-grown woman who prefers dolls to real babies—and return to the simplicity and beauty of spiritual worship.We don't need choirs, orchestras, purple robes, candles, incense, or dramatic performances.
