There are two events surrounding the dedications of the temple of God, that stand out to me in the old testaments. Both these events, in my belief, foreshadow the essence of true worship. The first temple in Jerusalem, built by Solomon around 959 BC, was a grandeur symbol of the promise of God dwelling among His people. The temple was constructed atop Mount Moriah in 7 years time and stood for around 370 years, before being completely destroyed by the Babylonian empire under Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 25:8-21, 2 Chronicles 36:11-21). The second temple was rebuilt around 516 BC on the same Mount and took more than 20 years to rebuild, under the leadership of Zerubbabel the governor and Joshua the High priest. This temple stood for around 590 years, till its destruction by the Romans in 70 AD. Both these temples were dedicated with great fanfare and rejoicing of the Israelites. Yet for all their similarities, there would be a God-sized void between them. The similarities are detailed as below.

What was this God-sized void that separated the worship surrounding both these temples? The ark of covenant. The eternal, mighty and Holy presence of God dwelling between the covering wings of the cherubim atop the ark (Exodus 25:22). Before all the music and singing started, the ark of covenant was first carried inside into the Holy of Holies (2 Chronicles 5:7). You see, the ark of covenant’s last mention is in 2 Chronicles 35:3; 40 years before the fall of Jerusalem and the complete destruction of the first temple. There are historical speculations, compelling conspiracies and even Hollywood movies on the location of the “lost ark.” All but a product of the stretched imagination of the human-mind. Biblically the ark’s physical location is never mentioned. The presence of the Holy God who chose to make his dwelling place on the ark also lost with it. The prophet Ezekiel, just before the Babylonian exile (around 592-587 BC), prophesies of his vision in Ezekiel 10. The chapter’s self-explanatory title is: Vision of God’s Glory Departing from the Temple. So, nearly 70 years later, at the dedication of the second temple, when the Israelites would sing the same song, play the same music and offer the same ritualistic sacrifices. God’s presence had already left and it did not return.

Our worship today is not to usher in the presence of God or the Holy Spirit! He is not waiting to be charmed with music and sweet words, similar to how a snake charmer charms the cobra with his hypnotic music. Our worship is in the presence of an eternal God. If there is no presence of God, our songs, music are all but a cheap counterfeit of true worship to which we have been invited. What is this “presence of God” though? Well, when nearly 510 years later God stepped down to earth, coming in human likeness (Philippians 2:6-7) and tabernacled again in our midst (John 1:14) through Jesus Christ. His presence has returned to dwell in us through faith (Ephesians 3:17). The presence of God isn’t merely feelings of joy and euphoria, it isn’t merely the goosebumps you get during worship, or the racing heart, or the tears. It’s the alignment of all of our will, emotions and spirit to God’s glory. It’s the exaggerated emphasis of God’s greatness in the light of our frailties. It is the lowest prostration of men; in awe, reverence, fear, delight, for the highest possible honor bestowed to God. It is arriving at the realization that One alone is found worthy of all worship and that He is seated on the highest throne.

On the same Mount Moriah on which the first and second temple were built, nearly a millennium earlier, the word worship would ring at its foothills for the very first time in history. Uttered by an old man, Abraham, taking his beloved son to be sacrificed (Genesis 22:5). The natural response of a righteous man, Job, to the news of losing all his possessions, wealth and dear children, was worship (Job 1:20). The seemingly-odd answer Christ would give to the Samaritan woman at the well, for whom the pleasures of this world couldn’t satiate her, was worship (John 4:7-26). Worship to all these people was not songs and music, far from it. Worship was painful obedience to Abraham, worship was unwavering faith amidst heartbreak to Job and worship was the fulfilling answer to the God-sized void in the Samaritan woman’s heart.

What is worship to you?