Worshipping the God of Israel in the New Testament
Worship of the God of Israel in the New Testament builds upon the foundational understanding of God established in the Old Testament, where Israel was called to worship only the Lord, who alone could provide redemption [8]. The term "Israel" itself means "who prevails with God" [3], reflecting a relationship of divine interaction. The Old Testament describes the God of Israel as the one who established the church of Israel, providing it with an appointed place of worship, ordinances, feasts, and an ordained ministry, with His divine presence manifested within it [4]. This God was praised with instruments like the harp and lyre [1].
The New Testament affirms the identity of God as the God of Israel, emphasizing continuity with the Old Testament covenant. Augustine, a patristic writer, highlights that the God of Israel is the true God, whose works are evident in prophecy and fulfillment [5]. He further notes that this God is the "God of Sabaoth," meaning the God of powers or armies, served by angels, and the God of the people from whom the seed came through whom all nations would be blessed [6]. Augustine challenges those who refuse to worship the God of Israel, arguing that even if they consider Him merely a presiding divinity of elements, they should still acknowledge Him [6]. He also points out that those who reject the God of Israel ultimately fail to worship all gods, while those who worship other gods fail to worship Him [10].
The New Testament perspective, particularly as interpreted by some scholars, suggests a transformation of worship. While the people of Israel might have continued to worship idols, the ultimate purpose was for them to worship God "in spirit and in truth" [7, 9]. This purified worship, envisioned in Ezekiel as being restored in a holy mountain, is seen as a "new exodus" resulting in a purified people offering pleasing sacrifice to God and displaying His holiness [7, 9]. John Gill, in his commentary on Ezekiel, interprets this "holy mountain" as referring to the Gospel church, which is firm, durable, holy, and will be established and glorious in the latter day [11]. This understanding underscores that the worship of the God of Israel, while rooted in ancient practices like offering incense and sacrifices [2], evolves into a spiritual worship accessible to all nations through the new covenant.
Sources
- Psalms “I will also praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, my God. I sing praises to you with the lyre, Holy One of Israel. -- Psalms 71:22”
- II Chronicles “II Chronicles 2:4 (Rotherham) — lo! I, am about to build a house for the Name of Yahweh my God, to hallow unto him—to burn before him sweet incense, and for a continual setting in array, and to offer ascending-sacrifices morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the appointed feasts of Yahweh our God,-age-abiding, is this [law] for Israel.”
- Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Israel — who prevails with God”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Church of Israel — Established by God -- De 4:5-14; 26:18; Ac 7:35,38. Admission into, by circumcision -- Ge 17:10-14. All Israelites members of -- Ro 9:4. Was relatively holy -- Ex 31:13; Nu 16:3. Had An appointed place of worship. -- De 12:5. Appointed ordinances. -- Ex 18:20; Heb 9:1,10. Appointed feasts. -- Le 23:2; Isa 1:14. An ordained ministry. -- Ex 29:9; De 10:8. The divine presence manifested in it. -- Ex 29:45,46; Le 26:11,12; 1Ki 8:10,11. A spiritual church within it. -- Ro 9:6-8; 11:2-7. In covenant with God -- De 4:13,23; Ac 3:25. The depository of holy”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 6: Augustine — Homilies on the Gospels — CHAP.XXV.--OF THE FACT THAT THE FALSE GODS DO NOT FORBID OTHERS TO BE WORSHIPPED ALONG WITH THEMSELVES. THAT THE GOD OF ISRAEL IS THE TRUE GOD, IS PROVED BY HIS WORKS, BOTH IN PROPHECY AND IN FULFILME (part 3): God of the Gentiles, whether they are ignorant of Him or now know Him; but that in this people He willed that the power of His promises should be made more conspicuously apparent. For that people, which at first was multiplied in Egypt, and after a time was delivered from a state of slavery there by the hand of Moses, with many signs an”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 6: Augustine — Homilies on the Gospels — CHAP. XXIX.--OF THE QUESTION WHY THE HEATHEN SHOULD REFUSE TO WORSHIP THE GOD OF ISRAEL; EVEN ALTHOUGH THEY DEEM HIM TO BE ONLY THE PRESIDING DIVINITY OF THE ELEMENTS? (part 1): 45. What do they say of this God of Sabaoth, which term, by interpretation, means the God of powers or of armies, inasmuch as the powers and the armies of the angels serve Him? What do they say of this God of Israel; for He is the God of that people from whom came the seed wherein all the nations were to be blessed? Why is He the only deity excluded from worship by tho”
- Ezek (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ezek 20:39: 20:39-44 The people of Israel might continue to worship . . . idols, but in the end, they would worship God in spirit and in truth on his holy mountain (see chs 40–48, in which the purified worship of God is restored in the Temple; cp. John 4:21-24). God’s purpose in choosing Israel to be a holy nation would ultimately stand. The people would be a pleasing sacrifice to him and would display God’s holiness. The result of this new exodus would be pure worship, offered by a purified people who were saved by sovereign grace.”
- 2 Kings (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 2 Kings 17:35: 17:35-39 According to Israel’s covenant with the Lord (Exod 20:5; Deut 6:4-15), Israel was to worship only the Lord. He alone could provide true redemption and rescue them from all . . . enemies.”
- Ezekiel (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ezekiel 20:39: 20:39-44 The people of Israel might continue to worship . . . idols, but in the end, they would worship God in spirit and in truth on his holy mountain (see chs 40–48, in which the purified worship of God is restored in the Temple; cp. John 4:21-24). God’s purpose in choosing Israel to be a holy nation would ultimately stand. The people would be a pleasing sacrifice to him and would display God’s holiness. The result of this new exodus would be pure worship, offered by a purified people who were saved by sovereign grace.”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 6: Augustine — Homilies on the Gospels — CHAP, XXIV.--OF THE FACT THAT THOSE PERSONS WHO REJECT THE GOD OF ISRAEL, IN CONSEQUENCE FAIL TO WORSHIP ALL THE GODS; AND, ON THE OTHER HAND, THAT THOSE WHO WORSHIP OTHER GODS, FAIL TO WORSHIP HIM.: 37. It is well understood, therefore, what these worshippers of images are convicted in reality of revering, and what they attempt to colour over.(4) But even these new interpreters of Saturn must be required to tell us what they think of the God of the Hebrews. For to them also it seemed right to worship all the gods, as is done by the heathen na”
- Ezekiel (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ezekiel 20:39: For in mine holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel, saith the Lord God,.... Alluding to Mount Zion, or Moriah, on which the temple was built, on the highest part of the land of Israel, as Kimchi and Ben Melech observe; here the Gospel church is meant, comparable to a "mountain" for its firmness and durableness; said to be a "holy" one, because consisting of holy persons, performing holy worship to a holy God; and represented as "high", being established, as it will be in the latter day, upon the top of the mountains, and be very visible and glorious:”