The Spirit of True Worship….

“Now stop your mocking,
or your chains will become heavier;
the Lord, the LORD Almighty, has told me
of the destruction decreed against the whole land”.    Isa. 28:22 NIV

The term to mock, in its scriptural sense, means to act hypocritically; to make false pretences or professions.    We sometimes speak of having our hopes mocked, that is, they are disappointed. 

To be a mocker is to be hypocritical, to make false pretences, representations that are not true.   To mock God is to pretend to love and serve Him when we do not; to act in a false manner, to be insincere and hypocritical in our professions, pretending to obey, love, serve and worship Him, when we do not.

Anything that amounts to insincerity is mockery, anything that is only pretence and does not represent the state of the heart.    The term mock means to dishonor.

In this sense it is that God is mocked by not being honored.

If there be anything of vital importance to us, it is that we really understand what our true position in respect to God is.

We mock God when we present ourselves in the house of God as His professed servants, without the true spirit of obedience, love, worship and faith.  Unless we are really in an obedient state of mind, in the true spirit of devotion to His service, we mock Him by the very fact of coming to His house as worshippers.

For example, what do we profess in coming before Him as worshippers?

It is very important that we should understand what is really implied in coming to God’s house and taking our places before Him, as worshippers of God.

In coming to God’s house you profess to be devoted to His interests, service and glory, that in your hearts you are really the servants of God and that you come to His house to express what is in your hearts.

You profess by this act to have an obedient spirit, genuine love, faith and confidence in Him, submission to Him and the spirit of true worship.

Now everyone who goes to the house of God without these sentiments of humility, love and obedience is a mocker, in the Bible sense of the term; and we are sternly asked, “Who hath required this at your hands, that you should tread my courts without the spirit of true worshippers----the spirit of truth, real obedience, love, faith, repentance, devotion, consecration to me?  Why have you come before me as mere mockers, drawing near to me with your lips, while your heart is far from me”?  (Isa. 1:12-13, 29:13).

Everyone that goes to the house of God as a worshipper professes, by the very act, that they are devoted to God, consecrated for His service and glory.