ICEA – “Church at Study”
A Biblical Look at
One Aspect of Worship:
The Act of Bowing!
The history of biblical worship can be found in the Old Testament. The first account of the word “worship” seems to be used in Genesis 22:5. This is where God tested Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. At the base of the mountain, Abraham stated to his servants to wait while he and his son would go over to “worship”. It is interesting to note that the word worship here (as defined by Strong’s – 7812) has the meaning “to bow down”. While the word “praise” (Strong’s – 1984) in many of David’s accounts and in a number of psalms…meant to “halal” or “shine” or “boast” of the Lord’s doings. David’s influence of praise (sometimes mixed with music), along with Israel’s worship, are an example for us today! An excellent account of this is found in II Chronicles 29:29-30. Worship seems to cover many aspects — with or without music, as well as standing, sitting, or kneeling. The one aspect the author chooses to focus on is BOWING, which is found in the scriptures below. (You may also click on the following text to print this handout:)
(Click Here to Print Handout on Worship and Bowing)
| Genesis 24:26-27 | 26 And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the Lord. 27 And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master’s brethren. |
| Genesis 24:48 | 48 And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the Lord, and blessed the Lord God of my master Abraham, which had led me in the right way to take my master’s brother’s daughter unto his son. |
| Genesis 24:52-53 | 52 And it came to pass, that, when Abraham’s servant heard their words, he worshipped the Lord, bowing himself to the earth. 53 And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things. |
| Exodus 4:31 | And the people believed: and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped. |
| Exodus 12:27 | That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped. |
| Exodus 34:8 | And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped. |
| Joshua 5:14 | And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant? |
| II Kings 5:18 | In this thing the Lord pardon thy servant, that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon: when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing. |
| I Chronicles 29:20 | And all the congregation blessed the Lord God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads, and worshipped the Lord, and the king. |
| II Chronicles 7:3 | And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the Lord upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the Lord |
| II Chronicles 20:18 | And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the Lord, worshipping the Lord. |
| II Chronicles 29:29 | The king and all that were present with him bowed themselves, and worshipped. |
| II Chronicles 29:30 | And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshipped. |
| Nehemiah 8:6 | And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground. |
| Job 1:20-21 | 20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, 21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. |
| Palsm 22:29 | All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul. |
| Psalms 95:6 | O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker. |
| Psalms 99:5 | Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy. |
| Psalms 132:7 | We will go into his tabernacles: we will worship at his footstool. |
| Isaiah 44:15 | Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto. |
| Isaiah 44:17 | And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god. |
| Isaiah 46:6 | They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, and hire a goldsmith; and he maketh it a god: they fall down, yea, they worship. |
| Daniel 2:46 | Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him. |
| Daniel 3:5 | That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: |
| Daniel 3:6 | And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. |
| Daniel 3:7 | Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. |
| Daniel 3:10 | Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image: |
| Daniel 3:11 | And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. |
| Daniel 3:15 | Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well:… |
| Matthew 2:11 | And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh. |
| Matthew 4:9 | And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. |
| Matthew 18:26 | The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. |
| Matthew 28:9 | And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him. |
| Mark 15:19 | And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him. |
| Acts 10:25 | And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. |
| I Corinthians 14:25 | And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth. |
| Revelation 5:14 | And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever. |
| Revelation 19:4 | And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. |
PCAFI Christian Ed. Aux. (ICEA) Articles 