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such creatures as locusts and grasshoppers, the "knees" of which are very prominent. To
"bow the knee" is an act of worship (I Kings 19: 18; II Chron 6: 13), and it is this act
of adoration that shall one day be paid by all to the Lord (Isa. 45: 23, Phil. 2: 10). The
Apostle Paul, too, writes, "I bow my knees unto the Father" (Eph. 3: 14). We must not,
however, allow ourselves to be diverted to the question of attitude in prayer; this we may
perhaps consider later in these studies.
The call in Psalm 95: is to worship and kneel before the Lord our Maker. This is
worship in its most fundamental aspect. Because God is our Maker, man is a responsible
being. Because man was made in the image of his Maker, worship becomes possible. To
withhold worship at this initial step is to commence the downward path indicated in
Rom. 1: 19-23. Worship of the Creator constitutes the "everlasting gospel" that will be
preached at the time of the end (Rev. 14: 7).
Eliphaz the Temanite ascribes "purity" to his Maker (Job 4: 17), while Elihu, the son
of Barachel confesses that, if he gave flattering titles to man, his Maker would soon take
him away (Job 32: 22). The titles "Maker" and "Holy One of Israel" are linked by
Isaiah and he declares that in the day that is coming "a man shall look to his Maker . . . . .
and shall not look to the altars, the work of his hands" (Isa. 17: 7, 8). Again, the Lord
through Isaiah says:
"I, even I, am He that comforteth you; who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a
man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass; and forgettest the
Lord thy Maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the
earth . . . . .?" (Isa. 51: 12, 13).
When at last Israel are restored, and shall not remember the reproach of their
"widowhood" any more, the reason given is that
"thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is His name; and thy Redeemer the Holy
One of Israel; the God of the whole earth shall He be called" (Isa. 54: 4, 5).
Ecclesiastes exhorts the young man to remember his Creator in the days of his youth
(Eccles. 12: 1), and Peter encourages the persecuted believer with the words: "Wherefore
let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to Him
in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator" (I Pet. 4: 19).
The recognition of these things constitutes the first step in a worship that advances in
spirituality as the relationship to God grows closer, until it eventually becomes the
worship of the Father by His emancipated children. This worship is not without its
temple, its songs, and its celebrants. The floods "clap their hands", as do "all the trees"
(Psa. 98: 8; Isa. 55: 12). The heavens are called upon to sing, and the earth to be
joyful (Isa. 49: 13). When David brings the Ark to "the city of David", he sings to
the Lord a Psalm of praise, in which not only Israel are called upon to join, but the
heavens also are said to be "glad", the earth and the fields to "rejoice", the sea to "roar",
and the trees of the wood to "sing out" at the presence of the Lord (I Chron. 16: 31-33).
Psalm 148: is a call to the heavens, the angels, sun, moon and stars, the earth, dragons
and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and vapours, stormy wind fulfilling His word,