2. Temple Worship
Question: What was the purpose of the Temple in Israel?

      To be th eplace where worship of the One True God was centralized and actualized. It was characterized by a sense of sacred space, sacred rituals, sacred ministers, and sacred feasts.

      a. Sacred Space:
Question: What do we mean by sacred space?

           -Everything had it's special place (1 Chron. 28)

      b. Sacred Rituals:
Question: What do we mean by sacred rituals?

       They were visible and tangible expressions of the relationship of God and His people. (Lev. 1-7)

          -Burnt Offering: daily of a lamb totally consumed to indicate complete consecration to God.

          -Fellowship Offering: Voluntary symbolizing communion and fellowship between God and His people.

          -Sin Offering: Offered for the sins of omission.

          -Trespass Offering: Offered for the sins of commission.

    c. Sacred Ministers:
Question: What do we mean by sacred ministers?

       Mediators between God and man. Aarons sons and descendants only could  be priests and represented all Israel. Levites, tribe of Levi, were workers and keepers of the Temple.
            -Ex. 28:40-43; 29, 39:1-31,   Lev. 21:1-22:10

    d. Sacred Feasts:
Question: What do we mean by sacred feasts?

        Celebrations remembering the great work of God for the people of Israel.

              -New Moon: held first day of the month. Celebration
.
              -Passover/Unleaven Bread: reminder of God's salvation in Israel of their first born and how they left Egypt quickly
               so they had no time to allow the bread to rise.

              -First Fruits/Weeks/Pentecost: Celebration of the giving of the Law.

              -Acclamation: Celebrates the beginning of the world or the judgment day.

              -Day of Atonement: Forgiveness of sins

              -Tabernacles: To remind the Jews of their travel and temporary shelter in the wilderness and God's provision.

              -Purim: Lots. Haman's plot to have the Jews killed is stopped by Esther.

              -Hanukkah: dedication of 2nd temple in Jerusalem

Question: How many Temples are mentioned in the OT?

      There are four Temples mentioned in the OT
         Solomon's temple: 1000 BC
              -destroyed in 587 BC by Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon
         Zerubbabel's postexilic temple: 515 BC
              -destroyed by Antiochus Epiphanes in 186 BC
         Herod's temple: finished in 64 AD by Herod the Great.
              -Destroyed by Titus in 70 AD
         Eternal temple: built by God Himself in the New Heavens and New Earth.
                -Ezek. 40-48

 3. Synagogue Worship
Question: What was the purpose of synagogue worship?

     Probably originated as the result of the destruction of Jerusalem and Solomon's temple during the Babylonian exile. Synagogue worship was very different than temple worship.

          -No sacred rituals
          -No sacred ministers
          -Focused on the reading of scripture and understanding the Word of God.
          -Included an affirmation of faith, prayer and Scripture reading.

II. New Testament Worship
    A. Emerging patterns of worship

Question: What three types/cultures of Christian worship was there in the early church?

 1. Aramaic Christian Worship
      Jewish Christians who spoke Aramaic rather than Hebrew. They spoke out to end the animal sacrifices in the Temple and the return to Jewish legalism. They worshipped in the Temple and in homes (Acts 2:46)

 2. Hellenistic Christian Worship
      Jewish Christians born and raised in foreign countries. They had a Greek background. Or they were born in Israel and adopted Greek philosophy and language. They were not brought up in the Temple or cultic practices of the Hebrews. They renounced Jewish ritual because they believed them to have been    fulfilled in Christ. (1 Cor. 5:7; Rom. 3:25; 1 Cor. 3:16-17; Heb. 7:18-19)

 3. Gentile Christian Worship
      Highly interested in maintaining their freedom in worship. The Gentiles had to be    taught how to worship since Christian worship has an OT Jewish foundation. Some were expressing enthusiastic utterances in worship in the church to the point of disorder and Paul had to correct that (1 Cor. 14:40)