Heavenly Worship

[Scott]

I was reading D.G. Hart's book Recovering Mother Kirk and he makes the point that worship in the covenant is part of heavenly worship. In a spiritual sense, when we gather for corporate worship we ascend into heaven, enter God's Holy of Holies and join the saints and angels in worshipping God.

What do people think about that?

 

[Saiph]

I think it is true, and it is also as old as Christianity , . . . the Church fathers taught the same thing, and the Orthodox Church teaches the same today. That is, in part, why they follow the Church calendar as well.

 

[Contra_Mundum]

I think this is an important aspect of worship that is forgotten/neglected. The reason for simplicity in Reformed worship is in order that the glories of the eternal shine forth, seen by the eyes of faith. The dressed-up service--whether by modern evangelicals, modern or medieval Romanism, Eastern Orthodoxy, or any other grouping--so far from revealing the "other world" actually hide it most thoroughly. The [i:1ad0e31fbb]authorized[/i:1ad0e31fbb] ceremony of the OT, Paul reminds us (2 Cor. 3:15), even served also as a blind to those not given eyes of faith.

In our gathering for corporate worship we are participating in an intersection between heaven and earth. "Bow the heavens and come down!" we call. "Raise us up and seat us in the heavenlies in Christ" (Eph. 2:6; see also Heb. 12:22ff). "Set your ladder between heaven and earth (Gen. 28:12, 16-17; cf. Jn 1:51) here, with us today!" Enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise (Ps. 100:4).

Is this how your worship service is? Shouldn't it be?

 

[Scott]

Does anyone know of reformed writers (old or new) that have any writings on this? I would like to explore further. I think it is true too. And, I think it is helpful to understand this. So often discussion of worship come down to elements (is something warranted or not) without a broader understanding of what is happening. The lack of bibilical vision about worship I think encourages the kinds of novelties we see today.

Thanks