Topical Bible: House used for Worship

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Topical Encyclopedia

In the biblical context, a "house used for worship" refers to a designated place where individuals or communities gather to offer praise, prayer, and sacrifices to God. This concept is deeply rooted in the history and traditions of the Israelites and extends into the New Testament era with the early Christian church.

Old Testament Context

1. The Tabernacle: The first significant structure used for worship was the Tabernacle, a portable sanctuary constructed during the Israelites' wilderness journey. God provided Moses with detailed instructions for its construction, as recorded in Exodus 25-27. The Tabernacle served as the dwelling place of God's presence among His people. It housed the Ark of the Covenant and was the center of Israelite worship and sacrificial practices.

2. The Temple in Jerusalem: King Solomon built the first permanent temple in Jerusalem, as described in 1 Kings 6-8. This temple became the central place of worship for the Israelites, where they offered sacrifices and celebrated religious festivals. The temple was a symbol of God's presence and covenant with Israel. After its destruction by the Babylonians in 586 BC, the Second Temple was constructed under the leadership of Zerubbabel and later expanded by Herod the Great. The temple remained the focal point of Jewish worship until its destruction in AD 70.

3. Synagogues: During the Babylonian exile and the subsequent diaspora, synagogues emerged as local centers for worship, prayer, and the study of the Torah. While not a replacement for the temple, synagogues provided a means for Jewish communities to maintain their religious practices and identity.

New Testament Context

1. Early Christian Gatherings: In the New Testament, the concept of a house used for worship evolves with the establishment of the Christian church. Early Christians often met in private homes for worship, teaching, and fellowship. Acts 2:46 describes the early believers as "continuing daily with one accord in the temple courts and breaking bread from house to house." These gatherings were characterized by prayer, the breaking of bread, and the apostles' teaching.

2. The Church as the Body of Christ: The New Testament emphasizes that the true temple of God is not a physical building but the collective body of believers. In 1 Corinthians 3:16, Paul writes, "Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?" This theological shift underscores the idea that worship is not confined to a specific location but is a spiritual act carried out by the community of faith.

3. House Churches: The practice of meeting in homes continued as the early church expanded. Romans 16:5 mentions the church that meets in the house of Priscilla and Aquila. These house churches were vital for the growth and spread of Christianity, providing intimate settings for worship, teaching, and mutual support.

Theological Significance

The concept of a house used for worship highlights the importance of communal and individual worship in the life of believers. Throughout biblical history, these spaces have served as places where God's presence is encountered, His word is proclaimed, and His people are edified. Whether in the grandeur of the temple or the simplicity of a home, the focus remains on the worship of God and the fellowship of His people.

Nave's Topical Index

Acts 1:13,14
And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where stayed both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.
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Acts 12:12
And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.
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Romans 16:5
Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my well-beloved Epaenetus, who is the first fruits of Achaia to Christ.
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1 Corinthians 16:19
The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.
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Colossians 4:15
Salute the brothers which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.
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Philemon 1:2
And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:
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Library

The Church, the Place of Worship
... He called the Temple "My Father's house," and by cleansing it of buyers and sellers
showed that it was to be used for no other purpose than the worship of God. ...
/.../regester/the worship of the church/the church the place of.htm

The Charge of the Pilgrim Priests
... things, that were to be used in worship when they got back to the Temple. 'Watch
and keep them, until ye weigh them in the chambers of the house of the Lord.'. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/the charge of the pilgrim.htm

Psalm XCVI.
... we found it in the wood." [4426] For he was seeking that very house, when he said,
"in the wood." And why is that spot woody? Men used to worship images: it is ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm xcvi.htm

Jeremiah's Courage in Danger
... Is this my house, which bears my name, in your eyes a den of robbers? ... "'Then go to
my temple which was at Shiloh, where people used to worship me at first ...
/.../sherman/the childrens bible/jeremiahs courage in danger.htm

The Worship of the Church. The Religion of the Primitive ...
... the end of the third century, the house of prayer ... disposition to increase the pomp
of public worship; in some ... vessels of silver or of gold were used at the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/killen/the ancient church/chapter i the worship of.htm

Refutation of the Gentiles --Continued
... no longer make any progress, but that which used to be is ... Worship, then, the Savior
"Who is above all" and mighty ... somewhere, but stays in his own house and does ...
/.../athanasius/on the incarnation of the word/chapter 8 refutation of the.htm

The Synagogue at Nazareth - Synagogue-Worship and Arrangements.
... Sanhedrin, provided the locale be not afterwards used for incongruous ... such as public
baths, a wash-house, a tannery ... a right to look for some place of worship. ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter x the synagogue at.htm

Knowledge. Worship. Gratitude.
... the God of the Old Testament, is the God whom I worship. ... you house-wives, when you
are about the house, to sing ... I remember a servant that used to sing at the ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 30 1884/knowledge worship gratitude.htm

The Best Friend
... We go to a place of worship but there is no enjoyment, no ... just to get a look at his
face as you used to do. ... we once did, and when we do go to his house we find ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/sermons on proverbs/the best friend.htm

Rev. Mr. Hart's Address.
... of the brethren, and of unity of worship, as well ... the Scotch canons now require to
be used at all ... venerable Primus being still confined to his house by illness ...
/.../the sermons and addresses at the seabury centenary/rev mr harts address.htm