Title: Called to Worship – The Biblical Foundations of Our Response to God’s Call
Author: Vernon M. Whaley
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
What does the Bible say about worship? That’s the question that Vernon Whaley answers in Called to Worship. And the answer is, quite a bit.
In Called to Worship, Whaley guides readers through an overview of the entire Bible, illustrating principles of worship from Genesis through Revelation, in an extremely accessible style that will no doubt be helpful to new believers and pastors alike.
A great benefit of a survey like this is when it calls attention to details in familiar stories that are easy to overlook. One example: Joshua is preparing to lead the men of Israel into battle against Jericho, and as he approaches the city, he sees “a strange man standing in front of him, sword in hand. ‘Are you an enemy or a friend?’ Joshua asked him.”‘Neither,’ the man replied. ‘I am [the] commander of the Lord’s army’ (5:14 NLT)… [W]hen he identified himself, Joshua instantly fell with his face to the ground and worshipped” (p. 90).
The author goes on to comment that Joshua, having been selected by God Himself to lead the people, would not have bowed down to an ordinary man (nor any created being, for that matter). “Yet he bowed down to this commander, absolutely prostrate… What’s more, the commander received Joshua’s show of deference,” revealing himself to not be a created being, but Christ Himself (see p. 90).
The Old Testament portion of the book, for the most part, lists and explains actions that should accompany our worship, and generally, the author does a great job explaining each principle. There are a few weak spots here and there, but nothing that damages the essential message of the book.
As he follows the storyline of the Bible, Whaley gives a twist as we reach the New Testament, as he essentially tells readers, “All of these things we’ve talked about are the ways to worship the true God. There’s just one catch—we can’t do any of it on our own. We need help. We need Jesus” (my paraphrase; see pp. 222-223). And as the book transitions to how worship looks in light of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, there’s much that readers will find profitable. From the importance of singing to Jesus, sacrificing our lives to Jesus through service and the putting-off of “self,” gathering corporately to share what God has done and is doing in our lives, partaking of Communion and proclaiming His Word through preaching, the chapters on the Gospels and the Epistles are delightful and remind us who the true object of our worship is: Jesus.
Finally, Whaley does a great job explaining what the true purpose of the book of Revelation is actually about: Worship. It’s refreshing to see this important aspect focused upon, as it’s easy to miss with all the debates that involve charts and graphs. Revelation is a book steeped in worship, and this chapter alone makes reading this book worthwhile.
Called to Worship is an extremely accessible and profitable book. If you’re looking to develop a strong biblical foundation for worship, it’s well worth your time.
Recommended.
