Worship Under the Law

Worship under the Law (for this paper: Exodus-Malachi) can be broken up into two categories: planned and spontaneous. Miriam, a co-leader of Israel, worshiped with percussion instruments, singing, and dancing (Exodus 15:20-21). This form of worship was a typical response of women in a tribe after a military victory (Judges 11:34; 1 Samuel 18:6). In this instance, the victor whom they bowed before was God. Other examples of spontaneous worship can be found in the life of David and in the Psalms.

The most prevalent and recognizable form on worship under the Law was the organized, procedural worship in the tabernacle or temple. This type of worship went through seven stages of evolution in which traditions, methods, and customs altered with time: 1) tabernacle worship in the wilderness, 2) tabernacle worship in the promised land, 3) worship under David, 4) temple worship in Jerusalem. 5) worship in a split kingdom, 6) worship in exile, and 7) post-exilic worship in the reconstructed temple and synagogues. These varying locations and situations caused changes to be made in the worship.