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All of God’s “works” are characterized by faithfulness to His promises and covenant:
“For the word of the Lord is right; and all his works are done in truth” (Ps. 33:4).
"
is translated in the Greek as
(“deed; action; manifestation”) and
(“what is made; work; creation”). English translations are work (
KJV
,
RSV
,
NASB
,
NIV
), “doing” (
KJV
and
RSV
), “practice” (
NASB
,
NIV
)
TO WORSHIP
(
, 7812), “to worship, prostrate oneself, bow down.” This word is
found in modern Hebrew in the sense of “to bow or stoop,” but not in the general sense of
“to worship.” The fact that it is found more than 170 times in the Hebrew Bible shows
something of its cultural significance. It is found for the first time in Gen. 18:2, where
Abraham “bowed himself toward the ground” before the 3 messengers who announced
that Sarah would have a son.
The act of bowing down in homage is generally done before a superior or a ruler.
Thus, David “bowed” himself before Saul (1 Sam. 24:8). Sometimes it is a social or
economic superior to whom one bows, as when Ruth “bowed” to the ground before Boaz
(Ruth 2:10). In a dream, Joseph saw the sheaves of his brothers “bowing down” before
his sheaf (Gen. 37:5, 9-10).
-
is used as the common term for coming before God
in worship, as in 1 Sam. 15:25 and Jer. 7:2. Sometimes it is in conjunction with another
Hebrew verb for bowing down physically, followed by “worship,” as in Exod. 34:8:
“And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped.” Other
gods and idols are also the object of such worship by one’s prostrating oneself before
them (Isa. 2:20; 44:15, 17).
WRATH
A. Noun.
(
, 2534), “wrath; heat; rage; anger.” This noun occurs in Semitic
languages with the meanings “heat, wrath, poison, venom.” The noun, as well as the verb
, denotes a strong emotional state. The noun is used 120 times, predominantly in
the poetic and prophetic literature, especially Ezekiel.
The first usage of
takes place in the story of Esau and Jacob. Jacob is advised
to go to Haran with the hope that Esau’s “anger” will dissipate: “And tarry with him a
few days, until thy brother’s fury turn away” (Gen. 27:44).
The word indicates a state of anger. Most of the usage involves God’s “anger.” His
“wrath” is expressed against Israel’s sin in the wilderness: “For I was afraid of the anger
and hot displeasure, wherewith the Lord was wroth against you to destroy you” (Deut.
9:19). The psalmist prayed for God’s mercy in the hour of God’s “anger”: “O Lord,
rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure” (Ps. 6:1). God’s
“anger” against Israel was ultimately expressed in the exile of the Judeans to Babylon:
“The Lord hath accomplished his fury; he hath poured out his fierce anger, and hath
kindled a fire in Zion, and it hath devoured the foundations thereof” (Lam. 4:11).
The metaphor “cup” denotes the judgment of God upon His people. His “wrath” is
poured out: “Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of
battle: and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he
laid it not to heart” (Isa. 42:25); and the “cup of wrath” is drunk: “Awake, awake, stand