Language Studies

Greek Thoughts

PROSKUNEO* - Part 9 - εχηγεομαι (Strong's #1834)
To worship, to bow down, to show reverence and submission

Please note that all Biblical quotes, in this and all other lessons posted to Greek Thoughts, are from the literal translation produced by BTE Ministries - The Bible Translation and Exegesis Institute of America.


Today, we continue our study of προσκυνὲω (Strong's #4352), which is rendered as "worship" in the English translations of the Bible. This week's study focuses on scriptures taken from the Book of Revelation. As expressed in previous studies, Προσκυνὲω is a compound word expressing the reverence and submission of one person to another person or thing. In the Old Testament, this reverence and submission was expressed through the physical posture of bowing to the ground and the kissing of the ground, a person's clothing, or hand. During the Lord's earthly ministry, He changed the application of προσκυνὲω from this physical posture to a spiritual attitude of the heart. We see this in what Jesus said in John 4:23, "… an hour is coming and now is, when the true worshipers will worship (προσκυνὲω) the Father in spirit and in truth; for indeed the Father is seeking such ones worshiping (προσκυνὲω) Him." In this scripture, Jesus uses the same word previously used for the physical expression of reverence and submission and applies it, instead, to the attitude of a person's heart or spirit. From this point in scripture forward, worship entails a heart-desire rather than a physical position.

In our study from the thirteenth and fourteenth chapters of the Book of Revelation, we learned that the Beast, during the Great Tribulation Period, will set up his image in the Holy of Holies in the Temple. He will then dictate that any person desiring to participate in the economic system (whether buying or selling) must receive the Mark of the Beast. This mark, however, will be given only to those who worship (προσκυνὲω) the image of the Beast (Revelation 13:15-17). Here the full import of the meaning of worship can be seen.

This week, our study continues to focus on the depth and seriousness of worship as we study from Revelation 14:6-11.

In the fifth chapter of Revelation, we are told that the Lamb comes forward to take a book, which is sealed with seven seals, out of the hand of the One who is sitting upon the throne. The Lamb opens all seven seals. At the opening of the seventh seal, seven angels are seen with seven trumpets. At the sounding of the seventh trumpet, a series of events take place. Starting with the thirteenth chapter of Revelation, conditions upon the earth during the Great Tribulation are described; but it is in the fourteenth chapter that we discover the warning preached to those who are dwelling upon the earth during that time.

Revelation 14:6-11

6)
And I saw another angel flying in mid-heaven, having an eternal gospel to evangelize the ones dwelling upon the earth, even every nation and tribe and language, and people,

7)
saying in a great voice, "Fear God, and give to Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come, and worship (προσκυνὲω) the One who has made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters.

These scriptures show that John saw an angel flying in mid-heaven preaching the two-fold gospel: "Fear God," and "give to Him glory." The angel then gives a two-fold reason for this necessity: first, the hour of God's judgment has come; and second, the people dwelling upon the earth are to worship the Creator. The people living upon the earth are warned in these verses to worship only the Creator and are told not to give worship to the beast--they are not to participate in his religious, economic, and political system.

8)
And another angel followed, saying, "Babylon the great city, has fallen, has fallen, because she gave the nations to drink from out of the wine of the fury of her immorality.

John sees another angel announcing the result of God's judgment, which has taken place. The term "Babylon" is used to represent the religious system of the Beast present during the Great Tribulation. All of the corruption of the ancient Babylonian Empire has been carried into the Beast's system. Although we find this same religious and cultural corruption to some degree in the world's system today, they will come to fruition during the Beast's reign over the nations during the Great Tribulation.

9)
And the third angel followed them, saying in a great voice, "If anyone is worshiping (προσκυνὲω) the beast and his image, and is taking a mark upon his forehead, or upon his hand,

10)
he himself also will drink from out of wine of the fury of God, which has been mixed undiluted in the cup of His wrath, and he will be tormented in fire and sulfur before the holy angels, and before the Lamb;

A third angel follows the others giving warning: "If anyone is worshiping the beast and his image, or is taking a mark upon his forehead or upon his hand," that person will drink out of the cup of the full fury of God and will be tormented in fire and sulfur before the angels and before the Lamb.

11)
and the smoke of their torment is going up forever; and the ones worshiping (προσκυνὲω) the beast and his image do not have rest day and night, and if anyone is receiving the mark of his name.

Revelation 14:11 indicates that "the ones worshiping the beast and his image," will be tormented "forever," and "they have no rest day and night." The same will happen to "… anyone who is receiving the mark of his name."

During the Great Tribulation Period, the judgment of the person who worships the Beast — the one who enrolls in his religious, economic, and political system— is final and fatal. Judgment is visited upon anyone who commits his allegiance to the religious, economic, and political system of the world, which is under the control of the Beast.

This gives us an indication of the seriousness of worship in our day. John wrote, in 1 John 2:15-17, "Do not love the world nor the things in the world, if anyone should love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Because every thing in the world — the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, and the pride of life — is not from out of the Father but is from out of the world. And the world is passing away, and the desire of it; but the one doing the will of God is abiding forever." The choices we make today-- desiring, seeking, and submitting to the world's system in order to get the things of this world-- are not fatal, as they will be during the Great Tribulation Period. However, we still experience the consequences of our actions. When our time and attention is given to fulfilling contractual obligations to the world system, and we become slaves to that, we do not grow in Christ as He intended. And, while we may continue to attend church weekly, frustration will remain in our hearts. True worship, as taught in God's Word, is not limited to church attendance or membership. It encompasses the person we reverence, obey, and serve with our time and energy throughout our daily activities, as well as our reason for doing it.

Next week we will conclude our study of the meaning and seriousness of worship (προσκυνὲω) from the Book of Revelation.

* PROSKUNEO is the English font spelling of the Greek word προσκυνὲω.

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Meet the Author

Bill Klein has been a pastor, counselor, and educator for the past 41 years. He has had extensive training and education in biblical languages, and has authored a Biblical Greek course.

He is currently serving as Professor of Biblical Greek at Master's Graduate School of Divinity, and president of BTE Ministries - The Bible Translation and Exegesis Institute of America, a non-profit organization located in California that provides Bible study tapes and Greek study materials through their website BTEMinistries.org.