– In Deuteronomy is the summary of God’s constant struggle with Israel so that they worship only him and not the idols of the surrounding peoples:
Deuteronomy 6:13 : You shall fear the Lord your God, he shall serve your worship, and only by his name shall you swear.
Ex 20,4-6 : You shall not make sculpture or any figure for yourself.
Job 31,26-27 : When I saw the sun shine and the moon rise in its splendor, my heart never let itself be seduced.
Is 2,8 : Their land is full of idols; men prostrate themselves before the work of their hands.
– This fundamental truth permeates all the books of the Bible. Several psalms, for example, recall it:
Psalm 5:8 : I will prostrate myself in your sanctuary, with the respect due to you, Lord.
Ps 21:28 : The Lord shall be remembered, and all the peoples of the earth shall turn to him; and before him they shall prostrate themselves.
Psalm 65 :4 : Before you all the earth prostrate themselves.
Ps 71:10-11 : All kings will adore him, all nations will serve him.
Ps 94,1-2.6 : Come, let us bow down in adoration on our knees before the Lord who created us.
Ps 96,7 : And they glory in their idols; for the gods prostrate themselves before the Lord.
Ps 98 :9: Exalt the Lord our God and prostrate yourselves before his holy mountain.
– In the NT there is a wonderful revelation: Jesus, the Messiah, is God!
– The evangelists all underline the adoration due to him:
Mt 2,1-11 : Go and find out […]. When you have found him, let me know so that I too can go and worship him.
Mt 4,10 : Get behind you, Satan, for it is written: You shall worship the Lord, […] and him only shall you serve (Dt 6,13).
Mt 8 :2 : Behold, a leper approached and prostrated himself before him, saying: “Lord, if you are willing, you can heal me”.
Mt 15:25 : But the woman came and prostrated herself before him, saying: “Lord, help me!”.
Mk 8,27-30 : Then Jesus asked them: “And you, who do you say that I am?”. Peter replied, “You are the Christ.”
Lk 2,8-14 : The angel said to them: “Do not be afraid, […] today a Savior has been born to you in the City of David, who is Christ the Lord”.
Lk 4 :8: Jesus said to him: “It is written: You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only you shall serve”.
Jn 1,19–12 : When the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him: “Who are you?”.
John 13–20 : Father […]. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you; […] I have glorified you on earth.
Jn 20:17 : Do not hold me back, […] go to my brothers and say to them: I ascend to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.
Acts 2,14-36 : God raised this Jesus: […]. Exalted by the right hand of God.
Acts 7,54-56 : Stephen looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
Acts 10:25-26 : Peter, however, lifted him up, saying: “Get up! I too am a man!”
Acts 14:11-12 : When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, shouting […]: “Gods in the form of men have come down to us!”
– Paul emphasizes it in his letters:
1Cor 1,9 : God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
Phil 2,5-9 : Dedicate yourselves […] to Christ Jesus. […] at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven, on earth and in hell.
2Th 1,11-12 : That the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him.
Col 1,15-20 : He is the Beginning, the first begetter from among the dead and therefore has the first place in all things.
Heb 10:18 : Now, where there is full remission of sins, there is no reason to offer sacrifice for them.
– On Peter:
1Pt 2,4-10 : You […] are a chosen race […] publish the virtues of him who […] called you to his light.
2Pt 1,1-2 : To those who […] have attained […] such precious faith […] grace and peace be yours in abundance.
– In John:
1Jn 1,5 : The news we have heard from him and announce to you is this: God is light and in him there is no darkness at all.
1Jn 3,1-6 : Now we are children of God, […] it has not been made known […] what we shall be. […] we will be like God.
– In Judas:
Jd 1-2.20: But you, dear friends, build each other up on the foundation of your most holy faith.
– In the Apocalypse:
Rev 4:10 : They bowed down […] to the one who was on the throne […] to the one who lives forever and ever.
Rev 5:14 : The Elders prostrated themselves and worshipped.
Rev 7:11 : They fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God.
Rev 19:10 : I fell down at his feet to worship him.
Rev 22,9 : Don’t do this! I am a servant like you and […] the prophets […]. Prostrate yourself before God.
