Praise

From the story in Genesis 1 God created human beings in His own image. Man and woman were one spiritual being: male and female. God who is a spirit.  (John 4:24 God is a spirit: and they that worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.) met with His human being in His spirit form in the evenings in the cool of the day for conversation. 

Adam after naming the animals found none of them compatible so God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam and took from his side a part of him (think of the blood and water that flowed from Jesus’ side on the cross) and created a female (like the church, the bride of Christ—Ephesians 5:27) human being as an Ezer, a helper just right for him. 

They enjoyed the garden, each other and fellowship with God in the evenings until Eve was deceived and partook of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Adam, who was with her, did also. Instantly they knew they were naked. When God called to them for their evening fellowship, they hid because they knew sin had uncovered their nakedness. They had stitched together fig leaves (good works?) to cover their nakedness (Isaiah 64:6) but it was insufficient for the task. God is not deceived by the external appearance for God looks on the heart (1 Samuel 16:7) In His love for Adam and Eve, God killed an animal (a perfect lamb?) as an intermediary sacrifice for them and changed their insufficient coverings of fig leaves for temporary coverings of the skins of the animals.

The Psalmist in Psalm 8:5 - 6 recognized the uniqueness of God’s creation in us. God created us just a little lower than God Himself, gave us dominion over all the works of his hands and put everything under our feet signifying authority. During Pentecost we find a particular gifting seen on the day of Pentecost and beyond to speak in the understood language of babes and infants creating a bulwark, a defensive wall, the ordained strength to silence enemies and avengers (CF Matthew 21:14 – 16 “out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants you have perfected praise”).

Vocal expressions of faith in God throughout the world enhance the sharing of the good news of the gospel. Christ, the Word made flesh, works in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). The Spirit reminds us of all the things Christ has taught us (John 16:13 – 15), works through us to draw all men to himself (John 6:44) and to redeem their lives from destruction. It is not God’s desire that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). He puts His words in our mouths so that when we speak none may gainsay nor resist (Luke 21:15) but signs and wonders are done in the name of the holy child Jesus (Acts 4:30). 

Praise is an extraordinary expression of speaking of things that are not as though they were. It is offering thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6) for things not yet seen (Hebrews 11:7 -- faith). We call those things which are not as though they were. (Romans 4:17) David’s tabernacle was not the stone temple constructed by Solomon but rather a tent where praise was offered day and night. One day it will be restored. (2 Samuel 6:17, Isaiah 16:5, Amos 9:11, Acts 15:16)