A) TO THE BIBLE.

B) FROM MY FAVORITE BIBLE COMMENTATOR.

 

 

A) TO THE BIBLE

 

 

Any Position That Allows You To Talk To Your Benefactor.  It Can Depend Where You Are (or does it?).

 

Genesis 17:3:  “And Abram fell on his face:  and God talked with him, saying.”

 

Genesis 24:12-13:  “And he said O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham.  Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water.”

 

Genesis 24:26:  “And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the Lord.”

 

Genesis 24:48:  “And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the Lord, and blessed the Lord God of my master Abraham, which had led me in the right way to take my master’s brother’s daughter unto his son.”

 

Exodus 4:31:  “And the people believed:  and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.”

 

Exodus 12:27:  “That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s Passover, Who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when He smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses.  And the people bowed the head and worshipped.”

 

Exodus 34:8:  “And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped.

 

Deuteronomy 9:18:  “And I fell down before the Lord, as at the first, forty days and forty nights:  I did neither eat bread, nor drink water, because of all your sins which ye sinned, in doing wickedly in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger.”

 

Deuteronomy 9:25:  “Thus I fell down before the Lord forty days and forty nights, as I fell down at the first; because the Lord had said He would destroy you.”

 

Judges 20:27-28:  “And the children of Israel inquired of the Lord, (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days,) saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease?  And the Lord said, Go up; for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand.”

 

First Kings 8:22:  “And Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven.”  However, Solomon was not standing after he began to pray, for verse 54 states:  “And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the Lord, he arose from before the altar of the Lord, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven.”  This is confirmed by the same account being recorded in Second Chronicles 6:13 (see below).

 

First Kings 18:42:  “And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees.”  “In the most painful position, his face bowed between his knees, he most earnestly supplicates God to send rain.”  RH, October 7, 1873; 3T:286.

 

Second Kings 1:13:  “And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty.  And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight.”

 

First Chronicles 29:20:  “And David said to all the congregation, Now bless the Lord your God.  And all the congregation blessed the Lord God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads, and worshipped the Lord, and the king.”

 

Second Chronicles 6:13:  “For Solomon. . . kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven.”  “The prayer offered by Solomon during the dedication of the temple, was not made while he stood upon his feet.  The king knelt in the humble position of a petitioner.  Herein is a lesson for God’s people today.  Our spiritual strength and our influence are not increased by conformity to a worldly attitude during prayer. . . Let man come on bended knee, as a subject of grace, a suppliant at the footstool of mercy.  Thus he is to testify that the whole soul, body, and spirit are in subjection to his Creator.”  RH, November 30, 1905; 3BC:1130-1131.

 

Second Chronicles 7: 3:  “And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the Lord upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the Lord, saying, For He is good; for His mercy endureth for ever.”

 

Second Chronicles 20:18:  “And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground:  and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the Lord, worshipping the Lord.”

 

Second Chronicles 29:29-30:  “And when they had made an end of offering, the king and all that were present with him bowed themselves, and worshipped.  Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the Lord with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer.  And they sang praises with gladness, and theybowed their heads and worshipped.”

 

Ezra 9:5:  “And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God.”

 

Nehemiah 2:4:  “Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request?  So I prayed to the God of heaven.”  Note:  Most likely standing.

 

Nehemiah 8:6:  “And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God.  And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands:  and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground.”

 

Job 1:20:  “Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped.”

 

Psalm 95:6:  “O come, let us worship and bow down:  let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.”

 

Isaiah 45:23:  “I have sworn by Myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.”

 

Daniel 6:10:  “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.”  “Daniel did not seek to hide his loyalty to God.  He did not pray in his heart, but with his voice, aloud, with his window open toward Jerusalem, he offered up his petition to heaven.”  RH, May 3, 1892; YRP:269.

 

Matthew 26:39:  “And He went a little further, and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me:  nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt.”

 

Mark 3:11:  “And unclean spirits, when they saw Him, fell down before Him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God.”

 

Mark 11:25:  “And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any:  that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”

 

Luke 22:41:  “And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed.”

 

John 17:1:  “These words spake Jesus, and lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that Thy Son also may glorify Thee.”  Note:  We are not told His position; most likely kneeling.

 

Acts 7:60:  “And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.”

 

Acts 9:40:  “Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise.  And she opened her eyes:  and when she saw Peter, she sat up.”

 

Acts 20:36:  “And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all.”

 

Acts 21:5:  “And when we had accomplished those days, we departed and went our way; and they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till we were out of the city:  and we kneeled down on the shore, and prayed.”

 

First Corinthians 14:25:  “And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.”

 

Ephesians 3:14:  “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

 

First Timothy 2:8:  “I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.”  Note:  We are not told in what position.

 

 

B) FROM MY FAVORITE BIBLE COMMENTATOR

 

 

 “[120] Is it possible that with all the light that God has given to His people on the subject of reverence, that ministers, principals, and teachers in our schools, by precept and example teach young men to stand erect in devotion as did the Pharisees?  Shall we look upon this as significant of their self-sufficiency and self-importance?  Are these traits to become conspicuous?. . . [121]

 

“We hope that our brethren will not manifest less reverence and awe as they approach the only true and living God than the heathen manifest for their idol deities, or these people will be our judges in the day of final decision.  I would speak to all who occupy the place of teachers in our schools.  Men and women, do not dishonor God by your irreverence and pomposity.  Do not stand up in your Phariseeism and offer your prayers to God.  Mistrust your own strength.  Depend not in it; but often bow down on your knees before God, and worship Him.

 

“And when you assemble to worship God, be sure and bow your knees before Him.  Let this act testify that the whole soul, body, and spirit are in subjection to the Spirit of truth.  Who have searched the Word closely for examples and direction in this respect?. . .

 

“Man must come on bended knee, as a subject of grace, a suppliant at the footstool of mercy.  And as he receives daily mercies at the hand of God, he is ever to cherish gratitude in his heart, and give expression to it in the words of thanksgiving and praise for these unmerited favors.”  1NL:120-121 [Chapter 37]; 21MR:61-62.

 

“I have received letters questioning me in regard to the proper attitude to be taken by a person offering prayer to the Sovereign of the universe {in public meetings].  Where have our brethren obtained the idea that they should stand upon their feet when praying to God?  One who has been educated for about five years in Battle Creek was asked to lead in prayer before Sister White should speak to the people [on the podium].  But as I beheld him standing upright upon his feet while his lips were about to open in prayer to God, my soul was stirred within me to give him an open rebuke.  Calling him by name, I said, ‘Get down upon your knees.’  This is the proper position always.”  2SM:311.

 

“To bow down when in prayer to God is the proper attitude to occupy.  This act of worship was required of the three Hebrew captives in Babylon. . . . [Note that even heathens understood this act.] But such an act was homage to be rendered to God alone -- the Sovereign of the world, the Ruler of the universe; and these three Hebrews refused to give such honor to any idol even though composed of pure gold.”  2SM:312.

 

“[314] We are living in perilous times.  Seventh-day Adventists are professedly the commandment-keeping people of [315]

 

“God; but they are losing their devotional spirit.  This spirit of reverence for God teaches men how to approach their Maker -- with sacredness and awe through faith, not in themselves but in a Mediator.  Thus man is kept fast under whatever circumstances he is placed.  Man must come on bended knee, as a subject of grace, a suppliant at the footstool of mercy.  And as he receives daily mercies at the hand of God, he is ever to cherish gratitude in his heart, and give expression to it in words of thanksgiving and praise for these unmerited favors.”  2SM:314-315; 21MR:61-62; 1NL:121.

 

“[492] When the minister enters, it should be with dignified, solemn mien.  He should bow down in silent prayer as soon as he steps into the pulpit, and earnestly ask help of God.  What an impression this will make!  There will be solemnity and awe upon the people.  Their minister is communing with God; he is committing himself to God before he dares to stand before the people.  Solemnity rests upon all, and angels [493]

 

“of God are brought very near.  Every one of the congregation, also, who fears God should with bowed head unite in silent prayer with him that God may grace the meeting with His presence and give power to His truth proclaimed from human lips.  When the meeting is opened by prayer, every knee should bow in the presence of the Holy One, and every heart should ascend to God in silent devotion.  The prayers of faithful worshipers will be heard, and the ministry of the word will prove effectual.  The lifeless attitude of the worshipers in the House of God is one great reason why the ministry is not more productive of good. . . All the service should be conducted with solemnity and awe, as if in the visible presence of the Master of assemblies.”  5T:492-493.

 

“The truth must go everywhere, and we want those who can plead with the Lord in prayer, who will bend the knee before God, abolishing the fashion which has come in among our people and has been transported by our workers to other countries, of standing like the Pharisees and praying to be heard of men.  We want all who know God and Jesus Christ Whom He has sent, to bow low at His footstool, and pray that the world may hear the message of warning, that it may be caught up by those who hear it, and carried to those who know it not.”  16MR:292.

 

“To bow down when in prayer to God is the proper attitude to occupy.  This act of worship was required of the three Hebrew captives in Babylon.  At the dedication of the golden image, representing the king of Babylon, and which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up, a herald cried aloud, ‘To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up:  and whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.  Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up [Dan. 3:4-7].’

 

“[59] This act of bowing the knees to the great image was understood to be an act of worship.  But such an act was homage to be rendered to God alone -- the Sovereign of the world, the Ruler of the universe; and these three Hebrews refused to give such honor to any idol even though composed of pure gold.  In doing so, they would, to all intents and purposes, be bowing to the king of Babylon.  Refusing to do as the king had commanded, they suffered the penalty, and were cast into the burning fiery [60]

 

“furnace.  But Christ came in Person and walked with them through the fire, and they received no harm.  Both in public and private worship it is our duty to bow down upon our knees before God when we offer our petitions to Him.  This act shows our dependence upon God.”  21MR:59-60.

 

“Many convicted and converted will bow in humility before the Lord, making an unreserved consecration of themselves to Him.”  SpM:369.