For the Glory of God

“Daniel Block is one of the most knowledgeable, thoughtful, and prolific teachers of the Old Testament writing today. In this important book, he turns his attention to the crucial question of worship. He rightly insists that the question is not whether we enjoy worship but rather whether God is pleased with our worship. He brings his impressive understanding of the Bible to bear on the question of proper worship. The result is an insightful study of worship that has practical implications for all. I especially recommend this volume for pastors and other church leaders.”—Tremper Longman III, Robert H. Gundry Professor of Biblical Studies, Westmont College

“For the Glory of God returns consideration of Christian worship to its theological source: the Scriptures. There is no firmer starting point. Daniel Block believes that God is up to something in the twenty-first century and that worship is at the center of God’s activity. We would do well to heed his advice to start at the source and to let Scripture guide us in worshiping God both within and without the walls of our church buildings. To read this book is itself an act of worship.”—Clay Schmit, provost, Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, Lenoir-Rhyne University

“This book is a scholar’s gift to the church. Block brings his considerable expertise to the task of helping us all understand this most important activity of life—worship! His ability to analyze and synthesize the biblical texts is surpassed only by his passion in challenging us to fresh insights. Biblical scholars and theologians will appreciate his thorough study. Pastors and other worship leaders will wonder how they ever got along without it. We are all in his debt.”—John H. Walton, professor of Old Testament, Wheaton College

“Vital and faithful worship practices are shaped by a wide variety of Christian leaders: pastors, musicians, artists, theologians, architects, prayer leaders, and more. Regardless of our role, we all are nourished and equipped through the gift of God’s Word. How heartening it is that over the past several years biblical scholars have given new priority to helping us faithfully study and savor what the Bible says about worship. Daniel Block’s evangelical, gospel-focused contribution to this conversation is both vigorous and accessible and will be useful in both academic and congregational settings.”—John D. Witvliet, Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, Calvin College and Calvin Theological Seminary

“In this accessible, comprehensive resource, world-class Old Testament scholar Daniel Block presents a complete biblical theology for the worship of God. Although no one can hope to resolve every contemporary debate in the ‘worship wars,’ Block firmly grounds the practice of worship in the right place: the text of Scripture. With its careful exegesis of the Bible, clear understanding of ancient Near Eastern culture, and practical suggestions for the local church, For the Glory of God is destined to become an essential text for putting God at the center of worship.”—Philip G. Ryken, president, Wheaton College

“For the Glory of God is the kind of work we have come to expect from Daniel Block. It is comprehensive in virtually every avenue: biblically, theologically, historically, and practically. Whether discussing ancient temple worship or the twenty-first-century church, Block provides insightful critique as well as sound counsel for the way forward into authentically faithful worship of the Triune God. The life of a believer who follows Jesus is to be a life of worship; this is a book that will help you walk that path. For the Glory of God is certain to have wide use in the academy, the church, and the lives of individuals—all for the glory of God and the good of the church.”—Daniel L. Akin, president, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, North Carolina

“In For the Glory of God, Daniel Block brings his theological and biblical expertise to bear on Christian worship. Block provides a thorough review of the Old and New Testament evidence, and his applications are informed by a wide variety of Christian forms and theologies of worship, ranging across the history of Christianity and denominational variations. Sometimes provocative but always informative, this work should form the starting point for the study and especially the practice of that most important of purposes for which God created us.”—Richard S. Hess, Earl S. Kalland Professor of Old Testament and Semitic Languages, Denver Seminary

“Daniel Block’s book is truly a tour de force on the theology and practice of worship. Featuring rich exegetical and theological insight, Block’s analysis of key biblical texts challenges the contemporary church to think more biblically about the nature of true worship and to establish practices of worship that are rooted in Scripture.”—Carol M. Kaminski, associate professor of Old Testament, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary

“Daniel Block’s For the Glory of God is a study of worship that seeks a biblical theology and eschews mere pragmatism: Christian worship involves reverence, homage to the true God, and obedient response to revelation. After a prefatory chapter on biblical method, the study begins with God, our object of worship, who is paradoxically the initiating subject of all. The author moves through the human mandate to worship, daily and family life, ordinances (sacraments), the written Word, prayer and music, the aspects of self-offering and drama, and sacred space, to a final chapter with some helpful pointers for those who lead worship (not simply those who lead in music!). Readers will be surprised to encounter a Baptist scholar who espouses weekly celebration of the Lord’s Supper, the use of religious images, and the practice of prostration, by way of his thick readings of Scripture. Especially helpful is Block’s close attention to both Testaments and to the debates of church history—though the Western church is better covered than the East. Here is a conscientious scholar with a pastor’s heart, whose work will benefit worshipers in general and church leaders in particular, even those who do not agree with all of his conclusions.”—Edith M. Humphrey, F. Orr Professor of New Testament, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary

“This is an amazing volume. The author is a seasoned and celebrated Old Testament scholar who has managed to write an encyclopedic and in-depth biblical theology of worship that covers virtually every conceivable element of the topic. At the same time, he has written this book in a way that speaks understandably to contemporary issues in the church. He draws from a wealth of personal history and scholarly acumen. This will be a key resource for scholars, pastors, and lay people for decades to come.”—Richard E. Averbeck, professor of Old Testament and Semitic languages and director of the PhD program (theological studies), Trinity Evangelical Divinity School