Worship, places of

Under the old covenant, there were rules governing the places where worship might be offered but under the new covenant the earthly location is of no importance.

Worship at places commemorating some act of God

Genesis 12:7 See also Genesis 8:20, Genesis 26:23–25, Genesis 35:1

Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your offspring.” So Abram built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.

Worship at a place chosen by God

Deuteronomy 12:13–14 See also Genesis 22:2; Deuteronomy 14:23–25; 1 Chronicles 21:18–19; 2 Chronicles 7:15–16

Be careful not to offer your burnt offerings in just any place you see; you must offer them only in the place the LORD will choose in one of your tribal territories, and there you shall do all that I command you.

Worship in certain sacred places

Deuteronomy 12:5 See also Exodus 3:12; Deuteronomy 26:2; 1 Samuel 1:3, 1 Samuel 1:28; Isaiah 27:13; John 4:20

Instead, you must seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to establish as a dwelling for His Name, and there you must go.

Worship at the Tent of Meeting

Exodus 25:8–9 See also Exodus 29:42–43, Exodus 33:10; Leviticus 17:1–5

And they are to make a sanctuary for Me, so that I may dwell among them. You must make the tabernacle and design all its furnishings according to the pattern I show you.

Worship at the temple in Jerusalem

1 Chronicles 22:1 See also 2 Chronicles 7:15–16, 2 Chronicles 29:27–30; Nehemiah 8:6; Luke 1:8–10, Luke 2:37; Acts 8:27

Then David said, “Here shall be the house of the LORD God, as well as the altar of burnt offering for Israel.”

Worship in a synagogue

Luke 4:16 See also Acts 13:15, Acts 15:21, Acts 17:2

Then Jesus came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. As was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath. And when He stood up to read,

Worship in the home

Daniel 6:10 See also Matthew 6:6; Romans 16:5; 1 Corinthians 16:19; Colossians 4:15; Philemon 1:2

Now when Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went into his house, where the windows of his upper room opened toward Jerusalem, and three times a day he got down on his knees, prayed, and gave thanks to his God, just as he had done before.

The earthly location for worship is unimportant

John 4:21–24 See also Genesis 24:26, Genesis 47:31; Judges 7:15; Job 1:20

“Believe Me, woman,” Jesus replied, “a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. But a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to worship Him. God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship Him in spirit and in truth.”

In heaven worship is perfect

Luke 2:13; Hebrews 12:22; Revelation 4:9–11, Revelation 5:13–14, Revelation 7:9–12, Revelation 19:4–7