I think the prostration ‘worship’ at men’s feet in Revelation is a particularly one time exception sort of thing.
In EVERY Biblical case and in EVERY Heavenly visitation case . . .
where folks have prostrated themselves before men, angels etc.
The stern rebuke is that ONLY GOD is worthy such.
The example in Rev, is, to me, quite clearly God exacting the sort of punishment for the prostraters that is most fitting—forcing them to do what they most deplore
while, in a sense, honoring GOD’S FAITHFUL servants . . . and doing so in a way that will make those faithful servants MOST humble and uncomfortable as that is NOT the standard order of Heaven nor all Creation.
In the Revelation example, it seems clear that the priority goal from God’s perspective is to force a very tailor made, most hated discipline, punishment on those prostrating themselves on them.
However, Prottys are used to some RC’s creating skyscrapers of dogma built on a toothpick foundation.
It is in Scripture, I agree, the only time "worship of other men" can be seen clearly, however that doesn't necessarily mean it's only a "one time event for all time". Re-read my post to Alamo-Girl for a discussion on this, but briefly, God wouldn't force men to do something that was sinful, because sin and God are incompatible elements.
In EVERY Biblical case and in EVERY Heavenly visitation case . . .
where folks have prostrated themselves before men, angels etc.
The stern rebuke is that ONLY GOD is worthy such.
With all due respect, your apparent disconnect here is amazing. You just acknowledged that in Rev 3:9 there is an example of men "worshipping" (prostrating themselves before) other men, but then right after you say, "In EVERY Biblical case...where folks have prostrated themselves before men, angels, etc.... The stern rebuke is that ONLY GOD is worthy such."
To be clear, it's not, I repeat, not, "every Biblical case" where that is true. You just admitted that yourself when you said, "I think the prostration ‘worship’ at men’s feet in Revelation is a particularly one time exception sort of thing." I see no point to comment further on that portion of your post.
The example in Rev, is, to me, quite clearly God exacting the sort of punishment for the prostraters that is most fitting—forcing them to do what they most deplore
while, in a sense, honoring GOD’S FAITHFUL servants . . . and doing so in a way that will make those faithful servants MOST humble and uncomfortable as that is NOT the standard order of Heaven nor all Creation.
In the Revelation example, it seems clear that the priority goal from God’s perspective is to force a very tailor made, most hated discipline, punishment on those prostrating themselves on them.
I have no problem with this interpretation of the passage in question. In fact, I'll let it stand without further comment other than to say: I don't see how that affects my point about "simple prostration not necessarily being worship to God alone", at all.
However, Prottys are used to some RC’s creating skyscrapers of dogma built on a toothpick foundation.
And Catholics are used to "Prottys" rejecting tradition as a source of knowledge. ;D
“In EVERY Biblical case and in EVERY Heavenly visitation case . . .
where folks have prostrated themselves before men, angels etc.
The stern rebuke is that ONLY GOD is worthy such.”
Um no:
Genesis 33:1-4
“Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming, accompanied by four hundred men. So he divided his children among Leah, Rachel and the two maidservants, putting the maids and their children first, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last. He himself went on ahead of them, bowing to the ground seven times, until he reached his brother. Esau ran to meet him, embraced him, and flinging himself on his neck, kissed him as he wept.”
Genesis 37:5-11
“Once Joseph had a dream, which he told to his brothers: ‘Listen to this dream I had. There we were, binding sheaves in the field, when suddenly my sheaf rose to an upright position, and your sheaves formed a ring around my sheaf and bowed down to it.’ ‘Are you really going to make yourself king over us?’ his brothers asked him. ‘Or impose your rule on us?’ So they hated him all the more because of his talk about his dreams. Then he had another dream, and this one, too, he told to his brothers. ‘I had another dream,’ he said; ‘this time, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.’ When he also told it to his father, his father reproved him. ‘What is the meaning of this dream of yours?’ he asked. ‘Can it be that I and your mother and your brothers are to come and bow to the ground before you?’ So his brothers were wrought up against him but his father pondered the matter.”
Genesis 42:6-9
“It was Joseph, as governor of the country, who dispensed the rations to all the people. When Joseph’s brothers came and knelt down before him with their faces to the ground, he recognized them as soon as he saw them. But he concealed his own identity from them and spoke sternly to them. ‘Where do you come from?” he asked them. They answered, “From the land of Canaan, to procure food.’ When Joseph recognized his brothers, although they did not recognize him, he was reminded of the dreams he had about them. He said to them: ‘You are spies. You have come to see the nakedness of the land.’”
We could continue, but prostration is not divine worship, and not uniformly condemned throughout the Bible.