This article is particularly aimed at assisting the genuine seekers of truth to find the original teachings of Jesus and the other Prophets of God. We present to them a study of certain "practices in the Bible", thus enabling them to reflect on those who practise them. Thus it should follow that these practising indivisuals are the hallmark of the teaching of the Prophets. It is they who are the inheritors of the preachings of the Prophets. But such claims can only be judged through authentic references from the Bible. A presantation of these practises should enable you to trace the whereabouts of Jesus's true faith in this day.
Infact, Bible readers today tend to overlook these practices within the Bible. It is these very practices and beliefs of the Prophets which aught to have formed the most important part of Faith today.
The concept of God in the Bible
'God' in the Holy Bible refers to the same One and only Creator who alone has the right to be worshipped:
In the old Testament
Isaiah 44:6
"I am the first and I am the last; besides Me there is no god".
Isaiah 45:21-23
"And there is no other god besides Me, a Righteous God and a saviour;there is none besides Me. turn to Me and be saved... To Me every knee shall bow.
In the new Testament
Matthew 4:10
"... Worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve".
Mark 12:29
Jesus said "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one God."
Comment
The concept of God as is plainly stated in the above verses of the Bible is the true and real description of God, as was preached by Jesus, Moses and others in their commandments.
From the above Biblical verses it is quite clear that God is One and only. Therefore, no heavenly body nor any creation can be God since God is One and Alone.
Azaan
Numbers 10:3
And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly, shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
Ablution
The Bible speak of purification of the body before worship, Which was a practice of Jesus (peace be upon him), as well as all the Prophets before him. Ablution means purification of the body before worship by washing some parts of the body like hands, face, feet and so forth.
1. Moses and Aaron purified themselves before prayer by washing their hands and feet.
Exodus 40:31
And he set the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it for washing, with which Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet ... as the Lord commanded Moses.
Comment
The word Commanded in the above verse proves that Moses and Aaron practised ablution not merely because they felt like it, but rather because it was commanded to them by God.
2. David has been recorded to have washed before prayer
2 Samuel 12:20
Then Davd arose from the earth, and washed, and annointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he went into the house of the Lord, and worshipped..
Acts 21:26
Then Paul took the men, and the next day he purified himself with them and went into the temple.
Therefore one should ponder:
What has happened to this practise of washing before prayer?
Why is it not practised today?
And who has maintained this practise today?
Turning towards the certain direction in Prayer
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 God, as he did aforetime.
Greeting with 'Peace' in the Bible
Those around Jesus including Jesus, greeted each other with 'peace' in their everyday life.
John 20:19
"Jesus said to them again, Peace be with you..."
1 Samuel 25:6
"David instructed emissaries whom he sent to Nabal: "And you shall salute him: Peace be to you.."
Females covering their hair in modesty
The women around Jesus veiled themselves, which was also the practice of the women around the earlier prophets. Their garments were loose and covered their bodies entirely including their hair, and sometimes even covering their faces due to extreme modesty and shyness in the presence of strange males.
Genisis 24:64-65
"And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she alghted from the camel, and said to the servant, 'who is the man yonder, walking in the field to meet us?" The servant said, 'It is my master.' So she tok her veil and covered herself."
comment
Rebekah covering her haed in the presence of a strange male was due to her excessive modesty and shyness. This practice is still witnessed by extremely modesty females today, who are in actual fact portraying an example from the Bible.
Paul himself criticizes women unveiling their hair
1 Corinthians 11:5 (new testament)
Paul wrote in his book to the Corinthians 11:5;
"But any woman who prays or prophesieth with her head unveiled dishonours her head it is the same as if her head were shaven. .. For a woman will not veil herself, then she should cut-off her hair; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let she wear her veil."
