From Temple to Liturgy: How Old Testament Worship Lives in the Orthodox Church

“And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. And he sent young men of the children of Israel, who offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the LORD. And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basins; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the hearing of the people: and they said, All that the LORD has said will we do, and be obedient. And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD has made with you concerning all these words” (Exodus 24:4-8)

I believe it is fair to say that anyone reading this scene of Old Testament worship can conclude that worship as we know it today is not nearly as visceral of an experience as Moses and the prophets had known. To the Orthodox Christian, however, this scene should be quite familiar.