Family Heads as Worship Leaders In the Old Testament

The patriarchs of Israel and the leaders or elders of the Israelite tribes are portrayed often in Scripture as taking the lead in their family or community worship of the Lord. The Hebrew Patriarchs The Hebrew patriarchs-Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob-led worship as the heads of their families, bowing down to the Lord and offering sacrifices to him. Abraham built altars to the Lord and "called upon his name" because of his promises of the land and a multitude of descendants (Gen. 12:78). Likewise, Jacob, at the Lord's command, built an altar at Bethel (Gen. 35:13). He had wrestled with the messenger of the Lord at Penuel and prevailed (Gen. 32:22-32) yet bore in his body the marks of that nocturnal struggle even to the end of his life, when he "worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff" (Heb. 11:21). Job, who might have been a contemporary of the patriarchs, offered sacrifices on behalf of his family (Job 1:5), and prayer on behalf of his friends, that their offerings might be acce…