David, A Man After
God's
Own heart
You should understand that God permitted king, kingdom, temple and "like the nation's worship" but just for the moment. The kings would lead the nation into captivity and death. This carried out the conditional sentence imposed at Mount Sinai because of musical idolatry or PLAY or SPORTING.
See how demanding a king lost them the kingdom.
In the following response to a thoughtful e-mail, the letter is in red and our response is in black. This writer brings up some of the major reasons to believe that God commanded or approved of musical worship. We hope to show that music was added in addition to God's law and that it was the natural result of firing God and demanding a human king so they could live and worship like the nations. These are not presented as answers to all questions but short comments. It is an attempt to truly worship God by dialoguing with Him by listening and trying to understand.
The
letter
begins with comments in red.
Friend,
I read with great interest your Study.
Is not music spoken of by Moses as a good thing??Lev 25:9 Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day ofatonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land.
First, we must say that the trumpet or shophar was not a musical instrument. Scholars note that after the final fall of the temple in A.D. 70 the Shophar was allowed specifically because it was not a musical instrument. Without Jerusalem and animal sacrifices there was no rationale for temple music by the Levities. Remember that when Israel sinned, God excluded the people from the tabernacle and placed the Levites to keep them away.
"Only in Psalm 150:3 is it (shophar) mentioned with most of the other really musical instruments. Hence, we must conclude that the function of the shophar was to make noise--be it of earthly or of eschatological character--but not to make music. After the destruction of the temple and the general banishment of all instrumental music, the shophar alone survived, just because
it was not a musical instrument."(International Dictionary of the Bible, p. 473, Abingdon).
In Numbers 10:7 Moses allows the two silver trumpets for calling assembly or going into war or celebrating victory. However, when the "congregation" was assembled for instructions the Law of Moses specifically outlawed the trumpet for making joy.
You correctly state that the Jubilee was intimately connected with the Day of Atonement. Now, if Jesus has become our Atonement, Passover and Jubilee there can be no reason to try to restore any efforts at atonement or "moving into the presence of God" because He has come to live among us.
To see why and how musical noise was outlawed Click Here.
In your study you said the Jubilee was evil and came from Babylon.
No, I didn't say anything like that. Jubilee was a day for restoring all of the lands which the unfaithful had sold and allowed to fall into the hands of the large landowners. At Jubilee, all of the individual lands again became the property of the tribe (denomination??) and it was rented to the individuals in return for the tithe made to the Levities. We are no longer tribalistic but belong to the family of Jesus Christ and can even own private property as Peter told Ananias.
While there is no clear evidence that Israel ever celebrated the Jubilee--
"The trumpet...was used for the purpose of calling the people together when they were to decamp (Num. 10). These trumpets were chiefly used, however, to proclaim the beginning of the civil year, the beginning of the sabbatical year (Lev. 23:24; Num. 29:1), and the beginning of the jubilee (Lev. 25:9, 10)." (Book, Hist. Digest. p. 321).
Click to see the War Rules in the Dead Sea Scrolls: Instruments were to send signals and if you try to MAKE MUSIC you might sound advance when you should be retreating.
Now Joshua did likewise..
And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him. Josh 6:5
And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD. Josh 6:6
And he said unto the people, Pass on, and compass the city, and let him that is armed pass on before the ark of the LORD. Josh 6:7
nd it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns passed on before the LORD, and blew with the trumpets: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them. Josh 6:8 A
And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets, and the rereward came after the ark, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets. Josh 6:9
Now, if you want to break down some walls to the enemy then this may be a good proof text. Music was commonly used as a power device over someone you wished to control. However, Israel fell when the walls were broken down by God to allow foreign influences. Click Here for details.
Remember that the trumpets were given to signal military movements (attack, holocaust, retreat, etc). Or the trumpets and other instruments were all blown or played at the same time. The goal was to create panic in the minds of the enemy and cause them to run (remember Gideon). For that reason, all of the musical terms in the Old Testament have to do with panic, grinding to bits or taking your inheritance.
By looking at the Law Moses gave for the silver trumpets, we find that they had intricate forms of blowing. These were to transmit signals to be heard by perhaps up to 3 million people. Any celebrating with music when the Lord wanted to send a signal (such as at the last trumph) would be dangerous to the whole nation.
"the trumpets were assigned a number of complicated signals, which implied their ability of blowing legato, staccato, and trills, and tonguing, all in unison, not 'simultaneously,' but 'as with one mouth.' Moreover, these apocalyptical trumpets bear different names: trumpets of assembly, of battle, of the slain, of ambush, etc. In general, they were used to terrorize the enemy into panic (Judges 7:19-20). This function was, for all practical purposes, identical with that of the trumpets of Revelation. In the temple the signals of the trumpet introduced every ceremony and every sacrifice." (International Dictionary of the Bible, p. 472-3, Abingdon).
The law, in part, governing the silver trumpets was that:
And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. Numbers 10:3
And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes, which are heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee. Numbers 10:4
This "blowing" was a distinct signal which could not be jived up with a trumpet quartet without, as Paul warned in First Corinthians fourteen, confusing the situation. It was:
Taqa (h8628) taw-kah'; a prim. root; to clatter, i. e. slap (the hands together), clang (an instrument); by anal. to drive (a nail or tent-pin, a dart, etc.); by impl. to become bondsman (by hand-clasping): - blow ([a trumpet]), cast, clap, fasten, pitch [tent], smite, sound, strike, * suretiship, thrust.
You will notice that when an alarm was blown it was a signal to disperse the people. It was not to be used when the congregation came together.
When ye blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward. Numbers 10:5
The alarm was:Teruwah (h8643) ter-oo-aw'; from 7321; clamor, i. e. acclamation of joy or a battle-cry; espec. clangor of trumpets, as an alarum: - alarm, blow (-ing) (of, the) (trumpets), joy, jubile, loud noise, rejoicing, shout (-ing), (high, joyful) sound (-ing).
When ye blow an alarm (h8643) the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey: they shall blow an alarm for their journeys. Numbers 10:6
You can hear these sounds -- they are not musical.
It would probably be a joyful occasion when up to three million people began to march on to new country. However, when God called the congregational assembly, it was for something serious. He wanted to speak to them. The Synagogue and early church assembly recognized the same restriction. Therefore, their worship was primarily dialog: God spoke to them through the Word and they spoke to Him in prayer.
One would not dare have a dance team working up the flock if Jesus came into our midst. Well, He is!
But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow (h8628) , but ye shall not sound an alarm (h7321). Numbers 10:7
This alarm was:
Ruwa (h7321) roo-ah'; a prim. root; to mar (espec. by breaking); fig. to split the ears (with sound), i. e. shout (for alarm or joy): - blow an alarm, cry (alarm, aloud, out), destroy, make a joyful noise, smart, shout (for joy), sound an alarm, triumph.
This was what Judas and friends would try to do. Perhaps this involved the clergy acting like children, piping over Jesus trying to seduce Him into the choral dance of the Dionysus women. However, the Spirit of Christ said:
By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me. Psalm 41:11
Click to see Psalm 41 in the Dead Sea Scrolls
You will notice that this was the only law about "music" God ever wrote. The signal trumpets, like a battlefield telegraph, was to be solely in the hands of the priests:
And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations. Numbers 10:8
"In addition to the sacred trumpets of the Temple, whose use was restricted, even in war and in battle, to the priests, there were others used by the Hebrew generals. Ehud sounded the trumpet to assemble Israel against the Moabites, whose king, Eglon, he had slain (Judg. 3:17-30). Gideon took a trumpet in his hand, and gave each of his followers one, when he assaulted the Midianites (7:2, 16). Joab sounded the trumpet as a signal of retreat to his soldiers, in the battle against Abner (II Sa. 2:28), in that against Absalom 18:16), and in the pursuit of Sheba, son of Bichri (20:22)." (Book, Hist. Digest., p. 321).
All of the musical terms in the Bible speak of literally "going to war."
And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the Lord your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies. Numbers 10:9
It is also clear that God did not order the other instruments or any kind of loud rejoicing during the offering of animal sacrifices. They blew but did not alarm with music:
Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the Lord your God. Numbers 10:10
This is the only "lasting ordinance" God made with anything like a musical instrument. However, the trumpets were not musical instruments and could not be used as such during congregational assemblies. It was the Levities who led Israel astray when David literally changed the worship system from the Mosaic provision.
"The book of Psalms contain new doctrine after the Law of Moses. And after the writing of Moses, it is the second book of doctrine... (David) first gave to the Hebrews a new style of psalmody,
why which he abrogates the ordinances established by Moses with respect to sacrifices,
and introduces the new hymn and a new style of jubilant praise in the worship of God;
and throughout his whole ministry he teaches very many othe things
that went beyond the law of Moses." (Fragment of Commentary by Hippolytus, bishop of Rome, Ante-Nicene, V, p. 170)
Both Josephus and Edersheim show that the Levities had no such authority. He warned the authorities when the Levities wanted to again put on linen garments and sing to enhance the glory of the king. Click Here to see Josephus.
I have some questions...
If it was wrong for King David to use music, why is it written that David was a man after Yahwehs own heart?
The Hebrew, lebab or heart, simply means that God choose David to be king. Remember, that the Israelites defined the nature of the first king and he failed to carry out God's commands to be a king. Remember also that the king was not to be the religious leader but the civil, military leader. Furthermore, God selected David when he was an innocent shepherd.
"The quotation from Acts refers to David early in life, before he had fallen into those great sins which cast such a shadow upon his administration...This commendation is not absolute, but describes the character of David in comparison with that of Saul...It merely indicates a man whom God will approve, in distinction from Saul, who was rejected" (Haley's Bible Handbook, p. 222).
Because Saul often fell into that madness or charismatic prophesying the soldiers asked "is Saul among the prophets?" That meant that they had contempt for and would not win victories. The KING was the Commander In Chief of the Warriors: David made WAR and not WORSHIP. Because they had abandoned God's leadership they needed a human king who could lead the warriors into exterminating the OWNERS OF THE LANDS.
When people are compared to David it is during his first ways and not his last ways:
And the Lord was with Jehoshaphat,
because he walked in the first ways of his father David,
and sought not unto Baalim; 2Chr.17:3
David, like Solomon, had a "catalog" of sins and he went down the list. The only thing David never did was to commit idolatry. Therefore, God didn't love David for what he did but, like us, in spite of his sin.
If you remember I told you and told you that when the elders fired God and demanded a king like the nations God knew that they wanted to worship like the nations. God permitted the king but his WILL was that the kings would enslave them and carry out the captivity and death sentence imposed because of musical idolatry at Mount Sinai.
G2307 thelēma thel'-ay-mah From the prolonged form of G2309 ; a determination (properly the thing), that is, (actively) choice (specifically purpose, decree; abstractly volition) or (passively) inclination:—desire, pleasure, will.
Therefore, we cannot use David as an example. He was the "shadow" but Christ is the real king, prince, redeemer, Captain.
Also the Messiah was promised to come from his line. It is written that Yahweh would chastise him but NEVER take his mercy from him.
King David was all wrapped up in music long before he ever became king. He used to play music for King Saul so the evil spirit would leave him.
As I remember it, Jesus may have also been related to Rahab (perhaps the harlot) and to Gentiles. However, in John 6:63 Jesus said that the flesh counted for nothing. Rather, it was the words which came out of His mouth and which He defined as "spirit" and "life."
The same music which soothed Saul's insanity was also used to bring an evil spirit upon him. Indeed, since God would not kill Saul, panic created by David's music was His device to "send an evil spirit" into him to force him into "prophesying" which, as in his original signs of madness, caused the men to hold Saul in contempt.
"...by speaking of Himself as 'greater than the Temple' (Mt. 12:6) and by quoting Hos. 6:6, 'I desire goodness and not sacrifice,' He indicated the relative subortinateness of the temple and its whole system of worship, and in His utterance to the woman of Samaria He intimated the abolition both of the whole idea of the central sanctuary and of the entire ceremonial worship; 'Neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, shall ye worship the Father'; they that worship him must worship in spirit (mind) and truth" (Jn. 4:21, 24)." (Int. Std. Bible Ency., Worship, p. 3111).
While it is very true that much is written to show music used as your paper says, it also says much for music being good and casting away fear.
The armies advanced after the musicians. The wall of Jericho comes to mind. The players advanced first. So it seems music is used by good and evil.
Miriam played the tumbrel. Wouldn't the Holy Giver of Life warn her of such folly? Yahweh seemed to cover all areas for Moses and Israel, no forbidding of music was mentioned. If music has as deep and evil roots as you warn would he not have warned us plainly??? He clearly warns us of all else.
Music is advertized by the modern "Jubilee" as having the power to create worship to "lead the worshipers into the presence of God." That is the identical goal of pagan prophesiers. It was occasionally used by true prophets to bring on God's message of judgment against the people who ignored the Word. When Miriam, perhaps because she was a musical "prophesier," claimed to be able to speak for God she was struck with leprosy. God said that when He wanted to deliver a message, He was competent to pick the person and speak through him.
While Moses was reciting the song to the people, Miriam led the women out (meaning to escape or break out) in exactly the way she may have in Egypt. Remember, that Israel did not worship Jehovah for the years in Egypt and in the wilderness. See my blurb about Miriam Click Here.
When the music was set forth and the people praised the HOLY ONE and played their music Yahweh was pleased. The following is written just after such a praise method using music King David assembled for the purpose of praise. Here is what the Holy One answered him...
All the Levities who were musicians--Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun and their sons and relatives--stood on the east side of the altar, dressed in fine linen and playing cymbals, harps and lyres. They were accompanied by 120 priests sounding trumpets. 2 Chr 5:12
The trumpeters and singers joined in unison, as with one voice, to give praise and thanks to the LORD. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, they raised their voices in praise to the LORD and sang: "He is good; his love endures forever." Then the temple of the LORD was filled with a cloud, 2 Chr 5:13
Because the trumpets or shofars and the cymbals were not musical instruments what you have is a "great crasing sound"
The "people" did not worship with musical instruments. Only the Priests were authorized and the Levities usurped this priestly duty. They would be "sat down" in Ezekiel's Idealized Temple (Eze 40f). Josephus agrees. See Edersheim's Comments.
If you will notice, the temple was filled with a cloud and the priests could not minister. The congregation of Israel never worshipped with music. Rather, music was the exclusive role of the clergy class in worship surrounding the temple and was connected with animal sacrifices. Christ has made the one last sacrifice and if we attempt to restore this old system we may insult Him. While this was going on, the congregation was "outside the camp" making their own prayers to Him. And He heard from heaven;
Hearken therefore unto the supplications of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, which they shall make toward this place: hear thou from thy dwelling place, even from heaven; and when thou hearest, forgive. 2Chr.6:21
Could this have been a continuing way for God to show that He did not live in houses? Remember that in Acts 7, Stephen made this point. While David as a type wanted to put God in a house because he, David, had a house, the True David does not live in houses:
"The Son of God constituted in His incarnate presence the true 'sacred place' (Matt. 12:6; cf. John 2:20). By His death, He rent away the temple veil and all the system of restricted access to God that had bulked so large in the Old Testament ceremonial (Matt. 27:51). His message to the woman of Samaria revealed that henceforth men were to seek God, neither in Gerizim nor in Jerusalem (John 4:21), but in the direct spiritual worship of the Father through Himself (vv. 24, 26). ..The Old Testament concept of the sanctuary as the sacred place of God's presence has thus now attained its universalistic accomplishment in the Christian Church, which is the body of Christ (Eph. 5:30). For where two or three are gathered together in His name, there is Christ in the midst of them (Matt. 18:20)." (Anderson, Bernard, Theo. of OT, pp 368-369)
2 Chr 7:12 the LORD appeared to him at night and said: "I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices.
This seems to be defacto proof that God just then permitted the temple to be the place toward which they could pray in their desperation but He would hear from heaven. The Hebrew people honored the house more than they did God. However, the synagogue task was conducted "outside the walls" of the civil state capital by the teaching priests and by personal faithfulness and prayer. There never was any music in the synagogues. Not because it was evil but because there simply was no rationale for a "worship team" in the "Physics class."
2 Chr 7:13 "When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people,
2 Chr 7:14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
2 Chr 7:15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.
2 Chr 7:16 I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.
2 Chr 7:17 "As for you, if you walk before me as David your father did, and do all I command, and observe my decrees and laws,
2 Chr 7:18 I will establish your royal throne, as I covenanted with David your father when I said, 'You shall never fail to have a man to rule over Israel.'
Yahweh sure seemed pleased here. So you can see why I am a little confused.... These are the very ones your paper states were doing wrong ...Asaph in particular.
These men had foreign names and their guilds had Canaanite or Ugaritic names. It was not the priests who selected the added musicians for religious duties. Rather, when the wars were over and the "military industrial complex" had too many soldiers, it was:
David, together with the commanders of the army, set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun for the ministry of prophesying (singing as they were not prophets), accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals. Here is the list of the men who performed this service: 1Chr.25:1
The following chart is a loose collection of ideas to show that the priests were faithful to the Lord in the use of the trumpets as signaling devices. However, the Levities used the instruments of David and accompanied or "enhanced" that which had been ordered by God:
|
"All these men were under the supervision of their fathers for the music of the temple of the Lord, with cymbals, lyres and harps, for the ministry at the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman were under the supervision of the king"(1 Chron 25:6). |
"They divided them impartially by drawing lots, for there were officials of the sanctuary and officials of God among the descendants of both Eleazar and Ithamar" (1 Chronicles 24:5) |
|
"The Levities stood with the instruments of David
When the burnt offering began--------------> |
------and the priests with the trumpets...
|
|
Accompanied by the instruments of David" (2 Chron. 29:26b,
27b).----->
|
------the song of the Lord with the trumpets
|
Also regarding "KING" .. Yes Yahweh was very upset with Israel for asking for a King. However he NEVER said the King would destroy them but that their King would tax them and take the best for himself. The only prayer regarding their King that would not be accepted, was the prayer of complaint for him taking the best for himself...
1 Sam 8:17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves.
1 Sam 8:18 When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day."
1 Sam 8:19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want a king over us.
1 Sam 8:20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles."
One of the signs, along with the musical prophets from the Philistine high place, was the destruction of the wheat harvest:
Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the Lord, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the Lord, in asking you a king. 1Sa 12:17
So Samuel called unto the Lord; and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel. 1Sam 12:18
Their rescue was always conditioned upon obeying God. However, they never would and the result would be:
But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king. 1 Sam 12:25
We know that in jiffy quick order, Israel gained military victory over the surrounding people but they never became spiritual. When time came, as God had already sentenced them in the wilderness, all of Israel went into captivity and probably most died or never returned. A little remnant of Judah finally returned from Babylonian captivity and rebuilt a pitiful temple. The people deserted it and refused to support it with their tithes. After Nehemiah, the temple was not heard from for 100 years when they were sacrificing pigs on the altar.
Saul was the King given in wrath... After Saul came David...
1 Sam 16:1 And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.
And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. 1 Samuel 8:7
I believe that the rejection of God and the choice of a human king, like the nations, meant that all future kings would fulfill the prophecy. For instance, Saul did none of the things which God predicted of the king. It was left to David and Samuel to enslave the people for his own personal use as "a man of blood" to win military victory.
The "instruments of chariots" were the musical instruments which those who "ran before his chariot" would use to toot the commoners out of the way. To see who added the musical worship as a "jump start" to the Temple which God didn't really need, Click Here.
David has a strange understanding of himself. I am sure that as a king, David did what was required to be done in helping to protect a nation already doomed at the foot of Mount Sinai if they did not change their ways. The need for a human king proved that they were on their way to Assyrian and Babylonian captivity. However, David was not selected to be Israel's spiritual leader. Note what David said of himself:
The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me. 2 Sam 22:21
For I have kept the ways of the LORD; I have not done evil by turning from my God. 2 Sam 22:22
All his laws are before me; I have not turned away from his decrees. 2 Sam 22:23
They set up kings without my consent; they choose princes without my approval. With their silver and gold they make idols for themselves to their own destruction. Hosea 8:4
Because of all their wickedness in Gilgal, I hated them there. Because of their sinful deeds, I will drive them out of my house. I will no longer love them; all their leaders are rebellious. Hosea 9:15
Then they will say, "We have no king because we did not revere the LORD. But even if we had a king, what could he do for us?" Hosea 10:3
Since the days of Gibeah, you have sinned, O Israel, and there you have remained. Did not war overtake the evildoers in Gibeah? Hosea 10:9
This prophecy is of Christ: However no mention of David being a cast away.. The guy who set up music right in the sanctuary...
Jesus, as the One God was both the root and the branch or offspring of David.
I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. Revelation 22:16
Therefore, the "throne" belonged to Christ from eternity. As David was honored for his great political and military skills, His literal, fleshly Son would be the great Spiritual leader. David would be the ruler of "flesh" but Christ would be the ruler of spirit or mind. David would worship with his external body, Christ would bring a system of "worship in spirit and in truth." All that this requires is God's Word and One's mind.
You will remember that the "tree" or Branch of Jesse was cut clean down. David's tomb was with the people when Jesus came. Therefore, David thought that when "the Lord said to my lord" it probably meant him. And when he was promised a "house" he wanted to build a temple. However, God meant a family. Most of the types of the Old Covenant are very negative. Therefore, God would come to earth to show the substance of which the Law was only the shadow.
The Jews and especially Judas would attempt to use wind instruments to "triumph over" Jesus. However, we note that in Psalm 41 he would not force Jesus into the naked dance or "play" performed by the Israelites at Mount Sinai and by David as he was separating the Ark of the Covenant from the place of God's presence at Gibeon. He called the children.
Psa 89:20 I have found David my servant;
with my holy oil have I anointed him:
Psa 89:21 With whom my hand shall be established:
mine arm also shall strengthen him.
Psa 89:22 The enemy shall not exact upon him; nor the son of wickedness afflict him.
Psa 89:23 And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him.
Psa 89:24 But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted.
Psa 89:25 I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers.
Psa 89:26 He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.
Psa 89:27 Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.
Psa 89:28 My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him.
Psa 89:29 His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven.
Psa 89:30 If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments;
Psa 89:31 If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments;
Psa 89:32 Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.
Psa 89:33 Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.
Psa 89:34 My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.
Psa 89:35 Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David.
Psa 89:36 His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me.
Psa 89:37 It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.King David was blessed by Yahweh. Called the sweet Psalmist of Israel. No admonition to get rid of music.
I believe that this is prophetic of the Spiritual "David" who would not build a physical building but a "house" or a spiritual family
I believe that another article will help explain my position on music purely from the desire to know what God really said and not to try, as I have been accused by some spiritual person, to be the "praise police."
Many
scholars agree that David
changed the Mosaic Law and that
others tried at
times to restore. However, as Israel had chosen human kings
like
the
nations so that they
might worship
like the nations, God sent them kings when they rejected His
word. Again:
"The book of Psalms contain new doctrine after the Law of Moses. And after the writing of Moses, it is the second book of doctrine... (David) first gave to the Hebrews a new style of psalmody, why which he abrogates the ordinances established by Moses with respect to sacrifices, and introduces the new hymn and a new style of jubilant praise in the worship of God; and throughout his whole ministry he teaches very many othe things that went beyond the law of Moses." (Fragment of Commentary by Hippolytus, bishop of Rome, Ante-Nicene, V, p. 170)
You say, "We want to be like the nations, like the peoples of the world, who serve wood and stone." But what you have in mind will never happen. Eze.20:32
When a people ignore the Words of an infinite, holy God, He is under no obligation to spell out each infraction. The prophet's whole reason for existing was to warn against error. There are many examples of their warning against music by showing that it was defacto proof that people would not listen: Job 21, Amos 5, 6, 8; Isaiah 5, Ezekiel 33, etc.
I am all for getting rid of Babylon out of Church. It still seems music can be used for good or evil.
Thanks for your letter and I hope that have shown you why I believe that the Bible does not defend or command instrumental -- or most forms -- of music as a device to worship God. It is not evil but it prevents dialog with God. It is a way to bypass the rational part of the mind and produce pure emotions with little possible of working ethical changes.
It becomes evil and the promoters Satanic when they try to force it onto unwilling people by using the mind-manipulating methods of self-styled Change Agents. Click Here and Here to see how intrusive these people can be. Jubilee 98 and probably Jubilee 99 spent an estimated 1/4 of a million dollars. From my seeing the major speeches and performances, the primary goal was to "demonstrate" and en-practice the Willow Creek form of commercial worship involving men trying to fly by waving their hands, worship teams, hand raising, laying on of hands, drama and instrumental music in their "world-wide" worship rituals.
The new "in word" or secret code is praxis. Praxis is "practice, as distinguished from theory, of an art, science, etc. established practices; customs, a set of examples or exercises. Therefore, music is one of the "break-down-the-walls" exercises of the change agents to put the "audience" through a set of physically-enforced exercises. One friend likened it to: "Simon says."
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