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Paul's Proscription of Pharmakeia. Sounds of String, Wind and Percussion instruments are SORCERY and PROSTITUTION. 

"Al Maxey Not A Christian" Jesus told me so.

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g2323. THERAPEUO, ther-ap-yoo´-o; from the same as 2324; to wait upon menially, i.e. (figuratively) to adore (God), or (specially) to relieve (of disease): — cure, heal, worship.

-therap-ōn  henchman, attendant [1] “Mousaōn [2] therapontes”

[1]   Mousa music, song [3 below]  stu^ger-os , Mousa “kanakhan . . theias antiluron mousas”
        II. mousa, as Appellat., music, song, “m. stugera” A.Eu.308   
        moisan pherein      LADED BURDEN
       adokim-os , disreputable, discredited, reprobate,
      “kanakhan . . theias antiluron mousas 
   
S.Tr.643       
        moisan pherein”\
        “adein adokimon m.” Plat. Laws 775b

[2]  therapontes” [preacher of]

kērux generally, public messenger, envoy,
“k., Dios  aggeloi ēde kai andrōn” 1.334; theōn k., of [2]
        Zēus”,[preacher of] ploutou, Semitic Baalim, [preacher of]. Beelbōsōros, .[preacher of] Ōromasdēs, [preacher of] Dios astēr the planet Jupiter [preacher of]  Ploutōn A.Pluto, god of the nether world,rom ploutos) the wealth-giver, a name of Hades, Eur. Alc. 360, Soph. Ich. 273

Eur. Alc. 360 If I had the voice and music of Orpheus so that I could charm Demeter's daughter or her husband with song and fetch you from Hades, [360] I would have gone down to the Underworld, and neither Pluto's hound nor Charon the ferryman of souls standing at the oar would have kept me from bringing you back to the light alive.

Soph. Ich. 273 Zeus came secretly to Atlas's house ... to the deep-girdled goddess ¹ ... and in a cave begot a single son [Hermes, Kairos]He has a hidden machine that makes the sound you're asking about, that so surprised you. It's a box full of pleasure that he made in just one day from a dead animal [A Turtle] he found, and he's down there shaking it.

[preacher as] “kērukōn, hoi dēmioergoi

a skilled workman, handicraftsman,
    peithous dēmiourgos hē rhētorikē
    from presbeis, as being messengers between nations at war
    used interchangeably with apostolos,
[preacher of]    2. crier, who made proclamation and kept order in assemblies, etc.

THE PARASITES IN THE MARKETPLACE WAITING FOR THE ATHENIAN ECCLESIA.  The Kerux or PREACHER was just to keep order
THE Herald, when summonig a meeting of the Council, was quite as much a signal for the citizens to hurry from the Agora, each in terror of arrest, as it was for the Council to proceed to the Council-chamber.³

    Ar.Ach.42  They are gossiping in the marketplace, slipping hither and thither to avoid the vermilioned rope.⁹ The Prytanes¹⁰ even do not come; they will be late, but when they come they will push and fight each other for a seat in the front row. which never told me to ‘buy fuel, vinegar or oil’; there the word ‘buy,’ which cuts me in two, was unknown; I harvested everything at will. Therefore I have come to the assembly fully prepared to bawl, interrupt and abuse the speakers, if they talk of anything but peace,
        9 Several means were used to force citizens to attend the assemblies; the shops were closed; circulation was only permitted in those streets which led to the Pnyx; finally, [from PSALLO] a rope covered with vermilion was drawn round those who dallied in the Agora (the market-place), and the late-comers, ear- marked by the imprint of the rope, were fined.
        The assemblies of the people; they were FIFTY in number.
       
[Minister of]    mustēs , ou, ho, (mueō) A.one initiated
        “ta mustōn orgia”[WRATH] (Prob. cogn. with erdō, rhezō, cf. ergon, orgeōn.）
        orgeōnII. of men, like sphrigaō, swell with lust, wax wanton, be rampant
        to be in heat, desire sexual intercourse

John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him,
        If ye CONTINUE in my WORD, THEN are ye my disciples indeed

"Applied to Persian priests or astrologers of Babylon. Pharmakos (g5333) an adjective signifying "devoted to magical arts," is used as a noun, "a sorcerer," especially one who uses drugs, potions, spells, enchantments, Rev 21:8, in the best texts (some have pharmakeus) and 22:15" Vine

pharmakos I. a poisoner, sorcerer, magician, NTest.

II. one who is sacrificed as an atonement for others, a scape-goat, Ar.; and, since worthless fellows were reserved for this fate, pharmakos became a general name of reproach, id=Ar., Dem.

Kuon (g2965) koo'-ohn; a prim. word; a dog ["hound"] (lit. or fig.): - dog.

For without are dogs, and sorcerers (pharmakos: poison with a magical drug incantation), and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. Revelation 22:15

Keleb (h3611) keh'leb; from an unused root mean. to yelp, or else to attack; a dog; hence (by euphemism) a male prostitute: - dog.

And the sorcerer is:

"Applied to Persian priests or astrologers of Babylon. Pharmakos (g5333) an adjective signifying "devoted to magical arts," is used as a noun, "a sorcerer," especially one who uses drugs, potions, spells, enchantments, Rev 21:8, in the best texts (some have pharmakeus) and 22:15" Vine

Rev. 18:20 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.
Rev. 18:21 And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.
Rev. 18:22 And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee;
Rev. 18:23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy MERCHANTS were the great men of the earth; for by thy SORCERERS were all nations deceived.

Rev. 19:20 And the BEAST was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the MARK of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

Apollyon the BEAST leading the Locusts-Musicians so that BEAST means a new form of music and Satyric Drama.

Tyre as Lucifer-Apollon-Leader of the Muses as dirty adulteress has been unleashed SELL their witches brew.

Ezek. 26:12 And they shall make a spoil of thy riches,
        and make a prey of thy merchandise:  [Making merchandise of Jesus the Christ]
        and they shall break down thy walls, and destroy thy pleasant houses:
        and they shall lay thy stones and thy timber and thy dust in the midst of the water.
Ezek. 26:13 And I will cause the NOISE of thy SONGS to cease;  [Strolling Merchant or Prostitute]
        and the SOUND of thy harps shall be no more heard.

Craftsmen are Religious Techne: Speakers, singers and instrument players are PARASITE-Sorcerers and are alreading lighting the fires and beign consumed by the BREATH (spirit) of their Anti-Christian lips.

Apologetiqueo.org: Islam, is probably the most famous of those who have practiced glossolalia. The phenomenon often occurs during a state of trance. Another person may receive the "interpretation" of the sounds uttered by the first person.

Given the importance of the hellenestic (issued from the kingdom of Alexander the Great) world for the study of Christianity we will focus on the Greek language and culture. Three Greek roots can be used to describe the phenomenon: "mantia" (manteia) which is the most commonly used for describing glossolalia, "chresteria" (crhsthria) and "chrao" (craw).

Glossolalie and its interpretation are mentionned in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 18:10) as part of pagan religious practices (deu 18:9). The words used in the Septuaginta, the Greek version of the Old Testament are:

• - "mantevomenos" (manteuomenoV): "he who practices glossolalia" (unfortunately translated by "he who practices divination"in the French translation by Louis Segond);
• - "mantian klidonizomenos" (manteian klhdonizomenoV): "he who interprets glossolalia (unfortunately translated by "he who looks for omens" by L.Segond).

It is noteworthy that in this verse (deu 18:10) glossolalia is listed along with practices such as divination and witchcraft (oiwnizomenoV et farmakoV) and is strictly prohibited.

The phenomenon was very well known during the hellenistic antiquity. It was often used to know the thoughts of a god, or "daimonon" (daimonion, which gave the word "demon".) One would consult the oracles given by some mediums; the Greek for "medium" was "prophitis" (profhthV which gave the word "prophet".) [Miriam and the Levites]  A first medium would receive the oracle as an utterance of glossolalia, and other mediums would receive the interpretation of this oracle. The most famous mediums were probably the Pythia at Delphi and the Sibyls; these would practice glossolalia and were then interpreted by other mediums, as was the case of the many other mediums mentionned by the authors of the antiquity.

Strong’s #5331, pharmakeia, from pharmakon, a drug, which in the Gr. writers is used both for a curative or medicinal drug, and also as a poisonous one. Pharmakeia means the occult, sorcery, witchcraft, illicit pharmaceuticals, trance, magical incantation with drugs (Gal. 5:20; Rev. 9:21; 18:23; Sept.: Ex. 7:22; Is. 47:9, 12). (pp. 1437, 1438)

“Strong’s #5332, pharmakeus; gen. pharmakeos, from pharmakeuo, to administer a drug. An enchanter with drugs, a sorcerer ([i]Rev. 21:8 [TR]) (Ibid., p. 1438)

“Strong’s #5333, pharmakos, gen. pharmakou. A magician, sorcerer, enchanter (Rev. 21:8 [UBS]; 22:15; Sept.: Ex. 7:11; 9:11; Deut. 18:10; Dan. 2:2). The same as pharmakeus (5332). The noun pharmakeia (5331) means the preparing and giving of medicine, and in the NT, sorcery, enchantment.” (Ibid.)

Dem. 25 79  No; I am wrong. He has a brother, who is present here in court and who brought that precious action against him. What need to say anything about him? He is own brother to the defendant, born of the same father and mother, and, to add to his misfortunes, he is his twin. It was this brother—I pass over the other facts—who got possession of the drugs and charms from the servant of Theoris of Lemnos, the filthy sorceress whom you put to death on that account with all her family.

Theōr-is , idos, hē, II. pl.,= Bakkhai, Id., cf. Plb.30.25.12; of attendants of Apollo, Nonn.D.9.261.

pharma^k-is , idos, fem. of pharmakeus,

A. sorceress, witch, D.25.79, Arist.HA577a13, A. R.4.53:— as Adj., “gunē ph.” Ar.Nu.749; irreg. Sup., “pharmakistotatai gunaikōn” J.AJ17.4.1, cf. Suid. s.v. Mēdeia.

II. fem. Adj., poisonous, venomous, “saura” Nic.Al.538.

“The word translated in the AV ‘witchcraft’ in Gal 5:20 (pharmakeia) is the ordinary Greek one for ‘sorcery,’ and is so rendered in the RV, though it means literally the act of administering drugs and then of magical potions. It naturally comes then to stand for the magician’s art, as in the present passage and also in . . . the LXX of Isa 47:9 . . . translated ‘sorceries’.” (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, James Orr, Ed., Vol. 5, p. 3097.)

Therefore hear now this, thou that art given to pleasures, that dwellest carelessly, that sayest in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children: Isa 47:8

But these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: they shall come upon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries, and for the great abundance of thine enchantments. Isa 47:9

Isa. 8:19 And when they shall say unto you, 
        Seek unto them that have familiar spirits,
        and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter:
        should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?
goēs , 

A. sorcerer, wizard, Phoronis 2, Hdt.2.33,4.105, Pl.R. 380d,  “g. epōdos Ludias apo khthonos” E.Ba.234, cf. Hipp.1038. for boēsi Hdt.7.191.

2. juggler, cheat, “deinos g. kai pharmakeus kai sophistēs” Pl.Smp.203d; “deinon kai g. kai sophistēn . . onomazōn” D.18.276; “apistos g. ponēros” Id.19.109; “magos kai g.” Aeschin.3.137: 

sophis-tēs , ou, ho,

A.master of one's craft, adept, expert, of diviners, Hdt.2.49; of poets, “meletan sophistais prosbalon” Pi.I.5(4).28, cf. Cratin.2; of musicians, “sophistēs . . parapaiōn khelun” [turtle harp] A.Fr.314, cf. Eup.447, Pl.Com. 140; sophistē Thrēki (sc. Thamyris) E.Rh.924, cf. Ath.14.632c: with modal words added, “hoi s. tōn hierōn melōn” Ael.NA11.1; of the Creator of the universe (ho dēmiourgos）, panu thaumaston legeis s. Pl.R.596d; of cooks, “eis tous s. ton mageiron eggraphō” Alex.149.14, cf. Euphro 1.11; hoi tēn hippeian s. skilled in . . , Ael.NA13.9: metaph., s. pēmatōn deviser, contriver of pains, E.Heracl.993:—then,
3. later of the rhētores, Professors of Rhetoric, and prose writers of the Empire, such as Philostratus and Libanius, Suid.; “Apollōnidē sophistē” PLips. 97 X 18 (iv A.D.); freq. as a title in epitaphs, IG3.625,637,680,775, 14.935.

Is. 8:20 To the law and to the testimony:
        if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

All Maxey Berean Spirit: "God never spoke a single sentence about instrumental music in His Word? Therefore, we are authorized to add instrumental music? Al Maxey is an elder and preacher at the Cuba Avenue Church of christ, Alamogordo, NM.

Revised 5.24.13 Thou has Turned My Mourning into Dancing. Perhaps by God's design, they didn't read enough to understand that this is the GENDER mark well documented by Christ in Isaiah 3.

THIS IS THE MARK OF THE PROGRESSIVES--BACK TO BABYLON: JAY GUIN KEEPS A LIST: Matthew 27:29 And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand:         and they bowed the knee before him,         and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! Matthew 27:31 And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him,         and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him. illūdo (inl- I  Neutr., to play at or with any thing, to sport with, amuse one's self with (syn. colludo; cf. ludificor). 1. To scoff or mock at, to make a laughing-stock of, to ridicule (so most freq.): “satis superbe illuditis me, “feminarum illustrium capitibus,”  : illusa pictae vestis inania, rhetorum), How to use PSALLO to turn captives into WOMEN Grant, then, forgiveness to the Lydians, and to make sure of their never rebelling against thee, or alarming thee more, send and forbid them to keep any weapons of war, command them to wear tunics under their cloaks, and to put buskins upon their legs, ..........and make them bring up their sons to cithern-playing (Kitharizein), singing (psallein), ..........and shop-keeping (Hucksterism).  So wilt thou soon see them become women instead of men, and there will be no more fear of their revolting from thee." -[4] Ludoisi de sungnômên echôn tade autoisi epitaxon, hôs mête aposteôsi mête deinoi toi eôsi: apeipe men sphi pempsas hopla arêia mê ektêsthai, keleue de spheas kithônas -[khiton  David's garment] te hupodunein toisi heimasi kai kothornous hupodeesthai, proeipe d' autoisi -kitharizein te kai psallein kai kapêleuein [prostitutes, petty trade, playing tricks, corrupting] paideuein tous paidas. kai tacheôs spheas ô basileu gunaikas ant' andrôn opseai gegonotas, hôste ouden deinoi toi esontai mê aposteôsi." The word kitharizo means to PLAY THE CITHARA and does not include singing. -Kitharizô 1 [kitharis] to play the cithara, phormingi [Apollo] kitharize Il., Hes.; lurêi eraton kitharizôn Hhymn. (so that there can have been no great difference between the kithara, lura, and phorminx ); kitharizein ouk epistatai, of an uneducated person, -Kithar-isis , eôs, hê, playing on the cithara, Pl.Prt.325e; k. psilê, i.e. without the voice, Id.Lg.669e, cf. Pae.Delph.15; aulêsis kai k. Phld.Mus.p.23 K. -Arassô ,of any violent impact, with collat. notion of rattling, clanging, as of horses, hoplais, pound in a mortar, strike with a shower of stones. a). kitharēn strike the lyre, Orph.A.382; humnon, melos, etc., Nonn.D.1.15,440, etc. 2. c. dat. modi, arassein tina oneidesi, kakois, assail with reproaches or threats, II. Pass., to be dashed against, dash one against the other Pound in a mortar, “holmō a.” Nic. Th.508 When they MOCKED Jesus the prophecy used the word Alarm or Triumph which is to play loud wind instruments and make a loud rejoicing sound. G1702 empaizō emp-aheed'-zo From G1722 and G3815 ; to jeer at, that is, deride: Empaizō , fut. A.“-xomai” LXXHb.1.10: pf. empepaikha ib.Nu.22.29:— mock at, mock, “tini” Hdt.4.134; 3. Pass., to be deluded, Ev.Matt.2.16, AP10.56.2 (Pall.), Vett.Val.16.14; to be defrauded, of the revenues, Cod.Just.1.34.2. II. sport in or on, “hōs nebros khloerais e. leimakos hēdonais” E.Ba. 866 (lyr.); tois khoroisin e. to sport in the dance, Ar.Th.975; “tō gumnasiō” Luc.Lex.5.  E.Ba. 866 Euripides, Bacchae ........OnLine Text   Chorus Shall I move my white foot in the night-long dance, aroused to a frenzy, [865] throwing my head to the dewy air, like a fawn sporting in the green pleasures of the meadow, when it has escaped a fearful chase beyond the watchers [870] over the well-woven nets, and the hunter hastens his dogs [Catamites] on their course with his call, while she, with great exertion and a storm-swift running, rushes along the plain by the river, rejoicing [875] in the solitude apart from men and in the thickets of the shady-foliaged woods. What is wisdom? Or what greater honor do the gods give to mortals than to hold one's hand [880] in strength over the head of enemies? What is good is always dear. Empaiktês , ou, ho,A. mocker, deceiver, LXXIs.3.4, 2 Ep.Pet.3.3, Ep.Jud. 18. 2 Peter 2:13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; Entrupo (g1792) en-troo-fah'-o; from 1722 and 5171; to revel in: - sporting selves. Truphaô , ( [truphê] 2. part. truphōn as Adj., effeminate, luxurious, Ar.Nu.48, etc.; “t. kai amelēs” Pl.Lg.901a; “to truphōn” effeminacy, Ar.V.1455 (lyr.); also of things, dainty, delicate,  “paison, II. to be licentious, run riot, wax wanton, Ar.Lys.405, etc.; to be extravagant Paison paizô [pais] 2. esp. dance, “paisate” Od.8.251; “dōma peristenakhizeto possin andrōn paizontōn” 23.147, cf. Hes.Sc.277; “p. te kai khoreuein” alla pepaistai metriōs hēmin, of the chorus, 4. play on a musical instrument, h.Ap.206: c. acc., “Pan ho kalamophthogga paizōn” Ar.Ra.230; dance and sing, Pi. O.1.16. 5. play amorously, IT'S TRUE: JESUS NEVER POSTED A LAW THAT SAID "THOU SHALT NOT MUSICALLY MOCK ME"

Exodus 18 defined non-mercinary elders to TEACH groups as small as 10 families who where quarantined to their small village and could not attend the Worship of the starry nost in Jerusalem.  The Spirit of Christ in the wilderness excluded vocal or instrumental rejoicing or Al Maxey's form of composing his own "scriptures."

2.09.13 Why do preachers work so hard proving their right to command, example and infer and deny God that power When there is so many direct commands, examples, inferences and those respecting God in church history insisting that God is the only Being with the authority to speak; Jesus proved Himself a Son by refusing to speak anything that God did not breath (Spirit) into Him as the Incarnate Logos.

The direct command is to PREACH the Word by READING the Word for comfort and doctrine. Therefore, the deep psychological motive might be to explain what they will say to God when they corrupted the word by selling their learning at wholesale.

Christ in Isaiah 57 commands the Law of Silence for both male and female other than teaching that which has been taught

The Ekklesia as A Church of Christ or Paul's use of SYNAGOGUE demanded the silencing of all of the performing arts so that they could "use one mind and one mouth to speak that which is written for our learning."

Isa 57:1 THE righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away,
        none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.

Isa 57:2 He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.

rĕ-quĭesco  
B. Trop., to repose, find rest, take consolation:  
II. Act., to let rest; to stop, stay, arrest turba
turba . a turmoil, hubbub, uproar, disorder, tumult, commotion, disturbance, of a crowd of people “turbae carmina,”
“inanium verborum,” Quint. 8, 2, 17: “argumentorum,”

These monuments always show the Israelites as having straight noses, typical of Anglo Saxons. Other monuments, when they show Hittites or other Canaanite people, always show a hook nosed face.

Naturally such Canaanite faces would stand out in contrast to the Anglo Saxon, Israelite faces of Jerusalem. Even today these Canaanite faces stand out in Washington, D.C., London, New York, Los Angeles and other governmental or commercial cities. These are the people that can be recognized by the mere sight of their faces. These were the people that told the entire house of Israel to get out of Jerusalem, as these Canaanites were taking the land for themselves.

These infiltrating Canaanites weren't part of Yahweh's own vine, for they never were any part of true Israel. They had secured positions of wealth and power in Israel and Judah. They were corrupting the nation so that it was no longer bearing the sort of fruit, which Yahweh expected from His vine.

See Isaiah 5.

These Canaanite infiltrators are also the same people against whom Yahweh spoke in Isaiah 57:3-4. In the Hebrew He calls these Canaanites, "children of inborn transgression, and a false seed."

Isa 57:3 But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore.

Isa 57:4 Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood,

ludo to to SPORT play at a game of some kind:Esp., to play on an instrument of music, to make or compose music or song: “ludere quae vellem calamo permisit agresti,”
B. to sport, dally, wanton (cf. "amorous play," Milton, P. L. 9, 1045): “scis solere illam aetatem tali ludo ludere,” Plaut. Most. 5, 2, 36
“ludere opus,” to imitate work, make believe work,

Sport:

Anag (h6026) aw-nag'; a prim. root; to be soft or pliable, i. e. (fig.) effeminate or luxurious: - delicate (-ness), (have) delight (self), sport self.

Empaizô , fut. - mock at, mock, tini

2. euphem. in mal. part., LXXJd. 19.25.

Jdg 19:24 Behold, here is my daughter a maiden, and his concubine; them I will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth good unto you: but unto this man do not so vile a thing. 

The viol or nebel is named after VILE which can be an empty bag or a harp. 

Jdg 19:25 But the men would not hearken to him: so the man took his concubine, and brought her forth unto them; and they knew her, and abused her all the night until the morning: and when the day began to spring, they let her go

Illudo to play at or with any thing, to sport with, amuse one's self with, 2. To sport or fool away a thing, i. e. to destroy or waste in sport; in mal. part., to violate, abuse

3. Pass., to be deluded, Ev.Matt.2.16, AP10.56.2 (Pall.), Vett.Val.16.14; to be defrauded, of the revenues, Cod.Just.1.34.2.

 

II. sport in or on, hôs nebros chloerais e. leimakos hêdonais E.Ba. 866 (lyr.); tois choroisin e. to sport in the dance, Ar.Th.975; tôi gumnasiôi Luc.Lex.5 .

 

Hêdonê A. enjoyment, pleasure, first in Simon.71, S.l.c., Hdt.1.24, al.; prop. of sensual pleasures,

Therefore hearken not ye to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your enchanters, nor to your sorcerers, which speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon: Je.27:9

Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Is.55:2

1.04.11 When people speak out of their own imagination instead of the Word as Spirit by Christ in the Prophets and Apostles, Christ calls it blasphemy.  Of Hezekiah's Plague stopping exorcism used to say that "God commanded instrumental praise and we must not be disobedient" Christ calls them BLASPHEMERS.

See Christ defining Blasphemy of The Holy Spirit

For I spake NOT unto your fathers, nor  commanded them
        in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt,
         concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices: Jeremiah 7:22
But this thing commanded I them, saying,
         Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: (CENI)
         and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, (CENI)
         that it may be well unto you. Jeremiah 7:23

Jer 23:17 They say still unto them that despise me,
        The Lord hath said, Ye shall have peace;
        and they say unto every one that walketh
        after the imagination of his own heart,
        No evil shall come upon you.  "You can SOW discord and steal from the owners"

    Despise tthe Word of God of God and using your own words is:

Blasphēm-eō , pf.

A. “beblasphēmēka” D.18.10:—speak profanely of sacred things, “eis theous” Pl.R.381e; offer rash prayers, Id.Alc.2.149c; b. kata tinosutter imprecations against, Aeschin.1.180.

2. speak ill or to the prejudice of one, slander, “peri tēs emēs diatribēs” Isoc.15.2, cf. D.l.c., ib.82; “b. kata tinos” Isoc.12.65, cf. Arist.Fr.44; “hosa eis hēmas eblasphēmēsan” D.51.3; “b. tina” Babr.71.6, Ev.Luc.23.39, etc.: abs., Phld.Lib.p.8 O.:—Pass., to have evil spoken of one, “beblasphēmēmenous” Id.Vit.p.12 J., cf. 1 Ep.Cor.10.30.

3. speak impiously or irreverently of God, blaspheme, “eis ton Kurion” LXX Da.3.29(96); “eis to pneuma to hagion” Ev.Marc.3.29; eis ta theia Vett. Val.58.12; “tous theous” Id.67.20: abs., LXX 2 Ma.10.34, al., Ev.Matt.9.3.

Before looking at lots of background, let me say that the Qahal, synagogue or church in the wilderness was defined for the general population who were NEVER to come near either the Tabernacle or Temple.  Both vocal and instrumental rejoicing were outlawed--if you need legalist to silence you in the presence of God's Word being taught "as it had been revealed" and never required a preacher:  The Holy Convocatio is h4744 Miqra which came to be each SABBATH day to read and rehearse the Word of God. The church was and is a school of the Bible: if Al Maxey wants to sing, clap, dance and play then I'm sure that a Jewish mother would hurt him real bad.

The church #1577 ekklesia - assembly, called out ones, set apart ones, congregation; in Hebrew this word is #6951 qahal (kahal) - a "synagogue" (E. W. Bullinger, Commentary on Revelation, p. 165-166), an assemblage, congregation, company from the root #6950 qahal meaning specifically a coming together, an assembling, a convocation, congregation; this word is used mostly for religious purposes (see William Wilson's Old Testament Word Studies, p. 92)

The LXX uses the word ekklesia to translate the Hebrew qahal. Qahal means to call, to assemble, and the noun form means a congregation or assembly. Solomon is called koheleth the Preacher, translated by the LXX ekklesiastes. The earliest known occurrence of the word is found in Job 30:28, ‘I cried in the congregation’. In the books of the law, qahal is rendered by the Greek word sunagoge, showing that the synagogue is the beginning of the New Testament church. Stephen in his speech which ended in his martyrdom referred to the history of Israel, and dwells for considerable length upon the one great leader Moses, saying in Acts 7:38:

‘This is he, that was in the CHURCH in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sinai’. The people of Israel, looked upon as ‘a called-out assembly’ were ‘the Church’ of that period. 

What is the Doctrine of Christ according to Christ?

Al Maxey: Two Audiences

Read Al Maxey claiming NO authority for the fast. Thus proving that IMPROVISING was not condemned.

Al Maxey using the Synagogue and the law of silence to authorize instrumental music.

What is the Doctrine of Christ according to Christ?

If you get nothing else please grasp that not among the Jews nor in the most vile pagan temples did the musicians enter into the Holy Places. Among the Jews, the Holy Place is a carnal type of the spiritual body of Christ. No Levitical musician could enter into this type of the church of Christ even to clean out the garbage.

The temple musicians in a "religious sense" (grouped with prostitutes in pagan religions) were in the court making a loud mocking noise during the sacrifice and burning of animals.

In fulfilment of the prophetic type, it was prophesied in Psalm 41 and fulfilled in the Dead Sea Scroll translation that Judas and the military musicians would attempt to turn Jesus into a coward. Click for some examples.

Posted to BereanSpirit on Monday, September 18, 2000

Read Al Maxey's definition of the non-instrumentalists as sectarians or heretics.

Read Al Maxey claiming no authority for the Synagogue, therefore, we may be permitted to make our own additions. However, the "synagogue" is commanded and always existed under the Law. It had no praise services because synagogue or church is a School of the Bible and not a pagan worship center.

Read Al Maxey claiming NO authority for the fast. Thus proving that IMPROVISING was not condemned. BUT God did condemn THEIR form of external fasts.

We should note that most antiism against non-instrumentalists rejects any historical documentation. However, it is exceedingly difficult to claim that the non-instrumentalists have somehow ADDED SOMETHING by NOT DOING SOMETHING without grasping that the universal testimony of scholarship is that instruments simply have no role to play in the worship of a Spirit God in our own spirit or mind. Therefore, we are not put off but add some historical evidence to refute the false claim made while ignoring that historical evidence.

By ignoring the historical evidence one can enjoy instruments and be purged of guilt by claiming that history is wrong and those who opposed having their "widow's church houses stolen" are guilty. Abraham Lincoln shows how a murderer purges guilt:

"The robber says 'stand and deliver.' And if you resist I will shoot you and you will be guilty of murder."

Kelvin Weathers wrote:

You said that there is no approval or disapproval of instrumental music in worship. While you are correct, as I think you know it states "Singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs making melody in your heart to the Lord (Ephesians 5:18-19; Colossians 3:16) .... It sounded like maybe I read it wrong and that you were supporting instrumental music in worship. If I'm wrong please correct me.

Al Maxey: Kelvin, all I can give you is my personal opinion; an opinion based on my own research and reflection. I neither condemn nor condone IM in worship. To me it is a matter of personal indifference, and should be left in the realm of personal preference.

I do not regard it as a salvation or fellowship issue.

It is truly dangerous to interpret Scripture, the Word of God, based on the CORE doctrine. Rather, we honor Christ by honoring His Words. We simply are not inspired enough to sort out "salvation" or "fellowship" issues. The direct command is to

Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 2 Ti. 4:2

Preach does not mean "sermonize." Paul commanded that one go out as a "public crier" and teach the Word as it has been taught. Neither does preach mean versify tidbits of Scripture or compose our own "inspired" hymns.

For instance, salvation may depend less on whether we plunk a piano in "worship services" (an oxymoron) than the fact that we are not spiritually keen enough to read and discern that the direct command is to teach the Word and not to "sing." We might get away with the piano but not how we disregard the Word as a salvation issue when the "Son" defined His relationship to the "Father" by the fact that He spoke what He heard and did not "regard" it in his human sense.

Jesus does not put the stress on the people's refusal to be baptized as much as that refusal was "rejecting the counsel of God for their lives." When God has spoken we have no right to "private interpretation" or "further expounding" it without denying inspiration's ability to speak for God. Whatever has been written is the Spirit of God or Mind of Christ. If we are interested in having the Mind or mental disposition we will steer clear of trying to opinionate certain salvation or fellowship issues and then use this to define not using musical instruments as the product of a criminal-like mind.

The church was organized like the synagogue in each locality to meet the needs of the locals. There is no God-like demand for us "fellowship" or worship with or whatever that term means as our affirmation to give them credibility.

One of the things research hits you in the face with is that cunning, craftsmanship or art of man's hand or rhetorical abilities repudiates the power of the Word to do it's work and identifies the "man made worship" as effeminate:

"Philo of Alexandria had already emphasized the ethical qualities of music, spurning the 'effeminate' art of his Gentile surroundings. Similarly, early synagogue song intentionally foregoes artistic perfection, renounces the playing of instruments,

and attaches itself entirely to 'the word'--the TEXT of the Bible" (Encyclopedia Judaica, 1971 ed., "Music")

Paul defined the Christian Synagogue where the poetic material of the entire Bible can be taught to replace the pagan singing. Teach as in "singing" means to PREACH. The direct command is to PREACH to one another with the inspired text.

The "church" is more synagogue than ekklesia or Greek assembly. And beginning at the towers of Babylon, mind-control "agents of the gods" knew how to "play the flute and fool the fatheads and simpletons." This universal testimony defining secular rituals as destructive must help inform our "opinion."

From the first Catholic cathedrals who added the organ to compete with the cathedral across the hills in order to attract the commercial fairs, until yesterday the only honest reason for adding machines as devices has been to attract people under the guise of "making them want to be more like us." That, however, is idolatry. All resources show that instruments were devices of the "gods" to seduce the mind away from a Spirit God:

"According to Philo, the gods of the pagans exploit this weakness of men. For the sake of a better effect, and

with the intention of more easily cheating their devotees,

they have set their lies to melodies, rhythms and meters.

Note: Jesus identified the Devil by his lying which was "speaking on his own."

"Philodemus takes offense at the fact that, in cultic music, the inner sentiment is lacking while this so-called worship is offered to the gods only for payment.

"Alexander, on the other hand, preferred his native place, urging very truly that an enterprise like theirs required congenial soil to give it a start,

in the shape of 'fat-heads' and simpletons; that was a fair description, he said, of the Paphlagonians beyond Abonutichus;

they were mostly superstitious and well-to-do; one had only to go there with someone to play the flute, the tambourine, or the cymbals, set the proverbial mantic sieve a-spinning, and there they would all be gaping as if he were a god from heaven."

Origen Book VI, Chapter XLI.

"In the next place, as if he had forgotten that it was his object to write against the Christians, he says that, "having become acquainted with one Dionysius,

an Egyptian musician,

the latter told him, with respect to magic arts,

that it was only over the uneducated and men of corrupt morals that they had any power.

Jesus was especially hard on the Pharisees (sermon and prayer peddler), Scribes (book and magical incantation peddlers) and hypocrites. In the Greek world there was a SECTARIAN group called the Hypocrites. These included rhetoricians, sOPHISts (the OPHIS serpents) in the book of Revelation, singers and musicians. These were the sorcerers of the book of Revelation or the musical enchanters identical to the Nachash or serpents or musical enchanters in the garden of Eden. Lucifer came into the garden with wind, string and percussion instruments. Because they were usually on the payroll of ANIMAL SACRIFICERS they were identified as PARASITES.

This does not prevent all of those selling opinions from blamin NOT playing instruments to a Spirit God on "just our heritage or our destructive traditionalism." This is 100% opposed by all of the recorded history:

Al Maxey: I realize many in our heritage will strongly disagree with me on this, and that is their right. I will think no less of them if they do. In my view, however, we have fussed and fought and fragmented over far too many "issues" such as this;

matters about which God never spoke a single sentence in His Word.

Much of our division is the result of deduction --- we have elevated our deductions from the text to the level of Law,

attempted to bind them on others,

and divided when they refused to be shackled by our "inspired, infallible inferences." This is wrong!

The Bible, classical literature, the direct commands of the NT, the church fathers and the entire history of the church agrees that OUR HERITAGE is what the Bible commands. What is different about OUR HERITAGE is that the churches of Christ (however fitfully) accepts the Bible as authority.

"Our heritage" usually means to be translated: "just our traditions." However, whatever God has taught is God's "traditions." 2,000 years of church history's refusal to go along with instruments was based on the fact that THEY BELIEVED that God had not been silent on the issue.

If we allow that the Scriptures are "God breathed" and that the WORD means "God speaking to us" then one has missed a heap of the Bible to say:

Al Maxey: "matters about which God never spoke a single sentence in His Word."

Those who have become self-selected master-race teachers are, without exception, totally unaware of the Old Testament and the musical connection or the end-time Babylon whore worship of Revelation 18.

The non-instrumental issue defined as "just our tradition" is mishandling historical truth.

That is a fact: the introduction of instruments as means or aids to worship a Spirit God was originally based on the deduction from secular culture that they could attract more $ by the use of professional organists, at times bidding up to $5,000.00 a year which was a huge salary in the 1860s.

Secondarily, after the fact of great division and discord, the instrumentalists deducted from the Law of Silence that music was legal because there was no law against it. Doing something on that basis is legalism: if we can get away with it we will do it. Something like: "I killed your dog because you never said that I shouldn't kill your dog."

Only as a desperate last gasp did they try to deduct from the Greek psallo that instruments were actually commanded. That was 1878 years after the birth of Christ.

Of course, they bound the instrumental practice on those within their own group--who had bought the building and paid their wages--or forced them out of the churches.

Isaiah, Jesus and Paul warned that we can reach the point where we CANNOT hear or see the Word of God. The self-appointed Jewish religionists had reached such an point and Jesus spoke parables to them to hide the spiritual truth from them (Matt. 13). I wonder why an engineer can find so much negative connection to music in the word and secular literature when so many preachers say: "God hasn't spoken." Maybe He hasn't spoken to some but He has spoken and He is Not Silent. One of the common themes of secular and Biblical literature insists: "Him with ears, hear." Some don't have ears.

We will hear God speaking more than a single sentence as we go along: if you have ears.

Al Maxey: I'm aware of the passages in Ephesians & Colossians to which appeal is often made to support the NON-use of IM in worship. However, let me play "devil's advocate" here for a moment (a role for which some contend I am "naturally suited"). If you carefully examine the phrase "sing and make melody in your heart...," one could easily suggest (and be grammatically correct in doing so) that the vocal chords are an "instrument" also UNauthorized by Paul's statement!!!

That is a true conclusion: the Bible does not use the "music" word in connection with spiritual worship anyplace in the Bible. Music is used of secular events and the end-time Babylonian harlot worship with instruments.

If Paul had intended to say SPEAK which means PREACH what word would he have used? Probably the word SPEAK. You cannot speak and sing at the same time just as you cannot run and walk at the same time. So, in Romans 15 Paul didn't use the word SINGING or MAKING MELODY because he does not discuss the INWARD meaning of both.

It might also be aware of Genesis, Exodus, Job, Ezekiel, Isaiah, Amos, Matthew and Romans 15. Romans 15 is the solution to the diverse backgrounds in Romans 14: just speak what has been written "with one voice." Then we will not offend anyone.

Temples were always "houses of the gods." Therefore, the people of Israel did not worship in a shrine for the state "like the nation's" animal sacrifices demanded by the elders of Israel and permitted by God after warning them that the kings would lead them into destruction.

The word church is from the Greek ekklesia. However, when people gathered a form of the word "synagogue" defines their gatherings. The synagogue was not a pagan worship center but was "a school of the Bible."

The vocal cords do not "make music; they teach or preach the inspired Word of Christ or Spirit or "that which is written." Even when they "sing" in the Greek sense (the sense in which the Bible must be understood), they were never "making music."

WE then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Rom 15:1

Pleasuring one another is the foundation word of HERESY:

Aresko (g700) ar-es'-ko; prob. from 142 (through the idea of exciting emotion); to be agreeable (or by impl. to seek to be so): - please.

Airo (g142) ah'ee-ro; a prim. verb; to lift; by impl. to take up or away; fig. to raise (the voice), keep in suspense (the mind); spec. to sail away (i.e. weigh anchor); by Heb. [comp. 5375] to expiate sin: - away with, bear (up), carry, lift up, loose, make to doubt, put away, remove, take (away, up).

People who can be seduced or lifted up with charismatic (sexual) music are WEAK or the opposite of the strong. We should PLEASE one another by edificaton which is education:

For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Rom 15:4

Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: Rom 15:5

That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Rom 15:6

Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us, to the glory of God. Rom 15:7

Paul is NEVER silent when defining away and outlawing either music or speaking styles which PLEASURES the people or gets them excited.

He is not silent about the way to GLORIFY God.

He is not silent about the RESOURCES to be used for edification or LEARNING.

He is not silent about who is involved.

He defines the MIND and MOUTH and this excludes the MINDLESS or LIFELESS musical instruments.

Singing and playing in the MUSICAL sense is a secular or pagan or prostitute practice.

First: The "music" word is never used of spiritual worship of The True God. The Greek word for music is:

Sumphonia (h4858) soom-fo-nee'-ah; from 4859; unison of sound ("symphony"), i.e. a concert of instruments (harmonious note): - music.

(Fathered by Apollo or Abaddon or Apollyon)

Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. Luke 15:25

The earliest meaning of the Greek word sumphonia (Aramaic: sumponeyâ) was "sounding together," that is, the simultaneous playing of instruments or voices producing a concord. Jerome, commenting on Luke 15:25 where the word occurs, noted: "The sumphonia is not a kind of instrument, as some Latin writers think, but it means concordant harmony. It is expressed in Latin by consonantia." Coxon concludes as follows [p. 36]: Resource

NO SURPRISE: that when an instrument is intended IT IS MENTIONED:

"sing and make melody with a harp."

The concept of symphony before c. 1750 Britannica Members

The word symphonia was used by the Greeks in reference to notes sounding together in harmony and by extension meant an "ensemble" or "band" rather than a musical form. The word implies a pleasant concord of different notes and has been used in fields other than music to denote a pleasing combination of various elements. In the New Testament Gospel According to Luke (King James Version), symphonia is translated as "musick," as distinct from choroi, "dancing."

Second: and the musicians are those "devoted to the muses" in many pagan accounts and will be the Sister Singers to whom we "give heed" in the end-time, Babylonian Harlot religion:

Ministrels were counted with jugglers, acrobats or clowns for entertainment but never taken seriously. Therefore, when "holy entertaintment" intrudes into the end-time church God will send the angels again:

And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. Revelation 18:21

And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; Revelation 18:22

There was no "music" in the sense of modern harmony. With this device invented by organists with ten fingers, songs from the theaters and houses of prostitution had their second incarnation as "spirituals" and then Christian Hymns with a blend of Voodoo to give it the mind-altering beat.

"Ancient Greek was a pitched language, so melody had to be an outgrowth of the natural inflections of the spoken language.

Greek vowels had long and short values that corresponded to long and short notes in the musical settings. Thus musical rhythms were derived from metric forms, and melodic movement was governed by the natural rise and fall of the text.

"Ancient Greece appears never to have had a developed instrumental art. Percussion, brass, wind, and string instruments were all played, but

the two primary instruments were the aulos, a double-reed pipe that accompanied the chorus in the dithyramb, and the kithara, a hand-held lyre used to accompany solo songs. Britannica Members

Dance, poetry, rite, and music seem inseparably associated in the early history of music in ancient Greece. Homer's Iliad and Odyssey report vintners' songs, dirges, and hymns of praise to Apollo (paeans). Music was described as an art exerting great power (ethos) over human beings, and certain musical styles came to be associated with particular peoples and deities. The KITHARA, a plucked string instrument, came to be linked with Apollo, the god of the Sun (Now baptized as the S.O.N.) and reason, while the aulos, a loud double-reed instrument, came to be identified with Dionysus, the god of wine and ecstatic revelry. The most important of mythic musicians in ancient Greek culture was ORPHEUS, whose music had the power to cause inanimate objects to move and even influence the forces of Hades. Grolier.

"It (the pipe meaning 'to love passionately') was apparently a secular instrument and is never listed in the temple orchestra; only in Ps. 150:4 it is mentioned in a religious (but not ritual) function. Its ethos was not blameless at all, ase we see from Genesis Rabbah 50:

'The angels said to Lot: 'There are players of the pipe (organ) in the country, hence it ought to be destroyed'." Its rabbinical identification with the aboda, the flute of the notorious Syrian bayaderes, emphasizes the erotic element which already the Hebrew name suggests." (Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, p. 460, Abingdon)

Here is a picture of the double-reed pipe: The Judas bag was "for carrying the mouthpieces of wind instruments." The Judas bag is the little box or casket on the left of the flute case. The pipe was considered obscene. The dithramb was the song to Dionysus the clergy would have Jesus perform as they "piped like little children."

The hand-held lyre used to accompany solo songs would have been like Davids with as little as three strings to set the pitch to the chanting of the psalm. Here is the "barbaton" usually played by "barbarians." both figures would be "drunk with wine" rather than "filled with the spirit." And the theme is absolutely consistent: musical worship and effeminancy are co-habitators.

So there you have "instrumental music" among the Greeks. In temple or theater the music was always devoted to Dionysus, the god of new wine. "Uncovered prophesying" by women Paul spoke of in 1 Cor 11:5 would have been part of this or the men would have played all of the parts of the women.

This End-Time Prostitute Religion was prophesied by Isaiah and Ezekiel:

Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying,

Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the Lord. Ezekiel 33:30

And they come unto thee as the people cometh,

and they sit before thee as my people,

and they hear thy words,

but they will not do them:

for with their mouth they shew much love,

but their heart goeth after their covetousness. Ezekiel 33:31

 

And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song

of one that hath a pleasant voice,

and can play well on an instrument:

for they hear thy words,

but they do them not. Ezekiel 33:32

And when this cometh to pass, (lo, it will come,) then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them. Ezekiel 33:33

Modern science knows that music shuts down the rational mind and allows any junk to go into the mind through the emotions without being tested for right or wrong. Therefore, music is for entertainment and not for teaching.

Apollo whose Seeker-Center was at Delphi is Apollyon, or Abbadon:

"APOLLYON. The Greek name, meaning "Destroyer," given in Revelation 9:11 for "the angel of the bottomless pit" (in Hebrew called Abaddon), also identified as the king of the demonic "locusts" described in Revelation 9:3-10. [Locust eat up all of the fruit-bearing harvest]

AND the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. Revelation 9:1

And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. Revelation 9:2

And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. Revelation 9:3

And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. Revelation 9:11

And again, the end-time Babylon Harlot worship like the king/queen of Tyre and the king/queen of Babylon along with all of her human arts used for worship:

And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; Revelation 18:22

Secondly, the human voice is a musical instrument: "the harp of God."

The Greek word for Psalm is:

Psalmos (g5568) psal-mos'; from 5567; a set piece of music, i.e. a sacred ode

accompanied with the

voice,

harp or

other instrument;

a "psalm"; collect. the book of the Psalms: - psalm. Comp. 5603.

Paul to the Ephesians and Colossians can mean "speak to yourself" and we have ample Old Testimony to that practice as well as Philo, or it can mean "speak to one another." At any rate, the "singing and melody" is internal but the external SPEAKING is applied to the SONG or Psalm. Therefore, the "harp of God" speaks because everyone can speak but not everyone can sing.

From Article on Psallo in the Septuagint: "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 generally, 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).

When Judas and the clergy have tried to triumph over Jesus with music, calling Him Beliar, of Jesus it was prophesied in the Dead Sea Scroll translation of Psalm 41:

I will groan with the zither of lamentation

in all grief-stricken mourning and bitter complaint

until iniquity and wickedness are consumed

and the disease-bringing scourge is no more.

 

Then will I play on the zither of deliverance

and harp of joy,

on the tabors of prayer and the pipe of praise

without end.

 

And at the beginning of their weeks

for the season of Jubilee.

All my life the engraved Precept shall be on my tongue

as the fruit of praise

and the portion of my lips.

 

I will sing with knowledge and all my music

shall be for the glory of God.

(My) lyre (and) my harp shall sound

for His holy order

and I will tune the pipe of my lips

to His right measure.

Because you cannot play the sacrificial music without endorsing the sacrifices of animals, Paul said that we have to "go outside the camp" in order to find Lord Jesus Christ.

By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name. Heb.13:15

Ephesians reads in favor of Maxey being purely internal:

Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Eph 5:19

Laleo (g2980) lal-eh'-o; a prol. form of an otherwise obsol. verb; to talk, i.e. utter words: - preach, say, speak (after), talk, tell, utter. Comp. 3004.

For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Romans 15:4

And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. Romans 15:14

The speaking can also be to "yourself" as David meditated on the psalms "upon his bed."

Heauto (g1438) heh-ow-too' (incl. all the other cases); from a reflex. pron. otherwise obsol. and the gen. (dat. or acc.) of 846; him- (her- , it-, them-,

also in conjunction with the pers. pron. of the other persons.

Autos (g846) ow-tos'; from the particle au , [perh. akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind] (backward); the reflex. pron. self,

used alone or in the comp. 1438) of the third pers.,

and (with the prop. pers. pron.) of the other persons:

"Philo, too, stressed the necessity of religious inwardness in preference to the cult of sacrifice:

"God has no joy in sacrifices, my dear sir, even if one should offer him hecatombs, for everything belongs to him.

Since he possesses everything, he has need of nothing. He takes pleasure only in a pious disposition in men who lead pious lives. He accepts the sacrificial cakes, the barley and the most modest gifts from them as if they were the most valuable offerings. He prefers them to costlier thing.

If they bring nothing more other than themselves in the fullness of moral goodness, they present the most acceptable offering, as they worship God their benefactor and savior in songs and thankful homage.

Sometimes they do so with their tongue, but sometimes without it, whey they speak only in their soul and in their thoughts the confession and invocations which the ear of God alone hears; for men cannot perceive such things with their ears." Philo, De specialibus legibus (I. 271 (v 56)

Al Maxey: In the passage, "singing" and "psalming" (making melody) BOTH appear as Present Participles (Nom. Masc. Plural) and they are connected to one another by "kai" ("and").

Grammatically this indicates they are to be taken together, and any action subsequently mentioned thereby refers to BOTH.

Thus, that which we do "TO THE LORD" is done "in your heart." It is not just the "melody making" that is to occur within the heart, it is also the SINGING!!! Thus, one could perhaps suggest that using the vocal chords to make an audible sound is an "unauthorized addition" of an "instrument," since all that is specifically authorized here "to the Lord" is that which occurs IN THE HEART.

Some profound truth here:

Al cannot miss the earlier part which is the DIRECT COMMAND. It reads "TEACH" WHICH MEANS TO PREACH. The word SPEAK or preach means to UTTER WORDS. However, the word SING means TO SING. Singing was a secular activity and very destructive to the teaching process: the prostitutes were teachers over men. Melody is a word related to Apollo (Abaddon, Apollyon) and his muses (locusts, muses Rev 18). Melody or Psallo is related to the deadly bow in two ways;

First, psallo speaks of plucking with your finger only: not with a plectrum.

Second, the literature speaks of SHOOTING and HYMNING meaning to "shoot out a hymn."

Because these are radically different activities YOU CANNOT speak and sing at the same time. Therefore, the direct EXTERNAL activity is to "glorify God WITH ONE VOICE" and the resource material is to "that which is written" and the task is LEARNING is "TEACHING and LEARNING" doctrine.

Therefore, there IS NO MUSICAL CONTENT in either the OLD or NEW TESTAMENTS as a way to worship a Spirit God. So, the "singing" task is a teaching task.

Haireô or heresy has as its A meaning A take with the hand, grasp, seize, having taken up [the song],II. take, get into one's power, hupnos passions. As in the ZOE MOVEMENT:

2. catch, take, zôon (Zoe), take in hunting, get into one's power, entrap, In a legal sense: kleptonta to convict of theft,

You do know that Jesus died to eleminate "spiritual anxiety created by religious ritual" and that ANXIETY is AEIRO for the purposes of kleptô as in kleptomaniac by the use of secular HYMNING and ODING and playing the KITHERA which made them PARASITES and CYNICS or DOGS--always.

The word AEIRO has the same basic meaning of:

Anaireô (v. haireô): --take up, anelontes apo chthonos having raised the victim from the ground, so as to cut its throat. This had some connection to Amos 5 and 6 where the musical, perverted festivals were "feasts WITH and FOR dead ancestors." 2. take up and carry off, bear away, esp. prizes II. make away with, destroy, of men, kill

That had a relationship both to human murder and animal sacrifices. That is why the SINGERS and MUSICIANS who mocked types of Jesus Christ and also mocked Him on the way to the cross were called PARASITES. They lived off the slaughter of innocent lives.

Aeirôto lift for the purpose of carrying, to bear away, carry, to raise, to bear away to undertake a long war, to be lifted up, excited. Similar word: PASSION to exalt, excite, exaggerate, to take up for ONESELF, receive a charge of cowardice.

Has the same meaning as HERESY and of ODING to pleasure or excite people in order to CARRY THEM AWAY to be USED.

Aoidê art of song, autar aoidên thespesiên spell, incantation aeidô crow as cocks, Pl.Smp..223c; hoot as owls, Arat.1000; croak as frogs, Arist. Mir.835b3, Thphr.Sign.3.5, etc.; hoi tettiges chamothen aisontai, twang, of the bow-string, Od.21.411; whistle, of the wind through a tree. 'to crow too soon', sing, sing with the flute.

The tettix are the LOCUST or Cicada in the book of Revelation. Plato calls them hoi Mousôn prophêtai, a proverb for garrulity. The male makes a chirping or clicking noise by means of certain drums or 'tymbals.' They were thought to sing continually without food or drink, Ar.Nu. 1360, Pl.Phdr.259c; or on a diet of air and dew, sing, praise, celebrate. Related to Hêliou astêr, of the planet Saturn

"Singing served as a means of inducing ecstatic prophecy (speaking in tongues).

Thus the essential relationship between music and prophecy can be clearly seen.

This relationship also explains why the expression for "making music" and "prophesying" was often identical in the ancient tongues. origen contra celsum 8.67.

The Hebrew word Naba signifies not only "to prophesy" but also "to make music." (Quasten, Johannes, Music and Worship in Pagan and Christian Antiquity, p. 39)

The Non-Silent Direct Statement of what should be done.

Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Ep.5:19

The record of David "singing the Psalms to himself and meditating on them upon his bed" shows that once we know the Biblical text we can sing it to ourselves.

The Psalmist knew the concept of teaching the Word to others but letting the singing and melody be in the heart and directed to God:

However, the culture and the Scripture also permits a "one another" teaching process when you come together.

The non-silent direct command to the Romans

The Romans had an orphic vegetarian musical instrument backgroud, the Dionysics had a meat-eating, wine-drinking musical instrument background, Paul direct command which would enable synagoguing or churching together is in chapter 15:

Cycle One	Cycle Two
WE then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Romans 15:1	And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. Romans 15:10
Romans 15:2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me. Romans 15:3	And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people. Romans 15:11
For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning (teaching), that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Romans 15:4	And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust. Romans 15:12
Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: Romans 15:5	Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. Romans 15:13
That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify (tell of His works) God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:6	And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. Romans 15:14
Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister (deacon) of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: Romans 15:8	Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God. Romans 15:15
And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will	(2) that the offering (bloodless sacrifice) up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. Romans 15:16
(1) confess to thee among the Gentiles, and	(1) That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God,
(2) sing unto thy name. Romans 15:9	ministering the gospel of God,

The Non-Silent Direct Command to the Ephesians

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Ephesians 5:20

The non-silent direct command of Paul to the Colossians:

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Colossians 3:15

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. Colossians 3:17

Al Maxey: Notice that there are TWO "audiences" here in this passage: God and One Another! Paul says we are to "SPEAK" to ONE ANOTHER in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. This is obviously referring to an audible sound, as opposed to that which occurs silently in the heart, since men can't read the hearts of other men (although many try to do so!!.

However, when our "audience" is the LORD, our singing and psalming are both IN THE HEART. Why? Because God is not concerned so much with the audible sounds being made (that is for OUR benefit), rather He is concerned with the beautiful "sounds" coming from the HEART.

Al admits then that there is no Biblical authority for external singing. The usual conclusion is that because you can sin with modern complex harmony this gives us the authority to sin with instruments.

Jesus said that worship is "in the spirit" or in the heart or mind and not in the place of "worship service." Paul's notices about worship is "in the spirit" and prayer is "in the spirit." What the "church" did was never called worship but church was synagogue or school of the Bible. Singing in our sense of the word was a purely secular activity because you have to become somewhat dissociated in order to move into this very unnatural form of speech. In addition, external melody speaks of twanging bow strings sending singing arrows into your heart to grind you into a powder: it is related to the SOP Jesus ground up for Judas and the Judas Bag was "for carrying the mouthpieces of wind instruments." See some Twanging universal connection with warfare and never with spiritual worship.

Unfortuantely, Al is going to want to add this non-authority for modern singing up and come up with authority to make the melody upon a harp and the one another singing done by a "team."

God is concerned with the SOUND because if it does not TEACH and ADMONISH with inspired Biblical material, then it is violating a direct commandment of Christ through Paul.

It is true that God is so unconcerned about the "artistic" performance of music that He used a word or two which explicitly excludes the charismatic practice of getting "carried away" with the music which we see was reserved for the singing, dancing and drinking festivals or the end-time Babylon harlot worship.

Al Maxey: Brethren, I think we have missed something VERY significant here in this passage. The "singing and psalming (making melody)" which GOD approves is entirely SILENT --- it occurs IN THE HEART. Our praise unto God is truly offered WITHIN.

First, let's not that "praise" is not singing but speaking or teaching someone about what God has done. Paul didn't command a "praise ritual" which is the most ancient superstitious belief that God is aided by our much praising. I cannot praise Joe for his hunting skills without telling others audibly!

Next, the singing is internal but the 'psalming' is external: when we Teach it has to be audible; when we Admonish it has to be audible. Since the teaching resource is the inspired Biblical Text, the singing is also external. However, singing to the Greek mind, would be ordinary speech which was melodious or highly accented.

The "melody" in an external sense in the Old Testament and in the root meaning of the word is always destructive: we psallo someone to death by twanging a bow string to send an arrow "singing" into the enemy's heart.

Al Maxey: The various "sounds" which we make are not what impresses our God, these are for the benefit and edification of "one another." The "sounds" which our Lord finds pleasing to His "ears" are the "sounds" which come from our hearts.

If we violate the direct command stated over and over about the resources of teaching (song and sermon) then what goes on in the heart, however sincere, is not heard from God. Jesus said that God seeks worshipers who worship in spirit. That means "in the mind or heart." And the second requirement is "in truth." If we try to worship with out bodies or artistic talent God isn't listening, and if we refused to speak His Truth then He does not listen.

He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips (and instruments) but their heart is far from me. Mk.7:6

Jesus refers to Isaiah and Ezekiel where people treated both God and the prophets as musical prostitutes: they came to hear the polished voice and well played instrument but this was a sign that they were not interested in the Word of God.

Al Maxey: In this way, our deaf and mute brethren are just as much in compliance with this directive as are we!!! And when they "speak" to one another, they are also in compliance, for they "speak" with their hands!!! They too, then, are in full compliance with the directive to teach and admonish one another, as this can be done with sign language, and they too sing and make melody "in their hearts" to the Lord.

Some, not understanding this, have condemned the deaf in their worship because "the Bible says SING, not SIGN!!" Absurd!!!

Why do I doubt that? I think the objection is usually women "teaching" using sign language. The direct command was to teach or preach or communicate: most often the preaching in established churches was "reading the Word." However, if a signer comes into a hearing congregation and insists on signing without an interpreter then he is speaking an unknown tongue. If the fellow decides to "sign" with a harp then we can see the absurdity of the example.

Al Maxey: These are the types of legalistic restrictions and declarations with which the church is plagued when the intent of this passage is not truly perceived.

Jeses condemned the Pharisees because they MADE UP their doctrines. Therefore, legalistic means human rules imposed on the church. Instrumental music is a human rule. Therefore, adding instruments is the LEGALISM which you MUST obey or get out.

Paul didn't restrict women from teaching others and they have the other 167 hours a week to do so. However, in a public, preside-over or non-sedentary sense, Paul restricted the effort. Because the "musical" commands are not singing but teaching, Paul understood that when everyone has the Scriptures they can "give attention to reading the Word" without having to have someone interpret for the deaf: why cheat the deaf by preachifying or versifying the Words of Christ when they can have, as Isaiah 55 claimed, the free word free of charge.

Al Maxey: Thus, "to the Lord" we "sing and make melody" in our hearts; and to "one another" we "speak" (or "verbalize" or use signing with our hands) so that we can all be benefited by the thoughts conveyed by the psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.

Worship in Truth. Missed the point: two audiences but two functions. To others we speak audibly because the command is to teach and admonish. And God neither needs to be instructed nor admonished.

Worship in Spirit. However, the singing and melody is in the heart or spirit which is the only PLACE where Jesus said God even seeks us.

The only true worship word means to "give heed" to Christ by giving heed to His Word. If you ADD what was always a pagan way to silence the Word of God then you prohibit any worship in spirit.

The word "speak" is the same word as preach: the word sing is often the poetic sound of poetic language. Paul didn't say "verbalize" by singing with our mouth or with our hands: he said verbalize, teach or preach and that can only be done with the voice or hands but never with an instrument. Indeed, Paul equated speaking in tongues to instruments of warfare.

Al Maxey: Indeed, Col. 3:16 points out that our psalms, hymns and spiritual songs "teach and admonish one another!" However, the passage says that "with grace" you "SING IN YOUR HEARTS to God."

Then that does not mean "with grace you sing with your mouth to God." Nor does the Spirit intend to say "with harps in your hands." As you speak the word to one another the RESULT is singing and melody in the heart directed to God.

Al Maxey: What do these passages teach us? They simply teach that SINGING actually takes place in the heart, when the audience is GOD.

That is a fact.

Al Maxey: : The psalms and hymns and spiritual songs have a different audience (at least audibly & visibly) -- it is "one another." And in our "speaking" to one another through these psalms, hymns and spiritual songs (whether accompanied or unaccompanied) we "teach and admonish" one another.

Now, let's test that: Paul told Timothy how to "worship." He said "give attendance to the public reading of the word, to doctrine and to exhortation.

Now, "it doesn't matter whether accompanied or unaccompanied we read the word to the others." But, no, the preacher will not make "accompaniment or unaccompanied" an option when HE is preaching: why should Lord Jesus Christ make it optional?

Paul said teach or preach using the Biblical material: he didn't have to hint whether it was accompanied or unaccompanied; we are too smart for that.

However, it is the little word "sing" which gets us into trouble but the direct command is to TEACH OR PREACH and the singing is in the heart even though it would occur externally with any poetic material. A good public speaker does not speak monotone. Rather, speaking has a natural melody about it and a good preacher would be said to "sing" in the Greek world.

"Ancient Greek was a pitched language, so melody had to be an outgrowth of the natural inflections of the spoken language.

Greek vowels had long and short values that corresponded to long and short notes in the musical settings. Thus musical rhythms were derived from metric forms, and melodic movement was governed by the natural rise and fall of the text.

When you read a "Greek" document you "sing" it but not with four part harmony.

Al Maxey: Remember: the audience IN THIS CASE is our fellow man, and not God! The sounds being made or the motions being seen are for US; to OUR edification! That just might make a difference, when understood, in what we declare to be pleasing & acceptable & "authorized" .... and to whom!!

Edification does not mean "makes me feel good or spiritual." That feeling is created by a quick squirt of endorphins (morphine within) to heal the hurt created by complex harmony. This harmony creates the impulses of "fight, flight or sex." When we exercise our right to "sow discord" many people flee and some remain to fight. However, the weak and effeminate actually have an erotic, climaxing experience with "a god" but not Jehovah. Click to read the Mother of the "having sex with God praise craze."

Edification in the Biblical sense is "house building." All of the bricks must come from the Word of God or we build with straw. We build up the house by edification. That is the meaning of "education." And Paul told the Romans to teach with the revealed resources with "one mouth" and then wrote:

> Yea, so have I strived to preach (evangelize) the gospel, not where Christ was named,

lest I should build upon another mans foundation: Ro.15:20

At least, that sounds like "an approved example."

But having had the Word preached to you then what? Why:

> And now, brethren, I commend you to God,

and to the word of his grace,

which is able to build (house build or edify) you up,

and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. Ac.20:32

We have "grace singing in our hearts" when the word sings in our heart.

So, don't let any one give you a new set of songs or sermons. All of the writers warn us not to accept "private interpretation" which means "further expounding" because, first, the word is God breathed and, second, if you allow any "cut N paste" slick serpents will wrestle the Word to your and their own destruction:

That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; Col 2:2

In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Col 2:3

And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. Col 2:4

For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ. Col 2:5

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Col 2:6

Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in THE FAITH, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Col 2:7

PISTIS (G4102) pis'-tis; from 3982; persuasion, i.e. credence; mor. conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), espec. reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstr. constancy in such profession;

by extension the system of religious (Gospel) truth itself: - assurance, belief, believe, faith, fidelity.

Don't let professionals GET ACCESS to your "spirit" which is the only place worship can take place as it gives heed to the Word or spirit of truth:

FINALLY, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe. Phil 3:1

Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. Phil 3:2

For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Phil 3:3

It is not possible to worship God in the new PLACE of the human spirit which was washed and made into A holy spirit at baptism while listening to people refusing to teach that which has been taught or "that which is written" in Romans 15

Rather than being like Christ, who refused to pleasure or be pleasured in a homosexual sense of Dionysus attack by the Jewish clergy, almost all forms of worship OUTSIDE of the mind or spirit would be like breaking down the walls or the sheepfold to let the wolves in to FEED ON the lambs.

All performers in the worship of most were dogs or catamites or male homosexuals.

Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for THE FAITH which was once delivered unto the saints. Jude 1:3

For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men,

turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. Jude 1:4

Lasciviousness is:

Aselgeia (g766) as-elg'-i-a; from a comp. of 1 (as a neg. particle) and a presumed selges , (of uncert. der., but appar. mean. continent); licentiousness (sometimes including other vices): - filthy, lasciviousness, wantonness

And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: 2Pe.2:7

For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. 2Pe.2:18

But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 2Pe.3:7

M. Tullius Cicero, Orations: for his house, Plancius, Sextius, Coelius, Milo, Ligarius,

XIX.[44] But in Marcus Caelius (for I will speak with the greater confidence of his honourable pursuits, because, relying on your good sense, O judges, I am not afraid freely to confess some things respecting him) no luxury will be found; no extravagance; no debt; no lasciviousness; no devotion to banquets or to gluttony. Those vices, forsooth, of the belly and the throat, age is so far from diminishing in men, that it even increases them. And loves, and those things which are called delights, and which, when men have any strength of mind, are not usually troublesome to them for any length of time, (for they wear off early and very rapidly,) never had any firm hold on this man so as to entangle or embarrass him.

[46] Do you suppose that there is any other reason, why, when the prizes of eloquence are so great when the pleasure of speaking is so great, when the glory is so high, the influence derived from it so extensive, and the honour so pure, there are and always have been so few men who devote themselves to this study? All pleasures must be trampled underfoot, all pursuit of amusement must be abandoned, O judges; sports and jesting and feasting; yes, I may almost say, the conversation of one's friends, must be shunned.

And this is what deters men of this class from the labours and studies of oratory; not that their abilities are deficient, or that their early training has been neglected. [47] Would Caelius, if he had given himself up to a life of pleasure, while still a very young man, have instituted a prosecution against a man of consular rank? would he, if he shunned this labour, if he were captivated by and entangled in the pursuit of pleasure, take his place daily among this array of orators? would he court enmities? would he undertake prosecutions? would he incur danger to his life? would he, in the sight of all the Roman people, struggle for so many months for safety or for glory?

Flavius Josephus, Against Apion (ed. William Whiston, A.M.) BOOK II

Again: Why is it important to teach that which you have been taught? Over and over, Paul and Peter insist on using the inspired Word for two reasons:

First, the word is inspired by God. Second, if you open up the process to another "teacher" you are certain to be deceived:

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Col 2:8

That means songs which "you have not been taught by Christ."

> As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 1 Pe. 2:2

Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 1 Pe. 2:5

By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name. Heb.13:15

This does not define a legalistic 'praise ritual."

Edification is not "my feelings" but it is education and the resource for teaching and "singing" is the Word of Christ or Spirit or "that which is written." Singing our own songs deliveres the universal message of music to God: "We don't want to hear your songs anymore."

Paul did not tell the Corinthians to do all things but to do things which edify: only the Word can build the house.

Al Maxey: IM itself, in my view, is not a sin. God nowhere declares it to be a sin, therefore it is rather presumptuous of ME to do so. God never makes it a salvation or fellowship matter, thus neither shall I. I really hope you'll reflect upon the "two audiences" in view in the two passages by Paul. I think it will make a vast difference in our view of some things!!

The issue is this: if Christ came into your presence to speak to you and you got out your fiddle while He was speaking would that be a sin?

Of course not, God never said "thou shalt not fiddle while I am speaking."

Most of the world's older scholars held a different view based on facts:

"The triumphal hymn of Moses had unquestionably a religious character about it; but the employment of music in religious services, though idolatrous, is more distinctly marked in the festivities which attended the erection of the golden calf." (Smith's Bible Dictionary, Music, p. 589).

This is self evident: "worship" means to give heed to God through His Word in the New Testament. For instance, the Lord's Supper is not an "act" but it becomes our worship when we honor Christ's Word.

If we "give heed" to the musicians "standing in the holy place" then we are worshiping the performers. This is idolatry. If Al can tolerate idolatry then instrumental music is ok. But, again, all ancients saw the musical twanging or ringing sound as proof that the gods lived inside the musical instrument. Therefore, instruments were made in the form of the female, a bull, a penis or some other "animate" article. The instruments were the idols.

Click to see what happened at Mount Sinai:

Ephraim Syrus On Our Lord notes that Sinai was a test. The Israelites were consummate idolaters in Egypt. However, God gave them one more shot at the Abrahamic Covenant. By removing Moses as a visible "authority figure" He wanted to let them answer their own prayer:

18. But when their heathenism from being inward became open, then Moses also from being hidden openly appeared; that he might openly punish those whose heathenism had revelled beneath the holy cloud which had overshadowed them.

But God removed the Shepherd of the flock from it for forty days, that the flock might show that its trust was fixed upon the calf.

And he was there in the wilderness forty days tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him. Mark 1:13

While God was feeding the flock with all delights, it chose for itself as its Shepherd the calf, which was not able even to eat.

Moses who kept them in awe was removed from them, that the idolatry might cry aloud in their mouths,

which the restraint of Moses had kept down in their hearts. For they cried: Make us gods, to go before us.

19. But when Moses came down, he saw their heathenism revelling in the wide plain with drums and cymbals.

Speedily, he put their madness to shame by means of the Levites and drawn swords.

So likewise here, our Lord concealed His knowledge for a little when the sinful woman approached Him, that the Pharisee might form into shape his thought, as his fathers had shaped the pernicious calf.

Of the Musical worship condemned by Amos: "we recognize the same elements: the sacrifices and libation, the cultic feast in which the congregation gets a share of food and drink after it has been blessed by the king, and the merry-making, now in the form of instrumental and vocal music. But the central act of the ritual, which was performed by the king, is called literally 'drinking' the god (Gurney, O. R. Some Aspects of Hittite Religion, p. 33-34, Oxford University Press, 1977)

"In the New Testament there is nowhere any emphasis laid on the musical form of the hymns; and in particular none on instrumental accompaniment whereas this is significantly paganism." (Delling, Gerhard, Worship in the New Testament, trans. Percy Scott Phil. Westminster press, 1962, p. 86).

Job represents many parallel passages associating musical play with telling God: "We had just rather not listen to your words."

Why do the wicked live and become old,

Yes, become mighty in power? Jb 21:10

They send forth their little ones like a flock,

and their children dance. Jb 21:11

They take (make insurrection) the timbrel and harp,

and rejoice at the sound of the organ. Jb 21:12

They spend their days in wealth,

and in a moment go down to the grave. Jb 21:13

Therefore they say unto God,

Depart from us;

for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. Jb 21:14

What is the Almighty, that we should serve him?

and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him? Jb 21:15

Trying to worship a Spirit God with the works of human hands has always been evil: it says to God, "Our songs are better than your songs" and making the people "feel" the drug high from music is more important than teaching the Words (Spirit) of Christ.

Strabo Geography 10.3.16

Of the rites of Dionysus condemned by Paul in First Corinthians using the "weapons" of warfare or even the metallic chisel to help with the clangs and booms to bring down the gods:

"And he mentions immediately afterwards the attendants of Dionysus:

one, holding in his hands the bombyces, toilsome work of the turner's chisel,

fills full the fingered melody, the call that brings on frenzy,

while another causes to resound the bronze-bound cotylae.

"and again, stringed instruments raise their shrill cry, and frightful mimickers from some place unseen bellow like bulls, and the semblance of drums, as of subterranean thunder (underlying bass), rolls along, a terrifying sound.

THOUGH I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 1 Cor 13:1

Echeo (g2278( ay-kheh'-o; from 2279; to make a loud noise, i.e. reverberate: - roar, sound.

And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring Lu.21:25

Echos (g2279) ay'-khos; of uncert. affin.; a loud or confused noise ("echo"), i.e. roar: fig. a rumor: - fame, sound.

For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, Heb 12:18

And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: Heb.12:19

Brass is: Chalkos (g5475) khal-kos'; perh. from 5465 (great gulf) through the idea of hollowing out as a vessel (this metal being chiefly used for that purpose); copper (the substance, or some implement or coin made of it): - brass, money.

A hi-tek "familiar spirit."

AUGUSTINE: on the Morals of the Manichaeans riducules them for believing that the gods came out of brass and other things by rubbing or abrading (making melody with them). Augustin uses figurative language much like Paul's warning that our melody must never be external but in the heart:

Augustine on the Psalms noted that making melody external is a work which David always performed trying to find God whom he believed had become lost:

"Make melody unto the Lord upon the harp: on the harp and with the voice of a Psalm" (ver. 5). Praise Him not with the voice only; take up works, that ye may not only sing, but work also.

He who singeth and worketh,

maketh melody with psaltery and upon the harp.

I have no opinion. I have no right to an opinion. But, I honor God by listening to God and, thankfully, He has unplugged my ears and opened my eyes because I seek (worship) Him in spirit (mind) and in truth (His Word and not my opinion.)

And, somehow, along with all of the world's scholarship until the latter day prophets, I somehow see the "music" as not a worship to the Spirit God word. On the contrary, along with all of the world's scholarship I see the "music" word as a sign that people have turned their mind away from God and they are not going to be able to turn back. One pastor confessed that all of the music and instrument words in the Bible have bitter or even Satanic roots. However, God saw how successful the Devil was and decided to reveal to us that "music" is really a good idea after all.

Kenneth Sublett

Musical Worship Index

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