Dwaine E. Dunning: Was Instrumental Music Only For IsraelAnswer to Dwaine E. Dunning: Music is not an operative worship word in the entire Bible. Music was borrowed from the pagans.Victor Knowles 2003 Pepperdine DANCING AT ARM'S LENGTH----wrong! A partial review of continuing effort to take captive "a cappella" churches.
Together for Greater Ministry Impact '04: The latest gasp at a UNITY FORUM under the auspices of COMMERCIALISM. Pro-Instrumental preachers called in to speak for "a cappella" churches of Christ. Goal to build 5500 instrumental churches.
Read what Thomas Aquinas and most early church writers said about singing versus teaching.
Non-Instrumental Position Must Be Destroyed: Introduction
Instrumental Music Will Untie the Gordian Knot #2
1ST-CENTURY INFLUENCES on Instrumental Music? #3
See Was Instrumental Music Only For Israel #4
Ray Downen challenging the WORSHIP word. #6 Paul's word for the ONE ANOTHER assembling themselves is a form of the word SYNAGOGUE. The synagogue was a school of the Bible and never had a praise service. Paul's unique "in the spirit" worship word is to GIVE HEED to God in Christ by reading and giving heed to His words which are Spirit and Life.
Quick, rough notes.
This "game worship" is not unexpected because the "fertility cult" among the Jews crops up throughout the Old Testament. For instance, in describing the Marzeah festival practiced in Israel and condemned by Amos, Karen Armstrong (who did seven years as a nun) wrote:
"Not surprisingly, most Israelites declined the prophet's invitation to enter into a dialog with Yahweh. They preferred a less demanding religion of cultic observance either in the Jerusalem Temple or in the old fertility cults of Canaan.
This continues to be the case: the religion of compassion is followed only by a minority; most religious people are content with decorous worship in synagogue, church, temple and mosque. (Armstrong, Karen, A History of God)
Worship in spirit and in truth is a mental or spiritual dialog with God. You cannot get into the holy place with your instruments and you cannot escort me there. There is room in this holy place for only one person and God at a time: you do not fit and God will get you if you continue to try.
<< Here's chapter 4 of Dwaine E. Dunning's book (available from Mission Outreach) on Christian use of musical instruments in God's praise -->>
WAS INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC ONLY FOR ISRAEL?
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Dwaine E. Dunning:
No reader of
the Old Testament can deny that musical instruments were
used "in
worship" by
the Israelites, both in the tabernacle and later in the
temple. This is seen in Psalm 68: "They have seen Your
procession, O God, The procession of my God, my King, into the
sanctuary. The
singers went on, the musicians after them, In the midst of the maidens
beating
tambourines.
Bless God in the congregations, Even the Lord, you who are
of the fountain of Israel" (Psalm 68:24-26 NASB).
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There is not a clue that "music" was used in worship in the Tabernacle. If it had been than we would not hear that David as the king and under the commanders of the army added instrumental sounds to the trumpets for animal sacrifices AFTER he was dead and national temple had been built. No singer or instrument player went into the Holy Place as a carnal type of the body or church of Christ, or into the Most Holy Place under the penalty of death. The musical levites under Hezekiah could not enter into the holy precincts even to clean out the garbage. See that God will promise these musical processionists to the beat of instrumental music.The "because of transgression" at Mount Sinia was the musical idolatry worshiping the Egyptian trinity. God saw this as a prayer to worship the heavenly hosts and granted their wish. The "people" became strangers and were not permitted into the Tabernacle which now had a different function. See the horror story where INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC caused the fall from Grace and caused God to give the Law of Moses for "external" regulation of a lawless tribe.
The Monarchy was conceded to Israel by God when the Elders "fired" Him and demanded a king like the nations and God stated that this was so that they could worship like the nations. Therefore, even at Mount Sinai, God had placed Israel under a system of "bondage" which is sometimes translated as "worship" but it was like the nations' slavery for the king as the "god's" agent.
There are no "chief musicians" but they were overseers or bondage leaders for the burning phase of animal sacrifices "just like the surrounding nations."
"From various psalms we glean fragmentary references to the cultic activities. In an 'entrance liturgy' (Ps. 24) we read about the command of the gates of Jerusalem to lift up their heads so that Yahweh, the King of Glory (presumably enthroned invisibly on the Ark), may come in. We read about festal processions into the sanctuary, led by singers and musicians (Ps. 68:24-25; 118:27), about dancing and making melody to Yahweh (Ps. 149:3), about the blowing of trumpets and the raising of 'the festal shout' (Ps 89:15)," (Bernard Anderson, p. 519).
"The book of Psalms contain new doctrine after the Law of Moses. And after the writing of Moses, it is the second book of doctrine... (David) first gave to the Hebrews a new style of psalmody, why which he abrogates the ordinances established by Moses with respect to sacrifices,
<>and introduces the new hymn and a new style of jubilant praise in the worship of God;
and throughout his whole ministry he teaches very many other things that went beyond the law of Moses." (Fragment of Commentary by Hippolytus, bishop of Rome, Ante-Nicene, V, p. 170)Try to hang on to the fact that Israel was turned over to worship the host of heaven. The worship of the Monarchy was the worship of the king and clergy. And every scholar understands that:
"The ancient Canaanite religions were still flourishing in Israel... the Israelites were still taking part in fertility rites and sacred sex there, as we see in the oracles of the prophet Hosea, Amos' contemporary." (Armstrong, Karen, A History of God, p. 47).
"It has been suggested that some of the psalms celebrated the enthronement of Yahweh in his Temple on the Feast of Tabernacles, which, like the enthronement of Marduk, re-enacted his primal subjugation of chaos." (Armstrong, p. 25)
At the Towers of Babylon this form of worship had been performed and "evangelized" into all of the world.
<>"According to the system which Nimrod was the grand instrument in introducing, men were led to believe
that a real spiritual change of heart was unnecessary, and that so far as change was needful,
they could be regenerated by mere external means. <>"Looking at the subject in the light of the Bacchanalian orgies (Read Ephesus and Corinth), which, as the reader has seen, commemorated the history of Nimrod, it is evident that
he led mankind to seek their chief good in sensual enjoyment,and showed them how they might enjoy the pleasures of sin, without any fear of the wrath of a holy God. (Voodoo, Rock, Boogie Woogie becomes Contemporary Christian Music)
<>"In his various expeditions he was always accompanied by troops of women; and by music and song, and games (rising up to play) and revelries, and everything that could please the natural hearts,
he commended himself to the good graces of mankind." (Hislop, Alexander, The Two Babylons, p. 55, Loizeaux Brothers)Only rarely did the Jerusalem temple honor Jehovah. Most of the time it honored the "nation's" gods imported and given equal or greater honor in buildings than God.
NO SINGERS OR MUSICIANS COULD ENTER INTO THE HOLY PLACES ON PENALTY OF DEATH
In Gerezim, condemned by Amos, the Mount Sinai worship which was imposed on Israel as a bondage with the Law to regulate the lawless was followed with the bull images worshiped with "rising up to play" on a daily basis. This was consistent with the "nation's" worship God turned them over to:
"The rectangular central shrine of the temple, known as a 'cella,' had a brick altar or offering table in front of a statue of the temple's deity. The cella was lined on its long ends by many rooms for priests and priestesses. These mud-brick buildings were decorated with cone geometrical mosaics, and the occasional fresco with human and animal figures. These temple complexes eventually evolved into towering ziggurats.
"The temple was staffed by priests, priestesses, musicians, singers, castrates and hierodules. Various public rituals, food sacrifices, and libations took place there on a daily basis. There were monthly feasts and annual, New Year celebrations. During the later, the king would be married to Inanna as the resurrected fertility god Dumuzi..." -
Asherah: Queen of Heaven, Ashtoreth, Athirat, Astarte, and Ishtar. Her "male" priestesses were known as kelabim, the faithful "dogs" of the Goddess, who practiced divinatory arts, danced in processions, and served as hierodules, qedeshim, in the company of other priestesses. Goddess worship were largely erased in a cultural purge c. 630 BCE by King Josiah.
The women (Ezekiel 8) lamented or mourned and fluted for Tammuz in the temple. Tammuz and Inanna were consorts (mother/ son, wife/husband). She is Ishtar or Easter honored by the men bowing to the East. That was in the temple now used for "proof text" trying to bring people back under the Mother/Whore worship of Babylonia:
"there may have been large numbers of eunuchs, as well as temple slaves. Merlin Stone believes that "sacred women" celebrated their sexuality and fertility by making love in Eanna in Inanna's name. This seems to be supported as that H.R. Hays says that there were temple prostitutes associated with Inanna, which is not too out of line as that she is supposed to be the goddess of prostitutes." (Interpreter's Dict of the Bible, Music, p. 461).
"the testimonies of neighboring civilizations are of little value, as they concern chiefly the music of courts or temples, which in Sumer, Babylon, and Canaan was then in the hands of professional priests-musicians. We have only a few remarks of Herodotus about Egyptian practices, which were similar to those of ancient Hebrew popular singing. He refers to the 'lament for Linos,'
also to women's chants in procession of the cult of Osiris and the Diana of Bubastis. "In Phoenicia and Syria almost all popular music reflected the worship of Ishtar, the goddess of fertility.
Thus, popular song was usually a prelude to sexual orgies in honor of the goddess, led and organized by her thousands of hierodules." (Interpreter's Dict of the Bible, Music, p. 461).
AMOS WARNS OF THE COWS OF BASHAN WHO INSTITATED PAGANISM. BASHAN IS CONNECTED TO THE MOUNTAIN WHERE THE PROPHETS OF ASHERAH AND BAAL PROPHESIED WITH MUSIC WHICH PRODUCED VIOLENCE.
The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan, I will bring my people again from the depths of the sea: Psalm 68:22
That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thine enemies, and the tongue of thy dogs (keleb male prostitutes) in the same. Psalm 68:23
They have seen thy goings, O God; even the goings of my God, my King, in the sanctuary. Psalm 68:24
The singers went before, the players on instruments followed after; among them were the damsels playing with timbrels. Psalm 68:25
MAYBE THEIR GOD BUT NOT JEHOVAH: this is not spiritual worship but the processional of the profane women
Instruments in the temple. Play is:
Nagan (h5059) naw-gan'; a prim. root; prop. to thrum, i. e. beat a tune with the fingers; espec. to play on a stringed instrument; hence (gen.) to make music: - player on instruments, sing to the stringed instruments, melody, minstrel, play (-er, -ing..
Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered.Is.23:16 [as a male]
And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song (love 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. Eze.33:32
What follows is not a "musical act of worship" and a direct command for Christians;
I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me: behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this man was born there. Psalm 87:4
And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the highest himself shall establish her. Psalm 87:5
The Lord shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there. Selah. Psalm 87:6
As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there: all my springs (sources of satisfaction) are in thee. Psalm 87:7
The word NAGAN which implicates sexual music is equated to CHALAL which proves it:
Chalal (h2490) khaw-lal'; a prim. root [comp. 2470]; prop. to bore, i. e. (by impl.) to wound, to dissolve; fig. to profane (a person, place or thing), to break (one's word), to begin (as if by an "opening wedge"); denom. (from 2485) to play (the flute): - begin (* men began), defile, * break, defile, * eat (as common things), * first, * gather the grape thereof, * take inheritance, pipe, player on instruments, pollute, (cast as) profane (self), prostitute, slay (slain), sorrow, stain, wound.
Isaiah 30 in the LXX condemns the processions to Jerusalem by telling the Jews what He will do with the Assyrians as the harps are the symbol and method of His "turning them over" to death and destruction.
When Isreal went it procession with instruments it was often to participate in Molech worship to which God sentenced them at Mount sinai. This is where they played instruments and burned babies so that the priests could "sell" them a new message from the gods.
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Dwaine E. Dunning:
Further study
reveals that the use of musical instruments was by God's
command
(through David). Open-minded persons should have no
difficulty then in believing that the Israelites pleased God
with worship which included the use of instrumental music.
But some who recognize this truth then assume that since He
didn't command (demand) that the early church use
instruments when they met together, it would displease Him
if Christians did in fact use any musical instruments in any
times of shared praise to Him.
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"The Israelite state was not founded with divine blessing. Rather, it was allowed as a grudging concession, just as a parent lets a child have his way in order that he may learn his folly from experience." (Anderson, Bernard, Theology of the O.T. p. 163).THIS WAS NOT WORSHIP IN ANY SENSE: WORSHIP MEANT TO FALL ON YOUR FACE. ANIMAL SACRIFICES WERE ADDED BECAUSE OF THE MUSICAL IDOLATRY AT MOUNT SINAI AND THE MARK OF A FALL FROM GRACE.
Hezekiah OFFERED his own solution based on an old PLAGUE STOPPING RITUAL by david. They did not worship but to cleanse the house of the Lord
Now God does that at individual BAPTISM: if instrumentalists feel that their HOUSE is so polluted that God won't accept the SACRIFICIAL MUSIC then they should not try to impose that on those who trust the cross.
When Hezekiah look backward almost 300 years in 1 Chronicles 29:25:
David had already separated the Ark of the Covenant from the Tabernacle which, according to Stephen in Acts 7, ended the Tabernacle of God as He had ordained.
When David took the census of muster-age males God brought a plague. David confessed His sins and God allowed him to offer sacrifices at Zion. However, David was too fearful of the "angels" which symbolically stood guard, to go to Gibeon and enquire of the Lord.
The Plague-stopping animal burning was delivered by Gad, the king's seer, but not by Nathan the prophet.
Only later did David as king and the commanders of the army organize the warrior musicians used to panic or oversee the panic of the enemy.
Therefore, there was no command of God for the "burning" part of Hezekiah's Plague Stopping Animal Sacrifice with the Levitical "sounders" (not musicians).
All of the other parallel passages clearly separate the "instruments of David" for the burning "menial bondage" from the trumpets of God used to signal the animal sacrifice.
The common people had been excluded after the Musical idolatry at Mount Sinai.
Therefore, only after the city officials, king, clergy, buildings and grounds had been "purged" or 'recertified' could the common people observe Passover.
When the Passover was observed the Levites "sang only" because David's instruments were valid only for the civil-religious institution for dedication or purification animal sacrifices.
To Cleanse the Temple: not for Worship
What Part God had Commanded
And of the sons of Elizaphan; Shimri, and Jeiel:and of the sons of Asaph; Zechariah, and Mattaniah:2 Chronicles 29:13
And of the sons of Heman; Jehiel, and Shimei: and of the sons of Jeduthun; Shemaiah, and Uzziel. 2 Chronicles 29:14
And they gathered their brethren, and sanctified themselves, and came,
.....according to the commandment of the king,
.....by the words of the Lord,
.....to cleanse the house of the Lord
.....2 Chronicles 29:151 Chron 16: [40] to offer burnt offerings to Yahweh on the altar of burnt offering continually morning and evening, even according to all that is written in the law of Yahweh, which he commanded to Israel;
David added the rest at a Jebusite High Place because THAT is what God abandoned them to.
[41] and with them Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest who were chosen, who were mentioned by name, to give thanks to Yahweh, because his lovingkindness endures forever;and with them Heman and Jeduthun [with] trumpets and cymbals for those that should sound aloud, and [with] instruments for the songs of God; and the sons of Jeduthun to be at the gate.
[42]
Long after David and Hezekiah Nehemiah look BACK to the KINGS as the authority for the singers and musicians.
And both the singers and the porters
........... kept the ward (sentry or watch) of their God,
........... and the ward of the purification,
........... according to the commandment of David, and of Solomon his son. Nehemiah 12:45For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chief of the singers,
........... and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God. Nehemiah 12:46So, we can conclude that the people had NOT worshipped weekly with singing and instruments!
The only version which may have its comma misplaced is:
Then Hezekiah the king rose early, and gathered the rulers of the city, and went up to the house of the Lord. 2 Chronicles 29:20
And they brought seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven he goats,
........... for a sin offering
........... ........... for the kingdom, and
........... ........... for the sanctuary, and
........... ........... for Judah.And he commanded the priests the sons of Aaron to offer them on the altar of the Lord. 2 Chronicles 29:21
So they killed the bullocks, and the priests received the blood, and sprinkled it on the altar: likewise, when they had killed the rams, they sprinkled the blood upon the altar: they killed also the lambs, and they sprinkled the blood upon the altar. 2 Chronicles 29:22
And they brought forth the he goats for the sin offering before the king and the congregation [NOT the civilians]; and they laid their hands upon them: 2 Chron 29:23
And the priests killed them, and they made reconciliation with their blood upon the altar, to make an atonement for all Israel: 2 Chron 29:24a
The Burning Phase begins for the entire nation represented (always) by the king, clergy, city officials and tribal representatives (stationary men):
Next: There are commands of DAVID and commands of Nathan the prophet: all appealing to an ancient plague- stopping contract.What: And he set (stationed) the Levites in the house (court) of the Lord with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps,
Authority: according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the kings seer,
Back in 1 Chronicles it is clear that David commanded the instruments because God DID NOT command the Temple originally.
Moreover four thousand were porters; and four thousand praised the Lord with the instruments
........... which I made, said David, to praise therewith. 1 Chr 23:5
And God commanded the Burnt Offerings:
1 Chron 16:
[40] to offer burnt offerings to Yahweh on the altar of burnt offering continually morning and evening, even according to all that is written in the law of Yahweh, which he commanded to Israel;
[41] AND with them Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest who were chosen, who were mentioned by name, to give thanks to Yahweh,
........... because his lovingkindness endures forever;and with them Heman and Jeduthun [with] trumpets and cymbals for those that should sound aloud, and [with] instruments for the songs of God; and the sons of Jeduthun to be at the gate.
[42]<>What: and Nathan the prophet:
........... <>Authority: for so was the commandment of the Lord by his prophets. 2 Chronicles 29:25 (268 years ago)<>So the Levites stood ready with David's instruments,
........... <>and the priests with the trumpets. 2 Chronicles 29:26The only thing commanded by God through Gad the king's seer (civil) was to offer and burn the sacrifices at Jerusalem. The commandment of God was the commandment for purification of a now-dead king, kingdom, priesthood and buildings and grounds.
This would then make the grounds safe for the Passover for the common people where the Levites "sang only."
And when they had made an end of offering, the king and all that were present with him bowed themselves, and worshipped. 29:29
You see, burning the animals was a bargain Hezekiah made with God about how to tear down, purge and burn up all of the idols in the temple.
This was not a "worship service."
When it was all over then they worshiped by bowing in silence.
Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the Lord
with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer.
And they sang praises with gladness,
and they bowed their heads and worshipped. 2 Chron 29:30"Since the Scripture expressly states that the musical instruments sounded 'until the burnt-offering was finished' the congregational praise which followed must have been a cappella." (Notes on The Biblical Doctrine of Worship, Presbyterian Church of N.A.).
If the instrumentalists want to try to sacrifice for the sins of the world while "sounding" with anything which will make a noise, be my guest.
But, I want to be somewhat removed when the fire comes down.
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Dwaine E. Dunning:
In Psalm 68 I
see a strong
hint that
something more
than Israel's worship is in view. Early Christians likely used
the O.T. Psalms by chanting or singing them in their
assemblies as Paul had urged. What would those early
Christians have thought they meant when they sang of this
praise that was to take place "in the great congregation"? Who would these sons of
Abraham by faith think was meant when "you who are of
Israel's fountain" were exhorted to praise God in solemn
processions?
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This congregation was not a modern, neo-pagan "Church Worship Service." Rather, God's congregation existed in the wilderness when He sent rain even those who would die in the wilderness:Thy congregation hath dwelt therein: thou, O God, hast prepared of thy goodness for the poor. Psalm 68:10
The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it. Psalm 68:11
They have seen thy goings, O God; even the goings of my God, my King, in the sanctuary. Psalm 68:24The singers went before, the players on instruments followed after; among them were the damsels playing with timbrels. Psalm 68:25
However, this is not the "great congregation" in Jerusalem which is related to Christ.
John Murray notes that:
In the Septuagint psalmos occurs some 67 times in the titles to the Psalms. In most cases it is the translation of the Hebrew mismor, but in a few cases it translates other Hebrew words.
Psalmos means simply "song of praise." The frequency with which the word psalmos occurs in the titles is probably the reason why the Book of Psalms is called in the LXX version simply psalmoi. In the Hebrew it is called tehillim.
The "praising" of Christ in the "congregation" as we "teach" the inspired Word of God is defined by this word:
Tehillah (h8416) teh-hil-law'; from 1984; laudation; spec. (concr.) a hymn: - praise.
O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not;
and in the night season, and am not silent. Psalm 22:2
But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. Psalm 22:3I will declare thy name unto my brethren:
in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee. Psalm 22:22Ye that fear the Lord, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel. Psalm 22:23
For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard. Psalm 22:24
My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him. Psalm. 22:25
- In the absence of a divine prohibition against the use of musical instruments by Christians,
- it seems likely that the early church would not see any reason why they should not praise God upon musical instruments just as Abraham's seed had been doing through the centuries.
When Paul used the word gathering or assembly he used a form of the word SYNAGOGUE and there was no 'praise service in the synagogue.' The "congregation" is the ekklesia or synagogue or school of the Bible: you don't "make music" in a class room. Furthermore, the assembly is to show forth or preach the DEATH of Christ: you don't musically mock Jesus as did the Warrior Levites.
The ALARM in Number 10:17 was outlawed because the assembly was not a place to try to "appease" God or entertain men.
For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. Heb 2:10
For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, Heb 2:11
Teach: Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren,
Meditate: in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. Heb 2:12Teach is to evangelize: "Teach one another with that which is written"
Sing is not musical but: "Sing and make melody in the heart to god." Psallo means to grind out:
Apalgeo (g524) ap-alg-eh'-o; from 575 and algeo, (to smart); to grieve out, i.e. become apathetic: - be past feeling
While Jesus was GRIEVING OUT His prayer he asked Peter:
And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Matthew 26:40
So, it is elementary, dear Watson, that Jesus didn't promise to play musical instruments in the midst of the congregation or He would have.
However, of the "like the nations temples":
All the "nations" used instrumental music in their temple rituals. However, the common people were not allowed to participate in these rituals for "god" the king and priests.
"From (the Uraritic text) come references to a class of Temple personnel designated by the term serim, who exercised functions similar to those of the Hebrew singers during the monarchy and later times. Some of the servants of David who were designated in 1 Kings 4:31 by (a) term meaning 'aboriginal' or 'native sons,' and
who possessed Canaanite names such as Heman, Chalcol, and Darda, were engaged in various forms of musical activity. As such they were described by the phrase 'sons of Mahol,' a Hebrew term closely related to (the Greek), used of a semi-circular area in which the Greek chorus danced, and meaning 'members of the orchestral guild.'
A further reflection of this musical interest became apparent when Megiddo was excavated and the treasure room of the royal palace was uncovered. From this area was recovered a plaque inlaid with ivory, depicting a royal personage seated on a throne. He was drinking from a small bowl, and was being entertained by a court musician who stood before him plucking the strings of a lyre." (Harrison, R. K., Introduction to the Old Testament, Eerdmans, p. 335, see p. 411).
God "turned them over" even at Mount Sinai with a conditional sentence to the worship of Molech and his kindred. When they demanded a king it was, according to the prophets, to worship like the nations.
That is a fact: when Israel "fell from grace" at Mount Sinai, God turned them over to worship the host of heaven. They had worshiped Osiris under the golden calf of the Apis bull for their duration in Egypt.
This was so profoundly polluting that God's justice would have left Israel in Egypt to suffer and die. However, by His grace He brought them out and "gave them another test" at Mount Sinai.
They took their "wedding vows" to The Covenant of Grace like that of Abraham and defended by Paul in Galatians. However, after the test they failed and "rose up to play." This repeated the musical idolatry of Egypt.
Paul in 2 Cor 3 says that their eyes were blinded and would be so until they ultimately turned to Christ. God put them in "sore bondage" back under the worship of Molech, Saturn, Chiun (in Amos) and other incarnations of the planets as "wandering stars."
In Isaiah 30 God warned Israel by telling how He would destroy the Assyrians (the tallest tree in Eden).
Now then sit down and write these words on a tablet, and in a book, for these things shall be for many long day, and even for ever. Isaiah 30:8 LXX
For the people is disobedient, false children who would not hear the law of God: Isaiah 30:9 LXX
who say to the prophets Report not to us; and to them that see visions, Speak them not to us, but speak and report to us another error, Isaiah 14:10 LXX
and turn us aside from this way, remove from us this path, and remove from us the oracle of lsrael. Isaiah 30:11 LXX
God actually warned about the instrumental processions to Mount Zion and the temple. They thought that they were ushering their god into his temple even as instrumental music in all pagan temples was to "awaken and call the gods into their temple."
The version Jesus read asks:
Must ye always rejoice, and go into my holy places continually, as they that keep a feast? and must ye go with a pipe, as those that rejoice into the mountain of the Lord, to the God of Israel Isaiah 30:29 LXX
and the Lord shall make his glorious voice to be heard and the wrath of his arm, to make a display with wrath and anger and devouring flame: he shall lighten terribly, and his wrath shall be as water and violent hail. Isaiah 30:30 LXX
For by the voice of the Lord the Assyrians shall be overcome, even by the stroke where with he shall smite them. Isaiah 30:31 LXX
And it shall happen to him from every side, that they from whom their hope of assistance was, in which he trusted, themselves shall war against him in turn with drums and with harp. Isaiah 30:32 LXX
And in every place where the grounded staff shall pass, which the Lord shall lay upon him, it shall be with tabrets and harps:and in battles of shaking will he fight with it. Isaiah 30:32KJV
For thou shalt be required before thy time: has it been prepared for thee also to reign? nay, God has prepared for thee a deep trench, wood piled fire and much wood: the wrath of the Lord shall be as a trench kindled with sulphur. Isaiah 30:33 LXX
Awakening the Instrument to Awaken the Gods.
Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath (spirit) at all in the midst of it.
Woe to those who command their lifeless wooden idols to arise and save them, who call out to the speechless stone to tell them what to do. Can images speak for God? They are overlaid with gold and silver, but there is no breath at all inside! Hab 2:19
The Psalmist having lost the presence of God cried out:
Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early. Psa 57:8
Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever. Psa 44:23Here is how two other groups were warned:
"The Israelites continued to worship Yahweh in the ancient shrines, which they had inherited from the Canaanites at Beth-El, Shiloh, Hebron, Bethlehem and Dan, where there were frequently pagan ceremonies. The Temple soon became special, however, even though, as we shall see, there were some remarkably unorthodox activities there too. The Israelites began to see the Temple as the replica of Yahweh's heavenly court. They had their own New Year Festival in autumn, beginning with the scapegoat ceremony on the Day of Atonement, followed five days later by the harvest festival of the Feast of Tabernacles, which celebrated the beginning of the agricultural year.
"It has been suggested that some of the psalms celebrated the enthronement of Yahweh in his Temple on the Feast of Tabernacles, which, like the enthronement of Marduk, re-enacted his primal subjugation of chaos." (Armstrong, p. 25)
There were periodic efforts to clean the pagan idols out of the Temple. During the Inter testament period the Greek (Babylonian etc) influence was overpowering many of the Jews. They even had to renounce their Jewish faith and perform the fertility rituals. Many of the Psalms which sought (or had been interpreted as) to "awaken" or "arouse" God by the use of music were suppressed--
"We even have a mention at a later date of a similar custom in connection with the cult in Jerusalem, where certain Levites, called me'oreim, 'arousers,' sang (every morning?) this verse from Ps 44:23: "Awake, O Lord! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever." The Talmud tells us that John Hyrcanus suppressed the practice because it recalled too readily a pagan custom." (Roland de Vaux, p. 247).
"A similar practice is attested in connection with the cult of Herakles-Melkart. According to Menander, as he is quoted by Josephus, the king Hiram, who was a contemporary of Solomon, rebuilt the temples of Tyre and, 'he was the first to celebrate the awakening of Heracles in the month of Peritius.'" (de Vaux, p. 247)
At that time Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years, the span of a king's life. But at the end of these seventy years, it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the prostitute: Is.23:15
"Take up a harp, walk through the city, O prostitute forgotten; play the harp well, sing many a song, so that you will be remembered." Is.23:16
At the end of seventy years, the LORD will deal with Tyre. She will return to her hire as a prostitute and will ply her trade with all the kingdoms on the face of the earth. Is.23:17
"In an inscription from Cyprus, in one from Rhodes and in several from around the district of Carthage, there are references to important personages who bear the title Mqm'lm which we can translate as 'arouser of the god.'" (de Vaux, Roland, The Bible and the Ancient Near East, Doubleday, p. 247).
The me'oreim term is associated with the "resounding gong" and the "clanging cymbal" of 1 Cor. 13-- me'onem "means to emit a hoarse nasal sound such as was customary in reciting the prescribed formula" or charm.
"Peckham 1987:84-87: the association of Astarte with the dying god, Eshmun, may well be related to child sacrifice, as Peckham; Robertson 1982:329. Given the parallel to Genesis 22, the tradition of Kronos sacrificing his only son as a part of the Phoenician cult looks to be related to the thriving business of infant sacrifice in Phoenician culture.
The mourning ritual connected with Astarte in KAI 37 and elsewhere, and the tradition of "raising the god" (mqm 'lm), identified as Astarte's bridegroom in KAI 44:2, in Phoenician epigraphs (c.f. the Eqron epigraph, lmqm, in the seventh c., where other indications of Phoenician influence are present), suggest the importance of the cycle through the underworld in this cult
Peckham, J. B. 1987 Phoenicia and the Religion of Israel: The Epigraphic Evidence. Pp. 79-99 in Ancient Israelite Religion. Essays in Honor of Frank Moore Cross, ed. P. D. Miller, P. D. Hanson and S. D. McBride.Philadelphia: Fortress.
The Greek for "resounding (echoing) gong" is similar to the Hebrew-
Greek chalkos "the idea of hollowing out as a vessel (this metal being chiefly used for that purpose); from 5465 chalao to lower as into a void: let down, strike. From 5400 a frightening thing, i.e. terrific portent: fearful sight."
The early Jews used approximately 30% of the Psalms as suitable for "religious" or teaching use
In the light of universal condemnation and association of music with an outlaw nation recommend it? The Jews were under a system of law "because of transgression" and turned over to the worship of the stary host. There is no positive endorsement or good pronounced upon music (not a Biblical, worship word). Therefore, why would one even have the lust of the ears?There was no music, no priesthood, no temple and no rituals under the Patriarchal system which Paul views as the "father" of the Christian "Israelite." The spiritual children of Abraham almost dried up under the influence of the temple system.
The priesthood, mandatory animal sacrifices and Levites were imposed as a burden upon Israel only after they rose up to play.
But literate Bible readers who have "turned to Christ" can read the Exodus event and see the music was part of the idolatry and it was permitted by God when He "turned them over" to worship the stary host or the "wandering stars" alluded to by Jude quoting Enoch who speaks eloquently about the use of human arts to take away the key to the knowledge of God.
Pagan believers knew the evil of music in the feminist pagan temples and Jewish believers knew that the Temple was never their "worship center" but national capital. They came out of the synagogue which is like church with no instruments and not even a "praise service."
"Congregation" simply means a time or place where people meet. David praised God but this was before He as king and the commanders of the army had assigned the military Levites to oversee (straw boss) the temple: they were not called musicians.
NOW when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for the people wept very sore. Ezr.10:1
My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him. Psalm 22:25
I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O Lord, thou knowest. Ps.40:9
I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation. Ps.40:10
David was king and did not meet in the community gatherings. And there was no music or "praise ritual" in the assemblies for instruction.
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Dwaine E. Dunning:
Consider
Psalm 81's claim that the use of instrumental music in temple
worship was a statute, and an ordinance, and a law -- from God. We note that this
command from God was not part of the Mosaic Law which later
was "nailed to the cross."
The psalmist sang,
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WHEN GOD COMMANDS SOMETHING WE CAN FIND IT RECORDED BY INSPIRATION:
That is pretty slick: there was no law about music in the Mosaic Law and God commanded that no one "veer off" either to the left or right. Not even after their musical idolatry did the law contain instruments. However, the everlasting ordinance when they "went throughout the land of Egypt" was for the Passover and other festivals.The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to blow the trumpets. This is to be a lasting ordinance for you and the generations to come. Nu 10:8NIV
When you go into battle in your own land against an enemy who is oppressing you, sound a blast on the trumpets. Then you will be remembered by the LORD your God and rescued from your enemies. Nu 10:9
Also at your times of rejoicing--your appointed feasts and New Moon festivals--you are to sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, and they will be a memorial for you before your God. I am the LORD your God." Nu 10:10If you are a careful reader you will see two things: First, is the command for overseer or straw boss (not musician) to:
(To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of) (Asaph.)
However, when the Qahal or Synagogue or Church in the Wilderness was assembled ONLY for instructions:
But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm. Num 10:7
This is a later addition of "directions" much like our poems are put in song books. While there was no "chief musician" the Levites were the Overseers or straw bosses to force the people to bow down during animal sacrifices, force them into battle or ease the slaves being driven to build the temple. They were not 'worship leaders' in the modern sense:
SING aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob Psalm 81:1 [This means to creak make a strident sound]
Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery. Psalm 81:2
The timbrel was not used in the temple. Therefore, Psalm 150 is not a temple ritual.
Now, as far as I know there were no Hebrew Psalms when they went out of Egypt:
Next, we have a second command.
The Levites played the instruments under the king and commanders of the army.
There were no assigned Levites when Israel went out of Egypt. They were added as a curse or burden upon the nation even as musicians are a financial and emotional burden imposed on 'Christian' churches.
Only the priests were authorized to sound the silver trumpets or more common ram's horn.
Sound the ram's horn at the New Moon, and when the moon is full, on the day of our Feast; Psalm 81:3
For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob. Psalm 81:
He established it as a statute for Joseph when he went out against Egypt, where we heard a language we did not understand. Psalm 81:5There was no MUSIC commanded as WORSHIP. After our baptism Paul warned the musical people:
Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was AGAINST us, which was CONTRARY to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;Those who violate all of the laws and principles of the Bible and IMPOSE instrumental music knowing that they will sow discord DO SO JUDGE, sentence, condemn and execute judgment AGAINST those who will not GO BEYOND THE CROSS AND DENY IT;
Col 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Col 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
Col 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ
G2919 krinō kree'-no Properly to distinguish, that is, decide (mentally or judicially); by implication to try, condemn, punish:--avenge, conclude, condemn, damn, decree, determine, esteem, judge, go to (sue at the) law, ordain, call in question, sentence to, think.Therefore, anyone IMPOSING noise-making instruments is judging people and repudiating the cross.
The direct antecedent is not the timbrel but the Ram's Horn.But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me. Psalm 81:11
So I gave them up unto their own hearts lust: and they walked in their own counsels. Psalm 81:12H8307 sherıyrûth sher-ee-rooth' From H8324 in the sense of twisted, that is, firm; obstinacy: imagination, lust.Therefore it is kindergarten bible class to understand the ordinance given in Egypt. David "changed the laws" because that is what God turned the Monarchy over to do.
The "congregation" was only gathered for instruction in the wilderness and this congregation was usually composed of the princes of the tribes: you don't assemble three million people. The ALARM is the triumph over which Judas would attempt on Jesus Christ which was a musical attack. In the DSS version of Psalm 41 this was with instrumental music.But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm. Num 10: 7
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"NO command of God was ever so
ascribed to man. The use of the instruments of music in the
Old Testament were of man, not of God." (Tract on music,
Lipscomb).
"Surely these inspired statements are sufficient to show that David made, invented, and commanded the use of instruments of music in divine worship. Where does revelation explain that God made, invented, appointed, or commanded the use of instrumental music in ordained worship of that age? On the basis of plain declarations, the contention that David introduced the idea is founded; in the absence of such testimony that God is the author, we reject the opinion that God authorized the practice." (L.O. Sanderson, p. 350). "From the beginning, then, it was not so. Neither is it a part of or aid to Christian worship. Since there is no record of God ordaining the practice, he must have simply tolerated or indulged it, just as he did regarding some ignorance, kings, divorces, and polygamy" (Sanderson, p. 351). "It was by the hand or commandment of the Lord and his prophets that the Levites should praise the Lord; for so the Hebrew text may be understood: "and it was by the order of David that so many instruments of music should be introduced into the Divine service." (Adam Clark, Commentary on 2 Chron. 29:25).Then Clark says: "But were it evident, which it is not, either from this (2 Chron. 29:25) or any other place in the sacred writings, that instruments of music were prescribed by Divine authority under the law, could this be adduced with any semblance of reason that they ought to be used in Christian Worship? No..." (Adam Clark, Commentary, Vol. II, PP. 690-691). "I believe that David was not authorized by the Lord to introduce that multitude of musical instruments into the divine worship of which we read; and I am satisfied that his conduct in this respect is most solemnly reprehended by this prophet; and I further believe that the use of such instruments of music in the Christian church is without the sanction and against the will of God; that they are subversive of the spirit of true devotion...if there was a woe to them who invented instruments of music, as did David under the law, is there no woe...to those who introduce them?" (Adam Clark, Commenting on Amos 6:5). "It is foreign also to the piety of Clement that the (song) instituted for drinking companies, to be sung in the convivial feasts of the Gentiles... As if he [Clement] did not know that Psalms, not 'wine songs,'... were recited at the close of the Supper... I say that so great a profanation of the Psalms is most severely condemned by God in the third [commandment] of the Decalogue and Amos 5:23; 6:5" (Joseph Bingham, Antiq. of the Christian Church, Vol. 2, p. 485 quoting Clement). "...Scriptures do condemn the use that David made of the instruments in worship--Amos 6:5: 'Woe to them... that chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of music, like David;' and Amos 5:23: 'Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols.' The condemnation of the instruments of music in this passage turns on the phrase like David--it does not say like David's, which could refer only to the instruments, but like David is the use that David made of the instruments. David did not invent the musical instrument--Jubal invented the instruments (Gen. 4:21)--but David invented them for worship--they were David's innovation." (Wallace, p. 177). "Amos, we are told, is the sharpest critic of musical instruments in pre-Christian times. through him God expresses a preference for justice and honesty over bloody sacrifice and its attendant music of song and instruments. This sentiment, we are told, was revolutionary, making part of a similar change felt over the civilized world... And overall view of the evidence, McKinnon thinks, reveals a relationship between the three elements: a higher conception of God, a rejection of sacrifice, and a rejection of musical instruments." (Green, William M, Pepperdine College, in Restoration Quarterly, v. 19, 1966). "To hear a man's or woman's voice sing Handel's solo... beats through one's chest with some sort of a throb depending on how well he or she is singing, and how much you respond to this kind of music. But no matter how much you may 'enjoy' Handel's solo, the words are not meant to be entertainment." (Schaeffer, Edith, Christianity is Jewish, p. 1) "Amos stressed "that violations of the moral law could not be remedied by means of festive rites, offerings, or liturgical indulgence on the part of the sinner. In point of fact, God was already standing beside the altar (Am. 9:1ff), poised and ready to shatter it. No ritual, however, elaborate and symbolic in nature, could possibly substitute for the sincere worship of the human spirit, grounded in high moral and ethical principles." (Harrison, p. 895). "Not surprisingly, most Israelites declined the prophet's invitation to enter into a dialog with Yahweh. They preferred a less demanding religion of cultic observance either in the Jerusalem Temple or in the old fertility cults of Canaan. This continues to be the case: the religion of compassion is followed only by a minority; most religious people are content with decorous worship in synagogue, church, temple and mosque. The ancient Canaanite religions were still flourishing in Israel... the Israelites were still taking part in fertility rites and sacred sex there, as we see in the oracles of the prophet Hosea, Amos' contemporary." (Armstrong, Karen, A History of God, p. 47). F. B. Bruce is one of the best known modern writer and one might expect that he would defend the denominational practice. However, he like most who rest on their scholarship tell the truth. He wrote-- "...these same people were punctilious in their religious observances. Never did such abundant sacrifices smoke to Yahweh from the altars at Dan and Bethel and other sanctuaries in Israel; and the note of praise rose regularly and loudly from tongue and harp. Was not this the worship in which Yahweh delighted? So they thought, but the voice of Yahweh through His prophet told a different story." (F.F. Bruce, Israel, p. 58). Bruce shows, along with the LXX, that (1) music was used as worship, (2) they thought that God would delight in it, but (3) God condemned it. This refutes those who deny that Amos said anything about music and it supports the clear statement and context of the book of Amos. Most ancient scholars not only condemn music as worship but show that it had its origin in pagan superstition and was the product of the poets (songs as magical incantations)--
"I say that so great a profanation of the Psalms is most severely condemned by God in the third [commandment] of the Decalogue and Amos 5:23; 6:5, 5" (Joseph Bingham, Antiq. of the Christian Church, Vol. 2, p. 485 quoting Clement) "It is foreign also to the piety of Clement that the (song) instituted for drinking companies, to be sung in the convivial feasts of the Gentiles... As if he [Clement] did not know that Psalms, not 'wine songs,'... were recited at the close of the Supper... I say that so great a profanation of the Psalms is most severely condemned by God in the third [commandment] of the Decalogue and Amos 5:23; 6:5" (Joseph Bingham, Antiq. of the Christian Church, Vol. 2, p. 485 quoting Clement). |
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Dwaine E. Dunning:
I mention
Psalm 81's statement concerning the fact that
use of musical
instruments was commanded to Jews, not to suggest that use of
musical instruments by Christians today is essential in order to please God.
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All instrumentalists mention Psalm 81 but it is not a commandment to "worship God with song and instrument." Therefore, everyone up until about the mid 1800s understood that. However, after a total breakdown during and following the civil wary, the "awakening" movements had associated the black influence of Voodoo which was forced to replace its "drumming" with vocal effects and beats there was little temptation for music knowing that they would violate the Word and sow discord. I think I have to repeat the ACTUAL COMMAND:
The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to blow the trumpets. This is to be a lasting ordinance for you and the generations to come. Nu 10:8NIV
When you go into battle in your own land against an enemy who is oppressing you, sound a blast on the trumpets. Then you will be remembered by the LORD your God and rescued from your enemies. Nu 10:9
Also at your times of rejoicing--your appointed feasts and New Moon festivals--you are to sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, and they will be a memorial for you before your God. I am the LORD your God." Nu 10:10
GOOD NEWS: JESUS MADE THE FINAL OFFERING AND THE WARRIOR MUSICIANS DID MUSICAL MOCK JESUS:
If you believe that God commanded instrumental music when He stated that He had turned them over to worship "like the nations" then go ahead and play your instruments and tell God that "we don't want to listen to you and your words." That is permitted.
If you buy into the notion you fulfill the type that falling for music closes the spiritual ears and eyes. Or if you want to burn ten thousand rams next Sunday, some on the Lord's Table and some in the parking lot, then God might let you get by with it because you have fallen from grace and God will let you store up His wrath. After all, David's "praise" meant "to make a fool of oneself." David confessed to Michal that he would make himself "even more vile" because it caused the slave girls to honor him. David's praise is directly to "making a show or shining" and the meaning of Lucifer, the father of instruments for worship.
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Dwaine E. Dunning:
We agree that
any person should not use musical instruments in God's
praise if the person thinks for any reason that use of
musical instruments by that person would displease God.
What's in dispute is not whether it would be wrong for a
person to go against his conscience. The question is whether
everyone has to be careful to not offend that person's
conscience. When God says any act is sinful, that act is
sinful for everyone. But, in the absence of a prohibition
from God to that effect, for any group to decide an act is
sinful for them does not in fact make the act sinful for
anyone else
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Then why would you sow discord among brethren and create an instrumental sectarianism when your forefathers, and you, know that you deliberately exclude a large body of believers? If you add instruments then you force people to sin or get out. And if they get out you call them Pharisees, hypocrites, legalists and sectarians! Like, Wow!
Dwaine Dunning is alluding to Romans 14. In Rome there were two major factions out of which the church had come with divisive ideas: the Orphic, vegetarian, instrumental music sect and the Dionysic, meat-eating, wine-drinking instrumental music sect.
As Paul provided a way for the Dionysics in Ephesus and Colossae a way to meet in unity to "teach" (no music in teaching), Paul gave an absolute law obeyed and commanded by Lord Jesus Christ
The punch line to chapter 14
which makes the Orphic
and Dionysic charismatic, musical worship certain is that chapter 15
immediately shows how the collective assembly, which does not consist
of external things like meats or music, can be united only by
following the pattern of Christ:
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PAUL OUTLAWED INSTRUMENTS: WE then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities (diseased scruple) of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Romans 15:1 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. Romans 15:2 People
used music to create "mental excitement" which Paul here outlaws. The
purpose prophesied of Jesus was to repraoch Him whiich means to "make
him naked and to expose His private parts." Musical "worship" had no
other meaning: Areskos
In the Latin the same "theatrical performance" or hypocrisy is outlawed:
Acts 7:41 And they made a calf in those days, and offered
sacrifice unto the idol, and REJOICED in the WORKS of their
OWN hands
Acts 7:42 Then God turned, and gave THEM UP to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness? GOD HAD NOT COMMANDED ANIMAL SACRIFICES BEFORE THE MUSICAL
IDOLATRY AT MOUNT SINAI. THEREFORE, MAKING ANIMAL SACRIFICES AS
THE ONLY TEMPLE RATIONALE FOR LOUD NOISE WAS PART OF THE CURSE.
This is exactly the meaning of
Ephesians 5 and Colossians 3 where "verse lifters" imagine they see
the word "music."
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Dwaine E. Dunning:
A theme
frequently found in the Praise Book used by both Israel and
the early Christian church is seen in Psalm 98,
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BUT THIS WAS OUTLAWED FOR THE QAHAL, SYNAGOGUE OR CHURCH IN THE WILDERNESS:
You will certainly be aware that Paul did not command "singing and make melody upon a harp." His command is not musical because music is not a Biblical, worship word. Psalm 98 like most instrumental Psalms are WARRIOR'S CHANTS or PANIC SONGS. The idea was to drive the enemy into panic an make them turn coward. David was not a priest or a WORSHIP LEADER and none of this was done IN the Temple but on the battle field.Paul commanded "teach and admonish." I have no doubt that everyone would be more spiritual if modern "pastors" followed Paul's instruction to Titus to "give attention to reading" or teaching. Giving attention is the only "worship" word associated with the Christian assembly. One might even read about smashing out the heads of little babies if one understood that POEMS TEND TO BE POETIC or symbolic.
Further, the pastor could grasp that the psalms are a metrical history of the more literal prose record. In the beginning, the Jews only recited the prose parts of the Bible but poetic literature was added later. Rather than singing about "praising God with the harp and a sharp sword between the teeth" to attack the enemy, one might note that the sword between the teeth is the "Sword of the Spirit."
A general trueism is that when melody is intended or an instrument intended it is named. Paul commanded the "first instrument of choice" in the word psalmos: the human voice and heart. David did not literally make a binding commandment for Christianity which said: "Sing a psalm and make melody upon a harp." He did not.
Erec (h776) eh'-rets; from an unused root prob. mean. to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land): - common, country, earth, field, ground, land, * nations, way, / wilderness, world.
O sing unto the Lord a new song; for he hath done marvelous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory. Psalm 98:1 (A Psalm.)
The Lord hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen. Psalm 98:2
He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Psalm 98:3
He said, "sing with the harp." Sing with the voice of a Psalm.
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. Psalm 98:4
Sing unto the Lord with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm. Psalm 98:5
With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the Lord, the King. Psalm 98:6
Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. Psalm 98:7Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together. Psalm 98:8
Don't loose sight that the nation of Israel was "like the nations" and is not a pattern for "in spirit" worship or we would still be burning animals.
This is a poem: poems tend to be poetic or symbolic: that is why they are called poems. When Judas and the priests mocked and killed Jesus, the DSS notes that Messiah says:
- They have overtaken me in a narrow pass (gap) without escape
- And there is no rest for me in my trial.
- They sound my censure upon a harp
- and their murmuring and storming upon a zither." Ps.41:11
Of the Levitical Overseers or Triumph-Over warriors (not musicians) go into battle:
When the priests go out into the gap between the battle lines,
seven Levites shall go out with them. In their hands shall be seven trumpets of rams' horns.
Three officers from among the Levites shall walk before the priests and the Levites.
Then the priests shall blow on the six trumpets of the slain a sharp staccato note to direct the battle,
and the Levites and all the people with rams' horns shall blow a great battle alarm together
in order to melt the heart of the enemy.I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. Psa 22:14
An evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast unto him: and now that he lieth he shall rise up no more. Ps.41:8
- Nevertheless, In Victory, Messiah says:
- 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.
The harp of God is almost always held in this period as symbolic of the "harp strings" God has give us along with the lips as a "double-edged sword."
None of the psalmists were priests. David was not a Levite. None of them were worship leaders. I might wax poetic and get so excited that I can see the "trees clapping their hands" because the Jewish "fellers" have been exiled to Babylon.
We are perfectly free to go dancing through the woods composing with a harp.
However, it is a fact that God protected the "people's congregation" when the "sounding" began the burning phase of animal sacrifices after the blood had been shed and offered to the Lord.
If you want to symbolically "burn" the body of Christ with the beginning and ending signaled with a "great crashing noise" then God will give you a concession to do that just as He did to David.
However, this has nothing to do with the congregational assembly where the synagogue and church operative word is "teach" and not make music.
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Dwaine E. Dunning:
Even the
mountains are exhorted to sing together for joy, and the
rivers to clap their hands before the Lord.
Had the Psalmist not included verses 5 and 6 in this passage, a good argument might be built that he meant "all the earth" in the same sense as in the thrilling statement, "the heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork." Here this writer is referring to more than just created things. The mention of specific instruments played by humans lets us understand that this writer at least is calling for all the people on the earth to sing praise to God. The praise was not to be limited only to things in nature which are not human. Nor was it limited to use of the human voice. |
On the contrary, if the poet had not written poetically verses 4, 7 and 8 that he meant for the literal "earth" to play the harp and trumpet. In the book of Enoch which says that God will come with ten thousand of his host to execute judgment, the meaning is clear that he implicates those who hide the Word of God with instrumental music. In this story Enoch draws a parallel to show that the trees, earth and all of God's created nature "worships' Him by obeying His laws.All who are in the heavens know what is transacted there. Enoch One 3:1
They know that the heavenly luminaries change not their paths; that each rises and sets regularly, every one at its proper period, without transgressing the commands, which they have received.
They behold the earth, and understand what is there transacted, from the beginning to the end of it. Enoch One 3: 2While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. Gen 8:22
They see that every work of God is invariable in the period of its appearance. They behold summer and winter: perceiving that the whole earth is full of water; and that the cloud, the dew, and the rain refresh it. Enoch One 3: 3
They consider how the trees, when they put forth their green leaves, become covered, and produce fruit; understanding everything, and knowing that He who lives for ever does all these things for you: Enoch One 6:1
That the works at the beginning of every existing year, that all his works, are subservient to him, and invariable; yet as God has appointed, so are all things brought to pass. Enoch One 6: 2
They see, too, how the seas and the rivers together complete their respective operations: Enoch One 6: 3
But you endure not patiently, nor fulfill the commandments of the Lord;
but you transgress and calumniate his greatness;
and malignant are the words in your polluted mouths against his Majesty. Enoch One 6: 4Polluted is:
Chalal (h2490) khaw-lal'; a prim. root [comp. 2470]; prop. to bore, i. e. (by impl.) to wound, to dissolve; fig. to profane (a person, place or thing), to break (one's word), to begin (as if by an "opening wedge"); denom. (from 2485) to play (the flute): - begin (* men began), defile, * break, defile, * eat (as common things), * first, * gather the grape thereof, * take inheritance, pipe, player on instruments, pollute, (cast as) profane (self), prostitute, slay (slain), sorrow, stain, wound.
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Dwaine E. Dunning:
The Old
Testament frequently calls for God's people who have musical
talents to use those talents in playing musical instruments
in praise to God. The command was specifically addressed to
Israel (the people of Israel) in Psalm 81. But "all the
earth" in Psalm 98 is about as generic a term as
they come! It encompasses any and every part of "all the
earth" which is able to make musical sounds using any
available instruments. Here, ALL are told to praise God with
them.
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Only males of the tribe of Levi were permitted to make the "sounding" at the burning part of animal sacrifices. They were straw-bosses and not "chief musicians" and their "service" means "menial bondage." No living person could be a Levite.Next, don't forget that "worship" according to Jesus must be "in spirit" or in the mind and "giving heed to reading the Word" which is "in truth." There are no non-secular or non-pagan musical terms in the New Testament.
Finally, the command was not to "sing and play instruments as an act of worship."
The command was to "teach one another" with Biblical material. In the case of Titus among the untaught, he would worship or "give attendance" to the reading of the material. In time, everyone would have memorized all of the Psalms and would have been "taught" about the Old Testament and "admonished" not to "rise up and play like Israel."
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Dwaine E. Dunning:
Yet a
brother
claims that
"history indicates" early Christians never used musical
instruments in God's praise or when exhorting one another in
"psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs." And indeed some
historians can be found who make this claim.
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No, it is not possible to find ONE historian who did not REPUDIATE inststruments because of their creation of mental disturbance. One slick willie used as proof-text: "There might have been one congregation somewhere which used instrumental music. Therefore, there is no absolute law against it."Well, sexuality went along with the musical worship to which God turned over Israel at Mount Sinai. It was involved in Amos' warning to Israel. And Judah had some of the same problems.
Now, we cannot say for sure that some congregation did not continue the practices of Amos. But that is not good common sense and not sound enough to create a musical sectarianism over.
History is recorded. If we have no examples of music for the early Christians and all of them saying they repudiated instruments for the same reason they doomed Israel at Mount Sinai, then history has spoken. We know of no ancient contradiction to this although modern pop-theologians may twist Scripture and history.
Doctrine is taught. If it is not taught by Christ or the inspired Apostles then it is not the doctrine of Christ. Nothing can steal the logo "Christian" unless it is explicitly taught by Christ.
Paul taught doctrine: He demanded that we "teach" externally, use the Biblical inspired poetic material which at first to Titus was commanded to be read, and the internal "melody" is in the heart. This is important because external melody defines modern "harmony" which means to twang your hair as it is yanked out, twang a bowstring as an arrow is sent toward your heart, to panic or "grind the enemy into a fine power." It has that meaning in the SOP Jesus fixed and fed to Judas.
If the Bible is our source for Doctrine, music is repudiated because the Bible does not connect "music" to worship in any form. The animal sacrifices were "like the nations's sacrifices" where the burning phase employed the "overseers" or "straw bosses" (not musicians) to get the slaughter cleaned up and burned.
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Dwaine E. Dunning:
If we are in
Old Testament
prophecy
taught anything about our practice of the faith, surely we
will have to see that use of musical instruments in praise
of God is part of prophetic utterance (see also Psalm 57:7-9;
108:1-3). Was not David's cry of exultation in Psalm 108
precisely what the seed of David came to do? He also praised
God "among the people of Israel," but His greater mission
was to "praise God among the nations" throughout the earth.
Our Lord's commission is that we are to go to "all nations"
with the good news.
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"Often the music barely exceeded the level of organized noisemaking, especially when the purpose was to terrorize the enemy, as in Exod. 32:17-18; Judges 7:18-20. Other manifestations of functional music was the mocking song (Job 30:9) and the 'working songs' of harvesters (Isa. 16:10; Jer 48:33) or the well-diggers (Num. 21:17). All this, however, alludes to the distinctly popular, nonartistic singing and playing; no professionals are as yet mentioned. When Amos (6:5) caustically chastises the nouveaux riches and their 'artistic' extravagance, he stressed for the first time the age-old feud between the professional and dilettante (orig. tr):They chant idle songs to the sound of the harp
and fancy to play their instruments like David.-- (The Int. Std. Bible Dict., p. 457).
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Dwaine E. Dunning:
It can hardly
be doubted that in David's day this thought was
predictive. In
Psalm 98 and in Psalm 108 especially, inspired writers call
for praise to God upon musical instruments "in the
sanctuary," and "among the people," and "among the
nations."
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Jesus said that all of the prophecies concerning Him would be fulfilled: one of those was that Judas would try to TRIUMPH OVER Him in a musical sense and fail. Later the Levitical Warrior Musicians did but only momentarily. Jesus CAST OUT the musical ministrels as Satan was CAST AS PROFANE OUT OF HEAVEN and as the Levitical noise makers would be cast out of the temple slaughter grounds and burned up. Jesus hymned the Hallel hymns which were dedicated to special things like Passover.
Psalm 108 was an arousal hymn. All of the "nations" believed that the gods lived in or spoke from musical instruments which were usually made in the form of a bull harp or a phallus flute with all of the working parts. We have collected lots of evidence for this belief. Some of this is connected to the Enoch warning.Awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early. Psalm 108:2
I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations. Psalm 108:3
Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever. Psalm 44:23
Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early. Psalm.57:8We would expect that a "like the nation's" temple instituted after David died to have "like the nation's" musicians.
While David often praises God for His goodness, he also prays to awaken God (Psa. 3:7; 7:6; 9:19; 35: 23; 35:23; 44:23; 59:4-5; 68:1; 80:2; 132:8) from what he perceives as God's slumber when he does not respond promptly to David's demands. Many of the Jews adopted some of the psalms to pagan practices:
"We even have a mention at a later date of a similar custom in connection with the cult in Jerusalem, where certain Levites, called me'oreim, 'arousers,' sang (every morning?) this verse from Ps 44:23: "Awake, O Lord! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever." The Talmud tells us that John Hyrcanus suppressed the practice because it recalled too readily a pagan custom." (Roland de Vaux, p. 247).
"A similar practice is attested in connection with the cult of Herakles-Melkart. According to Menander, as he is quoted by Josephus, the king Hiram, who was a contemporary of Solomon, rebuilt the temples of Tyre and, 'he was the first to celebrate the awakening of Heracles in the month of Peritius.'" (de Vaux, p. 247)
"In an inscription from Cyprus, in one from Rhodes and in several from around the district of Carthage, there are references to important personages who bear the title Mqm'lm which we can translate as 'arouser of the god.'" (de Vaux, p. 247).
Don't get upset with this because we just have to remind you that God turned Israel over to worship the host of heaven (wandering stars) who are incarnated in false teachers. The Monarchy and temple were "like the nations" and not like the law of Moses.
Habbakuk warns about idols which were often musical or fitted with a "speaking tube" to get a message from the false teachers:
Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it. Hab 2:19
But the Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him. Hab 2:20
The Psalmist is asking his lyre and harp to awake and then he can awake and speak. The prophets of Baal and Asherah were also musical and tried to awaken their gods.
Arnobius, Born AD 300 wrote in Against Heresies, book VII
32. But let there be, as you wish, honour in wine and in incense , let the anger and displeasure of the deities be appeased by the immolation and slaughter of victims:
are the gods moved by garlands also, wreaths and flowers, by the jingling of brass also, and the shaking of cymbals , by timbrels also, and also by symphonious pipes? [Symphoniae . Evidently musical instruments ; but while Isidore speaks of them as a kind of drum , other writers call them trumpets and pipes .}
What effect has the clattering of castanets , that when the deities have heard them,
they think that honour has been shown to them, and lay aside their fiery spirit of resentment in forgetfulness?Or, as little boys are frightened into giving over their silly wailings by hearing the sound of rattles , are the almighty deities also soothed in the same way by the whistling of pipes?
and do they become mild, is their indignation softened, at the musical sound of cymbals?
What is the meaning of those calls which you sing in the morning, joining your voices to the music of the pipe?[At daybreak on opening, and at night on closing the temple, the priests of Isis sang hymns in praise of the goddess (cf. Jos. Scaliger, Castigationes ad Cat. , etc., p. 132); and to these Arnobius refers sarcastically, as though they had been calls to awake, and lullabies to sing her asleep.]
Do the gods of heaven fall asleep, so that they should return to their posts? What is the meaning of those slumbers [see note above] to which you commend them with auspicious salutations that they may be in good health?
Are they awakened from sleep; and that they may be able to be overcome by it, must soothing lullabies be heard? The purification, says my opponent , of the mother of the gods is to-day.
The word for "serpent" in Genesis is connected to whispering brass or the "hissing serpent sounds" of the spitting cobra. The use of brass made possible the invention of instruments like Jubal and family which have a very powerful influence. This serpent is a symbol for Babylon:
"For a while in the Middle Ages, the bishops banned the use of brass instruments in churches because they were brash and produced what was perceived as "Devil tones" and "Satan's music".This proscription was intended to sever the link with all ancient, Old Testament forms of worship ritual and its associated Egyptian ritual.
However, it is interesting that, from the Reformation, secular music was almost totally dedicated to the use of brass instruments with composers like Purcell, Handel and Bach at the forefront of great choral and brass-dominated works.
The fact is that, today, both Church and State ceremonies inherit their musical traditions from the priestly ritual and military pomp of the early time-frame. Adrian Wagner
"In Annam the exorcizer, in the act of banning the demons of sickness from a private house, strums a lute and jingles a chain of copper bells attached to his big toe, while his assistants accompany him on stringed instruments and drums.However, the chime of the bells is understood by the hearers to proceed from the neck of an animal on which a deity is galloping to the aid of the principal performer."
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Dwaine E. Dunning:
Yet the
nation of Israel was not evangelistic. Instead, they felt they were
superior to all other nations. Their invitation to outsiders
was for individuals from other nations to come and join
their nation, which was especially blessed by God.
Christians are told to carry the good news of salvation
everywhere we go, but we are not called to urge men in order
to obtain salvation to leave the nation in which they dwell.
God will bless each Christian in whatever nation he or she
may dwell.
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Ignoring the Word of God in favor begins symbolically in the Garden of Eden. It doomed the pre-flood people, arose at the towers of Babylon and was adopted by Israel in Egypt, in the wilderness and in the Jerusalem temple.The prophetic word is that in "all the earth" men will be praising God while using musical instruments. The writer of these several prophecies surely had no restriction in mind which would prevent God's people in any land from praising Him musically. Some argue that there is no specific command for the church to use musical instruments. They suggest this lack means God forbids such use by Christians. Yet the only Scriptures available to the early church was the Old Testament which urges rather than forbidding use of instruments. The only hymnals God's church had at first were the Psalms of the Old Testament, which advocate rather than forbidding use of musical instruments in God's praise.
Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them. Ezekiel 22:26
Profaned is:
Chalal (h2490) khaw-lal'; a prim. root [comp. 2470]; prop. to bore, i. e. (by impl.) to wound, to dissolve; fig. to profane (a person, place or thing), to break (one's word), to begin (as if by an "opening wedge"); denom. (from 2485) to play (the flute): - begin (* men began), defile, * break, defile, * eat (as common things), * first, * gather the grape thereof, * take inheritance, pipe, player on instruments, pollute, (cast as) profane (self), prostitute, slay (slain), sorrow, stain, wound.
The problem with Abraham's seed is that they "did not bless all of the nations." Rather, they became worse than the nations and were not fit to be teachers of the Word. Rather than evangelize (there are no located traveling salesmen) they build up a temple system with clergy, musical Levites and call it worship. Therefore, they do not teach the word in song and sermon because they still have the music-marked law in their heart and have not turned to Christ.
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Dwaine E. Dunning:
Rather than
it requiring a
command TO use instruments,
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I am not sure that there is a NT direct command "Thou shalt not go in to the temple prostitute. Nor, thou shalt not burn animals which would have outlawed instruments. Just like we ordinary superior scholars, God is not a legalistic God but commands what is profitable. He commanded giving up the pagan forms of music (just like Israel's) and just read (Titus) or speak (Eph, Col) the inspired Word to one another with the goal of "teaching." Teaching is not singing but "preaching."We do not demand a law: "Thou shalt not crank up the brass band while I am preaching" so why should we need a legalistic command that "thou shalt not play those instruments when I, Jesus, God Incarnate, am speaking to you through my Word which is Spirit and Life."
Surely this Law of Silence is consummated legalism.
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Dwaine E. Dunning:
Some claim
that the verb we translate as "sing" must have in the time of
Christ meant to make vocal musical sounds only. But it never
did. It didn't then. It doesn't now. We're singing whenever
we sing, regardless of what instruments other than human
voices may be singing at the same time,
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All of the SING words speak of enchantment, witchcraft or sorcery because it intends to force one to behave like the cult leader wants. That is why Paul called singers and musicians SORCERERS (Rev 18) and why NO ONE sang as an act until about the year 360. Paul said that we are to SPEAK exernally and the word SPEAK specificially excludes poetry or music. The singing and MELODY (or grace) was to be in the heart.
No, the word "psallo" was the verb which executed a song or "psalmos." The "first instrument of choice" for Psalmos always was the human voice. The classics and the Encyclopedia Britannica acknowledge that. A song is metrical: it can be read, recited, chanted, spoken or accompanied with an instrument."Both Psallo (melody) and ODEING have destructive roots: that is why Paul put both the melody and the singing IN THE HEART.
Again, the command is not to "sing" but to teach or preach. Now, if the preacher is preaching trying to explain some difficult point of Scripture he is preaching. If a 200 horsepower pipe organ suddenly began moving the bodies around and rattling the brain in its skull and doing damage both physically and emotionally, you are still preaching. Get the point?
If the Incarnate God of the Universe came to our assembly next Sunday: and He will if you are very silent. And we invite God to tell us how to create something out of nothing. And God begins teaching us.
Now, the Sister Singers get up and begin singing a silly, erotic "praise song" as an act of worship before God, He will still be teaching. Get the point?
But, it is not a scientific truth that singing is the same as singing with an instrument anymore than coffee and coffee with sulphuric acid is the same. The dissonant parts of harmony create totally new, mystical voices, which do not originate either in the organ or the human voice.
These tones just "spiritually" materialize out of thin air and that is why all superstitious pagans believed that it must be coming from the "gods." But any one familiar with musicology or acoustics understands the differenc.
Teaching is not the same as teaching with a chain saw running.
We have despised the Words of the Spirit, accompanied them with a machine and substituted sentimental "praise songs" which had their beginning in the Vineyard movement as a calculated way to get sexually involved with God.
We praise God when we listen to Him and tell others: there was no praise 'ritual of worship' in the temple, synagogue or church or anywhere God will meet you "in the spirit."
- from Ray Downen respectfully on this day of the Lord.
- 417/782-0814 2228 Porter Joplin Mission Outreach.
- Mail address is P O Box 1065 Joplin MO 64802-1065.
- Internet home page addr = http://www.sofnet.com/~outreach
See another E-Mail Response to show that the "chief musician" translates a word which means OVERSEER. He drove everyone in ministering to the priests during the burning of the sacrifice and of the huge quantity of animal carcasses. He was slave driver to force the building of the Temple. The word translated "worship" really means meniel bondage.
His "musical" role was filled in every pagan temple in the world.
Dwaine E. Dunning Number One: An AXE at the root of the MUSIC tree. killing off those who, like Daniel, will not bow to instrumental music. Review of Ray Downen's E-mail. Added: R. Christopher Heard, Southern Methodist University Annoints Rubel Shelly and C. Leonard Allen as THOUGHT LEADERS in churches of Christ to defend Dunning's views of Scripture.
Dwaine E. Dunning Number Two: Using the Sword Youthful Friar and Alexander the Great will Solve Music Problem--See James O'Kelly and a similar Methodist attempt to Restore a Catholic or High Church structure.
Dwaine E. Dunning" Number Three First Century Influences on Instrumental Music
Dwaine E. Dunning" Number Four Was Instrumental Music Only for Israel.
Dwaine E. Dunning" Number five Making Melody ln the Heart
E-mail Review by Kenneth Sublett (tired and retired engineer)
Counter added 12.18.04p Rev 1.21.07 587
