The Shofar and the silver trumpets were intended to
signal movements especially in battle. They produced panic in the
enemy or gloated over them when they were defeated.
E-mail: Iam interested in finding out when the
4 different sounds on the shofar are used and what they mean.
See
that MUSIC is the laded burden
which God in Christ died to
eleminate.
See
how becoming a baptized disciple frees
us from anxiety-creating rituals and
gives us REST.
See that in the Greek world the word
REST relates almost totally to rest
from rhetoricians or speakers, singers and musicians.
Donald,
The answer is too big for an e-mail so, being
lazy, I will post it for general reading and add to it as I find more
information. This is a quick response but it is interesting to see
how the Christian writers compared perhaps the most common worship as
an imitation of their old paganism and Paul compares it to the use of
music in warfare. For instance:
Now, brethren, if I
come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except
I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by
prophesying, or by doctrine? 1 Corinthians 14:6
And even things
without life (lifeless instruments) giving sound, whether pipe or
harp, except they give a distinction in the
sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped? 1 Corinthians
14:7
For if the trumpet give an
uncertain
sound, who shall
prepare himself to the battle?
1 Corinthians 14:8
So likewise ye,
except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall
it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air. 1
Corinthians 14:9
In additional to "lifeless instruments" Paul
also spoke of "carnal weapons" where both weapon and musical
instrument are the same Greek word. As he warned the Romans (ch 9)
and Corinthians (ch 10) of the Mount Sinai event and identified
speaking and singing their own messages to warfare, Paul clearly
understood God Who in Numbers 10:7 outlawed music as an attempt to
worship when the collective congregation came together.
However, the silver trumpets were not musical
instruments; they were to send signals during march or battle and to
panic the enemy into cowardice. As a result of Israel's return to
Egyptian bull worship just as God was giving them a covenant by which
they would live by His grace in a land which they had not bought with
trees and vines they had not planted, God prevented their entry into
Canaan. As a result, they lived their old nomadic life for a total of
40 years.
To enable this huge tribal confederacy to
communicate:
AND the Lord spake
unto Moses, saying, Numbers 10:1
Make thee two trumpets of
silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use
them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the
camps. Numbers 10: 2
And when they shall blow with
them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door
of the tabernacle of the congregation. Numbers 10: 3
And if they blow but with one
trumpet, then the princes, which are heads of the thousands of
Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee. Numbers 10: 4
When ye blow an alarm, then the
camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward. Numbers 10: 5
When ye blow an alarm the
second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall take
their journey: they shall blow an alarm for their journeys. Numbers
10: 6
However, it was loud musical rejoices which was
both a cause and a symptom of Israel's rejection of God's effort to
educate them in a collective assembly. As a result, God demanded that
the trumpets could be used to call the people into congregational
assembly but they could not be used for musical rejoicing:
But when the
congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but
ye shall not sound an
alarm. Numbers 10:
7
To blow the trumpet was the
Hebrew:
Taqa
(h8628) taw-kah'; a prim. root; to clatter, i. e. slap (the hands
together), clang (an instrument); by anal. to drive (a nail or
tent-pin, a dart, etc.); by impl. to become bondsman (by
hand-clasping): - blow ([a trumpet]), cast, clap, fasten, pitch
[tent], smite, sound, strike, * suretiship, thrust
The alarm was:
Ruwa
(h7321) roo-ah'; a prim. root; to mar (espec. by breaking); fig. to
split the ears (with sound), i. e. shout for alarm or joy: - blow an alarm, cry (alarm, aloud, out), destroy,
make a joyful
noise, smart, shout
(for joy), sound an alarm, triumph.
Ask any professional musician in the form of an
ugly, effeminate boy-man and he will tell you that he uses his music
to triumph over the rational nature of others so that they will
direct their worship to him and put their money in his "collection
plate." Ask the female professional musicians, in the tavern or in
the church, and she will tell you that she falls into rapture (rape)
when all eyes are upon her as she steals some of God's right to
worship. This was the meaning of the halal form of praise
which is related to Lucifer whose total "religious" life was to get
people to look at her instead of God.
In fairness to David, it was a common belief
that God couldn't or wouldn't punish a mad man. Therefore, his
"halal" praise often with instruments led to musical prophesying
which we would identify with speaking in tongues. I never worked on
rational people.
In the Gnostic story of creation, Sophia
(wisdom in Proverbs) and her daughter Zoe, triumphed over men
and forced them to organize musical worship teams to signal female or
effeminate-male domination. Jesus hinted that the clergy came out to
see John the Baptist hoping that he wore "soft" clothing like the
kings. This would identify him as a catamite, dog or male
prostitutes.
Jesus also identified the Jewish clergy as
"children in a marketplace" environment blowing their alarm which was
supposed to panic you into the female or
effeminate dance of Dionysus. And the
Judas Bag was, in the classical writers and vases, always attached to
the flute case and was designed to "carry the mouthpieces of wind
instruments." It derived its name from "speaking in tongues" and "of
the world." Paul also identified speaking in tongues and musical
praise (1 Cor 13, 14).
However, it was prophesied that Judas along
with his flute and trumpet-playing clergy co-conspiritators would not
"triumph over" or panic Jesus
By this I know that
thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me. Psalm 41:11
Before David changed the Mosaic system to fit
the new secular or "like the nations" civil state which Israel
demanded when they "fired" God, only the
priests could blow these instruments.
The Levites were "ministers" and could not lead but serve. Ezekiel 40
in describing the "idealized temple" removes the Levites from the
clergy role and Josephus insisted that it was the Levites who assumed the role
of musical performers who lead Israel into destruction and that they
were doing it again in his time. In many nations only males could be
priests but they were often very effeminate men. The Levites wanted
to wear the linen ephod which was adopted by the priests from a
woman's garment. They seduced the leadership into the obscene
practices by telling them that it would bring honor (and seekers) to
them and the temple. It did
not.
Moses continues to define the silver
trumpets:
And the sons of
Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to
you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations. Numbers
10: 8
And if ye go to war in your
land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall
blow an
alarm with the
trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the Lord your God, and ye
shall be saved from your enemies. Numbers 10: 9
Also in the day of your
gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your
months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings,
and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to
you for a memorial
before your God: I am
the Lord your God. Numbers 10:10
(The Jews understood that the music which was
added to the worship of the priests {the congregation did not
participate except as occasional spectators} was only in Jerusalem or
the area and during animal sacrifices. When they lost Jerusalem and
the temple the use of musical instruments to "alarm" people ceased
until about 1815 in a liberal German synagogue. Then, only Gentiles
could play on the Sabbath).
"Only in Ps 150:3
is it (shophar) mentioned with most of the other really musical
instruments. Hence, we must conclude that the function of the shophar
was to make noise--be it of earthly or of eschatological
character--but not to make music. After the destruction of the temple
and the general banishment of all instrumental music, the shophar
alone survived, just because it was not a musical
instrument."(International Dictionary of the Bible, p. 473,
Abingdon).
And it came to pass on the
twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud
was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony. Numbers 10: 11
And the children of Israel took
their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested
in the wilderness of Paran. Numbers 10: 12
And they first took their
journeyaccording to the commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses.
Numbers 10: 13
The Jews would never be so
stupid as to play a trumpet quartet with performing, stand over
(non-sedantary) women performing the sexual attraction when the enemy
was present:
"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." (Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, p. 472-3,
Abingdon).
Consistent with this, if we
accept Paul's use of the word "melody" as literal and external then
we should know that melody in the modern sense is the unison singing
of single notes one after the other.
WE then that are
strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to
please ourselves. Rom 15:1
Let every one of us
please his neighbour for his good to edification. Rom 15: 2
For even Christ
pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them
that reproached thee fell on me. Rom 15: 3
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
Therefore, there is not a hint
of sanity attached to singing our own songs or "signals" using
complex harmony when the enemy is being disabled with the teaching of
the Words of Christ or the revealed Word. In fact, a non-unison form
of singing what people thought of as a personal revelation in Corinth
was identified as madness -- insanity.
"In addition to the
sacred trumpets of the Temple, whose use was restricted, even in war
and in battle, to the
priests, there were
others used by the Hebrew generals. Ehud sounded the trumpet to assemble Israel against
the Moabites, whose king, Eglon, he had slain (Judg. 3:17-30). Gideon
took a trumpet in his hand, and gave each of his followers one, when
he assaulted the Midianites (7:2, 16). Joab sounded the trumpet as a
signal of retreat to his soldiers, in the battle against Abner (II
Sa. 2:28), in that against Absalom 18:16), and in the pursuit of
Sheba, son of Bichri (20:22)." (Book, Hist. Digest., p. 321).
This Biblical use of the
trumpet will be used when Messiah comes again where the "trumpet" is
the voice of the Lord. What will we do if we are singing our own
songs, dancing, girl-watching or blowing loud trumpets when that
happens.
"the shophar can be
viewed under one category: that of a signalling instrument. It sounded all signals in war and peace; it
announced the new moon, the beginning of the sabbath, the death of a
notable; it warned of approaching danger; it heraled excommunication; it was instrumental in exorcisms and magic healing." (International Dictionary of the Bible, p. 473,
Abingdon).
The Dead Sea Scrolls gives us a
view of how these signals were used in battle. From The War Scroll
1QM, 4Q49l-496
The ministry of the priests
and Levites.
When the battle
line are arrayed against the enemy battle line against battle line
there shall go forth from the middle opening into the gap between the
battle lines seven priests of the sons of Aaron, dressed in fine
white linen garments: a linen tunic and linen breeches, and girded
with a linen sash of twined fine linen, violet, '"purple, and
crimson, and a varicolored Sign, the work of a skillful workman, and
decorated caps on their heads; the garments for battle, and they
shall not take them into the sanctuary. The one priest shall walk
before all the men of the battle line to encourage them for battle.
In the hands of the remaining six shall be the trumpets of assembly'
the trumpets of memorial, the trumpets of the alarm, the trumpets of
pursuit, and the trumpets of reassembly.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. The priests shall blow the two trumpets of assem[bly . . .
of ba]ttle upon fifty shields, and fifty infantrymen shall go out
from the one gate and [ . . . ] Levites, officers. With each battle
line they shall go out according to all [this] o[rder.... men of the]
infantry from the gates [and they shall take positi]on between the
two battle lines, and [ . . . ] the battle ] [,, . ] the trumpets
shall blow
continually to direct
the slingmen until they have completed hurling seven times.
Afterwards the priests shall blow on the trumpets of return, and they shall go along the side of the first
battle line to take their position. The priests shall blow on the
trumpets of assembly, and the three divisions of infantry shall go
out from the gates and stand between the battle lines, and beside
them the cavalrymen, Sat the right and at the left. The priests shall
blow on their trumpets a level note, signals for the order of battle.
And the columns shall be deployed into their formations, each to his
position.When they have positioned themselves in three formations,
the priests shall blow for them a second signal, a low legato note,
signals for advance, until they draw near to the battle line of the
enemy and take hold of their weapons. 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.With the sound of the alarm, the
battle darts shall fly out to bring down the slain. Then the sound of
the rams' horns shall quiet, but on the tru[m]pets the priests shall
continue to blow a sharp staccato note to direct the signals of
battle until they have hurled into the battle line of the enemy seven
times. Afterwards, the priests shall blow for them the trumpets of
retreat, a low note, level and legato. According to this rule the
[pr]iests shall blow for the three divisions.When the first division
throws, the ~riests and the Levites and all the people with rams']
horns shall blow a great alarm to direct the bat[tle until they have
hurled seven times. Afterwards,] the priests [shall blow] for them on
the trumpe[ts of retreat . . . and they shall take their stan]d in
their positions in the battle line, [ . ] and shall take up position
[ . . . the slain, [and all the people with rams' horns shall blow a
very loud battle alarm, and as the sound goes out Col. 9 their hands
shall begin to bring down the slain, and all the people shall quiet
the sound of alarm, but the priests shall continue sounding on the
trumpets off the slain to direct the fighting, until the enemy is
defeated and turns in retreat. The priests shall blow the alarm to
direct the battle, and when they have been defeated before them, the
priests shall blow the trumpets of assembly, and all the infantry
shall go out to them from the midst of the front battle lines and
stand, six divisions in addition to the division which is engaged in
battle: altogether, seven battle lines, twenty-eight thousand
soldiers, and six thousand horsemen. All these shall pursue in order
to destroy the enemy in God's battle; a total annihilation. The
priests shall blow for them the trumpets of pursuit, and they shall divide themselves for a pursuit of
annihilation against all the enemy. The cavalry shall push the enemy
back at the flanks of the battle until they are destroyed.When the
slain have fallen, the priests shall continue blowing from afar and
shall not enter into the midst of the slain so as to be defiled by
their unclean blood, for they are holy. They shall not allow the oil
of their priestly anointment to be profaned with the blood 90f the
vainglorious nations.
The description of the
maneuvers of the battle divisions.
Rule for changing
the order of the battle divisions, in order to arrange their position
against [ . . . ] a pincer movement and towers, lien arc and towers,
and as it draws slowly forward, then the columns and the flanks go
out from the [t]wow sides of the battle line [that] ' 2 the enemy
might become discouraged. The shields of the soldiers of the towers
shall be three cubits long, and their lances eight cubits l[on]g. The
towers '3 shall go out from the battle line with one hundred shields
on a side. F[or] they shall surround the tower on the three frontal
sides, 4 three hundred shields in all. There shall be three gates to
a tower, one on [the right and] one on the left. Upon all the shields
of the tower soldiers 5 they shall write: on the first, "My[chat]l,"
[on the second,"Gabriel," on the third,] "Cyril," and on the fourth
"Raphael." 6 "Michael" and"Gabriel" on [the right, and "Raphael"
and"Raphael" on the left. And [ . . . ] for to the four [ . . . They]
shall establish an ambush for the [battle line] Of [ . . . ] and [ .
. . they shall fal]1 on the s[lain . . . ]
For
the entire War Rule
You might check back later. If
I think of any other material I will add it.
Kenneth Sublett
Music
Index
Home
Page
Counter added 11.20.04 at
2063
11.22.04 10:32 30
-
