Dallas Burdette Instrumental Music in Psalm 150

Dallas Burdette Instrumental Music Psalm 150: "Praise is an obligation, a human necessity and a human requirement. Praise does its work among humans as much as it does among the heavenly host." Kenneth Sublett, Hohenwald, Tennessee

See that Charismatic is associated to the musical THRESKIA worship introduced by Orpheus. This is present when there are noisy rituals claiming to be MUSICA or MAGICA or sorcery. It is often associated with Sodomy as one of the acts of people who drive themselves mad.

The Praise Leader and Praise Singing from Babylon

The Encomiast--Sing The Core Literature

Women in worship in Israel

Dallas Burdette and a team out of Grace Centered Magazine seem determined to brand non-instrumental churches as sectarian (and worse) for its position. Secondly, the spiritual warfare seeks to do what no scholars before them and their immediate ancestors tried: to show that God actually commanded instrumental music. History has errected its monument, however, to show that instrumentalists, from the most ancient records in Babylonia, have tried to destroy spirituality with sound, motion and claims to the "priesthood."

Making matters worse, as they did in the 19th century among Presbyterians, Baptists and churches of Christ, people plagued with the "idolatry of talent" make stealthy, terrorist-like attacks upon peacable churches trying to reincarnate "synagogue" or "school" into theater.

Why Males in the Post-Biblical Effeminate Church are Disguised as Empty Pews or Hostile Masculines: it Will Get Worse! "Of the Effeminate Willow-Creek "Holy Entertainment" System: "The cost of this approach is hard work and loads of strife with church insiders." Christianity Today

Therefore, it seems appropriate to show how the Vineyard and similar efforts has given instrumentalists a "new burst of freedom" to continue the attack began with Lucifer:

"The Praise Team leads the congregation into the presence of the Lord with exciting praise and worship. The Word says that God inhabits the praises of His people and we are a people desiring to be inhabited!

Praise plows the ground for the seed to be planted when the Word is taught (Hosea 10:11). The team unites together as the Levites did in the Old Testament to bring praise and glory to God."

Praise and Worship plows the ground to make it ready for planting. A good worship team does the plowing and the pastor (and others) plant the seed. Without the plowing, the seed might fall on the stony ground and not take root!

Yes, the Holy Spirit still is welcome and still comes whether you are participating or not.

Yes, in the Pagan and Neo-Pagan Vineyard concept the goal is to reach a climax with God (Knowing God Personally)

This poor person doesn't even know that Hosea speaks of yoking people into slavery.

On the other hand, Paul does not command "singing" with or without instruments as an act of worship. Rather, the command was to speak the Word of Christ (Spirit) one to another. The goal was to develop the mind of Christ which is not a feminine or effeminate Mind:

As an obviously agnostic and feminist (and possibly pagan) "scholar," Shlain fails to grasp the true significance of his discovery that (in the words of the June 1999 The Quality Paperback Book Review), "the very act of reading an alphabet reinforce[s] the brain's left hemisphere (linear, abstract, predominantly masculine) at the expense of the right (holistic, concrete, visual, feminine)." From Resource.

Here are some of those defending instrumental music and, at the same time, judgmentally assaulting those who will not dance when they pipe. The oldest trick in the world is to condemn someone while loudly protesting that a good Christian would not condemn anyone (Re. Hitler). Most of these reviews follow the same foundational pro instrumental music resource which only rose above the surface in about 1878 according to Lipscomb.

Lipscomb wrote as late as 1878 that:

> We do not think anyone has ever claimed authority from Scriptures to use the organ in worship. They only claim it is not condemned. It is used as an assister in worship...Prayer, praise, thanksgiving and making melody in the heart (mind) unto the Lord are acts of worship ordained of God, but no authority do we find for for the organ." (Sounding Brass and Clanging Cymbals, J. E. Choate and William Woodson". (p. 78).

> Of Australian Presbyterians;

When the issue was first brought up in the southern churches in 1874, one Session declared that they were "unanimously of the opinion that the use of such is both inexpedient and unscriptural and

think that those who have ventured to cast the apple of discord into our midst have much to answer for,"

and another considered that the introduction of organs "into the public worship of God is dangerous to the peace and purity of the Church."

The debate at the next Synod was the largest up until then, and the innovation was passed by a very slim majority. The dissents, appeals and protests lasted a few years, but the issue was finally settled in 1877,

the final dissent reiterating once more the regulative principle and concluding that it was "giving a place to instrumental music hitherto unknown to the worship of this Church."

The last church on the Taieri plain to have an organ introduced was East Taieri, near Mosgiel, in 1894. To a number of members, it was "equal to a sentence of excommunication,"

they now having "no Presbyterian church near Dunedin to which they can have access."

Those once afflicted with "antiism" can flip over and use the same methods. We do not believe that there is any scholarship but you may review our reviews:

Guilt Clause and The Law of Silence--Pharisees and Hypocrites-- Passing The Guilt Clause-- Joe Beam--Edward Fudge--Paul Woodhouse--Grace Centered Magazine--Bill Swetmon--Jeff Walling Sister Singers--Jeff Walling Index Plus on Dancing

Dallas Burdette is part of a group sponsored by Grace Centered Magazine which proclaims grace but seems to have a hatred of anyone who presumes to remain non-instrumental and continue to teach the Word of God which is clearly anti-musical.

Perhaps we could cut it short by saying that the Psalmist did not prescribe singing and playing instruments as a legalistic act of "praise" as a work of human merit. This has nothing to do with personal worship which was always bowing to God and was never singing, dancing and playing instruments. If one insists that it has to do with a work demanded by God then one should also do the hystical, spinning dance which was identical to pagan dancing as a way to attract the lost gods.

Because Dallas appeals to the Septuagint we recommend that you click here for more information about psallo in the LXX.

Before you begin to think about the literature of the Monarchy period as a "pattern for Christian worship and community" you must grasp that Israel only momentarily pledged themselves to Jehovah's Covenant of Grace at Mount Sinai. However, God gave them the symbolic 40 days to make up their minds.

Because they had worshiped in the bull cult of the triad Osiris-Isis-Horus for their stay in Egypt, and refused to abandon their abominations, it was certain that Israel would "pray" to return to their old worship. God answered their prayer but sent leanness into their souls. He turned them over to worship the starry host.

Astrology is one of the primary methods of obtaining a message from the dead.

"Manesseh also cultivated star and planetary worship (II Kings 21:3, 5) and the cult of Moloch, an Ammonite deity, whose worship was closely connected with astral divination (Amos 5:25, 26 Acts 7:41-43) and whose ritual was characterized by parents sacrificing their children by compelling them to pass through or into a furnace of fire." (Unger, Merrill, Archaeology and the Old Testament, Zondervan, P. 279)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock to their enemies. Exod 32:25NIV

And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:) Exod 32:25

Shimcah (h8103) shim-tsaw'; fem. of 8102; scornful whispering (of hostile spectators): - shame.

And Stephen, in part, was murdered for reminding the Jews that God permitted the alternative altar at Jerusalem and the future temple because David remained so fearful that he could never return to His symbolic presence in Gibeon. The temple was for king and officials but not for the common people.

And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands. Acts 7:41

Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets (Amos), O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness? Acts 7:42

Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan,

figures which ye made to worship them:
and I will carry you away beyond Babylon. Acts 7:43 (Or Assyria)

Here is what Israel did not do:

For thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live: Amos 5:4

Darash (h1875) daw-rash'; a prim. root; prop. to tread or frequent; usually to follow (for pursuit or search); by impl. to seek or ask; spec. to worship: - ask, * at all, care for, * diligently, inquire, make inquisition, [necro-] mancer, question, require, search, seek [for, out], * surely.

But seek not Beth-el, nor enter into Gilgal (the "wheel" or pagan circle of stones), and pass not to Beer-sheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Beth-el shall come to nought. Amos 5:5

Seek the Lord, and ye shall live; lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour it, and there be none to quench it in Beth-el. Amos 5:6

God asked that they SEEK the Maker of the stars while the Israelites worshiped the STARS or wandering planets or "wandering tramps" trying to deceive with music.

Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols. Amos 5:23

But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream. Amos 5:24

Israel's problem was that they claimed to worship the True God they worshiped "him" in the same way they worshiped Molech, Remphan or Chiun. They didn't just have a bad mental attitude: their worship was a result of a rejection of seeking God through His Word and in prayer.

All of this came about when Israel's Elders Demanded A King Like the Nations so that they could worship like the nations but not like the Law of Moses. This story is repeated numerous times in the Old Testament. However, Ecclesiasticus written during the Intertestament Period understood why musical worship was not restored after the Return except for purifying the temple:

Elijah... brought kings down to destruction, and famous men from their beds; Ecclesiasticus 48: 6.

who heard rebuke at Sinai and judgments of vengeance at Horeb; Ecclesiasticus 48: 7.
...................... who anointed kings to inflict retribution,
and prophets to succeed you. Ecclesiasticus 48:8.

And Hosea and all Old Testament history agrees:

O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help. Hosea 13:9

I will be thy king: where is any other that may save thee in all thy cities? and thy judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes? Hosea 13:10

I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath. Hosea 13:11

God gave Israel a king and kingdom but promised that they would not get away with turning from Him and worshiping the starry host. Amos in chapters 5, 6 and 8 defines the worship of Molech, Chiun, Remphan or Saturn in the northern tribes. As it had in Egypt, it focused on wine, women and music.

God sent the sign of the "musical prophesiers" from the Philistine high place along with the destruction of their crops to prove that their new "god" was not the True "fertility God."

Herodotus shows the effeminate connection and separates harp-playing and singing. After the "walls had been broken down" it was requested of Cyrus that rather than destroy the barbarian enemy, just reincarnate them into women. This is what happens to those who have been defeated by the gods of musical warfare:

Grant, then, forgiveness to the Lydians, and to make sure of their never rebelling against thee, or alarming thee more, send and forbid them to keep any weapons of war, command them to wear tunics under their cloaks, and to put buskins upon their legs,

and make them bring up their sons to cithern-playing (Kitharizein), singing (psallein), and huckstering

So wilt thou soon see them become women instead of men,
and there will be no more fear of their revolting from thee." Click for Herodotus context

The Apostolic Constitutions of the church of Christ (c. ad 205) "If one belonging to the theatre

(1) come, whether it be man or woman, or charioteer, or dueller, or racer, or player of prizes, or Olympic gamester, or one that plays on the pipe, on the lute, or on the harp at those games, or a dancing-master or an huckster,

(2) either let them leave off their employments, or let them be rejected. If a soldier come, let him be taught to "do no injustice, to accuse no man falsely, and to be content with his allotted wages:"

These occupations were compared to being a sodomite, an effeminate person, a magician, an enchanter, an astrologer, a diviner, an user of magic verses, a juggler, a mountebank, one that makes amulets, a charmer, a soothsayer, a fortune-teller or an observer of palmistry.

Dallas Burdette: Thrust Statement: Psalms 150 is a dramatic call for self-abandonment to God

Scripture Reading: Psalm 150; Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16

Psalm 150 is a psalm calling for praise. Praise is the obligation and gladness of all creation. Praise is not only a human necessity and a human requirement, but it is also a human delight. One's praise to God is one's response to His power and mercy. It is inappropriate not to praise God. God should be praised because He is God.

Praise is a LAW only when it is telling the world about God using God's words.

Israel "rose up to play" at Mount Sinai. This was the musical idolatry which sentenced Israel to "worship the starry hosts" as God "turned them over" to do as they pleased on their road to Assyria and Babylon.

The two basic Greek religious cults--one devoted to Apollo, the other to Dionysus--became the prototypes for the two aesthetic poles, classical and romantic, that have contended throughout Western cultural history.

The Apollonians were characterized by objectivity of expression, simplicity, and clarity, and their favoured instrument was the kithara, a type of lyre.

The Dionysians, on the other hand, preferred the reed-blown aulos and were identified by subjectivity, emotional abandon, and sensuality. (See Greek music, Apollo, Dionysus.)

As Dionysus apparently represented the sap, juice, or lifeblood element in nature, lavish festal orgia (rites) in his honour were widely instituted. These Dionysia (Bacchanalia,)

quickly won converts among the women in the post-Mycenaean world.
The men, however, met it with hostility.

"It is symptomatic of structures that have lost their elasticity, becoming too rigid to accommodate further development, to intensify the semantics of self-reference as a sort of final act of self-reassurance. The patterns of self-reference by drama to drama as we see them in The Bacchae of Euripides reflect a crisis in the very genre of tragedy, in the context of drastic changes in Athenian society toward the end of the fifth century; the prospect is one of abrupt confrontation and loss." -- Nagy, Pindar's Homer p. 388

Romans 14 defines the background of the Dionysians as musical worshipers, wine drinkers and meat eaters. Therefore, in Romans 15 Paul defined the only form of "singing" allowed in the Christian Assembly. That was speaking or preaching the songs with the singing and melody in the heart. Any mechanical music would just create the self-abandomnent created by wine. Therefore, Paul said, "Don't get drunk on wine." This would preculde the Dionysic influence in the Christian Church.

"Don't get drunk with wine" means, like modern taverns, to get "fluted down or piped down with passion and pride." Paul pointed to the wine/women/music/song rituals of THRESKIA worship under Orpheus and defined a new way to GET FILLED: with the Spirit or word of God. He excluded outward melody:

kat-auleô , charm by flute-playing, tinos Pl.Lg.790e, cf. R.411a; tina Alciphr.2.1: metaph., se . . -êsô phobôi I will flute to you on a ghastly flute, E.HF871 (troch.):--Pass., of persons, methuôn kai katauloumenos drinking wine to the strains of the flute, Pl.R.561c; k. pros chelônidos psophon to be played to on the flute with lyre accompaniment, Posidon.10 J., cf. Call.Fr.10.3 P., Phld.Mus.p.49 K.

2. c. gen. loci, make a place sound with flute-playing, Thphr.Fr.87:-- Pass., resound with flute-playing, nêsos katêuleito Plu.Ant.56 .

katauleô

I. to play upon the flute to, tinos Plat.:--Pass., of persons, to have it played to one, id=Plat.:--Pass. to resound with flute-playing, Plut.

II. c. acc. pers. to overpower by flute-playing:--generally, to overpower, strike dumb, Eur.

II. in Pass., [ton monochordon kanona] parechein tais aisthêsesi . . katauloumenon SUBDUED by a flute accompaniment, Ptol.Harm.2.12: metaph., to be PIPED down, RIDICULED, gelômenoi kai -oumenoi Anon. ap. Suid., cf. Porph.Chr.34.

III. c. acc. rei, play on the flute, ta mêtrôia Duris 16 J.:--Pass., to have played to one as an accompaniment on the flute, -oumenoi pros tôn hepomenôn ta mêtrôia melê D.H.2.19 .

Methuôn kai katauloumenos (Drinking and overpowering with the flute.)

I. to play upon the flute to, tinos Plat.:--Pass., of persons, to have it played to one, id=Plat.:--Pass. to resound with flute-playing, Plut.
II. c. acc. pers. to overpower by flute-playing:--generally, to overpower, strike dumb, Eur.

Tinos "better than others"

Methuô [methu] [only in pres. and imperf.; the fut. and aor. act. belong to methuskô]

I. to be drunken with wine, Od., etc.; m. hupo tou oinou which means Under your Wine
II. metaph. of things, boeiê methuousa aloiphêi an ox-hide soaked in oil, Il.
2. of persons, to be drunken or intoxicated with passion, pride, etc., Xen., Plat.

The word PSALLO is not a musical word: it is a warfare word related to Apollo or Abaddon or Apollyon. It's "music" connection is only that one TWITCHES a harp like a bow with the fingers and NOT WITH THE PLECTRUM. The second connection is directly related related to SHOOTING and HYMNS:

> Psallô [psaô]

I. to touch sharply, to pluck, pull, twitch, Aesch.; toxou neuran ps.

to twang the bow-string, Eur.; belos ek keraos ps.
to send a shaft twanging from the bow, Anth.; so, schoinos miltophurês psallomenê a
carpenter's red line, which is twitched and then suddenly let go, so as to leave a mark, id=Anth.

2. c. acc. rei, to shoot from a bow: METAPHOR to discharge, send forth, humnous Pind.; tauta etoxeusen matên hath shot these arrows in vain, Eur.: --Pass., pan tetoxeutai belos Aesc

Only in a secondary sense does the word mean to PLUCK with the FINGERS. The defined act is PLUCKING and not the resulting MUSIC.

II. to play a stringed instrument with the fingers, not with the plectron, Hdt., Ar., Plat.

And only LATER to sing to a harp:
.......2. later, to sing to a harp,

And in the New Testament SING:
....... sing, New Testament

This can have no application to wind instruments or percussion instruments. Similar Greek words:

> blituri , to, twang of a harp-string: hence of a meaningless sound, S.E.M.8.133, D.L.7.57, Artem.4.2, Gal.8.662. Perseus

> klang-ê , hê, metapl. dat. klangi Ibyc.56 : ( [klazô] ):--any sharp sound, e.g. twang of the bow, Il.1.49; scream of birds, esp. cranes,

to which are compared confused cries of a throng, 3.3, Od.11.605, cf. Il.2.100, 10.523;
....... grunting of swine, Od. 14.412; later,
....... howling of wolves and lions, h.Hom.14.4, cf. 27.8;
....... hissing of serpents, Pi.Dith.2.18 (pl.), A.Th.381 (pl.);

baying of dogs, X.Cyn.4.5, etc.; [Of Cynic, this was the dog sounds made by the musical Sodomites]

also, of musical instruments, Telest.4, Mnesim.4.57 (anap.); of song, S.Tr.208 (lyr.); k. aêdoneios (leg. -onios) Nicom. Trag.1; k. dusphatos, of Cassandra's prophecies, A.Ag.1152 (lyr.);
....... of the scream of the Harpies, A.R.2.269. Perseus

> Similar Latin:

revello, velli, vulsum or volsum, 3, v. a., to pluck or pull away, to pull or tear out, to tear off or away (freq. and class.).

I. Lit. be torn away, remove,
II. Trop., to tear away, send away injurias honorificis verbis,
Signum: A sign, signal; a watchword, password, given by a wind-instrument.

David did the same "play" while moveing the ark from the Tabernacle designed by God to David's new altar at the high place of the Jebusites in Jerusalem.

David was permitted an alternative altar because he was too afraid of the swords of the angels which barred him from Gibeon.

If you want to know what "self-abandonment" means, just read about DAVID'S PRAISE:

Halal (h1984) haw-lal'; a prim. root; to be clear (orig. of sound, but usually of color); to shine; hence to make a show, to boast; and thus to be (clamorously) foolish; to rave; causat. to celebrate; also to stultify: - (make) boast (self), celebrate, commend, (deal, make), fool (- ish, -ly), glory, give [light], be (make, feign self) mad (against), give in marriage, [sing, be worthy of] praise, rage, renowned, shine.

Heylel (h1966) hay-lale'; from 1984 (in the sense of brightness); the morning-star: - Lucifer.

Ha

This was a supernatural sign that the human king was removing the Ark of the Covenant to His new tent and deserting the tent modeled after heaven itself.

Is it outrageous to say that much of the temple worship was dedicated to idolatry? No. Remember that God sentenced Israel to "worship the starry host" and Jerusalem as the Jebusite religious capital supplied much of the "pattern" of the nation's worship which Israel prayed for and God granted. Solomon provided temples and altars for foreign "gods" and Molech as the principle "starry host" or Saturn was set up at Topheh (from tambourine) which had been the "king's music grove" and became a symbol of hell itself.

Musical "worship" as in the case of David's usual praise was the most works-intensive ritual one could imagine. If we are going to abandon ourselves to this kind of outburst it is because it is devoutely believed that "music has the power to lead the worshipers into the presence of God." Therefore, abandoning Christ as the One and only Mediator we believe that we can WORK our way to God's presence. Therefore, not only is musical praise a way to abandon self to something quite identical to the "bowing to Baal" musical and charismatic ritual, but like them it is a WORK which we must perform.

Dallas Burdette: Praise does its work among humans as much as it does among the heavenly host.

"Magic is a species of crude science, for the underlying hypothesis is that there are forces in the world which can be utilized on certain conditions, incantations, magical acts, drugs, etc." (Int. Std. Bible Ency., Magic, p. 1963).

"An immediate relation is seen by some Biblical scholars between music and magic. It cannot be denied that this relationship is assumed in the myths and legends of the religious systems surrounding Judaism. Nor can it be denied that music and magic are linked in religious systems of primitive cultures everywhere. Furthermore,... the influence of the Greek Philosophical system still has overtones in much of today's thinking regarding musical values.

"In one way or another the Church, especially the Roman Catholic and in less systematic ways, much of Protestantism, has adopted this philosophy... which... seems to suggest that music has somewhat intrinsic powers to change behavior" (Zondervan Pict., Music P. 312).

"Music, like the word, also may have symbolic meaning. The basic elements out of which musical symbolism is built are sounds, tones, melodies, harmonies,

and the various musical instruments,
among which is the human voice.

Sound effects can have a numinous (spiritual) character and may be used to bring about contact with the realm of the holy. A specific tone may call one to an awareness of the holy, make the holy present, and produce an experience of the holy. This may be done by means of drums, gongs, bells, or other instruments. The ritual instruments can, through their shape or the materials from which they are made, have symbolic meaning. The Uitoto in Colombia, for example, believe that all the souls of their ancestors are contained in the ritual drums. (See liturgical music BM members.)

Chaldean is a synonym in the Bible for soothsayers or enchanters who always used music to deceive people. Judas, for instance, carried the Glosokomon or the bag for carrying the mouthpieces of wind instruments. It is made up of "speaking in tongues" and "of the Kosmos."

Apopis also called Apep, Apepi, or Rerek, ancient Egyptian demon of chaos, who had the form of a giant serpent and, as the foe of the sun god,
........... Re, represented all that was outside the ordered Kosmos.

Although many serpents symbolized divinity and royalty, Apopis threatened the underworld and symbolized evil. Each night Apopis encountered Re at a particular hour in the sun god's ritual journey through the underworld in his divine bark. Seth, who rode as guardian in the front of Re's bark, attacked him with a spear and slew him, but the next night Apopis, who could not be finally killed, was there again to attack Re.

The Egyptians believed that they could help maintain the order of the world
and assist Re by performing rituals against Apopis.

A few gender-confused men also got involved. In the Feast of Tabernacles fragment we noted that the clergy in Jerusalem would be fired because they were involved in fertility rituals:

"Today, this music and dance festival is understood as the one remnant of the old Canaanite fertility rituals, which, in the monotheistic pseudomorphosis of the temple ceremonies, was to ensure an abundant crop of plants, animals, and even human beings."

"This was perhaps the only occasion where popular music-making was allowed to mix with the otherwise sternly guarded prerogative of Levitical music.

Consequently, secular, superstitious, even popular licentious elements were here introduced in the performance of the temple's liturgical music." (Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, p. 460, Abingdon).

There was always a connection between perverting self or God's law and the wine symbol of dionysus. Solomon warned that--

It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink: Pr 31:4
....... Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted. Pr 31:5
....... ....... Give strong drink (intensely intoxicating) unto him that is ready to perish (void), and wine .....
...... ........... ........... (fermented wine) unto those that be of heavy hearts. Pr 31:6

Of ceremonial objects:

These objects thus can be mediatory devices to contact the divine world,
....... as, for example, the drums of shamans (religious personages with
....... healing and psychic-transformation powers).

Conversely, they can be mediatory devices used by a god or other supernatural being to relate to man in the profane realm.

"They may also be used to ensure that a chief or sovereign of a tribe or nation
....... achieves, and is recognized to have,

the status of divinity in cultic or community ceremonies. Of such a nature may be phallic cults.

Musical worship teams" including the Levitical Musical Worship teams were under the king and the commanders of the army:

David, together with the commanders of the army, set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun for the ministry of prophesying, accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals. Here is the list of the men who performed this service: 1 Chr.25:1

As Gad was David's seer or stargazer used once by God, the Levites were made into "prophesiers" just like the nations to whom God had abandoned them in fact way back at Mount Sinai when they replaced His oral Covenant with the musical worship of the "stars" or Satan under the golden calf. God then turned them over to the worship of the starry host and Solomon made Jerusalem the capital of pagan worship.

Encomiast Britannica

The praise leader from the Tower of Babel Pushing the Core Gospel.

"Mesopotamian literature originated with the Sumerians, whose earliest known written records are from the middle of the 4th millennium BC. It constitutes the oldest known literature in the world; moreover, inner criteria indicate that a long oral-literary tradition preceded, and probably coexisted with, the setting down of its songs and stories in writing.

It may be assumed, further, that this oral literature developed the genres of the core literature. The handbook genres, however, in spite of occasional inclusions of oral formula--e.g., legal or medical--may generally be assumed to have been devised after writing had been invented, as a response to the remarkable possibilities that writing offered for amassing and organizing data.

The purpose underlying the core literature and its oral prototypes would seem to have been as much magical as aesthetic, or merely entertaining, in origin.

In magic, words create and call into being what they state.

The more vivid and expressive the words are, the more they are believed to be efficacious--so by its expressiveness literature forms a natural vehicle of such creativity.

"In ancient Mesopotamia its main purpose appears to have been the enhancement of what was seen as beneficial. With the sole exception of wisdom literature,
........... the core genres are panegyric in nature (i.e.,
........... ........... they praise something or someone),
........... ........... and the magical power and use of praise
........... ........... is to instill, call up, or activate the virtues presented in the praise.

"That praise is of the essence of hymns, for instance, is shown by the fact that over and over again the encomiast, the official praiser, (See Kantor, Precenter, Worship Leader) whose task it was to sing these hymns,

closed with the standing phrase: "O [the name of a deity or human hero], thy praise is sweet." The same phrase is common also at the end of myths and epics, two further praise genres that also belonged in the repertoire of the encomiast.

"The vb. Battologeo in Mt 6:7 (say not the same thing over and over again) refers to the superstition that the repeated utterance of a word will secure one's wish." (Int. Std. Bible Ency., Magic, p. 1964).

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Mt.7:21

Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied (escstatic or tongues) in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? Mt.7:22

When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: Lu.13:25

Dallas Burdette: Psalm 150 Praise is the obligation, human necessity and a human requirement

"They praise not only in description but also in narrative,
by recounting acts of valour done by the hero,
thus sustaining and enhancing his power to do such deeds, according to the magical view.

"Hymns, myths, and epics all were believed

to sustain existing powers and virtues by means of praise,
but laments were understood to praise blessings and powers lost,
originally seeking to hold on to and recall them magically, through the power in the expression of intense longing for them and the vivid representation of them.

Dallas Burdette: Psalm 150 is the fifth in the group of Hallelujah psalms that conclude the book of Psalms. Psalms 150 is enclosed by "Praise the LORD" (vv. 1, 6). Sandwiched between the beginning and end of this Psalm, one observes ten imperatives--"praise God" is employed once and "praise him" is utilized nine times.

The fourth is Psalm 149 which begins:

PRAISE ye the Lord. Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise in the congregation (assembly) of saints. Psa 149:1
....... Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. Psa 149: 2

In verse 3 they are told to do the round dance. This was the kind of dance a cow performs when she is trying to sling out the calf:

Let them praise his name in the dance (the round, dizzying dance): let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp. Psa 149: 3

Dance is: Chuwl (h2342) khool; or 2427 kheel; a prim. root; prop. to twist or whirl (in a circular or spiral manner), i. e. (spec.) to dance, to writhe in pain (espec. of parturition) or fear; fig. to wait, to pervert: - bear, (make to) bring forth, (make to) calve, dance, drive away, fall grievously (with pain), fear, form, great, grieve, (be) grievous, hope, look, make, be in pain, be much (sore) pained, rest, shake, shapen, (be) sorrow (-ful), stay, tarry, travail (with pain), tremble, trust, wait carefully (patiently), be wounded.

You will notice that they were to (1) sing praises---

Sing is: Zamar (h2167) zaw-mar'; a prim. root [perh. ident. with 2167 through the idea of striking with the fingers]; prop. to touch the strings or parts of a musical instrument, i. e. play upon it; to make music, accompanied by the voice; hence to celebrate in song and music: - give praise, sing forth praises, psalms.

With the timbrel and harp.

The rule is there: when an instrument is included in singing (zamar) it is clearly stated. The word "song" can be read, recited, sung or sung with accompaniment. However, there is never an instrument unless it is defined. For instance, Paul defined the human voice and heart as the "first instrument of choice" in the word psalmos.

Conclusion: the word zamar needs to be qualified. By analogy, the word psalmos needs to be qualified:

Sing and play the (instrument of)

The human voice
The harp
or other musical instrument.

The human voice is the "first musical instrument of choice." By the use of Zamar in Psalm 1149:3 we know that it means "sing" because that is the way it is translated and because the accompanying mechanical device is named.

Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols. Amos 5:23

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: Isa 23:15

Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered." Isa 23:16

It is marvelous that the rise of the praise cult is fed by paramilitary "church" movements who believe that God is raising up an army to reward those who agree and kill their enemies. The virgin of Guadalupe told one "father" that Christ was coming in Y2K to kill all of the pagans and Masons:

For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation. Psa 149: 4
....... Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. Psa 149: 5
....... Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand; Psa 149: 6

To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; Psa 149: 7
To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; Psa 149: 8

To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the Lord. Psa 149: 9

Remember that trumpets were authorized for signalling and panic creation in battle. Is the praise cult sure that it wants to be a militant force doing God's Work? Certainly some new movements believe that Christ cannot come until we mobilize a true para-military organization under the name of "church."

Dallas Burdette: This Psalm as well as the preceding four calls upon God's people to praise Him with all kinds of instruments. For instance, six imperatives occur within three verses in which several musical instruments are employed in praise to the LORD:

³Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre,

⁴praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute,

⁵praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals (Psalm 150:3-5).

An analysis of the Psalm reveals that the Psalmist tells who is to be praised: "Praise the LORD" (v. 1);

First, you should notice that poems tend to be poetic. Therefore, if only those things with breath or life are to praise God then this is poetic language as when 'trees praise' or 'trees clap their hands.'

Second, some of these instruments were not permitted for religious use in the temple. Furthermore, the flute or organ was associated with love making.

Third, my Bible doesn't use the word "music" in Psalm 150. The "service" of the musicians were to be overseers or even slave drivers. It was called bondage as people fell on their face during the music or went as slaves to build the temple.

Isaiah 30 compares the Assyrians procession to the "place of burning" with the Timbrels and harps. In the LXX or Septuagint version, God asks, "Must you always go in procession to the temple with music." This was a common practice when they marched to the Temple and then to Topheth which was the place where innocent children were burned in the red-hot arms of Molech as they played loud instruments to drown out the evil sounds of sacrificed children and to help the priest get a message from the idol:

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. Isa 30:32

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

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

The organ which Jubal used without authority to control others was the:

Uwgab (h5748) oo-gawb'; or uggab oog-gawb'; from 5689 in the orig. sense of breathing; a reed-instrument of music: - organ

And his brothers name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ. Gen 4:21

Handle is: Taphas (h8610) taw-fas'; a prim. root; to manipulate, i. e. seize; chiefly to capture, wield; spec. to overlay; fig. to use unwarrantably: - catch, handle, (lay, take) hold (on, over), stop, * surely, surprise, take.

Agab (h5689) aw-gab'; a prim. root; to breathe after, i. e. to love (sensually): - dote, lover.

This word is used to prove the common message: music is telling God: "we will not listen to your words."

"The institution of dancing girls, therefore, became an accepted part of Indian society, even after it became a Muslim society in the Mughal era. Non-temple dancers known generally as tavaifs were not devadasis,

but were sophisticated courtesans
and repositories of culture and refinement.

However, the tavaifs were also "married" to trees and flowers in the same sense that the temple dancers were married to the deity. The institution was so accepted that no respectable wife would admit to training in singing and dancing because those were needed only by the lower caste dancing girls. In later times, these dancers would also be known as "Bayaderes" and would appear in other countries.

Around 1500 B.C. the Egyptians brought the Indian Bayaderes into their temples. Resource

The musical worship teams is a presumption. They claim the power to "lead the worshipers into the presence of God." Some even claim, ala Tower of Babel, that when they sing and dance God uses them as a platform upon which He lands. That was the fact in ancient paganism where the musical performers were the harem of the gods.

Women's singing was a vital part of all pagan worship. In very early times women became priestly singers of the gods in the temple.

"Women and girls from the different ranks of society were proud to enter the service of the gods as singers and musicians. The understanding of this service was universal: these singers constituted the 'harem of the gods'." (Quasten)

The "authority" Paul outlawed for the women in his epistles was "sexual authority" which is clearly intended when the clergy uses beauty and talent to seduce the seekers.

Dallas Burdette: next, the Psalmist reveals why He is to be praised: "Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness" (v. 2);

Remember, again, that poems speak poetically. This is not a "direct command" for a praise service using instrumental accompaniment. In fact, there probably was no such thing as "music" in the singing and playing sense: the poem was recited and the composer would strum down the strings between stanzas. Only much more developed "music" involved singing single notes and playing that identical note on a harp.

Jesus spoke directly to the Pharisees who were "Post-Modern" in that their traditions were changes to the Laws of God. They could say Lord, Lord without doing his will although the Pharisees did not use "music" or instruments or "praise" in the synagogues.

We noted above that the "organ" was handled by Jubal "without authority." Furthermore, it is related to the musical prostitutes such as the entire nation of Trye.

The fact that Psalm 150 advises this instrument proves that it might have had a religious sentiment but it fit the actual moral nature of David who was not a righteous man but a king hand-picked to lead Israel to the "jail house." The instruments were signs of sense stimulation to replace mind stimulation: it was spiritual adultery which usually led to physical adultery:

Egeb (h5690) eh'-gheb, from 5689; love (concr.), i. e. amative words: - much love, very lovely.

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

Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Mark 7:7

And one fulfillment is in Ezekiel:

Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the Lord. Ezek 33:30

And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. Ezek 33:31

And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not. Ezek 33:32

Dallas Burdette: then, who is to praise Him: "Let everything that has breath praise the LORD" (v. 6).

Again, you should notice that poems tend to be poetic. Therefore, if only those things with breath or life are to praise God then this is the same poetic language as when 'trees praise' or 'trees clap their hands.' Instruments don't praise God because they cannot "tell of His great deeds." ALL pagans believed that the gods lived inside of musical instruments which were therefore idols. Even David AROUSED his harp and lyre to try to awaken the dawn. However,

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

And we noted that some of these instruments were not permitted for religious use in the temple. Furthermore, the flute or organ had an obscene connotation.

Dallas Burdette: And, finally, How should God be praised? The Psalmist does not leave this to the imagination. He tells how he is to be praised--

the LORD is to be praised with music (vv. 3-5).

There is no MUSIC word ever used in connection with spiritual worship of God.

If you want to sing, dance until you fall on your face from whirling around, play an instrument, strip off your clothes to "make yourself vile" and then boast that the slave girls will hold you in honor then this is the praise for you. However, this is a personal poem and it is not a legalistic law for "an act of worship."

The word praise which Dallas Burdette is recommending is not quite like the "Lord, Lord saying" of the modern "praise cult." Rather, David who always misplaced God, tried to arouse Him and even tried to awaken the harp so that he could awaken the day played, danced, "made himself vile" in front of the slave women and said he was held in honor by them. And again:

DAVID'S PRAISE: Halal (h1984) haw-lal'; a prim. root; to be clear (orig. of sound, but usually of color); to shine; hence to make a show, to boast; and thus to be (clamorously) foolish; to rave; causat. to celebrate; also to stultify: - (make) boast (self), celebrate, commend, (deal, make), fool (- ish, -ly), glory, give [light], be (make, feign self) mad (against), give in marriage, [sing, be worthy of] praise, rage, renowned, shine.
Heylel (h1966) hay-lale'; from 1984 (in the sense of brightness); the morning-star: - Lucifer.

God tolerated the temple but the nation had already been turned over to worship the starry host. The clergy listening to Stephen didn't like the message either and therefore they were compared to children playing musical games

No further proof can be found that music is associated with ignoring the Word of God, and ignoring God was associated with the temple being looted within five years after Solomon's death and temple building slavery led directly to civil war.

Why is music so intimately associated with idolatry, prostitution, ignoring God's word if God wanted music to exercise a legalistic supernatural Power. Why did Israel go into captivity to the 'beat of the harp' if music was from God.

No one was improved by musical praise and all but a tiny remnant went into captivity and death. God never commanded it as worship and never said: "I am pleased by your entertainment."

The word "sound" which Dallas Burdette may think means "music" is:

Teqa (h8629) tay-kah'; from 8628; a blast of a trumpet: - sound.

Taqaph (h8630) taw-kaf'; a prim. root; to overpower: - prevail (against).

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.

One could smite with the sword but often safer to smite with a trumpet blast to totally panic the enemy. For instance:
Then Jael Hebers wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote (taqa) the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground:
........... for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died. Judges 4:21

The Psalmist was speaking of warfare and not worship: praising the Lord was to blow the ruwa or trumpet sound with making a joyful noise.

> Now, the writer was advocating literal warfare against the enemy in which case this is not a proof-text for spiritual worship,

> or his poem tends to be poetic and he is speaking of attacking the spiritual enemies with the "sword of the Spirit" and speaking "the fruit of the lips."

> > Since there was no carnal warfare in the mind of Jesus, we conclude that the Psalmist was not speaking literally but poetically.

When you have 120 ram's horns blowing a single note with all shophars "tuned" as at the dedication of the temple, who would dare call this "MUSIC"?

"Only in Psa 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).

Blowing the Triumph Over predicted against Jesus in Psalm 41 was:

But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm. Nu.10:7

Here is the battle alarm:

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.

Don't try this in church! I has much the same meaning as external melody.

Dallas Burdette: Dallas Burdette: PRAISE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

One can say that God is a lover of music.

Music is a witness to the power of God.

Music has the ability to capture the beauty of God's grace and love and to evoke feelings beyond the range of ordinary words.

Praise is an outward manifestation of the gratitude of the one's redeemed.

Another one of the praise Psalms is quite clear: "Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make music (yavlate, psalate, "to touch sharply, to pluck, pull, twitch") to our God on the harp" (Psalm 147:7).

The meaning of Hebrew and Greek words, the story of paganism, the knowledge of science, medicine and musicology knows that music is calculated to control the emotional nature of mankind so that its rational (spiritual) nature is shut down.

The ancients believed that the feelings from music and temple prostitution was the power of God moving in their bodies. Therefore, people could "make merchandise" of others by the use of music.

Furthermore, music creates the "spiritual anxiety from religious ritual" Jesus died to remove. If it feels good, you are still pretty young and healthy. As you get lder you will see musical instruments as a weapon as indeed in both Hebrew and Greek instrument and weapon are from the same words.

To say that God is a lover of music is to say that God is the lover of burned animals roasting on an open fire.

He owns all of the cows on a thousand hills and said "if I get hungry I would not tell you." And because he could call a host of angels to do theatrical performance we cannot assume that He loves music.

In fact, as Holy Spirit, God went to great extremes to attach music at every juncture to people saying: "We will not listen to your words any more." That is a fact: you cannot listen to an instrument and God at the same time so you make a conscious choice.

The synagogue was always "school" and not pagan worship center.

The church or assembly was always school and never pagan worship center with the superstition that praise PERFORMS WORK for God or on His behalf.

Furthermore, God never says "play instruments" or sing. It was the writer of Psalms who was chosen by God to help lead the Israelites into their prison and execution chamber in Assyria and Babylon. This sentence began at Mount Sinai because of musical idolatry.

Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God: Psalm 147:7

You will notice that the Psalmist was not a worship leader and his playing upon the harp was unto God. This means that it was not "unto the worship assembly" because the Jewish people never congregated (synagogued) for "singing with instrumental music to accompany it."

Second, you will notice that David "prescribed" the praise. God always supplies the resources for our "teaching" with the melody in the heart.

Third, you will notice from the movies which always have technical advise never has David or Samson singing or reciting a song while simultaneously playing back up music with the harp. They quote a stanza of the praise and then strum between. Some scholars believe that this and the word "selah" means "time out to think about each stanza." To sing and play at the same time would be compared to "speaking in tongues" or for secular entertainment.

The information on music at the time shows that at most the harp which might have as few as three strings sounded with each syllable of the song.

Again, sing or zamar includes the possibility of using the strings of a harp. However, the law still applies: when singing (zamar) includes a mechanical instrument that instrument is implied. "Sing" can be done with an instrument. However, the harp is never included unless you say "sing and make melody on the harp." That is why it is so important that Paul used the same rule to say: "Sing and make melody in the HEART." This excluded the harp.

If Dallas or anyone else wishes to go doing the dizzying dance, singing, whirling, spinning, praising or making self vile as a way to "worship" God it is a personal thing. This is not a direct command for congregational singing with a harp. If so, then like the NT, it would demand that every worshiper have his own instrument.

However, the general population never worshiped God by congregational singing and playing instruments and making themselves vile. This was part of the lost king's search for a God he had lost or misplaced and always, like the nation's musicians, was trying to arouse or awaken God to show pity because God doesn't punish the insane.

Superstitious Paganism: "Music and dance were used as a form of medicine for illness of the spirit and the body."

Dallas Burdette: Dallas Burdette: Singing and making music rekindles devout affection within the souls of men and women.
Through melody

God is able to convey divine light and warmth into our understanding of the unsearchable riches of Christ.

God uses Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs as a means of remembrance upon what God has accomplished for sinful man through Jesus.

Click to See Afro Shamanism
"All early civilizations saw their ideal music as an image (idol) of cosmic order and its practice in temple ritual and court ceremonial
........... as a means of helping to maintain or reflect universal harmony.

From such a philosophy stem the age-old concepts of the efficacy of numerical proportions in musical sound;
........... the ethos (magical effect) of particular modes;
........... the music of the spheres; and the musical foundation of the state.

Such ideas steadfastly maintained throughout the ages, made for very conservative traditions of music whose fundamental patterns changed little over long periods of time." (Britannica, Music, p. 1091)

Because contemporary "worship music" abandoned the Bible during the "great awakening" in the early 1800s, it relied heavily upon slave music which was a coded form of drumming or voodoo and "gospel" singing. The Bible gave way to "song books" as destructive as writing our own Bible based on "magical" rituals:

"The practice of harnessing supernatural forces and spirits for one's own personal use, known in some parts of Africa as 'Obeye' (an entity that lives within witches), has taken on many names in the Caribbean islands, such as Shango (Trinidad), Santeria (Cuba), Vodun or Voodoo (Haiti), Ju-Ju (Bahamas), Obeah (Jamaica),. Although African slaves usually practiced Obeah for "evil" or rather self-interested, instrumental purposes, this faith also aided them as a source of strength and clandestine resistance. The practice of Obeah is the belief that one can use certain spirits or supernatural agents to work harm to the living, or to call them off from such mischief. Generally, the British used the term Obeah to describe all slave acts and practices that were considered supernatural or evil in nature, such as rituals and fetishes. From

Click for more information of the rise of voodoo during the periods of "revivalism."

One of the most ancient superstitions, made popular in the West, was that music mediated between man and God. However, we have One Mediator and He repudiated music.

First, we just have to tell you that making music is not in my versions of the Bible. We suspect that the pro-instrumentalists compose their own Scripture just as the Pharisees did.

"Making melody" is not "making music." The Greek word for music is "symphonia" and is used almost always among the Greeks meaning "singing and dancing." It isotherwise used only of the Babylonian Whore's musicians in Rev. 18.

Second, Paul's three "singing" passages directly repudiate the instrumental music of the Dionysic and Orphic influence in all of the Greek and Roman churches.

We fear that Dallas Burdette has, like lots of "religion," borrowed from the superstitions of pagans condemned by Paul in First and Second Corinthians. In the interest of '"getting even" with old instrumentalists enemies it is easy to overlook the obvious and fail to take a scholarly approach. For instance, if "music" did not exist in the modern sense then God did not either "love, command or approve" of making music. Of the praise and "uncovered" prophesying by women Paul outlawed in Corinth.

Now, here is self-abandonment:

"The Greeks "borrowed" many of these cults from Thrace, Syria, Phrygia, and Asia Minor in general. They were often characterized by frenzied nocturnal dances, with crazed outcries, to the stirring accompaniment of shrill flutes, tympana, metal cymbals, castanets of wood, earthenware or metal, horns, "bull-roarers", and rattles.

There is also mention of snake handling, of trances, of prophesying, and even of self-mutilation. Some were performed openly and some only in secret. [Same as bowing the knee to Baal]

In these situations,

music and dance were used as a form of "medicine" for illness of the spirit and the body,

as will be seen in the "trance dance" cults that still survive in many parts of the middle east.

"While the Greeks of classical times deplored "professionalism" of any kind, it is quite likely that members of the lower classes constituted "professional" dancers and musicians. The transition from religious to purely secular is a major change for the dance everywhere it occurs. Certainly at their favorite entertainment, the "symposia" or dinner party courtesan dancers were called upon to entertain. In Greek vases they are pictured in scanty costume, or entirely nude, dancing spiritedly to the music of the flute. These courtesans also performed a variety of the pyrrhic dance (leaping), with helmet, shield and spear. The so called "Ionic dances" are also associated with the courtesans, spoken of as notorious for their softness and lasciviousness. Resource

Dallas Burdette in Grace Centered Magazine makes a huge point out of saying that the church was never commanded to assemble for "worship." And we would agree that this is true of some activities.

However, a key "worship" word is to seek, give heed or give attendance to the reading of the Word. That is what Paul commanded Timothy to do in public (2 Tim. 4:13). The Synagogue was the place for those without bibles and without the skills to read and explain the reading.

Therefore, the "singing" component of the church is clearly defined as "giving heed" to the Word of Christ by speaking it or preaching it one to another. Because the synagogue regularly met and the ekklesia met, we can assume that the church continued that practice.

Because the people's "congregation" was excluded during the loud sound (never called music) during animal sacrifices, we know that the Jews did not worship by "singing and playing" instruments.

Because THERE WAS NO PRAISE SERVICE IN THE SYNAGOGUE we are safe in concluding that "teaching and admonishing" one another with the Bible as resource was never a "praise service" which means a praise ceremony.

> After telling the musical orphic vegetarians and the musical dionysic wine-drinkers and meat-eaters that they should not pass judgment upon one another, Paul defined how they could meet collectively without music:

HIM that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. Ro.14:1

Proslambano (g4355) pros-lam-ban'-o; from 4314 and 2983; to take to oneself, i.e. use (food), lead (aside), admit (to friendship or hospitality): - receive, take (unto).

Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. Rom 15:2

Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. Rom 14:3

We are led to the belief that this was related to the public assembly where people with diverse pagan backgrounds had to find a way to put away the childish things and come into the assembly for the purpose of eating the Lord's Supper and for teaching one another.

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

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

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

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

Paul goes on to show that this is how Christ "sings to the Gentiles" and we just know that Jesus had some run-ins with the instrumental Jews.

There is no music. "Singing" to the Greek would be to recite a poem usually written in meter to be recited.

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

"Greek vowels had long and short values that corresponded to long and short notes in the musical settings. Thus musical rhythms were derived from metric forms, and melodic movement was governed by the natural rise and fall of the text.
........... Ancient Greece appears never to have had a developed instrumental art.

In fact, singing and playing at the same time was the activity of children or prostitutes which were always the slave "musical team." You let them into the festivals primarily so that you could make fun of their theatrical performance.

"These musical fragments show that Greek music was predominantly vocal, although instrumental pieces were sometimes presented.

The music was homophonic; i.e., it consisted of single melodic lines. One of the most important compositions was the dithyramb, a poetic text set to music and sung by a chorus in honour of Dionysus. Britannica

Melody in English is not related to four-part harmony. Rather, melody is a series of single notes. The only thing which answers to that is to "sing with one mouth" or unison reciting the Word.

> The demand not to get drunk on wine insists that they were still in danger of the "worship" of Dionysus. To forestall this "singing" which was usually discordant howling with musical instruments, Paul insisted that the Biblical, inspired material be spoken without music.

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Eph 5:18

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

In this sense Spirit or the Mind of Christ is in His Words:

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. John 6:63

> The Colossian example makes it impossible for the rational mind to imagine that self-composed "scripture" using a preside-over or non-sedentary "praise team" to be gleaned out of what Paul defined as "in the heart" singing.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Col 3:16

All of the Bible is "the Word of Christ" because the writers were moved by The Spirit of Christ (1 Peter 1:11).

The eternal fight has been people abandoning the Word of God and replacing it with what clearly appeals to their own carnal senses. Going further, they peddle it as a spiritual. This began at the tower of Babel.

And the Bible is clear. There is no mistake. Music to take the mind off the Word of God has been the weapon. All of the ancient views of Satan agree. See the table at the top of the Musical Worship Index for many accounts of which The Book of Enoch is the best known by repuation from Jude.

The Hosea commentator of the Dead Sea wrote in:

4Q166 (4QpHos^a) Dead Sea Scrolls, (Plus, pg. 276-7 Vermes)

"I will put an end to her rejoicing, her feasts, her new moons, her Sabbaths, and all her festivals (Hosea ii,11).
"Interpreted, this means that they have rejected the ruling of the law,
and have followed the festivals of the nations.
....... But their rejoicing shall come to an end and shall be changed into mourning.

I will ravage her vines and her fig trees, of which she said, 'They are my wage which my lovers have given me'. I wall make them a thicked and the will beasts shall eat them...ii, 12

But they, like Adam, have broken the Covenant (vi, 7)

Its interpretation... they have forsaken God and walked according to the decrees of the Gentiles....

Music in the temple was for animal sacrifices imposed "because of transgression." The worship was "like the nations" because that is what the elders insisted upon as they "fired God."

You who raised a corpse from death and from Hades, by the word of the Most High; Ecclesiasticus 48:5.

who brought kings down to destruction, and famous men from their beds; Ecclesiasticus 48: 6.
who heard rebuke at Sinai and judgments of vengeance at Horeb; Ecclesiasticus 48: 7. who anointed kings to inflict retribution,
........... and prophets to succeed you. Ecclesiasticus 48: 8.

And the prophets are universal in their condemnation of music as the cause of Israel's loss and God's imposing a king to lead them into captivity and death:

O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help. Hosea 13:9

I will be thy king: where is any other that may save thee in all thy cities? and thy judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes? Hosea 13:10

I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath. Hosea 13:11

Music is the product of elders unable to teach and who insist that they set a king over us in an unlawful "located evangelist." The result is that God turns us over to the 'nations' and we therefore worship like the nations and are destroyed like the nations:

In that day," says the sovereign Lord, "I will make the sun set at noon, and make the earth dark in the middle of the day. Amos 8:9NEB

I will turn your festivals into funerals, and all your songs into funeral dirges. I will make everyone wear funeral clothes and cause every head to be shaved bald. I will make you mourn as if you had lost your only son; when it ends it will indeed have been a bitter day. Amos 8:10 NEB

Be certain of this, the time is coming," says the sovereign Lord, "when I will send a famine through the land. I'm not talking about a shortage of food or water, but an end to divine revelation. Amos 8:11 NEB

People will stagger from sea to sea, and from the north around to the east. They will wander around looking for a revelation from the Lord, but they will not find any. Amos 8:12

You are invited to comment but you should be specific.

Part Two of Dallass Burdette.

Augustine on Psalm 149

Classical Index

Musical Worship Index

Church Fathers

Home Page

Dallas Burdette's Site: Don't try this unless you have the Explorer.