Levitical Musicians - 2 Chronicles 29:25,
Instrumental Music In Worship
Levitical Musicians in 2 Chronicles were for the
civil Temple-State and not for personal worship. Music was always
important on a personal basis and especially with women and in
paganism in a worship sense. It was not commanded by God but instead
was forbidden for the people's assembly. It was practiced by Hebrews
as they commingled with the Canaanite worshippers. It was used to
force them to worship (fall on their face) at the Jerusalem Temple
when animals were burned and in Babylon Captivity to force the
worship of a ninety-foot tall phallic symbol. It is routinely
condemned because it was both admission of rejecting God's Word and
as a symbol of His wrath being poured out upon them.
Toward the end:
When ye come to appear before
me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? Isaiah 1:12
Bring no more
vain oblations; incense
is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Isaiah 1:13
Your new moons and
your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I
am weary to bear them. Isaiah 1:14
But this was from the
beginning:
Thus saith the Lord of hosts,
the God of Israel; Put your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices, and
eat flesh. Jer 7:21
For I
spake not unto your
fathers, nor commanded
them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt,
concerning burnt
offerings or sacrifices: Jer 7:22
But this thing commanded I
them, saying,
Obey my voice, and
I will be your God, and ye shall be my people:
and walk ye in all the ways
that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you. Jer 7:23
But they
hearkened not, nor
inclined their ear, but
walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.
Jer 7:24
Since the day that your
fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this
day, I have even sent
unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and
sending them: Jer 7:25
Yet they hearkened
not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck:
they did worse than
their fathers. Jer
7:26
About three million Hebrews were rescued by God's grace out
of Egypt purely to protect His own name by removing their false
witness from the Egyptians. This probably grew to more millions over
the centuries. However, only 25 to 50 thousand returned from
Babylonian captivity. Out of this tiny remnant about 5 thousand
listened to the voice of their Incarnate God and obeyed Him. The
majority of the Jews continued to practice fertility rituals with
music as they tried to force John and Jesus into their obscene dance.
The kingdom and therefore the
kingdom was against God's will but He permitted Israel to walk in
their own ways because they had never
obeyed Him. However, God picked the kings to fit the new demand to
finally rid themselves of His rule. He permitted concubines,
polygamy, slavery and a worship like the nations because this was part of their demand. God gave up
easily because He had already sentenced them for their idolatry at
Mount Sinai unless they repented. They did not. Levitical Musicians
were "like the nations" musicians.
The three primary kings: Saul,
David and Solomon were used by God to carry out His sentence upon a people who were doomed by their musical
idolatry at Mount Sinai. The insult
was that while God had rescued them from Egypt, Aaron made an image
of Apis the bull and said: "This is the god who brought you out of
Egypt." As a result the tribe of Levi and its Aaronic priests would
have to "bear the
burden" for the people
and keep them away from God's symbolic presence in the Tabernacle.
When they refused to repent
in Canaan, the demand for a human king in place of God was the final
blow. Hosea wrote:
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
Ecclesiasticus 48
1. Then the prophet Elijah arose like a fire,
and his word
burned like a
torch.
2. He brought a famine upon them, and
by his zeal he made them
few in number.
3. By the
word of the Lord he shut
up the heavens, and
also three times brought down fire.
4. How glorious you were, O Elijah, in
your wondrous deeds! And who has the right to boast which you
have?
5. You who raised a corpse from death and from
Hades, by the word of
the Most High;
6. who brought kings down to destruction, and famous men from their beds;
7. who heard rebuke at Sinai and judgments of vengeance at Horeb;
8. who anointed kings to inflict
retribution,
...........
and prophets to succeed
you.
The theme that the kings were
not spiritual leaders but civil
leaders who would eventually drag the nation into destruction and
captivity is so common in the bible that no literate person could
ever see the king and the civil-state sacrificial system as authority
for modern musical worship ministers or clergy mediating between God
and the congregation. For instance, when Israel demanded a king and
Samuel protested, God said, in effect, It is now my will that they have a king because when you reject Me by
rejecting My Word I send you strong delusions to make you rejoice in
your new freedom -- for awhile.
And the Lord said
unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not
rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. 1 Samuel 8:7
According to all
the works which they
have done since
the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day,
wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee. 1 Samuel 8:8
Now, an earthly king is part of
God's will because they have violated the probation they were on when
they wanted the "god" represented by the golden calf to become their
leader:
Now therefore
hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest
solemnly unto them, and
shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them. 1 Samuel
8:9
And he said, This
will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will
take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and
to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. 1 Samuel
8:11
And he will appoint
him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set
them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his
instruments of war, and instruments (trumpets to toot the people away) of his chariots.
1 Samuel 8:12
Prophecy of a Like The
Nation's King
Hesoid: Shield of Heracles shows how the kings of the nations used
musicians:
(ll. 191-196) And on the
shield stood the fleet-footed horses of grim
Ares made gold, and deadly Ares the spoil-winner himself. He held a
spear in his hands and was urging on the footmen: he was red with
blood as if he were slaying living men, and he stood in his
chariot. Beside him stood Fear and Flight, eager to plunge amidst the fighting
men.
(ll. 197-200) There, too, was
the daughter of Zeus, Tritogeneia who drives the spoil (3). She was like as if she would array a battle,
with a spear
in her hand, and a golden helmet, and the aegis about her shoulders.
And she was going
towards the awful strife.
(ll. 201-206) And there was the
holy company of the deathless gods:
........... and in the midst the son of Zeus and Leto
played sweetly on a golden lyre.
There also was the
abode of the gods, pure Olympus, and their assembly, and infinite
riches were spread around in the gathering,
........... the Muses of Pieria were beginning a song
like clear-voiced singers.
(ll. 270-285) Next, there was a
city of men with goodly towers;
and seven gates of
gold, fitted to the
lintels, guarded it.
The men were making merry with
festivities and dances; some were bringing home a bride to her husband on a well-wheeled car, while the bridal-song swelled high, and the glow of
blazing torches held by handmaidens rolled in waves afar.
- And these maidens
went
before, delighting
in the festival;
- and after them came
frolicsome
choirs,
- the youths singing soft-mouthed to the sound of shrill pipes,
- while the echo was shivered around them,
- and the girls led on the
lovely dance to the sound of lyres.
Then again on the other side
was a rout of young men
revelling,
with
flutes playing; some frolicking with
dance and song,
and
others were going forward in time with a flute player and laughing.
The whole town was filled with mirth
and dance
and festivity.
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 81:12
XENA: Warrior Princess is loosely based on ATHENA/XENIA, sister of Aphrodite, who sprang full grown
from the head of
Zeus and was known as
Pallas Athena and Parthenos - the maiden/virgin. In Rome Minerva was one of the
Capitoline triad with Juno
and Jupiter); and primary goddess of Greek cities (as Polias:
her effigy, Palladium, protected Athens), industry (as Ergane),
wisdom, war
(with her shield Aegis) and arts, especially agricultural and crafts
of women, particularly spinning and weaving. Often associated with
birds, especially the owl, she invented the plough, the
flute, taming animals, building ships and
making shoes, also known as Tritogeneia/ Tritonia; Soteira, saviour;
Glaukopis, blue-eyed goddess; Hippia, tamer of horses; and
Mechanitis, ingenious. She is sometimes depicted as the male god
Mentor.
The Greeks believed she was one
of the Aeons, Sophia
(Wisdom) (qv).
Associated with Athena is Nike (Roman Victoria) goddess of victory,
daughter of Oceanid nymph, Styx.
In Rome MINERVA (goddess of
intelligence, handicrafts, arts and trades: sister of Diana and
Venus, daughter of Jupiter) was one of the Capitoline triad with Juno
and Jupiter.
THE NAG HAMMADI CODICES found
near Qumran (like the Dead Sea scrolls), ancient centre of the
Essenes, thought to have been written by Valentinus from Christian
and Coptic texts, were a reflection of Platonism and Eastern dualism
religion, Zoroastrianism. They have brought additional Gospels to the
fore including that of Mary Magdalen - her true importance is said to
have been excluded from the Bible by Peter (and the Roman Catholic
Church) who denied Christ and detested women, especially educated
ones, seeing them as the gateway to the Devil, even denying they had
souls.
According to Gnostic tradition
Mary Magdalen was associated with wisdom (Sophia) represented by the
sun, moon and halo of stars, becoming Athena to the Greeks. The
female gnosis of Sophia (mother of Zoe (Life, thought to be EVE and
Pandora), one of the AEONS, gnostic creators of all things, daughters
of Barbello) was deemed to be the Holy Spirit, represented on Earth
by Mary Magdalen.
Of course, they picked their
old Babylonian-Egyptian-Canaanite form of worship which they never
really abandoned during their stay in Egypt. Therefore, what the
Psalmist said (even though he used instruments for his
personal
praise) is restated at
the end of the Bible as Christ warns about the end-time
worship:
And the
fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were
dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no
more at all. Revelation 18:14
And the voice of
harpers, and musicians, and of pipers,
and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no
craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in
thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in
thee; Revelation 18:22
When people refuse God's Word
He sends strong delusions upon them. They play music, dance to make
fools of themselves and speak in tongues and even speak it to god (1
Cor 14:2) which was probably Juno, the air god (1 Cor. 14:9):
She crieth in the
chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city
she uttereth her words, saying
How long, ye simple ones, will
ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? Proverbs 1:22 Pr 1:21
Scorn is similar to the word halal taken as authority for musical praise:
Luwc
(h3887) loots; a prim root; prop. to make mouths at, i. e. to scoff; hence (from the effort to
pronounce a foreign
language) to interpret,
or (gen.) intercede: - ambassador, have in derision, interpreter, make a mock, mocker, scorn (-er, -ful), teacher.
On the other hand, when people
love God and obey Him He pours out His Spirit (mind) upon them which
is to make them understand His Words. When we reject the Word we can
be sure that God has rejected us and turned us over to worship our
bodies.
How long, ye simple
ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their
scorning, and fools hate knowledge? Pr 1:22
Turn you at my reproof: behold,
I will pour out my
spirit unto you, I will
make known my
words unto you.
Proverbs 1:23
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
Because I have called, and
ye refused; I have
stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; Proverbs 1:24
Conclusion: If you insist that David is your
authority for musical worship you are, perhaps subconsciously,
playing out the eternal drama of a people who have rejected the Word
of God and are being led into captivity to men who are lost and
beyond redemption for pretending to be God's agents to rule over the
church.
As a result of the violation of
the Covenant, God gave The Book of the Law. This included a
modified set of commandments structured for a people who would live
under and be controlled by idolatry. It also included 413 statements
of law which, in the words of Jeremiah, were not good. In the words
of Paul, they were "given because of transgression."
God demanded that anyone who
veered off to the right or left of the law was in trouble. He
included no command for instrumental music - or any kind of music. He
never said of music: "I like that."
Along with the Law of Moses,
God also reassigned the Tabernacle from being easy access by the
people to His "presence" and made it "off limits" except to the
priestly class. The Levites were to stand at the doors or gates like
flaming cherubim to keep the people away from God's symbol of His
presence so they would not be destroyed.
The Book of the Covenant permitted the first born son to
represent God in the family. However, after the musical idolatry at
Mount Sinai, God set aside the Levites to take the place of the first
born. The Levites, in turn, did not serve God but served the people.
They had no priestly role to play although after David they violated
that role. The Levitical Musicians or Levitical Teams could not bring
you into the presence of God. To the contrary, they were
specificially ordained to keep you away from a Holy God:
Bring the tribe of
Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him. Numbers 3:6
And they shall keep
all the instruments (carriage, furniture, utensils etc.) of the
tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the children of
Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle. Numbers 3: 8
And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they are wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel. Numbers
3: 9
And thou shalt
appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their
priests
office: and the
stranger that cometh
nigh shall be put to death. Numbers
3: 10
And the Lord spake unto Moses,
saying, Numbers 3: 11
And I, behold, I
have taken the Levites
from among the children of Israel instead
of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of
Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine; Numbers 3: 12
Because all the
firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in
the land of
Egypt I hallowed unto
me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be: I
am the Lord. Numbers 3: 13
Fact: As a result of sin of the musical
idolatry at Mount Sinai, led by Aaron and the Levites, the
burden of bearing the sins of the congregation literally fell upon them instead of all of the people. There is
no hint in the Law that God wanted or permitted "musical worship."
The event of Job 21: Isaish 5; Amos 5,6,8 and Ezekiel 33 have God
saying that music is that which people used to prevent other people from comming boldly
before God without
priests or Levites to understand His Word.
Musical Worship Ministry
usurping this role: In
all of paganism, religion always degenerated from the manly life of
righteousness and justice to the artistic group who were "blessed"
with some form of sexual or emotional abnormality.
Conclusion: Modern Levitical Musicians do not
hesitate to claim that they mediate between God and the "audience."
The dance team even (as at the Tower of Babel) is the platform upon
which God lands. These people have tested God by claiming to be the
burden bearers of the congregation. This role has been taken over by
Lord Jesus Christ. It is not without importance to note that some
teams go from being "meadiators" to becomming "God Himself."
Before
the sin at Sinai, God told Israel that under the Covenant:
Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice
indeed, and
keep my
covenant, then ye shall
be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people; for all the earth is
mine: Exodus 19:5
And ye shall be
unto me a kingdom of
priests, and an holy
nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children
of Israel. Exodus 19:6
And Moses came and called for
the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words
which the Lord commanded him. Exodus 19:7
And all the people
answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will
do. And Moses returned
the words of the people unto the Lord. Exodus 19:8
Worship is two-way
communication: God speaks to us and we return the words to Him. (Isa
55)
After their sin God assigned
the priesthood to stand between His symbolic presence at the
Tabernacle and the common people.
Edersheim in Bible History
wrote: "Levites were really only the
representatives of all Israel, having been substituted instead of their firstborn. (Numbers 3:11-13) On this account, also, the
Levites were
not specially "hallowed," as
the priests had been, * but only "cleansed" for their ministry, and
after that presented to the Lord.
* We read in Exodus
29:1, in reference to Aaron and his sons, "Hallow them to minister unto Me in the priest's office",
literally, "consecrate them to priest
unto Me" (we use the word "priest" as a verb). In the case of the
Levites there was neither consecration nor priesting, but cleansing unto ministry or
service. Of course,
the Aaronic priesthood pointed to and has ceased in Christ, our one great High-Priest.
"The first part of this
symbolical service consisted in sprinkling on them "water of sin" (rendered in our Authorized Version "water of
purifying"), alike to confess the defilement of sin and to point to its removal. After that they were to shave off all their hair and to wash their clothes. The Levites were now "unsinned" (8:21), * so far as their persons were concerned.
Then followed their dedication to the work.
* This is the
literal rendering of the Hebrew term, which is the same as that used
by David in Psalm 51:9.
"For this purpose the
Levites were led
"before the Tabernacle" (8:9), that is, probably into the outer court,
bringing with them two
young bullocks - the
one for a burnt,
the other for a sin-offering, and each with its meat-offering.
"The people,
through their
representatives - the princes - now laid their hands upon them, as
it were to constitute them their substitutes and representatives. Then Aaron took them "before Jehovah" (ver. 10), that is, into the Holy Place,
and "waved them for a wave-offering of the children of Israel" * -
probably by leading them to the altar and back again - after which,
the
"Levites would lay their hands upon the sacrifices which were
now offered by Aaron, who so "made an atonement for them" (ver. 21). The significance of all
these symbols will be sufficiently apparent. "And after that, the
Levites went in to do service in the Tabernacle of the congregation"
(ver. 22).
In the later temple, the
Standing
Men represented the
common people who were put "outside the gate" or "outside the camp"
during the sacrificing of animals with the loud music.
Fact: Musical worship teams get their
authority from David's later change of the law to be like the nations.
Fact: The cleansing of the Levites gave them
only roles of service for the people in a
civil sense and the priests in the sacrificial system but no
clergy-priestly role.
Conclusion: If musical worship teams are going to
become clergy (noted by McClintock and Strong as "the first heresy
largely pervading the church.") then they should bring their young
bullocks for slaughter and burning. Again, to assume these roles is
to assume the role of
Lord Jesus Christ Who
died as our sacrifice.
The Trumpets for
Wilderness Wandering
AND the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Numbers 10:
1 Levitical Musicians, 2 Chronicles 29:,
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
Fact: The actual worship took place
inside the Tabernacle by the priests. At best,
the congregation was only spectator to the national worship performed by Aaron's family
-- as substitutes for "the first born son" -- for or on behalf of the
entire nation.
Fact: Even when the trumpets called the
congregation into assembly, it was not
into the most holy place where they could meet God but only to the
doorway. To go further meant that they would die.
Conclusion: Musical worship teams might entertain
in a "hootenanny" or "Hee Haw" but they cannot -- however pretensious
-- bring the worshippers into the presence of God. Musical worship
teams and "worship preaching" denies the value of and usurps the role
of Lord Jesus Christ Who has
brought us nigh.
Paul compared the musical
worship with songs and tongues in Corinth to spiritual warfare of the
carnal minds. Even in war, the trumpets must not speak unknown tongues but must give clear, life-saving
signals or you wouldn't know when to attack or retreat:
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
This would be the signal for
the great rejoicing and man and beast began to move forward.
Fact: Musical Worship Ministries take their
authority from the Levites.
Fact: The Levites were not hallowed for priestly duties.
Fact: Only the priests -- and not the Levites
-- were to blow the trumpets. The Levites had no authority to blow
anything or play anything.
Conclusion: Musical worship teams have no authority
to promote themselves from "ministry" to "ruling masters" or
clergy.
God gave no authority for
"musical" worship. Not
a shred of evidence that He connected music and worship. Rather, the
silver trumpets blown only by the priests, were to send the vital
signals to up to 3 million men, women, children and their animals.
Therefore, He specificially
outlawed the
trumpets as musical
devices:
But
when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an
alarm. Numbers 10: 7
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. Numbers 10:8
The alarm was: Levitical Musicians, 2 Chronicles 29:, Levitical
Musicians, 2 Chronicles 29:,
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.
Halal (h1984) haw-lal'; a prim. root;
to be clear originally
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.
An equivalent word used for
similar purposes often meant to pollute:
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 pagan religions had their
own Jubilees. In fact, the sin at Mount Sinai was the celebration of
such a festival. Therefore, God permitted Israel a period every fifty
years to blow the wind instruments but only in connection with the
restoration of all lands from the large landholders and return it to
the tribe which, in turn rented it to the little people. Consistent
with this, the call for
Jubilee is almost universally the call to take the property away from
the people and give it back to the state -- Socialism never
dies!
God knew that the pagans had
their "Jubilees" often. For instance, Amos warned Israel about
imitating the same musical play which helped destroy Israel at Mount
Sinai.
The trumpet as a signal was and
is still important. The musical rejoicing would be the way to
separate Judas and his priestly employers from Jesus Christ:
By this
I know that thou favourest me, because mine
enemy (Judas) doth not
triumph over me. Psalm 41:11
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.
However, this attempt to "pipe
and make Jesus dance with the girls" was the supernatural sign to
Jesus and to those who can hear "the silence of the whispered word"
that He was God Incarnate.
Paul understood that
triumphant music and animal sacrifices or Jubilees or Passovers had
been done away in the new covenant:
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; Col 2:14
And having spoiled
(unclothed) principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly
(out-spoken in public show), triumphing over them in it. Col 2:15
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.2:16
The trumpets were to be blown
during these times or to signal events:
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." Numbers 10:10
Cannot we assume that if the
"new moons" have ceased then the trumpets have ceased?
Rather than suggesting that
believers attempt to "triumph" over the congregation with musical
worship, shouting or speaking the tongues as signs, Lord Jesus Christ
Himself led the heavenly procession into the Spiritual Tabernacle in
Heaven when He put His body on the altar, arose and returned to His
original "clothing" of Majesty and Glory.
When people sing, dance, play
and even uncover as women did in 1 Corinthians 11:5 when they
prophesied, they may very well be agents of "principalities and
powers" and Jesus is making an open show of them.
Trumpets even in a legal sense
were for triumphing in war or for Jubilees and other holy days. Jesus
said that we should never be judged by these men-boys denying the
value of the sacrifice and Word of Lord Jesus Christ.
Thriambeuo (h2358) three-am-byoo'-o; from a prol. comp. of the
base of 2360 and a der. of 680 (mean. a noisy iambus, sung in honor of
Bacchus); to make an
acclamatory procession, i.e. (fig.) to conquer
or (by Hebr.) to give victory: - (cause) to triumph (over).
Bacchus or Dionysus was the
god of the new wine in new wineskins.
When people hold legalistic
musical festivals such as Jubilees they are being led into captivity
with the triumphal music which God outlawed for the "congregation."
They are, in fact, an end-time supernatural sign.
Fact: Those who claim Levite authority have
no authority.
Fact: They attempt to triumph over the congregation to force them to make
a joyful
noise which will close
down their mind so that they cannot hear the instruction.
Conclusion: Musical Worship Teams violate the
explicit
Law of God and attempt
to triumph over Jesus and His quiet Word.
God's Law Could
Never Be Altered
It is a fact that God gave the Law of Moses or The
Book of the Law because Israel transgressed at Mount Sinai. God is
competent and we cannot alter His Laws without denouncing Him to His
Face:
NOW therefore
hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may
live, and go in and possess the land which the Lord God of your
fathers giveth you. Deuteronomy 4:1
Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought
from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which
I command you. Deuteronomy 4:2
So be careful to do
what the LORD your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right
or to the left.
Deuteronomy .5:32
Your eyes have seen what the
Lord did because of Baal-peor: for all the men that followed Baal-peor, the Lord
thy God hath destroyed them from among you. Deuteronomy 4:3
But ye that did cleave unto the Lord your God are alive every
one of you this day. Deuteronomy 4:4
Baal means master and his
worship was with babbling, dreaming or necromancy, musical
instruments and ritual prostitution. As a soothsayer or necromancer
their jobs were described by the Hebrew:
Lachash
(h3908) lakh'-ash; from 3907; prop. a whisper, i. e. by impl. (in a good sense) a private prayer,
(in a bad one) an incantation; concr. an amulet: - charmed, earring,
enchantment,
orator, prayer.
Nachash
(h5175) naw-khawsh'; from 5172; a snake
(from its hiss): - serpent.
Their musical worship was like
that of Babylon or Egypt. A priestly class of musicians, prostitutes and enchanters governed the people and took their money. This is
the message inherent in the "serpent" whose name is identical to the
magical methods of music and madness.
David Altered the Law
David altered Israel's worship according to God's law
because God had abandoned them to kings and kingly worship
like the
nations. Levitical
Musicians were part of this "under the commanders of the army." To
say that David was a many after God's own heart simply means that God
picked David who really did have God's permission to change things
because that is what Israel demanded when they rejected God's law and
demanded a better deal like the nations.
Without animal sacrifices there
is no rationale for musical instruments to force people to worship.
However, animal sacrifices were not a
part of God's Covenant of Grace. Therefore, there was no instrumental
music for about 400 years after Israel came out of Egypt.
Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. I, Dialogue of Justin with
Trypho, a Jew, Chapter XXII commenting on Amos:
"Ye who come to the evil day,
who are approaching, and who hold to false Sabbaths; who lie on beds
of ivory, and are at ease upon their couches; who eat the lambs out
of the flock, and the sucking calves out of the midst of the herd;
who
applaud at the sound of the musical instruments;
they reckon them as stable,
and not as fleeting,
"who drink wine in bowls, and
anoint themselves with the chief ointments, but they are not grieved
for the affliction of Joseph. Wherefore now they shall be captives,
among the first of the nobles who are carried away; and the house of
evil-doers shall be removed, and the neighing of horses shall be
taken away from Ephraim.-So Also Were Sacrifices and
Oblations.
"Accordingly He
neither takes
sacrifices from you
........... nor commanded them at first to be offered because they are needful to Him,
........... but because of your sins.
For indeed the temple, which is called the temple in Jerusalem, He
admitted to be His house or court, not as though He needed it,
........... but in order that you, in this view of
it, giving yourselves to Him, might not worship idols.
And that this is so, Isaiah
says: `What house have ye built Me? saith the Lord. Heaven is My throne,
and earth is My footstool
After Israel committed musical
idolatry, sacrifices and a priestly class were added: Without animal
sacrifices there is no CIVIL rational for musical instruments. If God
did not command animal sacrifices then He did not command
instruments. The Bible always attributes instruments to David to be
used WHEN the Temple was built.
For I
spake
not unto your fathers,
nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of
Egypt, concerning
burnt
offerings or
sacrifices: Jeremiah 7:22
But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall
be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you,
that it may be well unto you. Jeremiah 7:23
But they
hearkened
not, nor inclined their
ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not
forward. Jeremiah 7:24
Since the day that your fathers
came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day, I have even sent
unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them: Jeremiah 7:25
Yet they
hearkened not unto me,
nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers. Jeremiah 7:26
Therefore thou
shalt speak all these words unto them; but
they will not hearken to thee: thou shalt also call unto them;
but they will not answer thee. Jeremiah
7:27
|
Israel (Northern
tribes) held their religious festivals daily. Therefore,
while God was rising up early to send the prophets to them,
they were rising up for a "new wineskin" worship:
- Woe unto them that
rise up
early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that
continue until night, till wine inflame them Amos 5:11
- And the
harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they
regard
not the work of the Lord, neither consider the operation of
his hands. Amos 5:12
- Therefore my
people are gone into captivity, because they have
no knowledge: and their honourable
men are famished, and their multitude dried up with
thirst. Amos 5:13
|
But thou shalt say unto them, This is a nation that
obeyeth
not the voice of the Lord their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth. Jeremiah 7:28
Cut off thine
hair, O Jerusalem, and
cast it away, and
take up a lamentation on high places; for the Lord hath
rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath. Jeremiah 7:29
Qiynah
(h6969) kee-naw'; a dirge (as accompanied by beating the breasts or
on instruments): - lamentation.
For the children of Judah have
done evil in my sight, saith the Lord: they have set their
abominations in the house which is called by my name, to
pollute it. Jeremiah 7:30
Therefore, Israel rejected both
God and His Word and would be lost. David was selected to help bring
on the punishment earned by this rejection of God. It was necessary,
therefore, that David change the worship which God had ordained.
Scholars have no doubt that
David changed the worship from honoring God through the Word to
music. Why did this happen? Remember that Israel rejected God's
direct rule through the prophets and demanded a king like the nations
so that they could worship like the nations. God gave them kings to
bring about the destruction which they had earned at Mount Sinai.
When Israel demanded a king
so that they could worship like the nations, God turned them over to
their own lusts. David, not God, added musical instruments to the
trumpets of God.
At every
high
place they burned
incense, as the nations whom the LORD had driven out before them had
done. They did wicked things that provoked the LORD to anger. 2 Kings
17:11
Then take of them again, and
cast them into the midst
of the fire, and
burn them in the fire; for thereof shall a
fire come
forth into all the
house of Israel. Ezekiel 5:4
Thus saith the Lord
God; This is Jerusalem: I have set it in the midst of the nations and countries that are round about her.
Ezekiel 5:5
And she hath changed my judgments into wickedness more than the nations,
and my statutes
more than the countries
that are round about her: for they have refused my judgments and my statutes, they have not walked in them. Ezekiel
5:6
Therefore this is what the
Sovereign LORD says: You have been more unruly than the nations around
you and have not
followed my decrees or kept my laws.
You have
not even conformed to
the standards of the nations around you. Ezekiel 5:7
You say, "We want to be like the nations, like the peoples of the world, who
serve wood and stone." But what you have in mind will never happen.
Ezekiel 20:32 (It would happen but they would not get away with
it)
The birth of Isaac
was supernatural: both Abraham and Sarah were beyond the age of
producing children.However, God begat Isaac through whom the PROMISE
would flow.
Those not of the promise are
not just Arabs but all who subscribe to the covenant of Law made at
Mount Sinai. The curse of the Law and the "because of transgression"
was the musical idolatry which repudiated The Book of The Law or
covenant of Grace:
Tell me, ye that desire to be
under the law, do ye not hear the law? Gal 4: 21
For it is written,
that Abraham had two
sons, the one by a
bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. Gal 4:22
But he who was of the bondwoman
was born after the
flesh; but he of the
freewoman was by promise. Gal 4: 23
Which things are an
allegory: for these are the two covenants;
........... the one from the mount Sinai, which
gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. Gal 4: 24
For this Agar is
mount
Sinai in Arabia, and
answereth to Jerusalem
which now is, and is in
bondage with her children. Gal 4: 25
........... But Jerusalem which is above is free,
which is the mother of
us all. Gal 4: 26
For it is written, Rejoice,
thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that
travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she
which hath an husband. Gal 4: 27
Now we, brethren,
as Isaac was, are the
children of promise.
Gal 4: 28
But as then he that was born
after the flesh
persecuted him that was
born after the Spirit,
even so it is now. Gal 4: 29
Nevertheless what
saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son
of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. Gal
4: 30
Mine heart within me is broken
because of the prophets; all my bones shake: I am like a drunken man, and
like a man whom wine hath overcome, because of the Lord, and because
of the words of his holiness. Jer 23:9
For the land is full of
adulterers; for because
of swearing the land mourneth; the pleasant places of the wilderness
are dried up, and their course is evil, and their force is not right.
Jer 23: 10
For both prophet and priest are
profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the Lord. Jer
23: 11
Wherefore their way shall be
unto them as slippery ways in the darkness: they shall be
driven
on, and fall therein:
for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation,
saith the Lord. Jer 23: 12
And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err. Jer 23: 13
Tiphlah
(h8604) tif-law'; from the same as 8602; frivolity: - folly,
foolishly.
I have seen also in the
prophets of
Jerusalem an horrible
thing: they commit
adultery, and
walk in
lies: they strengthen
also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are
all of them unto me as
Sodom, and the
inhabitants thereof as
Gomorrah. Jer 23: 14
Therefore thus saith the Lord
of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with
wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land. Jer 23: 15
The physical temple is the
place where the "nations" worship. It is holy only because God in
Christ visited it to die for the sins of the world:
But the court which
is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given
unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
Rev 11:2
And I will give power unto my
two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days,
clothed in
sackcloth. Rev 11:
3
These are the two
olive
trees, and the
two
candlesticks standing
before the God of the earth. Rev 11: 4
And if any man will hurt them,
fire proceedeth out of
their mouth, and
devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in
this manner be
killed. Rev 11: 5
These have power to
shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have
power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with
all plagues, as often as they will. Rev 11: 6
And when they shall have
finished their testimony, the beast
that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill
them. Rev 11:7
Polemos
(g4171) pol'-em-os; from pelomai , (to bustle); warfare (lit. or fig.; a single encounter or a
series): - battle, fight, war
And ye shall hear of
wars and rumours of
wars: see that ye be
not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is
not yet. Mt.24:6
And the shapes of the locusts
were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were
as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of
men. Re.9:7
Polis (g4171) pol'-is; prob. from the same as
4171, or perh. from 4183; a town (prop. with walls, of greater or
less size): - city.
And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which
spiritually is called Sodom
and Egypt,
where also our Lord was
crucified. Rev 11:
8
And they of the people and
kindreds and tongues
and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and
shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. Rev 11: 9
And they that dwell upon the
earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts
one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt
on the earth. Rev 11: 10
Chairo (g5463) khah'ee-ro; a prim. verb; to be
"cheer"ful, i.e. calmly happy or well-off; impers. espec. as
salutation (on meeting or parting), be well: - farewell, be glad, God
speed, greeting, hail, joy (-fully), rejoice.
I have smitten you with
blasting and mildew: when your gardens and your vineyards and your
fig trees and your olive trees increased, the palmerworm devoured
them: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord. Amos 4:9
I have sent among you the
pestilence after the manner of Egypt: your young men have I slain
with the sword, and have taken away your horses; and I have made the
stink of your camps to come up unto your
nostrils: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord. Amos 4:10
I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a firebrand plucked out
of the burning: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord.
Amos 4:11
Therefore thus will I do unto
thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet
thy God, O Israel. Amos 4:12
I hate, I
despise your feast days, and I will not smell
in your solemn
assemblies. Amos
5:21
Though ye offer me burnt
offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts. Amos 5:22
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
Have ye offered
unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O
house of Israel? Amos 5:25
But ye have borne the
tabernacle of your Moloch
and Chiun
your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves. Amos
5:26
For I
spake
not unto your fathers,
nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of
Egypt, concerning
burnt
offerings or
sacrifices: Jeremiah 7:22
But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall
be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you,
that it may be well unto you. Jeremiah 7:23
And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought
down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee,
had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
Mt.11:23
And whosoever shall not receive
you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under
your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It
shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city.
Mk.6:11
And through covetousness shall
they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now
of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. 2
Pet 2:3
For if God spared
not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered
them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; 2 Pet 2:
4
And spared not the
old
world, but saved Noah
the eigth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood
upon the world of the ungodly; 2 Pet 2: 5
Ungodly is:
Asebes (g765) as-eb-ace'; from 1 (as a neg.
particle) and a presumed der. of 4576; irreverent, i.e. (by extens.)
impious or wicked: - ungodly (man).
For there are
certain men crept in
unawares, who were
before of
old ordained to this
condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into
lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. Ju.1:4
For certain men
whose condemnation was written about [b] long ago have secretly
slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of
our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only
Sovereign and Lord. Jude
4NIV b4 Or 'men who were marked out for condemnation'
Jude 5 I will therefore put you
in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having
saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them
that believed not.
To execute judgment upon all,
and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly
deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard
speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
Ju.1:15
Old means
Palai (g3819) pal'-ahee; prob. another form
for 3825 (through the idea of retrocession); (adv.) formerly, or (by rel.)
sometime since; (ellipt. as adj.) ancient: - any while, a great while
ago, (of) old, in time past.
Palin (g3825)
pal'-in; prob. from the same as 3823 (through the idea of
oscillatory repetition); (adv.) anew, i.e. (of place) back, (of time) once
more, or (conj.) furthermore or on the other hand: - again.
Paliggenesia (g3824) pal-ing-ghen-es-ee'-ah; from
3825 and 1078; (spiritual) rebirth
(the state or the act), i.e. (fig.) spiritual renovation; spec. Messianic restoration: - regeneration.
For this they willingly are
ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the
earth standing out of
the water and in the water: 2 Peter 3:5
Ekpalai (g1597) ek'-pal-ahee; from 1537 and
3819; long ago, for a long while: - of a long time, of old.
Whereby the world that then
was, being overflowed with water, perished: 2 Peter 3:6
But the heavens and the earth,
which are
now, by the same word
are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and
perdition of ungodly men. 2 Peter 3:7
And turning the cities of Sodom
and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them
an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; 2
Pe.2:6
I will therefore put you in
remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having
saved the people out of the land of Egypt,
afterward destroyed them that believed not.
Jude 5
And the angels which kept not
their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under
darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Jude 6
Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like
manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after
strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance
of eternal fire. Jude 7
Heteros (g2087) het'-er-os; of
uncert. affin.; (an-, the) other or different: - altered, else, next
(day), one, (an-) other, some strange.
The false worship Israel
followed was identified as spiritual prostitution because they
thought of their God as capable of being approached through the human
senses of making love with musical instruments and song:
Also, thou son of
man, the children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the
houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying,
Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the Lord. Ezekiel 33:30
And they come unto
thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people,
........... and they hear thy words,
........... ...........
but they will not do them:
........... for with their mouth they shew
much
love,
........... ...........
but their heart goeth after
their covetousness. Ezekiel 33:31
And, lo, thou art
unto them as a very
lovely song of one that
hath a pleasant
voice, and can
play well on an
instrument:
...........
for they hear thy words,
but they do them not. Ezekiel 33:32
From the rejection of God
onward in the history of the Jews we must understand that their
government and worship
was not according to His
plan but was like the
surrounding nations. Of every "like the nations" religion, God
overlooked polygamy and a lot of things which were not ideal because
they had already rejected Him. However, Paul said:
Forasmuch then as
we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead
is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and mans
device. Acts17:29
And the times of
this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where
to repent: Acts 17:30
Most ancients believed that the
demons or gods lived in or came into musical instruments and would
awaken and speak to you. Not really, but the "musical worship teams"
pretended, like the witch of Endor, that her own voice echoed in an
empty wineskin (h178) was the voice of the dead. For instance, in
describing how Satan caused the fall of mankind an early commentator
recorded the most ancient and most common belief:
"And when he
played on them, Satan came into them, so that from among them were
heard beautiful and sweet sounds, that ravished (raped) the heart.
Second Adam and Eve 20:3
For some interesting
observations Click
Here.
"The trained
musicians which eventually appear around the time of David and
Solomon mark a
distinctive
change in the history of Jewish music. Before
this time much of the music was made by women." (Zondervan Pict.,
Music p. 313).
"David introduced
innovations in the age and service of the Levites (I Chron. 23-26). Certain Levites, particularly
Asaph, became musicians and probably wrote some of the Psalms."
(Living Bible Ency., p. 1143)
See how the LAW was changed from Moses to a
JUBILATING ritual.
One of the definitions of "like
the nations" prophesying was to sing, dance and play musical
instruments until you fell into charismati "speaking in tongues."
This was sold as
a message from the God.
But, is this true in
the Bible?
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
PROPHESYING
means to sing and play instruments rather than foretell or
predict:
One of the judgmental signs
of rejecting God and demanding a king LIKE THE NATIONS was so that
they could worship like the nations. The form of musical prophesying
or praising was not music but making self vile. This would prove to
the ignorant that the person was INSPIRED because the NATION'S
prophets were madmen or sexually abnormal.
After that thou shalt come to
the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it
shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou
shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a
harp, before them; and they shall prophesy: 1S.10:5
When David ran for his life he
tried to get help from Achish the king of GATH. Achish threw up the
lying, boast song of the women serving the returning warriors and
asked:
And the servants of
Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did
they not sing one to
another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David
his ten thousands? 1 Samuel 21:11
And David laid up these words
in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath. 1 Samuel 21:12
And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the
doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard. 1
Samuel 21:13
Feiging himself
MAD was a form of PRAISE:
Halal
(h1984) haw-lal'; a prim. root; to be clear originally 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.
Then said Achish unto his
servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad:
wherefore then have ye brought him to me? 1 Samuel 21:14
Have I need of mad
men, that ye have
brought this fellow to play the mad man in my presence? shall this
fellow come into my house? 1 Samuel 21:15
Mad
is:
Shaga (h7696) shaw-gah'; a prim. root; to
rave through
insanity: - (be, play
the) mad (man).
The Lord hath made thee priest in the stead of Jehoiada the
priest, that ye should be officers in the house of the Lord,
for every man that
is mad, and maketh himself a prophet, that thou shouldest put him in prison, and in the stocks. Jer 29:26
Shaga (h7696) shaw-gah'; a prim. root; to
rave through insanity: - (be, play the) mad (man).
The days of visitation are
come, the days of recompence are come; Israel shall know it: the
prophet is a
fool, the spiritual man
is mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred. Ho 9:7
Naba
(g5012) naw-baw'; a prim. root; to prophesy, i. e. speak
(or sing) by
inspiration (in
prediction or simple discourse): - prophesy (- ing), make self of prophet.
MOREOVER David and the captains
of the host separated to the service
of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should
prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with
cymbals: and the number of the workmen according to their service
was: 1Chr.25:1
From the sons of
Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nathan and Asarelah. The sons of Asaph were
under the supervision of Asaph, who prophesied under the king's supervision." 1 Chronicles 25:2
All these men were under the
supervision of their fathers for the music of the temple of the
LORD, with cymbals, lyres and harps, for the ministry at the house of
God. Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman were under the supervision of the king." 1 Chr 25:6NIV
While SONG is written so that
it CAN be accompanied because it is poetic, it is not automatically
accompanied with an instrument UNLESS that instrument is
defined:
All these were
under the hands of their father for song in
the house of the Lord, with
cymbals, psalteries, and harps, for the service of the house of God,
according to the kings order to Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman. 1 Chr
25:6KJV
The kings had their
own seers or
prophets.
This prophesying was not
foretelling or forthtelling: it was singing their own compositions
with musical accompaniment. However, this was for the temple service
and every Israelite knew that outside of the Temple or the area of
Jerusalem musical instruments were not used for "worship."
Whatever the Psalmists write
about music, they knew that they were living their lives largely
apart from the rule of God:
But my people
would not hearken to my
voice; and Israel
would none of
me. Ps 81:11
........... So I gave them up unto their own hearts lust: and they walked in their own counsels. Ps 81:12
........... ...........
Oh that my people had
hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways Psalm 81:13
Therefore, when we see the
worship under the Kingdom perios we are witnessing worship out of
their own counsel.
But what about 2
Chronicles 29:25?
Remember that Israel's "elders" fired God and
demanded a human king like the nations so that they could worship
like the nations. What we know about the nation's worship is that it
was a civil activity and not for the common people.
An in all
temple-states, the
common people were not
involved in the temple worship rituals:
"Each of the
important
deities had, in one or
more of the Babylonian cities, a large temple in which he or she was
worshiped. Temple services were generally conducted in open courts
containing fountains for ablution and altars for sacrifices.
Only the
high
priest and
other privileged
members of the
clergy and court were permitted to enter the cella, or inner part of
the temple,
which held the special statue
of the deity. The needs of the deity were provided for in accordance with impressive
ceremonies carried out by a vast institutionalized clergy
that included
priests,
musicians, magicians, soothsayers, dream interpreters, astrologers, and hierodules (temple slaves or prostitutes).
Sacrifices of food, drink, or incense were offered daily. Numerous
festivals were held, the most important of which was the celebration
of the new year at the spring equinox. [Encarta Encyclopedia]
"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 Phonicia and Syria almost all popular
music reflected the worship of Ishtar, the goddess of fertility." (Interpreters Dictionary
of the Bible, p. 461, Abingdon).
"An Egyptian temple was
not
a place of public
worship. It
was the shrine for the neter
(wrongly translated as god), who represented some specific aspect of
the One God.
Only the
priesthood had access
to the inner sanctuaries, where the sacred rites and ceremonies were
performed. In some instances, only the King himself or his
authorized
substitute had
permission to enter.
"The ancient Egyptian temple
was built to facilitate the meeting
- between a specific
supernatural/metaphysical force (neter/netert),
- and the physical/human,
- for the benefit of the people, land, and
the universe.
It was not intended to be an
art gallery for academicians and tourists. Only a small part of it was open to the ancient Egyptian public, on
annual festivities. Therefore, every ancient Egyptian temple had/has
a specific function.
Edersheim points out that the "stationary men" represented the 'congregation" but that the
people were shut out of the sacrificial offering:
First:
As the last great gate slowly moved on its hinges, the priests, on a
signal given, blew three
blasts on their silver trumpets,
summoning the
Levites
and the 'representatives' of the people
(the so-called
'stationary
men') to their duties, and announcing to the
city that the morning sacrifice was about to be offered.
Second: As the president gave the word of
command, which marked that 'the time of incense had come,' '
the whole
multitude of the people without' withdrew from the inner court, and fell down before the Lord,
spreading their hands * in silent prayer.
Third, The temple Music was blown and songs
sung. This excluded all people not of the tribe of Levi. It also
excluded all women.
Fourth: This closed the morning
service.
[Note: only
representatives of the people were present. The common Jews did not
participate in this temple service]
It was
immediately followed by the sacrifices and offerings which
private Israelites might have to bring, and which would occasionally continue
till near the time for the evening service
Conclusion: the sacrificial
worship was for the secular Temple-State and not for the congregation
of Israel.
Fulfilment in the New
Covenant: The animals were burned outside the "worship
center."
Wherefore Jesus
also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Hebrews 13:12
Let us go forth
therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. Hebrews
13:13
For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. Hebrews
13:14
By him therefore
let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God
continually, that is,
the fruit of our
lips, giving thanks to
his name. Hebrews 13:15
Dire Warning:
The restoration of the "King"
to replace the elders is fulfilled in dominant clergy replacing the
elders in the Christian Church. This replacement is because people
want to prosper "like the nations" and they will "worship like the
nations."
Musical Worship Teams are
clearly organized as Levitical Musicians and the Legal period of the
temple and a secular Monarchy is the proof-text.
This repudiates the
"Christ-o-Centric" false claim and makes the clergy and the worship
team into the Intercessor and Mediator clearly claiming for their
music that they can "lead you into the presence of God."
There remaineth no more
forgiveness for sins.
Next, this is very much like
"David's stopping the plague" sacrifices as he sacrificed in
Jerusalem because he was too frightened of God to return to Gibeon
where the Tabernacle rested. This does not involve a congregational
worship service:
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
Fact: This passage has to do with
animal
sacrifices to make
atonement for the
nation of Judah and
polluted
buildings and grounds.
It was not
"congregational worship with instrumental accompaniment." And it most
assuredly was not a "Musical Worship Team" attempting to bring the
people into the presence of God. Nor was it a dance team to provide
God a platform upon which He could land.
Fact: Musical Worship Teams which yank this
event out of context believe and practice a redemptive, mediating,
sacrificial role. The
priests and Levites were trying with all of their human skills to
keep God from destroying the nation. The people were incidental to
this, were outside of the temple and probably outside of the temple
area, could not hear any "music" because of the loud trumpets making
a "wall" to sound
the people away from the ritual. The instruments at the place of
throat-cutting, skinning, cutting and burning in all like the nations temple were to "keep the evil sounds
away from the ears of the priests."
Conclusion: To take this as authority for musical
worship is an awful admission of being lost and perhaps beyond
redemption. Such Triumphing-Over violates the Law in Numbers 10:7 and
denies the value of the once-for-all sacrifice of Lord Jesus Christ.
And they brought
forth the he
goats for the sin offering before the king and the congregation
(representatives only); and they laid their hands upon them: 2
Chronicles 29:23
And the
priests killed
them, and they made
reconciliation with their blood upon the altar, to make an atonement for all Israel: for the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering should
be made for all
Israel. 2 Chronicles 29:24
When Hezekiah's life was spared
for fifteen years, he spent his time playing the harp in the temple
even as little Manessah was in training to be one of the most evil,
idolatrous kings in history. Hezekiah said that he didn't mind that
destruction was comming to his nation "as long as it didn't happen in
his lifetime."
The word of the
LORD you have spoken is good," Hezekiah replied. For he thought,
"Will there not be peace and security in my lifetime?" 2 Kings 20:19
For this one purification of
"buildings and grounds" and the people so that they might
(future tense) be able to worship God:
What:
And he set the
Levites in the house of the Lord with
cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps,
........... Authority: according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the kings seer,
What: and Nathan the prophet:
........... Authority: for so was the commandment of the Lord by his prophets. 2 Chronicles 29:25
So the Levites stood ready with David's instruments,
and the priests with the trumpets.
2 Chronicles 29:26
By looking at both cycles of
statements in table form it is clear that the "music' was David's
idea but only
for certain dedicatory or purification rituals; the trumpets were the
everlasting ordinance of God. Notice that there are two commands and
two authorities:
|
First Cycle
|
Second Cycle
|
|
according to the
commandment of
David
|
So the Levites stood ready
|
and of Gad
the kings
seer,
|
with
David's
instruments,
|
- and Nathan the
prophet:
- for so was the
commandment
of the Lord
|
and the
priests
|
by his
prophets
|
with the
trumpets.
|
Recall what we have already noted. The command from
God was for the trumpets. What David added for "plague stopping rituals" was the musical instruments:
But when the
congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an
alarm. Numbers 10: 7
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. Numbers 10:8
Conclusion: If you are not a son of Aaron you have no authority to blow the trumpets.
If you are not a Levite you have no authority from David to play
musical instruments. If you are not ignoring the purification value
of Christ then you should not be involved with purifying authorities
or buildings and grounds.
The Septuagint may make this
clearer:
And the
priests
slew them and
offered their blood as a
propitiation on the
altar; and they made
atonement for all Israel: for the king said, The whole-burnt-offering, and the sin-offerings are for all
Israel 2Chr 29:24LXX
........... And he stationed the Levites in the house of the Lord with cymbals, and lutes,
and harps,
........... ...........
according to the commandment of king David, and of Gad the
king's seer,
and Nathan the
prophet:
...........
for by the commandment of the Lord
the order was in the hand of the prophets 2 Chr 29:25LXX
And the
........... Levites stood with the instruments of David,
........... and the priests with the trumpets. 2 Chr 29:26LXX
To see that the trumpets but
not David's musical instruments were commanded Click Here.
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 (shouting, clapping, rejoicing to panic the enemy)
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 Syriac is consistent with every passage in Scripture except
the one cited. For instance,
God: Then Solomon offered burnt offerings unto the Lord on the altar of the Lord, which he had built before the porch, 2 Chronicles
8:12
Even after a
certain
rate every
day, offering according to the
commandment of
Moses, on the
sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts, three times in the year, even in the feast of
unleavened
bread, and in the
feast of
weeks, and in the
feast of tabernacles.
2 Chronicles 8:13
David: And he appointed, according to the order of David his father, the courses of the priests to their
service, and the Levites to their charges, to praise and minister before the priests, as the duty of every day required: the porters also
by their courses at every gate:
for so had David the man of God
commanded. 2 Chronicles
8:14
The commandment was either from
David or from God: no commandment of God is said to be the
commandment of a man. Therefore, there were two commands, two musical
actions and two sets of authority.
The New Covenant Absolutely
Forbids Restoring Legalistic -- Secular Temple State
rituals:
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; Colossians
2:14
And having spoiled
principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing
over them in it. Colossians 2:15
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: Colossians 2:16
........... Which are a shadow
of things to come; but the body is of Christ. Colossians 2:17
Even under the Law, the music
was associated with keeping of days and animal sacrifices. It cannot
be restored without repudiating the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Let no man beguile
you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels
(messengers), intruding into those things which he hath not seen,
vainly puffed up by his
fleshly mind,
Colossians 2:18
And not holding the
Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment
ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.
Colossians 2:19
IF ye then be risen with
Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on
the right hand of God. Colossians 3:1
Set your
affection on things
above, not on things on
the earth. Colossians 3:2
........... For ye are dead, and your life is hid
with Christ in God. Colossians 3:3
This means that "worship is in
spirit and in truth" and not in musical or messenger-honoring
rituals.
In all pagan animal sacrifices
(given to Israel as punishment) the musical performers were to make a
loud crashing noise to keep the screams of dying animals from
reaching the ears of the priests. This even happened when Israel
burned their own children in the red-hot arms of Molech and loud
musical instruments were also to mask the screams of burning children
so their their mothers might not hear and relent.
Therefore, Scripture is clear
that the "praising" of God with loud music was to serve the priests
and not God.
I have searched for the
following connection between music and worship and find nothing which
would indicate that God connected worship of Him to music. For
instance:
- Worship and
Harp: Daniel 3:5,
10, 15 all in connection with idol worship.
- Worship and
Flute: Daniel 3:5,
10, 15
- Worship and Singing:
None
- Worship and Song:
None
- Worship and
Dance: None
- Worship and
Handclapping:
None
- Worship and Music:
none
Even in pagan idolatry, the
music was
never an act of
worship but of forceful control. The worship
among Jews and Babylonians was to fall on their face perhaps well
away from the sacred spaces:
As soon as you hear
the sound of the horn,
flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music,
you must fall
down and
worship the image of gold that King
Nebuchadnezzar has set up. Daniel 3:5
Now when you hear the sound of
the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, if
you are ready to fall
down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into
a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my
hand?" Daniel 3:15
Music, here, is:
Zemar
(h2170) zem-awr'; from a root corresp. to 2167; instrumental music: -
musick.
However, in the New
Testament, singing is a metaphor for teaching:
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual
songs,
........... singing and making melody
in your
heart to the
Lord; Ephesians 5:19
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.
Colossians 3:16
This was also God's message to
the Jews. The singing was not to the
"congregation" but to the Lord as the result of teaching His Word to
the congregation or the world:
O give
thanks unto the
Lord; call upon his
name:
........... make known his
deeds among the
people. Psalm 105:1
Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things;
........... let this be known to all the
world. Isaiah 12:5
However, God had already
condemned the people with Zemar
which was to prune their vine:
I will make it a
wasteland, neither pruned
nor cultivated, and briers and thorns will grow there. I will command
the clouds not to rain on it." Isaiah 5:6
One of the reasons was,
according to Amos, their daily religious festivals at which they
worshipped their own appetites:
And (you have) the
harp, and the viol,
the tabret,
and pipe, and wine,
are in their feasts:
but they regard
not the work of the Lord, neither consider the operation of his hands. Isaiah
5:12
Music was added to the
like the
nations worship at the
temple only after Israel had rejected the rule and worship of God so
that they could worship
like the nations..
The worship was for
the king, civil officials and part of the clergy assigned to the
Temple.
The people were represented by
certain men.
The doors were shut and the
congregation was "outside the gates."
The animal sacrifices along
with a great noise of singing and instruments was made inside the
Temple during the sacrifices.
When the worship of the secular
state officials was completed, individual Israelites could make their own
sacrifice.
The Jewish clergy mocked Jesus
with music as he was offered as a human sacrifice.
Jesus then went to die outside
the gates.
Christians must seek Him
outside the gates because all animal sacrifices with loud noise have
ceased.
To attempt to restore the
Levitical musicians is to restore the secular religion of the Jews
and denies the sacrifice of Christ.
You cannot be
"Christ-o-Centric" with music because He has been here and gone.
Therefore,
Set your affection
on things above, not on things on the earth. Colossians 3:2
Kenneth
Sublett: Comments welcome Levitical Musicians, 2 Chronicles 29:,
To see that such music was outlawed Click
Here. Levitical Musicians, 2 Chronicles 29:,
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