The Beginning of Musical Idolatry: Part Two of Lynn Anderson review. Isaiah 30 sees it as the sounds of God repaying his enemies driving them into "hell" with wind, string and percussion instruments.
Lynn Anderson Psallo justifies Instrumental Music and sowing of Discord. REVISED 9.13.08 to organize rough thoughts.
Jesus said that worship is in THE NEW PLACE of the human SPIRIT which is the human MIND. Worship happens IN TRUTH according to Paul when we Teach that which has been taught or give heed to the inspired Word.
ALL external worship is PAGAN and Perverted. See the charismatic connection
A Cappella Worship Leader
Aquinas, Thomas Praise Singing.
Praise Songs as Christian Voodoo
Ancient Pagan Praise Leader
Music as Brainwashing
Latter Rain, praise teams, praise singing, charismatic YOU ARE HERE
Praise Worship Ploughs the Ground Hosea 10:ll
Rubel Shelly Praise and Thanksgiving
Rubel Shelly Psalm 106
See how CHARISMATIC music was born of sodomy preferably in the form of Pederasty.
See that ZOE is Eos or Helios or Aphrodite or Lucifer: the singing and harp-playing prostitute.
See how it works out when the "children and effeminate rule over you."
See more notes on a cappella.
See Edward Fudge on A Cappella
Charismatic in the Greek world was directly related to the "threskia" form of worship. This was very charismatic and very perverted.
It is a well-recognized fact that ALL SINGING and MUSICAL terms in the Bible are related to private activity or to the prostitutes and Sodomites which plagued all priesthoods and all temple grounds. Take a look at Amos to see that he clearly connects musical worship to the worship of Molech or Saturn whose number is 666.
The Levitical "sounders" did not make music but noise: they fulfilled the TYPE of making a great noise typical of the MUSICAL MOCKING of the Levitical Warrior musicians attacking Lord Jesus Christ.
"First Baptist has had other stages of growth, but yesterday it had what the music minister called "a brand-new way to worship." After a year of preparation, the church is in its fourth week of a contemporary-style Sunday service. It is led by a musical "praise team" with creative use of audiovisuals, and is marked by parents feeling young with their teens. The pastor might even preach in his shirtsleeves." The Washington Post
But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Matthew 15:9
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Only two people can be involved in worship: the worshiper and God. The place is "in spirit" or in the Mind. In the Most Holy place only the priest and God were allowed. The musical Levites associated only with animal sacrifices and in Jerusalem are not allowed to enter.
"The practice of laying on of hands to be filled with the Holy Spirit (with the evidence of speaking in other tongues).
"The practice of laying on of hands to impart spiritual gifts other than tongues."The concept of the restoration of the Tabernacle of David. (This includes the restoration of Jubilee along with a Feast of Tabernacles -like religious festival.)
"Praise & Worship emphasized as a means
(1) to Usher in God's presence and
(2) to usher God's people into His presence."Singing in the spirit congregationally, i.e. in other tongues
Students of the Charismatic movement such as Bruner in The Holy Spirit identifies most congregational music as low-level glossalalia. That is, it is speaking in unknown tongues with a deliberate attempt to hide the already-revealed Words of Christ. This is the theme of Jubilee which follows the Willow Creek Mandate.
UNDER THE LAW TO MINIMIZE THE EFFECT OF PAGAN PRACTICES
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Speaking of the religious ritual condemned by
Amos and others we note that:
The Battle of Baal and Yahm
"With the wine-drinking (which is the literal meaning of the Hebrew for feasting), went music and dancing." (Heaton, E. W., Everyday Life in Old Testament times, Scribners, p. 93) a "Worship was form more than substance; consequently, conduct in the marketplace was totally unaffected by worship in the holy place. Amos spoke from the conviction that social justice is an integral part of the Mosaic covenant, which regulates relations not only between God and people, but also among people." (King, p. 44). "In pagan traditions, musical instruments are invented by gods or demi-gods, such as titans (satans). In the Bible, credit is assigned to antediluvian patriarchs, for example, the descendants of Cain in Genesis 4:21. There is no other biblical tradition about the invention of musical instruments." (Freedman, David Noel, Bible Review, Summer 1985, p. 51). |
"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).
"Before the establishment of the kingdom under Saul, it was the women who, as in every young civilization, played a major part in the performance of music. Such figures as Miriam, Deborah, Jephtha's daughter, and the women hailing the young hero David have become almost archetypes of female musicians.
Characteristic of all these cases is the familiar picture of a female chorus, dancing and singing, accompanied by frenzied drum-beating. This is the scene known to the entire Near East,
and not even the severe rule of Islam could wholly suppress this age-old practice." (Int Dict of the Bible, Music, p. 457). Click to see an Islamic defense of what Christian music should be.
The common theme of all paganism was that the female musicians had the power to seduce the males with the hope of leaving a large "contribution." God called the King of Tyre the "harp-playing prostitute" and the whore of Babylon (Rev 18) at the end time will use things that people "lust after" and will have her music and musicians removed. God warned Ezekiel that he had to prophesy as a witness but that the people would treat him like the musical prostitute who never expected obedience:
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. Eze 33:30
- My people come to you, as they usually do,
- and sit before you to listen to your words,
- but they do not put them into practice.
- With their mouths they express devotion (Lord, Lord as amorousness - inordinate love),
- but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain (commerce or trade or attendance). Eze 33:31
- Indeed, to them you are nothing more than
- one who sings love songs (minstrel as a prostitute)
- with a beautiful voice and plays (make melody on) an instrument well,
- for they hear your words
- but do not put them into practice. Eze 33:32
When all this comes true--and it surely will--then they will know that a prophet has been among them." Eze 33:33
Jesus restated this to the Jewish "children" playing musical fertility rituals:
- And the Lord said,
- Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation?
- and to what are they like? Luke 7:31
- They are like unto children (immature) sitting in the marketplace,
- and calling one to another, and saying,
- We have piped (fluted) unto you,
- and ye have not danced;
- we have mourned to you,
- and ye have not wept. Luke 7:32
The word children and their urge for play at Mount Sinai are tied together:
Paizo (g3815) paheed'-zo; from 3816; to sport (as a boy): - play.
Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 1 Corinthians 10:7
Of course, ritual prostitution was involved with this play.
AND when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods (elohim), which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. Ex.32:1
- And they rose up early on the morrow,
- and offered burnt offerings,
- and brought peace offerings;
- and the people sat down to eat and to drink,
- and rose up to play. Exo 32:6
"The triumphal hymn of Moses had unquestionably a religious character about it; but the employment of music in religious services, though idolatrous, is more distinctly marked in the festivities which attended the erection of the golden calf." (Smith's Bible Dictionary, Music, p. 589).
Many prophets and Stephen in Acts 7 says that as a result of the musical worship, God TURNED THEM OVER to worship the starry host. And when the elders demanded a human king so that they could worship like the nations (Goiim including Babylon) God gave them kings in His anger and took them away in His anger.
The kings were to carry out the death sentence imposed because of MUSICAL IDOLATRY at Mount Sinai.
Therefore, to appeal to the MONARCHY PERIOD is to lust to perform the worship of SATURN whose original Chaldee number is 666.
The music at Mount Sinai MARKED the sinners so that they could be slain.
Earlier in Ezekiel, God opened the insides of the temple:
Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the Lords house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz (husband/son of Ishtar). Ezekiel 8:14
"In Phoenicia and Syria almost all popular music reflected the worship of Ishtar (Included Tammuz, Ezek 8), the goddess of fertility.
Thus, popular song was usually a prelude to sexual orgies in honor of the goddess, led and organized by her thousands of hierodules (religious prostitutes)." (Interpreter's Dict of the Bible, Music, p. 461). See Lamenting for Tammuz.
An Apocylpitc writing about the time of Christ reflects the universal connection with religious worship to spiritual or literal prostitution:
"For I know that because of these two things shall my race fall into wickedness. For even wise men among my sons shall they mar, and shall cause the kingdom of Judah to be diminished, which the Lord gave me because of my obedience to my father. For I never caused grief to Jacob, my father; for all things whatsoever he commanded I did." (Testament of Judah 3:31-33).
This "Judah" knew that his kingdom would be established but he also knew what evils his sons would do in the last days. He predicted wars in Israel and captivity by men of another race. As he continued to warn that his fathering of Babylonian and Canaanite children by one he thought to be a temple prostitute he promised that Messiah would come. While the kingdom would not be destroyed he said that the consequences of his sins would afflict them&emdash;
Now I have much grief, my children, because of your lewdness and witchcrafts, and idolatries which ye shall practise against the kingdom,
following them that have familiar spirits (drums or echo devices made from an old wineskin), diviners, and demons of error
Ye shall make your daughters singing girls and harlots, and ye shall mingle in the abominations of the Gentiles (Testament of Judah 4:15-16)
In the Bible, God warned:
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. -- Ezek 20:32
Christianity, also, would adopt religious prostitution which Paul warned about in his "singing" passages to Ephesus, Corinth and Colosse:
"Ephesus was famous for its shrine of Diana, where thousands of sacred prostitutes believed fornication brought believers into contact with deity in much the same way the Gnostics used authentia (new female authority) to bind the flesh and the divine together.
When these women converted to Christianity they had to unlearn these pagan practices. 'Virtually without exception, female teachers among the Greeks were courtesans, such as Aspasia, who numbered Socrates and Pericles among her students. Active in every major school of philosophy, these hetairai made it evident in the course of their lectures that they were available afterwards for a second occupation.
But the Bible teaches that to seduce men in such a manner was indeed to lead them to slaughter and the halls of death (cf. Prov. 2:18; 5:5; 6:27; 9:18). The verb authentein is thus peculiarly apt to describe both the erotic and murderous." (Trombley, Who says Women Cannot teach, p. 177).
No woman can stand over a congregation in any capacity without exercising authentia or sexual authority: that is just a fact which Paul understood began in the garden of Eden when Lucifer (Zoe) who is bisexual wholly seduced Eve and Adam went willingly.
For some reason, David, who went down the catalog of possible sins, is always the authority for musical praise. Perhaps it is because David claimed perfection and we just believe David because God had his boasts recorded.
"From (the Ugaritic text) come references to a class of Temple personnel designated by the term serim, who exercised functions similar to those of the Hebrew singers during the monarchy and later times. Some of the servants of David who were designated in 1 Kings 4:31 by (a) term meaning 'aboriginal' or 'native sons,' and who possessed Canaanite names such as Heman, Chalcol, and Darda, were engaged in various forms of musical activity. As such they were described by the phrase 'sons of Mahol,'
a Hebrew term closely related to (the Greek),
used of a semi-circular area in which the Greek chorus danced, and meaning 'members of the orchestral guild.' A further reflection of this musical interest became apparent when Megiddo was excavated and the treasure room of the royal palace was uncovered. From this area was recovered a plaque inlaid with ivory, depicting a royal personage seated on a throne. He was drinking from a small bowl, and was being entertained by a court musician who stood before him plucking the strings of a lyre." (Harrison, R. K., Introduction to the Old Testament, Eerdmans, p. 335, see p. 411).
"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." (Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, p. 463
"The instruments were used as worship to God and to give glory and elat to the earthly kingdom. They were tolerated by God as were many other things during this period, that he did not approve. The establishment of the kingdom itself was an act of rebellion against God" (David Lipscomb, Queries and Answers, pp. 226, 227, and Gospel Advocate, 1899, pp. 376, 377).
The attempt to get Jesus into this effeminate dance and song can be read and seen here.
In 2 Samuel and in the Psalms David recorded some of his musical praise but this is not the authority for a Christian "act of worship."
The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness: according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me. 2 Samuel 22:21
For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God. 2 Samuel 22:22
For all his judgments were before me: and as for his statutes, I did not depart from them. 2 Samuel 22:23I was also upright before him, and have kept myself from mine iniquity. 2 Samuel 22:24
Psalm 34, the poetic boast or halal was written after David made a fool of himself in the prose history trying to get into the city of Abimelech by his mad praise. The young, musical girl teams sang their boast songs about David but we know that they were really ridiculing Saul. One of the common themes in the ancient literature is that when people were exhalting or praising their heros (gods) it was often a way to ridicule the sheik or king.
- "Not exalting the gifted prevents quarreling." Lao Tzu
While most of the praise had been directed by David to himself, when he ran for his life we get the image that the prose history always corrects the poets:
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 (was perverted or turned into another man like Saul), and feigned himself mad (praised) in their hands, and scrabbled (drummed) on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard. 1 Samuel 21:13
Much later, we are told by those who wrote the preface to the poetic version, that David wrote Psalm 34 about this very embarassing event. As usual, David's boasting about the Lord never changed his behavior:
I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalm 34:1b
O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. Psalm 34:3
David could "praise" even when he was stripping naked psychologically and spiritually along with the girls. He could praise even as a young shepherd when he was still "a man after God's own heart."
However, because David wrote songs which were the private devotion and property of the writer and held very sacred and personal, it is clear that David was not calling an assembly to fire up the praise team. If it is a proof-text then we can move back to Psalm 33 and use the harp.
REJOICE in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise (hymning) is comely for the upright. Psalm 33:1
Praise (groan to) the Lord with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings. Psalm 33:2
And so, around the country, those who are turning to effeminate music to exalt the talented also lust to introduce instruments even if they cannot read the Word and Christ has clearly blinded their eyes and plugged their ears.
Psalm 33 uses the word "hymn" or what was "spoken in the heart and directed to God." As with all "praise God witht harp to illustrate how righteous we are," they all carry the message that:
The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect. Psalm 33:10
Devices are "contrivances or machines." David's harp-playing was personal except when he was making a fool of himself. Because he was under the curse of God's permission to worship like the nations, the universal theme was to destroy the enemy rather than try to teach them the Covenant of God. Little David's still play on their harp and starve the people by preventing the Word from being taught.
Howeve, even David was aware that while everyone should praise God at every opportunity, he was not commanding a Musical Praise service to help find the lost god because God can see us and hear us in the privacy of our homes or David out in the pastures or, as Jesus would say, in our closets:
The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. Psalm 34:15
The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Psalm 34:18
Therefore, we can praise God at any time and exalt Him in righteousness and a contrite spirit: never seen in musical worship rituals! Don't follow David or you will wind up with your clothes off as you "make yourself even more vile."
If you haven't read a typical proof-text for musical worship you may want to click here and hit the BACK button to get back here.
You may not like an old men telling "ruling women and children" anything, but it is a very clear Biblical fact that:
The ACT is speaking the revealed Words of Christ to those who don't already know them better than the usually immature and unlearned "team";
The result is "melody" in the heart and is directed to God.Paul outlawed external melody because it means to "abrade or grind to powder" and is associated with the "sop" Jesus hand-fed Judas who carried the flute bag to collect money in. Melody is not harmony and is not related to it. It is a medical fact that what you think is talented sound, works because it produces a drug high. The high comes as God's medicine to heal the pain inflicted by the music. Click to See.
Oh, Yes! The Judas bag (he was a thief) was "for carrying the mouthpieces of wind instruments" and is derived from "speaking in tongues (see 1 Cor 13:1) and "of the world" or the cosmos of the Kosmoskrator -- Satan. In the Classics, the religious male flute players were always naked and available.
Below, the little box attached to the right side of the flute case is the BAG or Judas Bag. His spiritual "father" was Apollo the father of "musical harmony, twanging bowstrings, liars and thieves." He represents the God of the New Wineskins, Dionysus or Bacchus, whose priests at the Jerusalem Temple tried to get Jesus into the perverted song and dance while they "piped."
Oh, Yes, again! Psalm 41 says that Judas would not "triumph over" Jesus where "triumph" is the musical rejoicing with trumpets totally outlawed by God in Numbers 10:7. Judas was a sectarian because there was an expectation of personal advantage.
The Jewish clergy -- which Jesus absolutely fired -- laded the people down like teams of "pack animals." The burden He came to remove was "anxiety created by religious rituals." You cannot praise or pray for me; you cannot "lead" me into praise; You cannot "lead me into the presence of God"; Your whole team is not big enough to be a platform upon which God lands; and you must get an honest job before Jesus returns. Like Dracula, however, performing religionists just won't stay in the coffin. The light of Jesus' coming may be dangerous to your young health.
However, I know full well that musical performers perform from the right brain and logic will not get into that half.
McClintock and Strong identify the clergy musical Precentor (Cantor, etc) as "the first heresy largely pervading the church." Click Here and get out of danger. This was because the talented performer dared to intrude between the worshipper as their own priest and God Whom they were worshipping.
As I was thinking about my one-man dialog with my preacher about our "singing" tradition which may be more dangerous than whether we have the "sit during organized prayer" or "stand during rote prayer tradition," I ran across an old Chinese man who began sounding like Paul and his use of the word "melody," and Isaiah prophesying about the "spirit" which would rest upon Messiah
The five colors blind the eye.
The five tones deafen the ear.
The five flavors dull the taste.
Racing and hunting madden the mind.
Precious things lead one astray.
Therefore the sage is guided by what he feels and
not by what he sees.
He lets go of that and chooses this.
---=Tao Te Ching
---= by Lao Tzu"Sometimes religion produces suggestive rituals shared by a community to create an atmosphere useful for uplifting one's thoughts and coming to one's senses. There are those who cannot do without such forms of worship. Where, however, the form takes the place of meditation, or conditions it; where human words prevail over the Spirit.. then we are no longer in the presence of true religion.
"The one who uses colours and sounds and forms and movements and other gifts of God under the illusion of creating a stairway to heaven out of his own resources can, even involuntarily and in good faith, be raising an invisible barrier between humanity and God himself. (Davide Melodia, The Lord of Silence)
Every preacher in the universe spoke of Jesse Ventura last Sunday. However, I rise to defend the good governor about organized religion. Because churches of Christ have no denominational structure it would not be classified as an organized church. And churches of Christ have always denied that the church is even remotely similar to a human organization. However, just over the horizon "there be dragons."
That is why it has no need to join the sectarian band of anti-sectarian people who think that they are joining the ecumenical band but, in reality, are being consumed.
On the other hand, an organism "has diverse organs and parts that function together as a whole to maintain life and its activity." When one body part elevates itself over the others then you have an organization condemned by Paul in First Corinthians twelve. Then, the organism dies. Our organism has no need to join itself to your oganism to make a Siamese twin where neither member does the work of God.
Joiners or "organizations," as Jesse Ventured, are naturally incompetent or they would just get on with the work in their own community.
I believe that Jesse Ventura had in mind "organizational religion." And I agree with what he said. Because he attends church even he may understand that what Jesus established was not an organization but a living organism with Himself as Spirit acting as the Head of the body, and the body parts involved in a one-another ministry. It is not possible to add "organization" without, at some level, diminishing the organism.
For instance, I knew a wonderful lady who took it upon herself to work with the "seniors." The work was so great that it was decided to hire a "seniors minister" to administer the program. (Haven't found that one in the list but I am still looking). She left: the elders said that she was mad, she thought that she was sad and betrayed. The organization grew along with the budget but the organism died.
The same group grew the Sunday School by 50% and they decided they needed an educational minister to make it go. The organism works and the organization always slows the effort.
Without detracting from some good points the preacher made, I just wanted to comment upon the growing notion that "praise" and "glorify" is an act of worship. However, God cannot be "jacked up" by pumping a musical praise team: He is totally competent and is not, as the prophets of Baal thought, asleep or "relieving Himself."
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That is a fact: So why should performing musicians stand in the Holy Place to represent an entire congregation and claim to bring them into the presence of God?
I have a different take on praise as an organized "act" and I find a very confused brotherhood being run over by loud "talented" praise teams. Now, horses work in teams but I doubt that you can "team worship" God. One passage which defends the movement and which you quote is:
According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Ephesians 1:4
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, Ephesians 1:5
To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. Ephesians 1:6
Now take out the parenthetic expression: "He predestinated us to be adopted as children to Christ to the praise of his glory." Like David, Paul is not issuing a command or a proof-text but this is his own, personal doxology.
This is the end of Paul's first doxology. However, it doesn't look like an act of worship to me. I watch some TV churches where they actually have a minister to perform the praising "act." I care less about whether "I know Christ personally" than whether "Christ knows me." In the same way, our glorifying God is less important than God glorifying us for fidelity to His Word.
Peter made several associations: First, rather than "worship" being loud and "joyful" true Christianity will always bring on trials, reverence and repentanc:.
That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire,
might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 1 Peter 2:14
It is only survivors who honor Christ by honoring His Words who will be commended by Christ. When we minister, then our talents are important. However, when we speak (or sing) it has nothing to do with our "talent" because:
- 1) If any man speak,
- let him speak as the oracles of God;
- 2) if any man minister,
- let him do it as of the ability (talent) which God giveth:
3) that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:11
This is a direct command and a law: anyone who sermonizes the text or versifies it or substitutes for it CANNOT speak for Christ. Your talent has many uses to minister with your ABILITY. However, if you speak ON YOUR OWN Jesus defined you as a son of the Devil who "speaks on his own." Even Jesus as "son" set the example of speaking ONLY what He heard from the "father."
ALL "singing" passages mean TEACH or PREACH. It is dishonoring Christ and the untalented to exalt talent over the word:
WE then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Rom 15:1
Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. Rom 15: 2
For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me. Rom 15: 3
For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Rom 15: 4
Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: Rom 15: 5
That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Rom 15: 6
Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us, to the glory of God. Rom 15: 7
Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: Rom 15: 8
And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name. Rom 15: 9
If we speak or sing because of our own ability to improvize and proof-text then we get the glory and we steal God's glory.
For this reason, Jesus stood up to read the Scriptures and then sat down so that His teaching would not be a lecture.
And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither. Acts 16:13
The Sabbath even in the synagogue was not for WORSHIP which in rituals is always pagan. Rather, God commanded the Sabbath as a day of rest and learning to PREVENT the Jews from travelling to the pagan worship centers.
If we have "talent" to get out of the easy chair and go help some widow with a bad roof, then God wants us to use our "roofing" talent but He doesn't want me to tell others about it. The glory goes to God through the secret giving hand which is part of "in spirit" worship.
However, if you have the "talent" of performance speaking or singing of His Word then God doesn't need you and indeed cannot use you. You see, the Word is in earthen vessels and if the "audience" can see the performer then it most assuredly cannot see Christ.
This is because God does the revealing of truth and teaching of the truth: mankind is made to do service to others.
If we teach or sing something which Christ has not revealed then there will be no praise from God. God is justified and glorified only when we admit that Jesus had the ability to speak God's totally-adequate words. And it is a researched fact that after about five times the "audience" doesn't even think about the words: they come like the saliva from Pavlov's dog.
On the other hand, Peter said that if we teach the oracles of God, persecution will come:
Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 1 Peter 4:12
The way to "cut and run" and escape is to sing popular, hillbilly-like (derived from black slavery and voodoo) songs and to preach something other than the Words as they have been delivered. The only way to be in Christ and therefore a partaker is to teach what He taught fully and not just as a "theme" for a song:
But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings; that,
when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 1 Peter 4:13
For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. Hebrews 5:12
Have you noted that there is NO Spiritual gift called SINGING or MAKING MUSIC. That is because there is no place for it in church which is synagogue or SCHOOL OF THE BIBLE. As long as you replace the Word of Christ with your songs and PERFORM THEM then you ARE the agent of Saturn (666) is being so AWESOME that you steal the glory from Jesus Christ.
If we concoct some "gospel" song (defined as low-level speaking in tongues and condemned by Amos) to praise or glorify the "name" of the Father, then the name of "Jesus" and then the "name" of the Holy Spirit then we have insulted the spirit of grace because the "name" of God is singular, and you noted that there is "no other name." Besides all of that, "Father" and "Spirit" are not names. Jesus means "Jehovah-Saves." If we have to make "father" into a separate god and "spirit" into another we are certainly not glorifying God but a Babylonian polytheistic god and cutting Jesus down to a 1/3 god.
This was a restoration principle.
As far as I can determine, the word "praise" never has any connection with the "worship ritual" we call singing. The Greek is:
Epainos (g1868) ep'-ahee-nos; from 1909 and the base of 134; laudation; concr. a commendable thing: - praise.
You cannot praise God by saying, "Lord, Lord." For instance, I don't get a quartet ("gospel" singers) together and sing the "team's" praises to my wife: she would think that I was a fool. Rather, I say, "you make the best biscuits in Hohenwald." And to really praise her I tell others.
God (there is still only one whatever neo-pentecostialism demands) laid aside His "glory" to become a man (Jesus) or God's right Arm. When He ascended, He "sat down beside" that glory and Paul said in Colossians 2:9 that "Full Deity" dwells in Him. When He returns He will come in His full Glory and He will not be be members of a god family.
Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, Jude 1:24
To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. Jude 1:25
Even doubting Thomas understood that God wasn't triplets or a "standing committee."
And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. John 20:28 (That doesn't add up to two)
We will look briefly at Hebrews 10 which agrees whith what Paul continued to say to the Ephesians about the "gathered church." However, Paul continued his own personal praise of God:
That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: Ephesians 1:10
In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: Ephesians 1:11
That we should be
to the praise of his glory,
who first trusted in Christ. Ephesians 1:12And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. 1 Peter 5:4
I have a hard time translating that into us praising or glorifying Christ as a ritual of "organized religion." Our lives ought to cause others to praise Christ's glory -- but I cannot see Him in the ruckus.
Praise is connected to singing once by Paul but this is clearly just like the Ephesian - Colossian command: we teach the gospel to the Gentiles (those who have never heard) and the new believers rejoice and praise but, as far as I can see, this is automatic and not an "on command" worship ritual:
And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will (1) confess to thee among the Gentiles, (2) and sing unto thy name. Romans 15:9
And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. Romans 15:10
And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people. Romans 15:11
This is always in the context of teaching the Word of God and the result will be singing and melody in the heart. The following passages are examples of parallelism: one praises God by making his deeds known among the nations:
O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon his name:
-------make known his deeds among the people (nations). Psalm 105:1And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon his name,
------- declare his doings among the people, make mention
------- that his name is exalted. isaiah 12:4Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things;
------- let this be known to all the world. Isaiah 12:5
This is identical to:
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but
be filled with the Spirit; Ephesians 5:18
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
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Ephesians 5:19
Speaking is laleo which means to talk or preach or deliver a set discourse. It is never used of singing in the modern sense.
And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; Revelation 5:9
And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth Revelation 14:3
Paul repeats the two things being done to the Colossians:
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching (didasko) and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
------- singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Colossians 3:16
Paul makes sure that we don't lift verse 16 out of context to substitute "the words of Fanny Crosby":
And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name (authority) of the Lord Jesus,
------- giving thanks (praying to) to God and the Father by him.
------- Colossians 3:17
If the "name" of Jesus and the authority of Jesus is not followed, I am not sure that we are following this very well in our "singing."
Paul's word for "teaching" is never used of singing or even speaking anything other than the Words of Christ:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and,
------- lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.
------- Amen. Mt 28:20
Jesus tossed out the Musical Mourning or Praise Team "more or less violently." In that the Jews would attack Him with music and try to pervert Him, it is logical that MUSIC is not part of WHATSOEVER.
Because Christ dwells in the heart by faith, our singing must to be directed to Him "in the heart" and this can only happen when we honor Him by speaking or preaching His words as we worship Him "in spirit" and according to truth:
For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Matthew 18:20
I just think that He is embarassed that we do not know the meaning of "spirit" or "Word."
This is always evangelism or teaching "one another." The "singing in the heart" is not the "act of worship"; it is the result of speaking (dialoguing) the Words of Christ to those who don't already know them. If the gathered church already knows them then it is time to move on to "meat" before they die.
There is absolutely no spiritual value in repeating the same thing over and over. It is not edifying because edification is education.
External melody is destructive and Paul understood it. I have been working with the good people in Seattle who jubilated before Jubilee. You can click here if you are interested.
I cannot see Ephesians chapter three asking for our "giving glory" in the assembly. Rather, the glory comes because he is able to do rather than "we are able to do" (sing).
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Ephesians 3:20
Unto him be glory in the church
by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. Ephesians 3:21
This is Paul's way of praising God and it is part of the once-delivered Word of Christ. Much of Ephesians would make fitting songs if we didn't have to fit them into the hillbilly style designed to manipulate rather than educate. Christ brings the glory to God when we speak His words. Or, Christ is glorified when He is doing the work rather than being glorified because we sing, "glorify they name" with no clue as to what is being sung.
Again, Jesus isn't talking about that one hour out of 168:
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:16
No, Team! Don't organize a light show or a "Light Worship Team."
Aw! We wouldn't do that! Then why do you set up a "glory team" or a "praise team"?
Jesus isn't talking about a mass gathering which He never called. This is one of those "little churches" where the light shines as a result of work (expending ergs) and the witnesses glorify God in heaven without calling in a mediator or Praise Team. This was the lesson of the dedicated temple: when the loud music played the temple was filled with darkness and the priests could not serve; the people prayed from "outside the gates"; and God heard from heaven -- bypassing completely the official mediators and the house.
If the world can see us in action (rather than in passive inaction) the glory will go to the Father. Again, this is worship but it isn't done in a "service" which is the exclusive time and place of "worship which counts." Glory is:
Docazo (g1392) dox-ad'-zo; from 1391; to render (or esteem) glorious (in a wide application): - (make) glorify (-ious), full of (have) glory, honour, magnify
"Prophesying" or speaking the Word as it had been delivered to them would bring honor to Christ and produce "fruit." However, Jesus didn't restrict this to the collective assembly where the Word is re-chewed and digested in song and sermon:
If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. John 15:6
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. John 15:7 (His words are Spirit and Life. Jn 6:63).
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. John 15:8
If we pledged ourselves to a teaching master at that time and then went out practicing the skills of the master then the master would be glorified. However, if we decided that we needed to come to the aid of the Master's teaching then we would repudiate the Master and not abide in Him.
If you plant pumpkin seed, you get pumpkins: if you plant "four part Fanny" I don't know what you get! Jesus would warn that "you might go blind and have to sing effeminate and effeminizing sentimental poetry for the rest of your life." Performance is that which emasculates the male population of most churches and they just go about doing their own religion in their own ways.
The only way I know of to glorify Christ is to speak Christ's Words just as Paul demanded in Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16. That leaves absolutely no room for self-composed sentimental poetry which is the "muddied water" which we return to God but it is not His and it will not do His work and produce "fruit."(Isaiah 55).
I just couldn't think of making the following into "an act of worship" where most such acts paralyze the mind:
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! Romans 11:33
For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Romans 11:34
Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? Romans 11:35For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen. Romans 11:36
I believe that the post-modern "organizational churches" do try to be God's counsellor. Paul blamed Corinth for trying to speak to God rather than to the congregation; and using their own songs and prayers rather than those which had been revealed.
This Sunday's first song was a classic example of my little joke which the world loves but the "musical teams" hate:
- Four different groups
- Singing four different sets of words
- To four different tunes
- At four different times
And none of it is truly Biblical. I looked up a few of the "proof-texts" at the top of the songs and they were just that, with little connection.
Singing or not singing may not matter, but we cannot claim to speak where the Bible speaks while ignoring the Words of Jesus. This violates Paul's absolute demand that the material be the Words of Christ (spirit) and delivered as a way to teach and admonish (like exhort).
Paul defined the resource as spirit in Ephesians 5 and Jesus stated that His words are Spirit and Life. Our words are neither Spirit nor Life. In a parallel passage to the Colossians he again absolutely prescribed both the resource, the purpose and the method of teaching the Word revealed in a poetic form:
(1) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom;
(2) teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
(3) singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Colossians 3:16Admonish is: Noutheteo (g3560) noo-thet-eh'-o; from the same as 3559; to put in mind, i.e. (by impl.) to caution or reprove gently: - admonish, warn.
If you are singing, playing, dancing, clapping or moving around you are haveing a CLIMAX according to Carol Wimber that that is not worship but perversion. Remember the Jews "piped" trying to get Jesus into that song and dance perversion.
If we were even close to singing the revealed text of Christ's Words (OT and NT) they might suck some of that joy juice out of most of us -- Christianity is not a joke.
From the Classical writers we can understand Paul's message to the "singing" churches which were using a pagan form of song which was very much like modern singing where the instruments are replaced with a style called "organum" meaning "after the organ." It is a legalism to claim a first century worship service just because we "sing" when our goal is to make the whole congregation into a giant pipe organ with us on the inside where physical and emotional damage can and does take place.
We know that psalms, hymns and spiritual songs are inspired by God.
The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament notes that:
"In the NT there is still no precise differentiation between ode, psalmos, and humnos. e.g., in Col.3:16 or Eph.5:19, in contrast to a later time, when ode (canticum) came to be used only for biblical songs (apart from the Psalms) used in liturgy. From the NT passages we may gather the following elements in the concept or the Christian ode as also confirmed from other sources.
(Our note: Sing in Ephesians 5:19 is Ode (g5603) o-day'; from 103; a chant or "ode" the gen. term for any words sung) When they "sang" in Revelation 15:3, they "said" or spoke as in a dialog. Singing is speaking God's Words and had nothing to do with "tunefulness" which is the invention of the 19th century liberal rejection of God's Word.
"a. Odai are the cultic songs of the community. They are not sung by the individual, but by the community gathered for worship...
Of a piece with this is the anonymity or the early authors, as also the attachment to OT tradition. Only in the 2nd century are the authors sometimes mentioned. In the Didascalia, 2, p..5.29, we can still read: 'It thou desirest hymns, thou hast the Psalms of David."'
"b. The ode is inspired. This is shown by the epithet pneumatikos, though it does indicate more generally its religious character. . . . With the inspiration or hymns is linked their improvisation.
Of singing or "speaking to one another":
"In English, unfortunately, the distinction is not sharp, and the word singing is frequently employed to refer to the sacred activity of chanting.
A Greek would never, never say tragoudo (I sing),
-----instead of psallo; the two terms have connotations and
-----associations which are worlds apart --the first is related to the earthly realm,
----- the second to the heavenly."(Letter to James D. Bales of Harding University, September 22, 1959, from Constantine Cavarnos, of the Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies.)
CONEYBEARE AND HOWSON
"Ephesians 5:19 enjoins:
(1) Speaking TO ONE ANOTHER in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs;
----- (2) singing (adontes) and making melody (psallontes, psalming)
----- with your heart TO THE LORD.One is done with voice and lips,
----- the other with the heart.
These forms are all inspired even when they, for instance, put Hebrew prose history into a poetic form and thereby improvise. However, with that inspiration completed we have no more authority to continue improvising than to rewrite the prose record of the Bible.
Jesus said that worship must not be in "place" but "in spirit" and in "truth." Both Spirit and Truth are personified as names for God. The Greeks understood truth or Aletheia this way:
"Parmenides' poem Peri physeos ("On Nature") is divided into three parts: (1) a proem (preface), in which his chariot ride through the heavens to the very seat of the goddess Aletheia (Truth) is described and their initial conversation is related, in which she announces that he is "to learn all things, both the unshaken heart of well-rounded truth and also what seems to mortals, in which is no true conviction"; (2) the "Way of Truth," the main part, in which the real and unique Being is depicted; and (3) the "Way of Opinion" (or Seeming), in which the empirical world--i.e., the single things as they appear every day to every man--is presented. Britannica Members
The pagan view is to worship the goddess Aletheia or Zoe or Sophia. However, Lord Jesus Christ is the One and Only God and He must be worshipped in spirit and in truth but not in or by a goddess. This truth "goddess" is worshipped alone and in silence: "she" cannot be team attacked.
Ovid Metamorphoses 12.72 notes that:
"There is a spot convenient in the center of the world, between the land and sea and the wide heavens, the meeting of the threefold universe. From there is seen all things that anywhere exist, although in distant regions far;
and there all sounds of earth and space are heard.
Fame is possessor of this chosen place, and has her habitation in a tower, which aids her view from that exalted highs. And she has fixed there numerous avenues, and openings, a thousand, to her tower and no gates with closed entrance,
for the house is open, night and day, of sounding brass, reechoing the tones of every voice. It must repeat whatever it may hear; and there's no rest, and silence in no part. There is no clamor; but the murmuring sound of subdued voices, such as may arise from waves of a far sea, which one may hear who listens at a distance; or the sound which ends a thunderclap, when Jupiter has clashed black clouds together. Fickle crowds are always in that hall, that come and go, and myriad rumors--false tales mixed with true-- are circulated in confusing words.
Some fill their empty ears with all this talk, and some spread elsewhere all that's told to them. The volume of wild fiction grows apace, and each narrator adds to what he hears. Credulity is there and rash Mistake,
and empty Joy, and coward Fear alarmed by quick Sedition, and soft Whisper--all of doubtful life. Fame sees what things are done in heaven and on the sea, and on the earth. She spies all things in the wide universe.
Is that what you want for your talent and your fame?
A Pagan Definition of Musical Worship, Drama or Praise Teams.
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