(Gen 4:19-21 NIV) Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah. Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. His brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play the harp and flute.
This is the first reference to any kind of musical instrument in the Old Testament and it is an extract from a list of the roles played by the descendents of Cain. Most of whom, are responsible for the whole mental inventiveness of humanity, including the building of cities and the making of bronze and iron tools and the violence. One can only assume that when one is outcast and cursed from the earth's productivity… one is forced to survive by whatever means and devices one can and perhaps music was a way to find solace amidst the struggle. The next musical significance is David, who played the harp himself, presumably a descendent of Cain. He often soothed Saul with his music, but he was also a dab hand with the slingshot and later the sword.
(1 Sam 18:6 KJV) And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of music.
In this instance music is used in celebration of a great victory and later when David was king, he appointed those dedicated to God (the Levites) to be the musicians, presumably because they weren’t really doing much else to serve God, between sacrifices.
(1 Chr 15:16 KJV) And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of music, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy.
The key word in the last passage is ‘joy’. Music, especially in praise, has the capacity to lift the human spirit, to expand the human heart and to remove what ails us. This is an inexplicable phenomenon, but it is obviously an intrinsic part of our heritage or nature, since it is common throughout humanity.
Yet… what is it? What is it about music that is so appealing and enchanting?
It is… after all… just noise, at most sound patterns and harmonic frequencies.
In nature we see the song of birds, the song of whales and the song of lovers. Chimpanzees neither sing nor play musical instruments. At best they make ooo ooo ooo and screaming noises. In the wild there are also calls… the call to eat; the call to mate; the call to flee and the call to fight. To misinterpret these signals as song and music is nonsense. Music is an invention of the human mind, much like cities and swords. And like cities and swords, music was created from a human need for peace or at least liberty from struggle with life and God..
Music is an escape, it is an auditory drug. It was designed to soothe the savage beast. These days much music is created in anger and frustration. It does not soothe, it incorporates a call to mate (sex songs), or, from a punk perspective, a call to fight.
At best, music is another way of expressing our love and joy.
(Luke 15:25-26 KJV) Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.
MUSIC (WORSHIP PART 2)
SIN
DELUGE
SCRIPTURE
SERVING GOD
SACRIFICE
BAPTISM
LAW V LOVE
THE FLOCK
WORSHIP
MAMMON V GOD
PORNOGRAPHY
THE WAY
WAY TO PARADISE
DELUGE
SCRIPTURE
SERVING GOD
SACRIFICE
BAPTISM
LAW V LOVE
THE FLOCK
WORSHIP
MAMMON V GOD
PORNOGRAPHY
THE WAY
WAY TO PARADISE
Continued