What Do You Believe about Instrumental Music?

[Scripture More Accurately]

Scripture records that God Himself sounds a musical instrument. Because God Himself does so, we know that music that He Himself plays is music that itself pleases Him.

Zechariah 9:14 And the LORD shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the Lord GOD shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south.

Because Scripture provides this revelation and much other revelation that shows the same point, the following position is unbiblical.

"No instrumental music pleases God. It's all neutral--it neither pleases Him nor displeases Him."

 

[Squire Robertsson]

but a number of other conservative Christian churches and organizations that I know of have continued to fight the battle against CCM to the extent that they have not used CCM and do not even now use it.

It's the same with the folks I fellowship with.

 

[Scripture More Accurately]

To answer another question about God's will and instrumental music in the church... There are no instruments commanded to be used in the Tabernacle, though David, being a prophet, added them.

Music is for us, not for God.

Scripture does not support these statements.

God commanded the making and use of two silver trumpets (Num. 10:2-10). Note especially what He commanded the Israelites to do with them:

Numbers 10:10 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.

God commanded that the trumpets be played as part of the worship that He required from His people on at least certain occasions in the Tabernacle. Moreover, He said that such playing of music was so that music was for them "a memorial before [their] God."

Later revelation confirms the importance of the playing of music on a trumpet as a part of Israelite worship:

Psalm 81:3 Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day. 4 For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob. 5 This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt: where I heard a language that I understood not.

Instrumental music played a vital God-ward function in Israelite worship in the Tabernacle!

 

[Aaron]

Scripture does not support these statements.

God commanded the making and use of two silver trumpets (Num. 10:2-10). Note especially what He commanded the Israelites to do with them:

Numbers 10:10 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.

God commanded that the trumpets be played as part of the worship that He required from His people on at least certain occasions in the Tabernacle. Moreover, He said that such playing of music was so that music was for them "a memorial before [their] God."

Later revelation confirms the importance of the playing of music on a trumpet as a part of Israelite worship:

Psalm 81:3 Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day. 4 For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob. 5 This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt: where I heard a language that I understood not.

Music played a vital God-ward function in Israelite worship in the Tabernacle!

Okay, well, then the next time you offer a burnt offering, you make sure you blow those silver trumpets.

 

[Scripture More Accurately]

Okay, well, then the next time you offer a burnt offering, you make sure you blow those silver trumpets.

Thanks for the tip. I'll keep it in mind.

[In case anyone might not have understood what I did here, I was not being serious when I made this statement.]

 

[Aaron]

Thanks for the tip. I'll keep it in mind.

Indeed you should when Judaizing.

 

[Scripture More Accurately]

Indeed you should when Judaizing.

I have never "Judaized" anyone and never will.

I will, however, keep teaching people to worship God according to all that Scripture reveals.

 

[Scripture More Accurately]

Worshiping God with musical instruments was and is the will of God for all the earth; it was not just for OT Jews.

Psalm 98:4 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. 5 Sing unto the LORD with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm. 6 With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King.

These are divine commands to all the earth. The use of musical instruments in worship is a vital aspect of giving God the glory due His name!

 

[Aaron]

God is about as pleased with the sounds of trumpets as He is with the blood of bulls and goats.

 

[robycop3]

Why would it displease God? Which of the notes would displease him?

Ever heard the instrumental song "Rumble" by Link Wray? Listen to it & judge for yourself if it'd please God if played during a service!

 

[Scripture More Accurately]

God is about as pleased with the sounds of trumpets as He is with the blood of bulls and goats.

This is a fitting response to your being presented with explicit divine revelation that shows that what you have said about the importance of music to God was not right? You should give God glory by acknowledging that it is His will that all the world glorify Him with the use of musical instruments in worship.

It was not just the Jews who had to use musical instruments to worship God. Instrumental music never has been just for humans--it has always supremely been for the glory of God.

 

[AustinC]

It's the same with the folks I fellowship with.

Is this done simply because no one sings spiritual songs in your church, or because there is a prideful distain for anything new or different from the group comfort zone?

 

[AustinC]

Scripture does not support these statements.

God commanded the making and use of two silver trumpets (Num. 10:2-10). Note especially what He commanded the Israelites to do with them:

Numbers 10:10 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.

God commanded that the trumpets be played as part of the worship that He required from His people on at least certain occasions in the Tabernacle. Moreover, He said that such playing of music was so that music was for them "a memorial before [their] God."

Later revelation confirms the importance of the playing of music on a trumpet as a part of Israelite worship:

Psalm 81:3 Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day. 4 For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob. 5 This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt: where I heard a language that I understood not.

Instrumental music played a vital God-ward function in Israelite worship in the Tabernacle!

And instruments play a vital God-ward function in the Church worship today.

 

[SGO]

If music was only for us hee hee youmins what are these verses all about?

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
Gird up now thy loins like a man;
for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.
Where wast thou
when I laid the foundations of the earth?
declare, if thou hast understanding,
Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest?
or who hast stretched the line upon it?
Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened?
or who laid the corner stone thereof;
When the morning stars sang together,
and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
Job 38:1-7

 

[AustinC]

I have never "Judaized" anyone and never will.

I will, however, keep teaching people to worship God according to all that Scripture reveals.

Ephesians 5:18-21

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

God ordained human use of instruments to make a joyful noise and "make a melody" to glorify Him. This started when God gave Jubal the ability to create musical instruments.

The reality is that we humans make laws so we can maintain control and get our own way. Then we find Bible verses we think will justify the laws we have made for the church. The laws that some congregations make regarding music are often times just selfish means of controlling culture in the body and excluding other cultures from fellowship. It is almost like creating a "whites only" church. It is exclusionary and it goes contrary to the heart of God.

 

[SGO]

Yeah! What is wrong with tapping your feet or swinging your hips during a worship service?

It's called "being moved".

I have seen this in bible churches, so what?

 

[AustinC]

Ever heard the instrumental song "Rumble" by Link Wray? Listen to it & judge for yourself if it'd please God if played during a service!

This song could easily be played to the glory of God. The song is quite unremarkable and most beginner musicians could play this song on their guitar or with their drums, but there is nothing morally wrong with the notes being played by the instruments.
Why would God not be glorified by the musician who plays it to give God glory?

 

[AustinC]

If music was only for us hee hee youmins what are these verses all about?

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
Gird up now thy loins like a man;
for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.
Where wast thou
when I laid the foundations of the earth?
declare, if thou hast understanding,
Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest?
or who hast stretched the line upon it?
Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened?
or who laid the corner stone thereof;
When the morning stars sang together,
and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
Job 38:1-7

LOL, have you read the entire book of Job? If you have, you would know your verses have nothing to do with instrumental music.
Job and his friends have discussed theology from chapter 3 through chapter 37. Job has bemoaned God's silence and expressed to his friends that he has some questions to ask God so he can get some answers.
In chapter 38, God comes in a whirlwind and we see the Sovereign King never gives Job a chance to ask questions. The King asks questions of Job and expects answers. The King is in control. Job is a subject in the Kingdom who answers to the King. The King does not answer to the subject below Him.
God asks Job questions and puts Job in his place of inferiority to show Job how lowly Job is and how high and lifted up God is.

It's actually shocking to me that you think you are making a point about music from the dialogue God is having with Job. Do you not recognize figurative language when you see it?

 

[SGO]

LOL, have you read the entire book of Job? If you have, you would know your verses have nothing to do with instrumental music.
Job and his friends have discussed theology from chapter 3 through chapter 37. Job has bemoaned God's silence and expressed to his friends that he has some questions to ask God so he can get some answers.
In chapter 38, God comes in a whirlwind and we see the Sovereign King never gives Job a chance to ask questions. The King asks questions of Job and expects answers. The King is in control. Job is a subject in the Kingdom who answers to the King. The King does not answer to the subject below Him.
God asks Job questions and puts Job in his place of inferiority to show Job how lowly Job is and how high and lifted up God is.

It's actually shocking to me that you think you are making a point about music from the dialogue God is having with Job. Do you not recognize figurative language when you see it?

I did not say they had anything to do with instrumental music but to show there was music at the creation, before man was made.

And it is not Job or his friends who are speaking in this passage.

It is straight from God's mouth and not figurative like only in some piece of fictional literature.

Sorry to shock you that there was singing for joy at the creation.

 

[Aaron]

This is a fitting response to your being presented with explicit divine revelation that shows that what you have said about the importance of music to God was not right? You should give God glory by acknowledging that it is His will that all the world glorify Him with the use of musical instruments in worship.

Lol. You presented me with no such thing, but it is a fitting response to the puerile notion that God takes pleasure in the types and shadows of the law, and that they are imperitives to the church, which knows those things fulfilled in Christ.

Those who worship God must worship in truth and in spirit. There is no machine that is an element thereof.