Rick Atchley: Instrumental Music Part Two

Richland Hills & Instrumental music: A Plea to Reconsider by Dave Miller exposes the folly of Rick Atchley and the elders.

Without minimizing any of the Old Testament, we must return to the fact that The Book of the Law was made up of 70 provisions which were conditional and never applied to the people's congregation.  The prophets make it clear that whatever was stated in this conditional covenant was removed BECAUSE of musical idolatry and God turned them over to worship the starry hosts under The Book of The Law. Dave Miller makes a great effort to prove that God commanded and approved of all of the sacrificial rituals including "worshiping with instrument music."

Rick offers three Old Testament reasons for accepting instrumental music:

I/II. Commanded and Blessed

DAVE MILLER: The first two reasons assert that under the Old Testament, God did not just allow instrumental music, He commanded and blessed it. Rick offered the following passages for these contentions: 

2 Chronicles 5:13-14; 7:6; 

See our review of the context which no preacher I am aware of cares to know.

God had abandoned Israel to worship the starry host (Acts 7 etal). Therefore, they WORSHIPPED the starry host from the wilderness onward.  Christ inspired the prophets to repudiate the unauthorized king's scribes. The loud "noise" never called music was the signal for God to disable the temple by making it impossibe for the priests to serve. The lost their easy access to God, His mercy and the Word once under the mercy seat.

In 1  Chronicles 29 the king had abandoned the Temple now plagued with all of the filth of the Assyrian's occupation including their instruments. By removing the curse of the Sacrificial system out side of the gates of Jerusalem they were sent a Plague for bringing the horrors  out i the light of day.

Hezekiah proposed a plague stopping contract with God in order to get the priests and people to return to Jerusalem to protect HIM from the new invaders.

The offerings for Judah, the King and the temple DID NOT use the Warrior Levites to make a loud noise. However, when Hezekiah wanted to try to appease Israel as the instrumental sect and only when burning the GOATS did the Levites make a loud noise.  The people as a congregation were excluded and this was not contgretational worship.

1 Chronicle 29:25-26;  

CLICK FOR THE WHOLE STORY.

Of course, the text is in 2 Chronicles 29.

CONDUCTING THE HOLOCAUST PROVES THAT DAVID COMMANDED THE INSTRUMENTS

2Chr. 29:27 And Hezekiah commanded
        to offer the burnt offering upon the altar.
                And when the burnt offering began,
                the song of the LORD began also with the TRUMPETS
                and with the INSTRUMENTS ORDAINED by David king of Israel.

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  

Psalm 33:1- 3;  CLICK FOR THE WHOLE STORY

David was one of those kings God provided to carry out the captivity and death sentence imposed because of musical idolatry at Mout Sinai. David was not the worship leader and he did not write worship music.  No Israelite ever assembled with a congregation and sang and played instruments: not once. This has no more to do with the assemby or synagogue than David "making himself vile" as a warrior trying to intimidate the enem.

92:1-3; Again, this has nothing to do with Old Testament Worship nor is it appropriate in te church as A School of the Word.

IT is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: Psalm 92:1

H3034 Yada yaw-daw' A primitive root; used only as denominative from H3027 ; literally to use (that is, hold out) the hand; physically to throw (a stone, an arrow) at or away; especially to revere or worship (with extended hands); intensively to bemoan (by wringing the hands):

To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night, Psalm 92:2
Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn [murmuring] sound. Psalm 92:3

Cantillation is also used in Islamic religious services in the recitation of the Qur'an and in the muezzin's call to prayer, or adhan.

Neither it nor the cantillation of the Qur'an are considered to be music, however, and music as such is forbidden in religious services. See more Islamic notes AGAINST instruments

Psa 92:4 For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands.
Psa 92:5 O Lord, how great are thy works and thy thoughts are very deep.
Psa 92:6 A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this.
Psa 92:7 When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish;
        it is that they shall be destroyed for ever:
Psa 92:8 But thou, Lord, art most high for evermore.
Psa 92:9 For, lo, thine enemies, O Lord, for, lo, thine enemies shall perish;
        all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.

Psalm 150:1-6. 

#150 is a halal or praise and the root word for Lucifer.  This identifies the vile nature of making war and not worship. All of the instruments have vile meanings because the threat to the enemy was always being robbed, sodomized and then killed.

Sounding Brass and Tinkling Cymbals

Chorus Echo, the nymph of Cithaeron, returns thy words, which resound beneath the dark vaults of the thick foliage and in the midst of the rocks of the forest; the ivy enlaces thy brow with its tendrils charged with flowers.

"cymbalum': cymbala were hollow hemispheres of metal a few inches in diameter, held one in each hand by the aid of small rings or thongs attached to the center of their convex surfaces. Struck together, they gave a sharp, clanging sound that fitted well with that of the tympana and tibiæ; cf. Catul. 64.262 ``tereti tenuis tinnitus ære ciebant''; Ov. Fast. 4.184 ``æra tinnitus ære epulsa dabunt''; Ov. Fast. 4.189 ``sonus æris acuti''; Aus. Epist. 24.23 ``tinnitus atinnitus aëni.eumlaut;ni.''

Echeo (g2278) ay-kheh'-o; from 2279; to make a loud noise, i.e. reverberate: - roar, sound.

Echos (g2279) ay'-khos; of uncert. affin.; a loud or confused noise ("echo"), i.e. roar: fig. a rumor: - fame, sound.

"It was probably usual to welcome a king or general with music and dancing...The distinctly religious dance is more frequently mentioned. The clear instances of it in the Bible are the dance of the women of Israel at the Red Sea, headed by Miriam with her tambourine (Ex 15:20); the dance of the Israelites round the golden calf (32:19); the dance of the maidens of Shiloah at the annual feast (Jgs 21:19 ff); the leaping or limping of the prophets of Baal round their altar on Carmel (1 K 18:26); and the dancing of David in front of the ark (2 S 6:14-16) (Int. Std. Bible Ency., p. 1169-70).

"This membranophone, translated in the AV as 'timbrel' and 'tabret,' was not permitted in the Temple, although it was mentioned in the Psalter and in religious hymns" (Ps 150:4; Jer. 31:4) Harrison, Into to OT, p. 988).

Of the tambourine or tabret, Smith's Bible Dictionary notes that&emdash;

"It was used in very early times by the Syrians of Padan-aram at their merry-making (Gen. 31:27). It was played principally by women (Ex. 15:20); Judg. 11:34; 1 Sam. 18:6; Psa lxvii:25 as an accompaniment to the song and dance, and appears to have been worn by them as an ornament (Jer. 31:4)... It is beat with the fingers, and is the Trye tympanum of the ancients, as appears from its figure in several relieves, representing the orgies of Bacchus and rites of Cybele." (Smiths Bible Dictionary, Timbrel)

Halal h1984	cHalal h2490 [the same basic word]
to shine (Qal) to shine [seeking God's favor] (Hiphil) to flash forth light to praise, boast, be boastful (Qal) to be boastful boastful ones, boasters (participle) (Piel) to praise to boast, make a boast (Pual) to be praised, be made praiseworthy, be commended, be worthy of praise (Hithpael) to boast, glory, make one's boast (Poel) to make a fool of, make into a fool (Hithpoel) to act madly, act like a madman	to profane, defile, pollute, desecrate, begin (Niphal) to profane oneself, defile oneself, pollute oneself 1a ritually 1a sexually to be polluted, be defiled (Piel) to profane, make common, defile, pollute to violate the honour of, dishonour to violate (a covenant) to treat as common (Pual) to profane (name of God) (Hiphil) to let be profaned to begin (Hophal) to be begun to wound (fatally), bore through, pierce, bore (Qal) to pierce (Pual) to be slain (Poel) to wound, pierce (Poal) to be wounded (Piel) to play the flute or pipe
Heylel (h1966) hay-lale'; from h1984 (in the sense of brightness); the morning-star: - lucifer. Lucifer is identical to ZOE in many respects and SHE is engaged in trafficing and merchandising: the Temples were "houses of merchandise, den of thieves." Go thou and do likewise. Merchandise is: Rekullah (h7404) rek-ool-law'; fem. pass. part. of 7402; trade (as peddled): - merchandise, traffic. Nophek (h5306) no'-fek; from an unused root mean. to glisten; shining; a gem, prob. the garnet: - emerald.	Thou hast BEEN in EDEN the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy TABRETS and of thy PIPES was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. Ezekiel 28:13 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane [cHalal] out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Eze.28:16 As the king/queen of Babylon she was cast into Sheol with her harps and still breathing harpists. In Revelation 18, the PRESENT musicators work for the same HARLOT and perform SORCERY to decieve and MARKET your flesh. Hee Haw. "War is Hell: so help me I LOVE IT."

Dave Miller: Response: Rick is absolutely correct in these assertions. It is true that some among the “anti-instrument” viewpoint (as Rick styles it) have claimed that God never approved, but only tolerated, the instrument in Old Testament worship. Rick ridiculed this viewpoint with the rhetorical question: “[I]s that standing under the word of God or over the word of God?” The fact is the majority of those within churches of Christ have long acknowledged the divinely approved use of instruments in Old Testament Jewish worship. But this realization is completely beside the point and side-steps the issue. Why?

The Jewish people did not WORSHIP at the temple: the temple was like that of the nations because that is what  abandoned  them to do.

The Godly people attended church or synagogue each Rest day and permitted to READ and rehearse the Word but NOT make any vocal or instrumental rejoicing sounds.

Because of musical idolatry at Mount Sinai God abandoned the national leadership to worship the starry host (Acts 7) and that is exactly what they did. The Jewish Encyclopedia agrees with the cler Biblical statement that later after the elders "fired" God and demanded a national leadership, He warned that the kings would destroy them and He would not rescue them.

So with uplifted hand I swore to them in the desert that I would disperse them among the nations and scatter them through the countries, Eze.20:23

You say, "We want to be like the nations (heathen, gowy), like the peoples of the world, who serve wood and stone." But what you have in mind will never happen. Eze.20:32 

"Sacrifices, rituals, festivals honoring Yahweh abounded,
but these rites were tangible evidence of lack of knowledge,
for they expressed the popular belief
that Yahweh could be pleased and pacified by cultic ceremonies.

"The condemnation of cultic rites introduced in Amos 4:4 f. and 5:4 f. is picked up again with new vehemence. It has been argued that Amos was not opposed to cultic ritual per se but condemned the mind set of the people by which responsibility to Yahweh was performed perfunctorily and without relationship to daily life and society.

"If we take Amos' words as they stand, there seems to be little doubt that he condemned the entire religious pattern--feasts, sacrifices, ritual music, offerings, tithes--everything. Gerald LaRue, History of the O.T

See Amos: no singers or musicians in the holy places

THERE  WAS ONLY ONE SPIRITUAL COVENANT MADE WITH ABRHAM BUT PROMISED TO HIS SEED.

GEN. 49:5 Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations.
Gen. 49:6 O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly,
        mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall.
Gen. 49:7 Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.

ON THE OTHER HAND:

Gen. 49:8 Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise:
        thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies;
        thy father’s children shall bow down before thee.
Gen. 49:9 Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up:
        he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion;
        who shall rouse him up?
Gen. 49:10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah,
        nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come;
        and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.
Gen. 49:11 Binding his foal unto the vine,
        and his ass’s colt unto the choice vine;
        he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes:
Gen. 49:12 His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.

However, throughout the Old and New Testament the spiritual voice of God came through the Spirit OF Christ through the PROPHETS.  In one way or another all of the repudiated them sacrificial system and used musical instruments as MARKS of people who refused or could no longer tolerate the Word of God taught at the synagogues.

There is not recorded scholership which did not know that God abanded Israel's nobility but Christ ordained the Qahal, synagogue or Church in the wilderness.  Those not of the tribe of Levi attended "church" as a school of the word.

See the meaning of the SYNAGOGUE for the godly people quarantining them from the temple.

NO ONE CAN FIND PEOPLE WORSHIPING AS A CONGREGATION WITH SINGING AND INSTRUMENTS.

David was not speaking for God in saying that the slaughter of innocent animals WOULD be accepted whatever the condition of Jerusalm which He calls Sodom and the mother of  harlots.  David's personal worship included singing and meditating on God's Word in his bed.

God could not ENDORSE animal sacrifices without endorsing the loud Levites who "made the lambs dumb before the slaughter."  Burnt offerings were not commanded but called the people down momentarily from offering their children as burnt offerings: that is the background of the Levites.

> Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched. Jeremiah 7:20

Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel;
       Put your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh. Jeremiah 7:21 

21. Put ... burnt offerings unto ... sacrifices ... eat flesh--Add the former (which the law required to be wholly burnt) to the latter (which were burnt only in part), and "eat flesh" even off the holocausts or burnt offerings. As far as I am concerned, saith Jehovah, you may do with one and the other alike. I will have neither (Isa 1:11 Ho 8:13 Am 5:21,22).

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

God didn't say that they could slaughter innocent animals imposed because of a blood and flesh lust IF they just had a good mental attitude.  They were not acceptable because...

> 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

Some people are so simple that they might say that WE can be rightous AND burn innocent animals without tainting either.  They say, "If we add instruments we are STILL singing."

> 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

God hath not said, thou shalt not sing and play instruments and pretend that you are worshiping Me.

> 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

Except the Lord of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah. Isaiah 1:9

Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah. Isaiah 1:10

To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord:
        I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts;
        and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. Isaiah 1:11

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

Dave Miller: Likewise, the Old Testament firmly asserts that God was pleased with animal sacrifices and other offerings: “Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering; then they shall offer bullson Your altar” (Psalm 51:19, emp. added). 

Now, back up and read some more of Psalm 51: Psalms are  poems and poems tend to be poetic: Notice the parallel statements.

Psa. 51:15 O Lord, open thou my lips;         and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. Psa. 51:16 For thou desirest not sacrifice;         else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. Psa. 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit:         a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Psa. 51:18 Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion:         build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Psa. 51:19 Then shalt thou be pleased         with the sacrifices of righteousness,         with burnt offering and whole burnt offering:         then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar

David was not contradicting himself and neither did he as king speak for God.

Christ speaking through the Prophets defines further.

Hos. 14:1 O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.
Hos. 14:2 Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him,
        Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously:
        so will we render the calves of our lips.

H6499 par pâr par, pawr From H6565 ; a bullock (apparently as breaking forth in wild strength, or perhaps as dividing the hoof):— (+ young) bull (-ock), calf, ox.

Hab. 2:16 Thou art filled with shame for glory: drink thou also, and let thy foreskin be uncovered:
        the cup of the LORD’s right hand shall be turned unto thee,
        and shameful spewing shall be on thy glory.
Hab. 2:17 For the violence of Lebanon shall cover thee,
        and the spoil of beasts, which made them afraid,
        because of men’s blood, and for the violence of the land,
        of the city, and of all that dwell therein.
Hab. 2:18 What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it;
         the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols?
Hab. 2:19 Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake;
        to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach!
        Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver,
        and there is no breath at all in the midst of it.
Hab. 2:20 But the LORD is in his holy temple:
        let all the earth keep silence before him.

In the New Testament, Paul declares that it is our bodies must be "burned up" so we can offer spiritual sacrifices. In Romans 15 that excludes self-pleasure which excludes all of the performing arts designed  to "create mental excitement" and make spiritual worship impossible

Paul never fails to define our assembly devoted to the Word of God as the only worship concept both inclusively and exclusively:

	Rom. 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God,         that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice,         holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
		Thusi-a , Ion. -iē, h(, (thuō) prop. A. burnt-offering, sacrifice, mostly in pl., v.l. in Batr.176, cf. Emp.128.6, etc.; “en thusiēsi einai” Hdt.8.99; “thusiaisi dekesthai tina” Pi.P.5.86, cf. I.5(4).30; “thusiēsi hilaskesthai ton theon” Hdt.1.50, cf. 6.105; thusias erdein, epiteleein, anagein, Id.1.131, 2.63,60: also in sg., thusian poieisthai, thuein, Pl.Smp.174c, R.362c; “agein” Id.Alc.2.148e; th. sōtēriou, aineseōs, tēs teleiōseōs, LXXLe.3.1, 7.2, Ex.29.34; of the gods, “thusian dekhesthai” A.Th.701 (lyr.). 2. mode of sacrifice, “th. hē autē pasi katestēke” Hdt.4.60, cf. 2.39. 3. festival, at which sacrifices were offered, Pl.Phd.61b, Ti.26e, al.; “th. kai diagōgai tou suzēn” Arist.Pol.1280b37, cf. EN1160a20; peri tōn en Rhodō th., title of work by Theognis Hist. b. generally, rite, ceremony, Plu.2.693f, Thes.20. II. victim, offering, Plu.2.184f, Luc. Sacr.12. G2380 thuō thoo'-o A primary verb; properly to rush (breathe hard, blow, smoke), that is, (by implication) to sacrifice (properly by fire, but generally); by extension to immolate (slaughter for any purpose):—kill, (do) sacrifice, slay. Heb. 13:15 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. Is. 57:19 I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off,         and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him. Logik-os , ē, on, (logos) A. of or for speaking or speech, merē l. the organs of speech, Plu.Cor.38: logikē, speech, OPPOSITE to mousikē, D.H. Comp. 11; “l. phantasia” expressed in speech, Stoic.2.61. Mousikē (sc. tekhnē), A. any art over which the Muses presided, esp. poetry sung to music, Pi.O.1.15,Hdt.6.129; “mousikēs agōn” Th.3.104, cf. IG12.84.16, etc.; “poiēsis hē kata mousikēn” Pl.Smp.196e, cf. 205c; tis hē tekhnē, hēs to kitharizein kai to adein kai to embainein orthōs; Answ. “mousikēn moi dokeis legein” Mousikos , ē, on, Dor. mōsikos , a, on Theag. ap. Stob.3.1.118:— A. musical, “agōnes m. kai gumnikoi” Ar.Pl.1163, cf. Th.3.104; “khoroi te kai agōnes m.” Pl.Lg.828c; ta mousika music, X.Cyr.1.6.38, Sammelb. 6319.54 (Ptol.), SIG578.18 (Teos, ii B. C.). Adv. -“kōs” Pl.Alc.1.108d, etc.; cf. foreg. II. of persons, skilled in music, musical, X.l.c., etc.; “poiētikoi kai m. andres” Pl.Lg.802b; “kuknos kai alla zōa m.” Id.R.620a; “peri aulous -ōtatoi” Ath.4.176e; lyric poet, opp. epic, Pl.Phdr.243a (but opp. melopoios, Phld.Mus.p.96 K.); m., hoi, professional musicians, OGI383.162 (Commagene, i B. C.), PFlor.74.6 (ii A. D.); “mousikos kai melōn poētēs” SIG662.6 (Delos, ii B. C.). OPPOSITE megalo-prepēs , es, A. befitting a great man, magnificent, l. sullogismoi, OPPOSITE rhētorikoi, Rh.1355a13. Rhētor-ikos , ē, on, A. oratorical, hē rhētorikē (sc. tekhnē) rhetoric, Pl.Phdr.266d, Phld.Rh.1.187 S.; to rh. Pl.Phdr.266c, Plt.304e; ta rh. D.L.4.49, etc.; rh. deilian ho dēmosios kairos ouk anamenei an orator's timidity, Aeschin.3.163; rh. graphē an indictment against an orator (paranomōn), Is.Fr.64 S. Adv. “-kōs” Pl.Grg.471e, Aeschin. 1.71, Arist.Po.1450b8, Phld.Rh.2.134 S.: Comp., “-ōteron legesthai” D.H.Is.8. 2. of persons, skilled in speaking, fit to be an orator, Isoc.3.8, Pl.Phdr.260c, 272d, al.; phusei rh. ib.269d, etc.; skholastikos rh. OGI693 (Egypt). b. student, Lib.Or.14.62. 3. belonging to a “rhētōr, doulos” Stud.Pal.1.67.289 (i A.D.
	Rom. 12:2 And be not conformed to this world:         but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,         that ye may prove what is that good,         and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
		Suskhēmat-izō , 1Pet. 1:13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober,         and hope to the end for the grace         that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 1Pet. 1:14 As obedient children,         not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance 1Pet. 1:15 But as he which hath called you is holy,          so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Metamorph-oō , A. transform, mostly in Pass., to be transformed, Ep.Rom.12.2, “apo doxēs eis doxan” 2 Ep.Cor.3.18; to be transfigured, Ev.Matt.17.2, etc. 2Cor. 3:13 And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face,         that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: 2Cor. 3:14 But their minds were blinded:         for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away         in the reading of the old testament;         which vail is done away in Christ. 2Cor. 3:15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. 2Cor. 3:16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. 2Cor. 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit:         and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 2Cor. 3:18 But we all, with open face         beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord,         are changed into the same image from glory to glory,         even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Anakain-oō , in Pass., A. to be renewed, 2 Ep.Cor.4.16, Col.3.10:—in Med., renew, Heliod.in EN221.13. Anakkainosis (g342) an-ak-ah'ee-no-sis; from 341; renovation: - renewing. Col. 3:9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; Col. 3:10 And have put on the new man,          which is renewed in knowledge         after the image of him that created him: Tit.3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done,         but according to his mercy he saved us,         by the washing of regeneration,         and renewing of the Holy Ghost;   2Cor. 4:2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty,         not walking in craftiness, G3834 panourgia pan-oorg-ee'-ah From G3835 ; adroitness, that is, (in a bad sense) trickery or sophistry:—(cunning) craftiness, subtilty. -Panourg-êma  A. knavish trick, villainy, S.El.1387 (lyr.), LXX Si.1.6 (v.l.); sophistry, Gal.5.251; cf. panourgeuma. 1Cor. 3:18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you         seemeth to be wise in this world,         let him become a fool, that he may be wise. 1Cor. 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.         For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. 1Cor. 3:20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. -Sophia A. cleverness or skill in handicraft and art, as in carpentry, tektonos, hos rha te pasēs eu eidē s. Il.15.412; of the Telchines, Pi.O.7.53; hē entekhnos s., of Hephaestus and Athena, Pl.Prt.32 1d; of Daedalus and Palamedes, X.Mem.4.2.33, cf. 1.4.2; in music and singing, tekhnē kai s. h.Merc.483, cf. 511; in poetry, Sol.13.52, Pi.O.1.117 -verily here are three things to hand all at once from which to choose, —mirth, and love, and sweet sleep. [450] And though I am a follower of the Olympian Muses who love dances and the bright path of song —the full-toned chant and ravishing thrill of flutes —yet I never cared for any of those feats of skill at young men's revels, as I do now for this: [455] I am filled with wonder, O son of Zeus, at your sweet playing. [480] From now on bring it confidently to the rich feast and lovely dance and glorious revel, a joy by night and by day. Whoso with wit and wisdom enquires of it cunningly, him it teaches [485] through its sound all manner of things that delight the mind, being easily played with gentle familiarities, for it abhors toilsome drudgery; but whoso in ignorance enquires of it violently, to him it chatters mere vanity and foolishness. The Wise -Sophos A. skilled in any handicraft or art, clever, mostly of poets and musicians, Pi.O.1.9, P.1.42, 3.113; en kithara s. E.IT1238 VAIN  Epos a speech or tale, myth 1. song or lay accompanied by music, 8.91,17.519. 4. word of a deity, oracle, Od.12.266, Hdt.1.13, etc. IV. in pl., epic poetry, opp. melē (lyric poetry), iambeia, dithuramboi, etc., “rhaptōn epeōn aoidoi” Pi.N.2.2 ; “ta Kupria epea” Hdt.2.117, cf. Th.1.3, X.Mem.1.4.3, Pl.R.379a, etc. ; “epea te poiein pros luran t' aeidein” Theoc.Ep.21.6 ; “nikēsas epos” IG3.1020 ; poētēs epōn ib.7.3197.9 (Orchom. Boeot.), cf. OGI51.37 (Egypt, iii B.C.). b. generally, poetry, even lyrics, Alcm.25(prob.), Pi.O.3.8, etc. c. lines, verses, esp. of spoken lines in the drama, Ar.Ra.862, 956, etc. : sg., verse, line of poetry, Hdt.4.29, Pl.Min. 319d ; group of verses, Id.R.386c, Hdt.7.143. nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. 2Cor. 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 2Cor. 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not,         lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ,         who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 2Cor. 4:5 For we preach not ourselves,         but Christ Jesus the Lord;         and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. 2Cor. 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness,         hath shined in our hearts,         to give the light of the knowledge                 of the glory of God                 in the face of Jesus Christ. 2Cor. 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels,         that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
	Rom. 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you,         not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think;         but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. Rom. 12:4 For as we have many members in one body,         and all members have not the same office: Rom. 12:5 So we, being many,         are one body in Christ,         and every one members one of another. Rom 12.5 houtōs hoi polloi hen sōma esmen en Khristō, to de kath' heis allēlōn melē.
		1 Cor 6:[15] Don't you know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them members of a prostitute? May it never be! 1 Cor 6:15 ouk oidate hoti ta sōmata humōn melē Khristou estin; aras oun ta melē tou khristou poiēsō pornēs melē; mē genoito. melos , eos, in a musical sensemeansto dismember or cut limb from limb.  However, Paul uses it to make sure that the members are not disconnected.  How does that happen? B.  esp. musical member, phrase: hence, song, strain, first in h.Hom.19.16 (pl.), of the nightingale (the Hom. word being molpē), cf. Thgn.761, etc.; “melē boōn anaula” S.Fr.699; esp. of lyric poetry, “to Arkhilokhou m.” Pi.O.9.1; en melei poieein to write in lyric strain, Hdt.5.95, cf. 2.135; “en melei ē tini allō metrō” Pl.R.607d, cf. D.H. Comp.11; “Admētou m.” Cratin.236; melē, ta, lyric poetry, choral songs, opp. Epic or Dramatic verse, Pl.R.379a, 607a, al.; [m. ek triōn sugkeimenon, logou te kai harmonias kai rhuthmou ib.398d. 3. melody of an instrument, “phormigx d' au phtheggoith' hieron m. ēde kai aulos”

Here is how Ezekiel who connects musical rituals to Lucifer the singing and harp playing prostitute and proves that the universal message is that what happened in the national (Gentile like) worship including all of the sacrificial system was imposed as a curse and not approved PATTERNISM or OBSOLETE patternism:

Rather than allow the people to be destroyed in Egypt and let the Egyptians to make fun of Jehovah for having such an evil group of worshippers or from just destroying them, God removed them from Egypt In the day that I lifted up mine hand unto them, to bring them forth of the land of Egypt into a land that I had espied for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands: Ezekiel 20:6 Then said I unto them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. Ezekiel 20: 7   But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken unto me: they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt: then I said, I will pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them. Ezekiel 20: 8   But I wrought for my names sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, among whom they were, in whose sight I made myself known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt. Ezekiel 20: 9 God made the same choice (even if He knows the end from the beginning) in the wilderness: Wherefore I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness. Ezekiel 20: 10 And I gave them my statutes, and shewed them my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them. Ezekiel 20: 11 Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them. Ezekiel 20: 12   But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them. Ezekiel 20: 13   But I wrought for my names sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out. Ezekiel 20: 14 h2490 Chalal NAS (165) - acted insanely, 1; arrogant, 1; boast, 9; boasted, 1; boastful, 3; boasts, 3; boasts boast, 1; deride, 1; drive madly, 1; flash forth, 2; give praise, 1; giving praise, 1; glory, 8; go mad, 1; going mad, 1; mad, 1; madness, 1; make its boast, 1; makes a mad, 1; makes fools, 1; making fools, 1; offers praises, 1; praise, 90; praised, 20; praises, 1; praising, 5; race madly, 1; renowned, 1; sang praises, 1; shone, 2; sing praises, 1; wedding songs, 1; The righteous decision would be to leave Israel in the wilderness. Again, god had to protect His people to protect His Name: Yet also I lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands; Ezekiel 20: 15 Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols. Ezekiel 20: 16   Nevertheless mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness. Ezekiel 20: 17   But I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols: Ezekiel 20: 18   Notwithstanding the children rebelled against me: they walked not in my statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; they polluted my sabbaths: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness. Ezekiel 20: 21   Nevertheless I withdrew mine hand, and wrought for my names sake, that it should not be polluted in the sight of the heathen, in whose sight I brought them forth. Ezekiel 20: 22 The idolatrous worship of Apis at Mount Sinai sentenced Israel to captivity and almost total destruction -- then and there -- because they would always be unfaithful to God. Therefore, He gave them a law which could not give life (as the Covenant could have) and helped them on their way to destruction when they "fired" Him and demanded a king like the nations so that they could worship like the nations: I lifted up mine hand unto them also in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the heathen, and disperse them through the countries; Ezekiel 20: 23   Because they had not executed my judgments, but had despised my statutes, and had polluted my sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers idols. Ezekiel 20: 24 Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live; Ezekiel 20: 25 And I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they caused to pass through the fire all that openeth the womb, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I am the Lord. Ezekiel 20: 26 To worship like the nations meant that Israel, under violated law, was doomed to worship like the nations. This included burning "spare" children in the red-hot arms of Molech. With minor exceptions for short periods this destructive worship persisted until Israel was lost and Judah was sent to Babylon for 70 years to have their noses rubbed in idolatry so that they could comprehend the sorrow of God. The Second Law proves it: Dt 18:10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Observer of times: H6049 ‛ânan aw-nan' A primitive root; to cover; used only as denominative from H6051 , to cloud over; figuratively to act covertly, that is, practise magic, enchanter, Meonemin, observe (-r of) times, soothsayer, sorcerer. David had these on his staff because he was abandoned to worship the starry host. "We even have a mention at a later date of a similar custom in connection with the cult in Jerusalem, where certain Levites, called me'oreim, 'AROUSERS,' sang (every morning?) this verse from "Ps 44:23: "Awake, O Lord! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever." The Talmud tells us that John Hyrcanus suppressed the practice because it recalled too readily a pagan custom." (Roland de Vaux, p. 247). Enchanter: H5172 nâchash naw-khash' A primitive root; properly to hiss, that is, whisper a (magic) spell; generally to prognosticate:-- X certainly, divine, enchanter, (use) X enchantment, learn by experience, X indeed, diligently observe. H5175 nâchâsh naw-khawsh' From H5172 ; a snake (from its hiss):--serpent. H3784 kâshaph kaw-shaf' A primitive root; properly to whisper a spell, that is, to inchant or practise magic:--sorcerer, (use) witch (-craft) Dt 18:11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. Dt 18:12 For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD:         and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee. Dt 18:13 Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God. Dt 18:14 For these nations, which thou shalt possess,         hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners:         but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do. The elders "firing God" and demanding a human king caused the people to be fully consumed with Sabazianism or Star Worship: the Star of David is a perfect symbol of 666. Deut. 18:15 The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; Dt 18:16 According to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.  Dt 18:17 And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. Deut. 18:18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee,          and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. Dt 18:19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. Paul told the Jews in 2 Corinthians 3 that they had been blinded at Mount Sinai because they refused to hear the voice of God giving them a covenant of Grace. They would not be able to read black text on white paper until they converted or were baptized into Christ.

This is what Ezekiel said. Now, look back and see the actual event.

At Mount Sinai, God gave Israel The Book of the Covenant

Dave Miller again: “Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering; then they shall offer bulls on Your altar” (Psalm 51:19, emp. added).  

The  Psalms are poems and poems tend to be poetic but never metrical. You cannot miss that the SACRIFICES of righteousness do not endorse what the PROPHETS by the Spirit OF Christ denied.

Isa 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; 
        I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, 
        to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

Isa 57:16 For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: 
        for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.

Isa 57:17 For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, 
        and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart. 

Isa 57:18 I have seen his ways, and will heal him: 
        I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.

Isa 57:19 I create the fruit of the lips; 
        Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord; and I will heal him.

Heb 13:14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.

Heb 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice to God continually,
        that is, the fruit of our lips
        giving thanks to his name.

Isa 57:20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.

H8252 shaqat shaw-kat' A primitive root; to repose (usually figuratively): appease, idleness, (at, be at, be in, give) quiet (-ness), (be at, be in, give, have, take) rest, settle, be still.

Isa 57:21 There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked. 

The pagan "gods" were like men: they had passions, got mad and cursed you or were made happy and blessed you. The Egyptian gods loved the tears of lamentation, the Greek gods love to dance with the "worship team" the others loved the tambourines, drums and flutes. Apuleius considered any form of music unworthy of the highest God but was the worship "of the nations."

Celsus said that it was well known that "music pertained only to the lowest gods, the demons, and that the highest divine being had no need of melodies and sounds. And again, Philo claimed that:

One cannot truly offer thanks to God as the vast majority of men do, with external effects, consecrated gifts and sacrifices..., but rather with songs of praise and hymns - not such as the audible voice sings, but such as are raised and re-echoed by the invisible mind. (Philo, De Plantations 126 (II 148 Cohn-Wendland)

"The true, highest melody, however, is that which is sung without any voice. It resounds in the interior of man, is vibrating in his heart and in all his limbs. Isaac Loeb Peretz (1912). Click Here for the rest of the story.

That is what Jesus exampled, Paul commanded and the church understood: loud noise hid the noise of the victim and a guitar with or without the G string cannot speak because it has no "breath" and no "lips." The side-blown flute does have a vulva and they alsomade a "male" flute.

Hos 14:1 O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. Hos 14:2 Take with you words, and         turn to the LORD:         say unto him, Take away all iniquity,         and receive us graciously:         so will we render the calves of our lips.

Turn is converted parallel to baptism Epi-strephô return to the source of Being, earlier, children Call upon the name of the lord Forgive our sins the "New Style Prophesied worship."

Heb 13:14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. Heb 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice to God continually,         that is, the fruit of our lips         giving thanks to his name.

Hos 14:3 Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses:
        neither will we say any more to the work of our hands,
        Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.

H4639 ma aseh mah-as-eh' From H6213 ; an action (good or bad); generally a transaction; abstractly activity; by implication a product  (specifically a poem) or (generally) property, CRAFTSMANSHIP.

God did not MAKE the harps and other musical instruments ALL which carry a vile or satanic message. David made "use" of harps which Amos condemns.  Therefore, any musical instrument and the performance is the WORK of human hands. It is PROOF that people are not then REGARDING the Word of the Lord.

Here is the WORK outlawed for the SABBATH devoted to REST, reading and rearshing the WORKS of God's hand.
 
THE WORKS OF HUMAN HANDS: And the harp (kinnowr), and the viol (nebel), the tabret (ssame as hell, toph), and pipe (chaliyl),  and wine, are in their feasts: [religious festivals in Amos]

ARE NOT THOSE OF GOD: but they regard not the work of the LORD, neither consider the operation of his hands. Isaiah 5:12

The ONLY Role for the synagogue for the non-pagans was EDUCATION. Pauls only worship word means to GIVE HEED to God and His Word. The musical agents INTEND to keep you from knowing the truth so THEY can take you captive--and pay them too.

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. Isaiah 5:13

Therefore HELL hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure:         and their glory, and their multitude, and their POMP,         and he that rejoiceth,  shall descend into it. Isaiah 5: 14

Thy POMP is brought down to the graves,     and the noise of thy VIOLS:     the worm is spread under thee, and the worms     [maggots] cover thee. Is.14:11

See our Review of Dave Miller  Part One.

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Musical Worship Index

Kenneth Sublett

8.02.10
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