Abilene Christian University: Rubel Shelly A Stumbling Block For Jesus

Abilene Christian University: Rubel Shelly A Stumbling Block For Jesus
Kenneth Sublett, Piney.com, Hohenwald, Tennessee
Abilene Christian University (ACU): Rubel Shelly at the Restoration Forum XII - Abilene Christian University (ACU), proposes a Post Denominational rule of fellowship with instrumental music. He demands that non-musical churches fellowship instrumental churches to escape the horrors of being: "fratricidal, traditionalist, legalists, unChristian posture, schismatic, Satanic, sectarian, idolatrous, irrelevant, just pushing junk." The same people who don't have the time or inclination to "fellowship" musical churches are said to preach an "ology" of church which is decadent and deliterious. To those without doctorates, that is rotten and destructive. Others have now been assaulted by being called pharisaical and racist for rejecting instrumental music in worship.

Don't Miss Number four: 7/7/03 Shelly at ACU: Wine Drinking focus and DIRTY PICTURES of the New Style Worship. Instrument players were always perverted and known as PARASITES.

Part One Assault of the church of Christ

Part Two Use of Romans 14 to justify music. "Instrumental music, having a glass of wine, the role of women in church leadership. However, a fundamental cultural background of Orphics and Dionysics was singing with instrumental music to "lead them into the presence of the Gods."

Part Three: you are there

> C. Leonard Allen and Richard T. Hughes: Discovering our Roots? No. Calvin: "There is no more marked manifestation of God's wrath than the fact that he permits the decline of his spoken and written Word." When God pours out His wrath, He sends BUFFOONS.

> Royce Money ACU "can't determine the foundation of the church."

> Carrol D. Osburn: Training people to play leading PROPHETIC roles in CHANNELING and FACILITATING change.

See new Summary of Rubel Shelly at ACU on Music and Wine.

However, it is Vinter's 101aaa that:

"New wine is not poured into old wineskins, or they might break, and aged wine is not poured into a new wineskin, or it might spoil." Gospel of Thomas.

But you may like the taste of fresh billy goat.

Click For an Index of Rubel Shelly Sermon Reviews.

Paul Lays The Foundation to Insist Upon Teaching rather than "music" which is secular

Anything Else Was Always Divisive and Violates Romans 14

Well, we seem to be climbing up to the music connection. But, as usual, let's back up to the context. Dr. Shelly identifies things like the non-use of instrumental music as a horribly judgmental position unless you affirm that those who do use instruments are ok.
The use of Romans 14 to give everyone the right to do their thing and others no right to object is used as proof-text. In part 2 we noted that "don't get drunk on wine" included, among the Greeks, the flute player or other instrument player. In Romans 14 Paul said that the kingdom consists NOT of EATING and DRINKING. We showed that this repudiated the wine drinking, flute playing festivals of Dionysus where the KOMO or dance meant a naked, perverted dance.

In chapter 13 Paul demanded:

But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. Romans 13:14

Rather than the naked, musical, wine drinking festivals Paul insisted that we be CLOTHED with Christ. Then we should be FILLED with the Word or Spirit of Christ and TEACH one another with the Biblical Text as the way to glorify God with one voice in Romans 15.

Now, all of the historical evidence I have collected--from the Tower of Babel onward--shows that music is to satisfy the human lusts in the belief that humans can be seduced or called into their churches by music then surely the gods can be called down by a musical worship team which is quite identical in function to a pipe organ.

Paul pictures us "sinking into the clothing" of Christ.

And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Col.3:10

Now, Jesus didn't do "choirs" and "instrumental bands" and "worship entertainment" or play the organ (yes, they existed) so while "wearing" Lord Jesus Christ we should not attempt to preside over Him with a band.

This then leads into chapter 14 but that will be covered here. You will notice that the first part of the chapter has a later part of the chapter which is ignored.

Now that we have that cleared out and can see that one way not to put a stumbling block in front of someone is to just stay with the Words of Christ which are Spirit and Life. We will see later that they tried to put a stumbling block in the front of Jesus by "standing in the gap" to get Him to panic so they could defeat Him.

No one can get upset if we just read the Word and not try to make hash out of it to justify our existence.

WE then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to PLEASE ourselves. Rom 15:1

PLEASE IS: Aresko (g700) ar-es'-ko; prob. from 142 (through the idea of exciting emotions)

AIRO (g142) ah'ee-ro; a prim. verb; to LIFT; by impl. to take up or AWAY; fig. to RAISE THE VOICE, KEEP IN SUSPENSE the MIND

Music works ONLY because it produces spiritual excitement. Preachers RAISE THE VOICE only because they need to create spiritual anxiety to seem important.

Jesus came to give REST which is the opposite of what we too often see as worship but it rarely gives us real satisfaction.

Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

The laded burden which fits Paul's idea and which Jesus died to remove is the Greek:

Phortizo (g5412) for-tid'-zo; from 5414; to LOAD up.. figurative to OVERBURDEN with CEREMONIAL or SPIRITUAL ANXIETY.

And it is the TITHE to pay for something for which Jesus Christ DIED. You tithe and you repudiate the SACRIFICE of Christ and when you MUSICATE you repudiate the WORD of Christ by the GIFT of Lucifer or Satan "the harp-playing and singing prostitute."

Phoros (g5411) for'-os; from 5342; a load (as borne,) i.e. (fig.) a tax (prop. an individ. assessment on persons or property; whereas 5056 is usually a gen. toll on goods or travel): - tribute.

You cannot pressure or lay on a guilt trip about the LAW OF GIVING. People are now free to worship IN SPIRIT and not in budgets.

Jesus came to give REST which is the opposite of what we too often see as worship but it rarely gives us real satisfaction. The laded burden which fits Paul's idea and which Jesus died to remove is the Greek:

Anapauo (g373) an-up-ow'-o; from 303 and 3973; (reflex.) to REPOSE (lit. or fig. [be EXEMPT], remain); by imp. to REFRESH: - take EASE, refresh, (give, take) rest.

Pauo (g3973) pow'-o; a prim. verb ("pause"); to stop (trans. or intrans.), i.e. restrain, quit, desist, come to an end: - cease, leave, refrain.

FORASMUCH then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind (Holy Spirit, two-edged Sword): for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 1 Peter 4:1

That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the FLESH to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 1 Peter 4:2

For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, REVELLINGS, BANQUETINGS, and abominable idolatries: 1 Peter 4:3

This was the SPORT or PLAY at Mount Sinai which was MUSICAL IDOLATRY. For that crime God REMOVED the BOOK OF THE COVENANT and saddled them (and You) with THE BOOK OF THE LAW (tithing, priesthoods, musicians to mock).

Hesoid: The Shield of Heracles

The men were making merry with festivities and dances; some were bringing home a bride to her husband on a well-wheeled car (chariot), while the bridal-song swelled high, and the glow of blazing torches held by handmaidens rolled in waves afar.

And these maidens went before, delighting in the festival;

and after them came frolicsome choirs,

the youths singing soft-mouthed to the sound of shrill pipes,

while the echo was shivered around them,

and the girls led on the lovely dance to the sound of lyres.

Then again on the other side was a rout of young men revelling,

with flutes playing; some frolicking with dance and song, and

others were going forward in time with a flute player and laughing.

The whole town was filled with mirth and dance and festivity.

(ll. 285-304) Others again were mounted on horseback and galloping before the town. And there were ploughmen breaking up the good soil, clothed in tunics girt up. Also there was a wide cornland and some men were reaping with sharp hooks the stalks which bended with the weight of the cars -- as if they were reaping Demeter's grain: others were binding the sheaves with bands and were spreading the threshing floor.

And some held reaping hooks and were gathering the vintage, while others were taking from the reapers into baskets white and black clusters from the long rows of vines which were heavy with leaves and tendrils of silver. Others again were gathering them into baskets.

Beside them was a row of vines in gold, the splendid work of cunning Hephaestus: it had shivering leaves and stakes of silver and was laden with grapes which turned black (5).

And there were men treading out the grapes and others drawing off liquor. Also there were men boxing and wrestling, and huntsmen chasing swift hares with a leash of sharp-toothed dogs before them, they eager to catch the hares, and the hares eager to escape.

Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. (education or spirit house building) Rom 15:2

Edification is instruction for moral or spiritual instruction or improvement.

For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me. Rom 15:3

Psalm 41 uses the word ALARM or TRIUMPH OVER. Judas and team would try to melt the heart of Jesus with "musical instruments and 'making a joyful noise before the Lore'." This was the common warrior's chant trying to destroy the enemy with cowardice. We will look at the musical reproaches and stumbling block the Jews put in front of Jesus. These REPROACHES still fall on anyone who will not bow to Baal when the clergy pipes.

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

Psalm 22, 41 and all the rest were WRITTEN FOR OUR LEARNING. All of the Old Testament is consistent in associating music with the warriors, prostitutes and those holding festivals or revelery where you were PIPED DOWN with music and wine.

Learning means INSTRUCTION or informing, doctrine, learning or teaching. Paul made a rule: we can please our neighbor only by EDIFICATION which is teaching that which is written.

Hope is to "anticipate with pleasure." Can human songs do that?

The Spirit of Christ inspired ALL that was written (1 Peter 1:11; Rev 1910).

Comfort of the Scripture CANNOT occur when you frazzle nerves and claim that YOUR songs were inspired by Christ. Sure, some claim to "lead you into the presence of God" through their performance.

Paraklesis (g3874) par-ak'-lay-sis; from 3870; imploration, hortation, solace: - comfort, consolation, EXHORTATION, intreaty.

Patience means cheerfulness. Melody also means cheerfulness as "she has a MELODIOUS voice" or "she has a GRACEFUL walk."

Only Jesus Christ is the Paraklete and He said that God ONLY seeks those who can worship in the PLACE of their spirit as it gives heed to THE TRUTH: the Word of Christ or Spirit.

ONLY His Words can produce this patience and comfort.

Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: Rom 15:5

Everyone can be likeminded and "speak the same things" if they speak the Scriptures which must be "taught as they have been taught." Then the SUBSTITUTE for pagan singing and music can be performed to glorify God rather than the rhetoricians, Sophists, hypocrites who are all parasites.

That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify (praise) 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

I believe that is the same thing as "Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs" which were written aforetime by the Spirit of Christ (1 Peter 1:11).

Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,

singing and making melody IN your HEART to the Lord; Eph 5:19

Plato understood that MELODY had did not demand an INSTRUMENT.

"At any rate you can tell that a SONG or ODE has three parts --the words, the MELODY, and the rhythm; that degree of knowledge I may presuppose?"

Paul said that the SINGING is the ODE: Plato says that the ODE or song has MELODY. Therefore, Paul does not remotely speak of a MUSICAL effort but and EDIFICATION or EDUCATIONAL process. The TEXT BOOK is the Inspired WORDS of Christ which are SPIRIT and LIFE.

If we listen Paul explains that "that which is written" means "the Spirit" and the "Word of Christ." Singing with MELODY in the heart is not musical but is explained as singing with GRACE in the heart.

teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,

singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Col.3:16

Charis (g5485) khar'-ece... Spiritual: the DIVINE INFLUENCE upon the HEART, and its REFLECTION in the life; including GRATITUDE

The same Plato who said that an ODE must have MELODY also wrote about musical training which with gymnastic was required of Warriors but quite despised in the performers who were normally the "lower classes."

"And therefore, I said, Glaucon, musical training is a more potent instrument than any other,

because rhythm and harmony find their way into the INWARD places of the SOUL, on which they mightily fasten, imparting GRACE, and making the soul of him who is rightly EDUCATED graceful,

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Eph 5:20

What kind of machinery could we propose to produce COMFORT in the heart?

Cycle One	Cycle Two
15:1 WE then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.	15:10 And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.
15:2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. 15:3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.	15:11 And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people.
For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning (teaching), that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Romans 15:4	And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust. Romans 15:12
Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: Romans 15:5	Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. Romans 15:13
That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify (tell of His works) God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:6	And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. Romans 15:14
Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister (deacon) of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: Romans 15:8	Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God. Romans 15:15
And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will	(2) that the offering (bloodless sacrifice) up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. Romans 15:16
(1) confess to thee among the Gentiles, and	(1) That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God,
(2) sing unto thy name. Romans 15:9	ministering the gospel of God,

And, you know what? Learning means "for your doctrine." Old consistent Paul said something like that to Timothy:

Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. 1 Timothy 4:13

Musical agents have universally moved beyond the "confused epistles" but we like Paul.

And, you know what? Comfort of the scriptures sound a bit like "teaching and admonishing" one another with the same Biblical text written aforetime for our learning by our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: Rom 15:5

Now, let Dr. Shelly tell you about irrelevant bunch of junk but which we believe is the punch line to Romans Chapter 14 which does not allow "unity in diversity."

So Romans 15:5, 6: "May the God who gives endurance and encouragement

give you a spirit of unity among yourselves

as you follow Christ Jesus so that with one heart and

one mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Glorify means:

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.

But you cannot glorify God by waving your hands and singing: "Glorify thy name over and over."

And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. Lu.2:20

If we use the "glorifying" praise songs of sister singer then guess who we are praising: Yep! Sister Singer.

One mouth means "unanimously." This is defeated if one group glorifies itself and many of the "one another" do not agree with because the teaching is silly praise songs and not the Word of Christ.

You know, in the Classical writers and church Fathers, "speaking with one voice" meant unison singing. In "melody" there is no harmony. Doesn't Paul to the Romans sound like Paul to the Ephesians:

Following Christ in this situation is speaking the Words of Christ which are Spirit and Life (John 6:63)

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Ephesians 5:18

Speak (preach) to one another (unanimously in Romans) with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. (What was written aforetime in Romans)

Sing and make melody (with one voice)

in your heart to the Lord, Ephesians 5:19

And, I'll betcha that this doesn't mean Sister Singer or A Cappella Cal or Cowboy Dan's songs because the punch lline to the "liberty" in Romans chaper 14 is literally impossible unless we listen to Chapter 15:4--

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

Neither one of these sounds like theatrical performance! Doesn't this also sound like Colossians 3?

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Colossians 3:15

Let the word of Christ (spirit John 6:63) dwell in you richly in all wisdom;

teaching (preaching = no music) and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, [That means inspired and you ain't]

singing (Ado = no music) with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Colossians 3:16

You cannot SPEAK or PREACH externally and SING externally at the same time just as you cannot RUN and WALK at the same time. Therefore, Paul does not remotely use a MUSICAL term but a TEACHING of the Bible term.

There can be no peace when the bull dogs ram musical teams and instruments on the heads of the congregation when a large group will always war against you in spirit if not in fact.

Choirs and instruments violate the clear teaching of the inspired Word.

So the unity which the speaker demands from Romans 14 and the no judgments passed based on verse 13a is proof-texted to prove that we should all "walk hand in hand without seeing eye to eye" and not pass any judgments however wrong people may be and however grievous or how much sectarianism created by the addition of instruments.

> However, the Roman conclusion is identical to the Ephesian and Colossian texts which discuss group singing of the inspired Word of God to one another as a way to teach and admonish one another.

> The unity which Dr. Shelly demands from Romans 14 is lost when..

> He repudiates the view of non-instrumental music as Junk.

> But the "junk" is proven in the very next chapter to define the method, resource and purpose for what we call "singing" but Paul tailed speaking (preaching) the doctrine of the revealed Word.

> You cannot do that

with sister singer

seducing Sam

who can't see Jesus

through sister singer's gown.

No. That is not extreme: female authority in religion has always been and always seen as sexual authority. Orphic music was a problem in Rome as Dionysic music was a problem in Jerusalem in in Ephesus.

Paul said that where this unity exists within a given congregation in Rome it demands that they follow Christ which is to teach what He taught.

There must be one heart or spirit uniting the people and they must speak with one mouth.

The result would be to glorify God by repeating what Lord Jesus Christ taught.

Now, you are not filled with the spirit (Word of Christ) if what spills over is your own composition in song and sermon.

There is no teaching and admonishing while music is played any more than a preacher teaches or speaks while the band plays.

Therefore, the unity, tolerance and non-judgmentalism can exist only among a body of believers who can say the same thing with one voice of unity because what it is saying is repeating the Words or Spirit of Christ.

No human content can be injected without destroying the unity for someone.

Paul absolutely passed judgment on the Ephesians who drank wine because it would automatically lead to the wine-induced, music-induced charismatic prophesying (singing with instruments) universally practiced in the idolatry out of which many had just come. Therefore, declaring practices wrong is not forbidden and strange as it seems, the wineskin music of the pagans was explicitly excluded by defining using the Word of Christ to teach and admonish and the "singing and melody" could be in the heart because external melody meant to "grind to bits" like the sop Jesus fed Judas.

Let's look again at Dr. Shelly's proof-text about judging:

In the first section Dr. Shelly just quoted part a of Romans 14:13.

In a sermon (linked above by the blue) Rubel proof-texted Romans 14 even going to the extreme of cutting verse 13 off in the middle of Christ's speech through Paul. Rubel wrote:

> Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another (Rom. 14:9-13a).

Now, that is a Post-Modern approach. if the apostles were divided men in divided churches then why shouldn't we just take the first part of Paul's verse (which is correct) and cut off the second part which is "just Paul's opinion" I suppose.

But a half truth is a whole error. Now, listen to Paul:

> Let us not therefore judge one another any more: (a)

but judge this rather,

that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brothers way. Romans 14:13

Can you detect the difference? The difference is that we ARE to judge. And this judgment means that we choose not to do something which is a stumbling block.

A stumbling block as we saw in PART TWO was specificially attributed to trying to tempt or get some one to relax their principles about drinking wine. They put a stumbling block in front of Jesus when they piped hoping that they woudl dance the perverted song and dance. Tempting people and even browbeating non-instrumentalists is tempting them and making one guilt of deliberately trying to trip up or PIPE DOWN a believer who answers to God.

If we replace Christ's Words of song and sermon and add instruments we are judging and condemning those with Biblical maturity to be forced out our OUR fellowship.

The Witness of the Dead Sea Scrolls

Psalm 41 predicted that Judas would try to Triumph Over Jesus. That means with musical instruments.

Everyone understood that the "musical" instruments were instruments of warfare and triumph over the enemy:

"The priests shall blow the trumpets of massacre, and the Levites and all the blowers of the ram's horn shall sound a battle alarm,

and the foot soldiers shall stretch out their hands against the host...

and at the sound of the alarm they shall begin to bring down the slain.

All the people shall cease their clamor,

but the priests shall continue to blow the trumpets of massacre." - War Scroll
Using the instruments given to panic the enemy would be -- is turned against Jesus -- so that people who come to worship cannot her Him: it is deliberate massacre or a holocaust against God by attacking His people.

The Thanksgiving Hymns (1QH) from the Dead Sea Scrolls interprets Psalm 41:
7

And they, teachers of lies and seers of falsehood,

have schemed against me a devilish scheme,

to exchange the Law engraved on my heart by Thee

for the smooth things which they speak to Thy people.

It was the Pharisees who were Post-Modern with the assumed authority to ignore God's Word just so they could impose their own law. But, the punch line is:

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

And they withhold from the thirst the drink of Knowledge, (Amos 5, 6, 8, Isa 5) and assuage their thirst with vinegar,

that they may gaze on their straying,

on thei folly concerning their feast-days (Jubilee, Feast of Tabernacles) on their fall into their snares.

But Thou, O God,

dost despise all Satan's designs;

it is Thy purpose that they shall be done

and the design of Thy heart

that shall be established for ever.

Satan's design here is specificially to "stand in the gap" with musical instruments to destroy Jesus and His Word.
As for them, they dissemble,

they plan devilish schemes.

They seek Thee with a double heart

and are not confirmed in Thy truth.

The instruments [sword or psaltery) also of the churl (withholding instructions) are evil (afflicting): he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying (sham) words, even when the needy speaketh right. Isaiah 32:7 These satanic devices are musical instruments

A root bearing poisoned and bitter fruit

is in their designs;

they walk in stubbornness of heart

and see Thee among idols,

then they set before them

the stumbling-block of their sin.

10 Then they took wives, each choosing for himself; whom they began to approach, and with whom they cohabited; teaching them sorcery, incantations, and the dividing of roots and trees. Enoch Chapter Seven
And along with these charmed stones, they delivered the arts of the things pertaining to each, and imparted the discovery of magic, and taught astronomy, and the powers of roots

8

They come to inquire of Thee

from the mouth of lying prophets deceived by error (Eze 13)

Who speak with strange lips to Thy people,

and an alien tongue,

That they may cunningly turn

all their work to folly.

Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the Lord. Ezekiel 33:30

And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hearthy words,

but they will not do them:

for with their mouth they shew much love,

but their heart goeth after their covetousness. Ezekiel 33: 31

And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song

of one that hath a pleasant voice,

and can play well on an instrument:

for they hear thy words,

but they do them not. Ezekiel 33: 32

And when this cometh to pass, (lo, it will come,)

then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them. Ezekiel 33: 33

For Thou, O God, hast sheltered me

from the children of men

And hast hidden Thy Law within me

against the time when Thou shoudst

reveal Thy salvation to me. (Isaiah 11:1-3)

All who have eaten my bread

have lifted their heel against me (cf John 13:18)

And all those joined to my Council

have mocked me with wicked lips. (Children piping)

Thy members of my Covenant have rebelled

and have murmured round about me;

They have gone as talebearers

before the children of mischief

concerning the mystery which Thou hast hidden in me...

They have overtaken me in a narrow pass (gap) without escape

And there is no rest for me in my trial.

They sound my censure upon a harp

and their murmuring and storming upon a zither." Ps.41:11
The War Rule explains:
The one priest shall walk before all the men of the battle line to encourage them for battle.
In the hands of the remaining six shall be the trumpets of assembly' the trumpets of memorial, the trumpets of the alarm, the trumpets of pursuit, and the trumpets of reassembly.

When the priests go out into the gap between the battle lines,
seven Levites shall go out with them. In their hands shall be seven trumpets of rams' horns.
Three officers from among the Levites shall walk before the priests and the Levites.

Then the priests shall blow on the trumpets of the slain [and the Levites and the al] the people with rams' horns shall sound a signal for battle. The infantry shall attack the army of the Kittim, [and as the soun]d [of the si]gnal [goes forth],

they shall begin to bring down their slain. Then all the people shall still the sound of the signal,
while the priests continuously blow on [the trumpets of the slain], and the bat[tl]e p[revail]s against the K[ittim, and the troops of Belia]l are defeated before them. Thus in the th[ird] lot [ . . . ] to fall slain [ .
. .
The clergy claimed that Jesus worked by Beelzebub or Beliar. Therefore, they could go into battle against him to slay Him to the sound of musical instruments.
Like Judas (the flute-playing assassin), Ahithophel proposed to betray David by attacking him with the instruments of warfare. Ahithophel is a prophetic symbol of Judas:
MOREOVER Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night 2 Samuel 17:1

And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite (h5221) the king only: 2 Samuel 17:2

And I will bring back all the people unto thee: the man whom thou seekest is as if all returned: so all the people shall be in peace. 2 Samuel 17:3
Zechariah prophesies this of Messiah:
Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts:

smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered (a stumbling block):

and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones. Zech 13:7
In preparation for the musical "triumph over" with trumpets and the Judas' instruments Jesus showed the spiritual power of a hymn:
And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. Matthew 26:30

Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. Matthew 26:31

In the Dead Sea Scrolls translation Jesus responds as Judas and the clergy planned:

Anguish seizes me

like the pangs of a woman in travail, (John 16:21)

and my heart is troubled within me.

I am clothed in blackness

and my tongue cleaves to the roof of my mouth. (Vermes, 165f)

9

My strength has gone from my body

and my heart runs out like water;

my flesh is dissolved like wax

and the strength of my loins is turned to fear.

My arm is torn from its socket

and I can lift my hand no more;

My foot is held by fetters

and my knees slide like water;
Agrippa would later establish a Seeker-Center and the Levitical agents of panic would be restored to wear linen garments.

However, before Jesus, Antiochus established the same system in Jerusalem and changed the law. Hebrew 11 speaks of women receiving their dead. This is defined only in the 4th book of Maccabees.

The same punishment was executed upon Eleazar and sons.

The instrument of torture

Tumpanizo (g5178) toom-pan-id'-zo; from a der. of 5180 (mean, a drum, 'tympanum"); to stretch on an instrument of torture resembling a drum, and thus beat to death: - torture.

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.

I can no longer walk.

I cannot step forward lightly,

For my legs and arms are bound by shackles

which cause me to stumble.

The tongue is gone back which Thou didst make

marvelously mighty within my mouth;

it can no longer give voice.

I have no word for my disciples

to revive the spirit of those who stumble

and to speak words of support to the weary.

My circumcised lips are dumb.

But the band plays on - yea, even to the foot of the cross!
However, in hymn 11, Jesus triumphs in the Spirit and Makes melody in the heart and offers up the "fruit of the lips." Why? Because we no longer come to the sound of trumpets.
They enter my heart and reach into my bones to...

and to meditate in sorrowful meditation.

I will groan with the zither of lamentation

in all grief-stricken mourning and bitter complaint

until iniquity and wickedness are consumed

and the disease-bringing scourge is no more.

Then will I play

on the zither of deliverance

and the harp of joy,

on the tabors of prayer

and the pipe of praise without end
The Community Rule (1QS) reads in part:
And at the beginning of their weeks

for the season of Jubilee.

All my life the engraved Precept shall be on my tongue

as the fruit of praise

and the portion of my lips.

I will sing with knowledge and all my music

shall be for the glory of God.
Why is that?

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

(My) lyre (and) my harp shall sound

for His holy order

and I will tune the pipe of my lips

to His right measure.
"Such allegorizing passages contain the nucleuses of the later substance, and perhaps the presage of the future trends of Christian music. The first three centuries of the church witnessed many controversies; some of them concerned themselves directly with music. The most important of these issues were:

(a) organized versus spontaneous praying and singing;

(b) scriptural versus extrascriptural poems;

(c) fusion with Hellenistic music;

(d) vocal versus instrumental music;

(e) the rise of monasticism and its influence upon ecclesiastical chant." (Interpreter's Dict of the Bible, Music, p. 467).

The instrument of torture defined in Hebrews 11:35

Tumpanizo (g5178) toom-pan-id'-zo; from a der. of 5180 (mean, a drum, 'tympanum"); to stretch on an instrument of torture resembling a drum, and thus beat to death: - torture.

tympanum , i (collat. form typa(-num , Cat. 63, 8 sq.), n., = tumpanon, a drum, timbrel, tambour, tambourine.

I. Lit.

A. Esp., as beaten by the priests of Cybele, Lucr. 2, 618; Cat. 63, 8 sq.; Verg. A. 9, 619; Ov. M. 3, 537; 4, 29; 4, 391; id. F. 4, 213; Plaut. Poen. 5, 5, 38; Caes. B. C. 3, 105; Curt. 8, 11, 20; 8, 14, 10; Tac. H. 5, 5, --Also by the Bacchantine females, Ov. M. 11, 17.--

Beaten by the Parthians as a signal in battle in place of the tuba, Just. 41, 2, 8.--

B. Trop., a timbrel, etc., as a figure of something effeminate, enervating: tympana eloquentiae, Quint. 5, 12, 21 : in manu tympanum est, Sen. Vit. Beat. 13, 3 .--

II. Transf., of things of a like shape.

A. A drum or wheel, in machines for raising weights, in water-organs, etc., Lucr. 4, 905; Verg. G. 2, 444; Vitr. 10, 4; Plin. 18, 34, 77, § 332; Dig. 19, 2, 19.--

taratantara , an onomatopee, representing the sound of the tuba: at tuba terribili sonitu taratantara dixit, Enn. ap. Prisc. p. 842 P. (Ann. v. 452 Vahl.)

Again 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.

In Fourth Maccabees, Eleazar and his sons are murdered because they refused to participate in the Hellenistic worship at the Temple. This worship never totally ceased and Dionysus was clearly the new wine god the clergy tried to get Jesus to sing and dance to as they played pipes. Because He refused to disqualify Himself, they tortured Him just like Antiochus would have. Being "stretched out of joint" gave its name to the drum frame referred to in Hebrews 11:35:

"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.eumlautni.''

Paul outlawed this in 1 Cor. 13:

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.

As the panic music of the priests "standing in the gap" with all of the clamor of the Levites, the enemy was supposed to be frightened to death or cowardice. Gideon showed how it was done. Furthermore, in the worship common in places like Corinth and Ephesus one could literally emasculate himself or give his body to be burned when the goddess or or effeminate priests (called dogs) attacked you with musical instruments.

Defining the worship of Cybele or ZOE it is noted that:

The worship was orgiastic in the extreme, and was accompanied by the sound of such frenzy-producing instruments as the tympana, cymbala, tibiæ, and cornu,

and culminated in scourging, self-mutilation, syncope from excitement. and even death from hemorrhage or heart-failure (cf. Lucr. 2.598ff.; Varr. Sat. Men. 131 Büch.ff.; Ov. Fast. 4.179ff.).

Syncope: Webster. 1) the dropping of the sounds or letters from the middle of a word. 2) fainting, or loss of consciousness, caused by a temporary deficiency of blood supply to the brain.

"The early connection of Attis with the Mother of the Gods seems to point to the association of an original male element with an original female element as the parents of all things.

But in the age of tradition Attis appears as a servant instead of an equal,

and the subordination of the male to the female element is further emphasized by the representation of Attis,

like the Galli of historic times, as an emasculated priest.

See The Eve-Sophia-Zoe connection.

Therefore, it was easy for the effeminate priesthood tp hope that Jesus was Dionysus. After all, He had created about 160 gallons of wine as a key sign to them. Like his lectures, this was a parable to hide the truth from the clergy (Matthew 13)

But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: Jn.12:37

The prophets of wine, after all, were then and would be in the end-times the dominant marketers of religious religions. God will press them out in His winepress.

Sir James George Frazer (1854&endash;1941). The Golden Bough. 1922. On human Sacrifice.

Among the Lhota Naga, one of the many savage tribes who inhabit the deep rugged labyrinthine glens which wind into the mountains from the rich valley of , it used to be a common custom to chop off the heads, hands, and feet of people they met with, and then to stick up the severed extremities in their fields to ensure a good crop of grain.

They bore no ill-will whatever to the persons upon whom they operated in this unceremonious fashion.

Once they flayed a boy alive, carved him in pieces, and distributed the flesh among all the villagers, who put it into their corn-bins to avert bad luck and ensure plentiful crops of grain.

The Gonds of India, a Dravidian race, kidnapped Brahman boys, and kept them as victims to be sacrificed on various occasions.

At sowing and reaping, after a triumphal procession, one of the lads was slain by being punctured with a poisoned arrow.

His blood was then sprinkled over the ploughed field or the ripe crop,

and his flesh was devoured.

Among the Meriah: "Human sacrifices were offered to the Earth Goddess by tribes, branches of tribes, or villages, both at periodical festivals and on extraordinary occasions. The periodical sacrifices were generally so arranged by tribes and divisions of tribes that each head of a family was enabled, at least once a year, to procure a shred of flesh for his fields, generally about the time when his chief crop was laid down.

All of the Babylonian, Cannanite, or Egyptian worship of the Hebrews came out of this area. All ritual with music and sacrifice was a fertility ritual. The Feast of Tabernacles to which Jesus at first refused to attend was a giant fertility ritual much like the modern Jubilee where the "sacraficial victims" are the enemies of the musical team playing around the "trees" or Asherah poles or free-standing, non-functional columns.

The mode of performing these tribal sacrifices was as follows. Ten or twelve days before the sacrifice, the victim was devoted by cutting off his hair, which, until then, had been kept unshorn.

Crowds of men and women assembled to witness the sacrifice; none might be excluded, since the sacrifice was declared to be for all mankind. It was preceded by several days of wild revelry and gross debauchery.

On the day before the sacrifice the victim, dressed in a new garment, was led forth from the village in solemn procession, with music and dancing, to the Meriah grove, a clump of high forest trees standing a little way from the village and untouched by the axe.

There they tied him to a post, which was sometimes placed between two plants of the sankissar shrub.

And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left. Mark 15:27

He was then anointed with oil, ghee, and turmeric, and adorned with flowers;

and a species of reverence, which it is not easy to distinguish from adoration, was paid to him throughout the day.

A great struggle now arose to obtain the smallest relic from his person; a particle of the turmeric paste with which he was smeared, or a drop of his spittle, was esteemed of sovereign virtue, especially by the women.

And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. Matthew 27:35

The crowd danced round the post to music, and addressing the earth, said, "O God, we offer this sacrifice to you; give us good crops, seasons, and health";

And they that passed by reviled (blasphemed) him, wagging (poetic to stir or shake) their heads, Matthew 27:39

The mocked Him with a taunting question and this was probably a taunt song.

then speaking to the victim they said,

"We bought you with a price, and did not seize you; now we sacrifice you according to custom, and no sin rests with us."

On the last morning the orgies, which had been scarcely interrupted during the night, were resumed, and continued till noon, when they ceased,

and the assembly proceeded to consummate the sacrifice.

The victim was again anointed with oil, and each person touched the anointed part, and wiped the oil on his own head.

Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. John 12:3

Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this. John 12:7

In some places they took the victim in procession round the village, from door to door, where some plucked hair from his head, and others begged for a drop of his spittle, with which they anointed their heads.

When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. Jn.9:6

As the victim might not be bound nor make any show of resistance, the bones of his arms and, if necessary, his legs were broken; but often this precaution was rendered unnecessary by stupefying him with opium.

There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall (opium); but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. Matt 27:34

The mode of putting him to death varied in different places. One of the commonest modes seems to have been strangulation, or squeezing to death.

The branch of a green tree was cleft several feet down the middle; the victim's neck (in other places, his chest) was inserted in the cleft, which the priest, aided by his assistants, strove with all his force to close.

Then he wounded the victim slightly with his axe, whereupon the crowd rushed at the wretch and hewed the flesh from the bones, leaving the head and bowels untouched.

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isa 53:5

Naga (h5060) naw-gah'; a prim. root; prop. to touch, i. e. lay the hand upon (for any purpose; euphem., to lie with a woman); by impl. to reach (fig. to arrive, acquire); violently, to strike (punish, defeat, destroy, etc.): - beat, (* be able to) bring (down), cast, come (nigh), draw near (nigh), get up, happen, join, near, plague, reach (up), smite, strike, touch.

Nagan (h5059) naw-gan'; a prim. root; prop. to thrum, i. e. beat a tune with the fingers; espec. to play on a stringed instrument; hence (gen.) to make music: - player on instruments, sing to the stringed instruments, melody, ministrel, play (-er, -ing..

Negiynah (h5058) neg-ee-naw'; from 5059; prop. instrumental music; by impl. a stringed instrument; by extens. a poem set to music; spec. an epigram: - stringed instrument, musick, Neginoth [plur.], song

The Naga was the serpent or Satan. Jesus identified Judas as filled with Satan and of the clergy He said:

Ye serpents (Satans), ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? Matthew 23:33

Because these self-appoinnted clergy loved to change the Law Jesus refused to speak to them. Therefore, He spoke in parables (Matthew 13) to keep them from hearing and obeying.

In some way, people continue to be the agents of Satan because they have damaged their souls.

See the Serpent Connection:

In the Western traditions we find the same ubiquity for the Naga, or Serpent. One simple example is the Ancient Greek Goddess, Athena. She is known as a warrior Goddess as well as the Goddess of Wisdom; her symbol being the Serpent as displayed on her personal shield.

Of course, in Genesis the Serpent is a Naga who instructs the new infant (humanity) in what is called the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

Nachash (h5175) naw-khawsh'; from 5172; a snake (from its hiss): - serpent

Nachuwsh (h5153) naw-khoosh'; appar. pass. part. of 5172 (perh. in the sense of ringing, i. e. bell-metal; or from the red color of the throat of a serpent [5175, as denom.] when hissing); coppery, i. e. (fig.) hard: - of brass.

The black-necked cobra (Naja nigricollis), a small form widely distributed in Africa, is also a spitter. Venom is accurately directed at the victim's eyes at distances of more than 2 m (7 feet) and may cause temporary, or even permanent, blindness unless promptly washed away. The Indian cobra (naja Naja) has a spectacle-like mark on its exceptionally wide hood.

Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands, Matthew 26:67

Job said:

He hath made me also a byword of the people; and aforetime I was as a tabret (Timpania or tambourine). Jb.17:6KJV

God has made me a byword to everyone, a man in whose face people spit. Job 17:6NIV

It means the same thing: when the "serpents" spat in Jesus' face they also "stretched His 'hide' and beat Him like a drum."

Watch for him next Sunday:

And if you stand too close, it will spit in your face as it is trying to defeat Jesus and His Word.

Hislop's Two Babylons Represents The Serpent and The Stock See Adam Clarks Commentary

Doctor Shelly and friends believe that they can structure a new system but when it includes women, preside-over teams and instruments it is just an ongoing attack from the clergy.

Rubel Shelly ACU: Our post-denominational world is waiting for someone to offer what we've always claimed to preach. Our post-denominational world is waiting for someone to step up and offer them a real, live, working model of what we've always claimed to preach. My question is, "Will we serve it, or will God have to raise up somebody else to take the message that we once claimed as our own?" But I guess the larger and more important question is, "Will we honor Christ, by offering them that lived model?"

(Applause)

Well, we end where we began: with Paul demanding that the word of Christ be the "resource" for next Sunday in both song and sermon:

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

The Post Denominational church is defined much like the Post Modern church. Post Modernism is always based upon the perceived failure of organized or "secular, seeker" religion and looks for a rescue from some new gimmick. The ACU accommodation has been fulfilled at Jubilee 1999 and will be furthered at Jubilee 2000 led by Rubel Shelly.

Notes from: (Abilene Christian University, Restoration Forum XII).

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Part One---Part Two---Part Three

Notes from: (Abilene Christian University, Restoration Forum XII).

See a more recent assault against non-musical churches.

See That Romans 14 Limits freedom of Romans 15 by defining singing: not instruments

First Musical Heresy Musical Worship Teams

Musical Heresy 2: Hippolytus on Music and Soothsaying

Hippolytus Book V

Orphic Music

Orphic Connection to Romans 14

Rhea-Saturn-Zoe Connection

Classical Index

Musical Worship Index

Church Fathers

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