|
 Bro.
Turner:
In
view of 2 Chron. 29:25-36; Psm. 81: 1-5; and Amos 6:5; was
instrumental music under the Law of Moses a commandment? If
not,, was it permissible? Was it condemned?
P.W., Ala.
Reply:
Periodically
the question about David and the instruments comes to the
surface, to be rehashed. It is an excellent opportunity to show
prejudices (as if special opportunity was needed) for there are
some aspects of the problem that have no certain answer. It
should be noted here that we are not subject to the Law of
Moses; our worship must find its authority in the New Testament
of Christ.
There
is no evidence of mechanical instruments of music related to the
Jewish tabernacle, nor to the institution of the various
sacrifices or festivals. But some 450 years later it seems
instruments were common in certain phases of worship.
With
the coming of God’s Glory into the Temple which Solomon built,
there was great instrumentation. Adam Clarke, opposed to such
music in the church, says, “Cymbals, psalteries, and harps, of
any kind, in union with a hundred and twenty trumpets or horns,
could not produce much harmony — as to melody,
that must have been impossible, as the noise was too
great.” (2 Chron. 5:12-f) But even Clarke must admit that
instrumental usage was there.
Concerning
the authority for such, Clarke cites the Syriac and Arabic texts
on 2 Chron. 29:25 and says, "It was by the hand
|
|
or commandment of the Lord and his prophets
that the Levites should praise the Lord for so the Hebrew
text may be understood; and it was by the order of David
that so many instruments of music should be introduced into the
Divine service.” I can not verify such texts.
The
Hardeman-Boswell Debate has an interesting exchange on this.
Hardeman did not deny instruments in Solomon's and Zerubbabel’s
temple, but argued there was no evidence for such in the temple
built by Herod.
Psm.
81: 1-5 says the feast day is a statute for Israel,
appointed in Joseph, commemorating deliverance from bondage.
(Passover)
Amos
6:5 is not, in my judgement, a woe pronounced on the
instruments, per se; nor did David invent the first instrument.
(Gen. 4:21, etc.) This passage condemns the “at ease in Zion”
attitude that prevailed despite God’s obvious warnings. Note
5:21-f. God hated even their “solemn assemblies” etc., done
without justice and righteousness.
We
can not go to David, or to Jewish worship under Judaism, for
authority for N. T. church worship. If Temple worship authorizes
harps, it also authorizes animal sacrifice and a priestly
system. But both priesthood and law are changed (Heb. 7:12) and
we find authority for religious service in the New Covenant.
There we are taught by command and example to sing “making
melody in your heart to the Lord.” (Eph. 5:19 1 Cor. 14:15) We
have no authority to play. (Period!)
[Previous
Article] [Next
Article]
|
