#6: INSTRUMENTS & DANCE IN WORSHIP; A BIBLE HISTORY

Many Charismatic and Pentecostal Protestant denominations practice dance during worship services. Congregants frequently dance during services as an act of worship. Some Charismatics practice the "prophetic dance."

This is a brief and selective history of people praising deity in the Bible; this includes both mechanical worship and dance, true and false worship. Notice that the high places were authorized until the Temple was built. When God placed His name in Zion, it became an exclusive place for acceptable national worship.

The origin of instruments of music. "And his brother's name [was] Jubal [a descendant of Cain]: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ" (Genesis 4:21). It is supposed by some that these skills were transferred to the new earth via Noah and his family.

Hospitality Use of Instruments. Laban, Jacob's father-in-law and an idol worshipper, asks Jacob: " ... I might have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp?" (Genesis 31:27).

JOB. The wicked in Job’s day: "children dance ... sing to the tambourine and harp, and rejoice to the sound of the flute" (Job 21:11,12).

INSTANCES OF WORSHIP:

1. SINGING AT THE SEA CROSSING. In honor of God's deliverance from Egyptian bondage on the east bank of the Sea, Moses and the people sang. “Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD.” (Exodus 15:1).

2. SINGING, INSTRUMENTS, DANCING. At the same time, Miriam and her ladies danced to the sound of timbrels (or tamborines, Exodus 15:20, 21) and she testified (H6030), "We should sing to the Lord ... "

3. SINGING AT WATER AT BEER. God gave the people water. "Then Israel sang this song, Spring up, O well; sing ye unto it" (Numbers 21:17).

4. MUSIC AND DANCING AT SINAI: "THE SOUND OF SONGS." When Moses and Joshua came down from the presence of God in Mount Sinai, they heard the sound of songs (BBE) and they saw the image and people dancing (Exodus 32:18, 19).

5. MOSES SINGS MESSAGE. "And Moses spake in the ears of all the congregation of Israel the words of this song, until they were ended” (Deuteronomy 31:30).

PERIOD OF THE JUDGES: THE TABERNACLE & “HIGH PLACES”

6. DEBORAH AND BARAK. "Then sang Deborah and Barak … Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, ... I will sing [praise] to the LORD God of Israel” Judges 5:1-3.

HOSPITALITY SINGING/DANCING with INSTRUMENTS: "And Jephthah came … his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances" (Judges 11:34).

7. SAMUEL'S HIGH PLACE. “ … thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy” (1 Samuel 10:5).

PERIOD OF THE KINGS c 1100- 600 BC

SAUL.

JUST CELEBRATION. " … the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of music" (I Samuel 18:6).

JUST THERAPEUTIC MUSIC: "And it came to pass, when the [evil] spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him" (I Samuel 16:23).

DAVID:

8. DAVID'S MUSIC AND DANCING: music included dancing before the ark of the covenant. "And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals” (2 Samuel 6:5-14).

9. "THE HIGH PLACES" temporary. "Only the people sacrificed in high places, because there was no house built unto the name of the LORD, until those days” (1 Kings 3:2). “And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar” (1 Kings 3:4). After the temple was built and the Lord's name was placed there, the high places were to be removed.

10. THE LEVITES AND INSTRUMENTS IN THE WORSHIP. "And he set the Levites in the house of the LORD [in addition to singing] with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king's seer, and Nathan the prophet: for [so was] the commandment of the LORD by his prophets" (II Chronicles 29:25). "Moreover David and the captains of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals ... under the hands of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with a harp, to give thanks and to praise the LORD" (1 Chronicles 25:1-3). " ... instruments which I made, [said David], to praise [therewith]" (1 Chronicles 23:5).

11. RESTORATION OF “TRUE” TEMPLE WORSHIP. Solomon had a many voice, salaried choir with furnished houses, but years later the choir and musicians seemed to fall into disuse due to idolatry. Then in Hezekiah's day, the instruments and choir were brought back together again to praise the Lord, as the prophets had commanded David. 2 Chronicles 29.

12. THE FALSE WORSHIP IN SAMARIA AND THE ILLEGAL HIGH PLACES "IMITATED" JERUSALEM AND DAVID'S WORSHIP. “I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. 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. Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols” (Amos 5:21-23). “ ... and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall; That chant to the sound of the viol, and inventⁱ to themselves instruments of musick, like Davidⁱⁱ” (Amos 6:4,5).

RETURN FROM CAPTIVITY c 500- 300 BC

13. MUSIC FOR WORSHIP. The historian Josephus informs us that after the captivity the foreign king gave them instruments to use in the worship of God [Antiquites 11:3;8]. He shows them returning to Jerusalem with instruments of music in great joy. [Antiquites 11:3,9]

14. REBUILT TEMPLE. The temple again resounded with joy, as they sang to the accompaniment of all kinds of instruments, for we are told by one, Jesus, the son of Sirach, "The singers sang praises with their voice, with variety of sounds was there made sweet melody" (Ecclesiasticus 1:18). ⁱⁱⁱ

15. RESTORING AGAIN THE TEMPLE AND WORSHIP. Idol worship in Babylon was accompanied by musical instruments (Daniel 3:5, 15; cf. Isaiah 14:11).^iv Recovering from the captivity, Israel had its sacred Psalter, its trained singers (Ezra 2:41; Nehemiah 7:44), its skilled musicians (Psalm 42; 49, etc.); and the praise that waited for God in Zion was full of the solemn beauty of holiness (Psalm 29:2; Psalm 96:9).

PERIOD OF GREEK--ROMAN c 300- 4 BC

16. HEROD'S TEMPLE AND JESUS. Jesus was born under Herod's refurbished and magnificant Temple.^v The synagogues were assembly places for instruction throughout the Empire. Meanwhile, Levitical sacrifices, singing, dancing and playing according to the commandments continued at the Temple until 70 A. D.

^{SUMMARY. Starting with deliverance from Egypt, Israel worshipped God in song with voices, instruments, and dancing along with the sacrifices. When God placed His name in Jerusalem and the Temple was completed, Israel was limited in this worship to the Levitical services at the Temple.}

- Gaylon West

Throw Out the Lifeline

-- -- Thanks to my editors, Janie Ward & Mary West.