Is Music Really That Important
Music has always and will always be a major concern for any person who is trying to live for God. This is especially important for teenagers because they are constantly being faced with the issue of what kind of music they should listen to. Should they listen to good Godly music that is spiritual and beneficial for the new man or what appeals to their flesh and is popular by society’s standard.
Therefore in this lesson we will show why this battle is so important and how Satan influences the world’s music, and also what is the right kind of music for a saved born again child of God.
The Origin of Music :
- The original purpose of music was to praise God. Note in Job 38:4-8 that the creation of the earth is the context and the morning stars sang together and the sons of God shouted for joy.
- Now one might be thinking that just because it says they sang it doesn’t mean that they had music. But in Revelation 14:2-4 we see the voice of harpers harping with their harps.
- Now when we go over to Ezekiel 28:13,14 that Satan before he fell and became Satan was the anointed cherub that covereth. And in verse 13 we see he had tabrets and pipes created in him. (Tabret- small drum ; Pipes- wind instruments)
- So Satan from the very beginning is associated with music and you can be sure that if he was connected with good music before he sinned and fell, he will be connected with bad music after his fall.
- Now in Genesis 4:21 we see the 1st human connected with music. It was Jubal who is one of Cain’s descendants. So right out of the box we see something negative about music.
Bad Music Throughout the Bible :
Many do not see anything wrong with rock, pop, rap, alternative, country or any other form of worldly music. But that is because they do not see the source behind the music, Satan. Many people do not believe that music can really affect how a person acts or thinks. But Satan knows very well that it does and he uses it to his advantage. Why do you think that religion not matter what kind it is has some sort of music associated with it. Why do you think people like to depressing music when they are sad or broken hearted. Why do you think women like to take off their clothes at rock concerts? Why do you think there are so many songs about sex, drugs and alcohol? Why do you think that when an upbeat rock and roll song that you like comes on the radio in the car you tend to drive a little faster?
Music affects our moods and actions and Satan will use this to his advantage every time. In the following list we will show examples of music being associated with bad things throughout the work of God.
- Exodus 32:1-28 Here we have the first time that Israel worships a false God. Note that the people are singing and dancing. Note also that they are naked(verse25). Do you still wonder why people like to remove clothing in association with music? It is of the Devil!
- Job 21:10-14 Here we see a group of people who dance and rejoice at the sound of the organ and take also the timbrel and harp yet they tell God to depart from them.
- Daniel 3:5,7,15 Here we see the image that Nebuchadnezzar had made and note that people were supposed to bow down and worship it at the sound of music. The image here is a type of the anti-christ and he will be worshiped with music also. Remember that Satan is connected with music and Satan desires worship and uses music to counterfeit worshiping God.
- Amos 6:5-6 Here Israel uses music but not to worship God.
Good Music Through the Bible :
Now music was originally for praising and worshiping God. Therefore in the Bible you will see some times where music was used for that purpose. We will see this in the following examples.
- Exodus 15:1-21 Here the children of sing a song of praise to the Lord for delivering them out of the hand of Pharaoh and the bondage of Eygpt.
- 2 Samuel 6:14-15 David and Israel sing and dance before the Lord in regards to the return of the ark. Now someone might be wondering about this dancing. Well you can rest assured that it is nothing like the dancing of our modern day.
- 1 Chronicles 16:4-7 David here assigns a choir for the worship and praising of God.
- Revelation 14:2 Here we have the proper music for worshiping God in Heaven.
- Matthew 26:30 Here Jesus has the disciples sing a hymn before they go to the garden to pray. Now that is amazing when you consider that many churches are getting rid of their Hymnals today.
Music for the Church Age :
Once again this is a very important issue. As we have seen above we know there is a right kind of music and a wrong kind of music. And we have seen who is exactly behind the wrong kind of music. In the time that we live in (the church age) the Bible gives us to verses on the proper kind of music for worshiping God. The verses are:
Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16
Now in these 2 passages we see the right kind of music is:
1) Psalms 2) Hymns 3) Spiritual Songs
*Psalms are the Psalms that are found in the Bible. If you have never heard someone sing a Psalm you are missing a blessing.
*Hymns are what are found in your Hymnals. Note a hymn usually has a good scriptural application and many times could even be preached. Now isn’t interesting that many churches are getting rid of their Hymnals today and replacing it with so called praise and worship music. We must remember that Satan is an expert at perverting music and we can rest assured that God would not have us get rid of the hymns when he put them in the approved music list twice for the church age.
*Spiritual Songs are songs that appeal to the spirit and not the flesh or the sensual side of man. They should be played on an instrument that will give a spiritual sound and not a worldly or fleshly sound and beat.
The question always comes up what makes a song spiritual. It is not the words. Many country or rock and roll songs have Jesus’ name in them and that doesn’t make them spiritual. It is not necessarily the instrument many worldly songs are played on the piano and that doesn’t make them spiritual.
It is the beat that makes them spiritual. That is why there is no such thing as Christian rock, Christian rap, Christian alternative, or even Christian pop. You can’t take worldly music and beats and put some so called Christian words to them and call them spiritual. This is just a clever trick of the devil to mess up music in the house of God.
Is Music Really That Important : Handout
What was the original purpose of music? Give a reference.
How is Satan connected with music?
Who is the 1st human connected with music and who is he a descendant of?
Give a chain reference for music being associated with bad things in the Bible.
Give a chain reference for music being connected with good things in the Bible>
What are the 2 key scriptures that tell us what kind of music we should listen to today?
What are the 3 kinds of music we should listen to today? Define each group.
What makes a song spiritual?