Music is a divine gift from God, integral to His essence and existing before creation. It surrounds His throne with angelic praises and is woven into daily life as a means to express joy, sorrow, and worship. Used responsibly, music uplifts, as seen when David's harp refreshed Saul. It embodies God's creative order through the seven-note scale, reflecting patterns of His covenant. Angels and the redeemed, including the 144,000, sing unique songs before His throne, praising His works and justice. Though perverted by some, music's purpose remains to honor God, resonating through eternity as a mechanism of time and a testament to His majestic presence.

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The Godly Purpose for Music

'Ready Answer' by David F. Maas

Music, as a gift and blessing from God Almighty, holds a significant place in both the Old and New Testaments. It is through this divine gift that man can offer praise and thanksgiving to Him, expressing emotions ranging from profound sorrow to exhilarating joy. Music serves as a powerful, mood-altering agent, intended to be used with responsibility and care, capable of stirring emotions and charging the hearer with vitality and strength. As demonstrated in I Samuel 16:18-23, David's skillful harp playing refreshed King Saul, alleviating his distress and showcasing music's capacity to influence mood profoundly. Furthermore, music is integral to creating an atmosphere to receive God's Spirit and is a standard fixture in His throne room, reflecting its divine importance. Though it involves sacrifice, requiring time, energy, and hard work, the joy and exhilaration from an acceptable musical offering make the effort worthwhile.

Our Participation in Services

Commentary by John W. Ritenbaugh

We should not trivialize the importance of music in helping our meditation and remembering spiritual lessons, especially regarding congregational singing.

Spiritual Leitmotifs: Patterns of Seven

Sermon by David F. Maas

Music, as a divine gift, is deeply embedded in the essence of God's being, existing before the physical creation came into being. The laws of acoustics and the seven ascending tones of the diatonic scale, personified as wisdom, were already present in the mind of God before any heavenly orbs began to spin. Music and her patterns of rhythm are intrinsic to the emotion and inner nature of His Spirit, embodying attributes that predate all manifestations of the material world. God, in His multifaceted nature, is not only a mechanic but also a musician, among many other roles, showcasing His creative genius through the harmony of tones and rhythms. The recurring motif of the number seven, a pattern that permeates both general and special revelation, is metaphorically represented by an ascending seven-note scale, established before the foundation of the earth. All music ever produced is based on a system of just seven notes, which repeat endlessly as the eighth key begins a new octave, with sharps, flats, and minor notes fitting within this basic structure. God initiated the creation week with the beginning of a seven-note musical scale, a cycle intended to resonate through eternity. The music of tones and rhythm, combined with the movements of heavenly orbs and the swirled wisps of galaxies, forms part of God's mechanism of time and motion, within which the panorama of prophetic events is contained. Furthermore, in all that God does, He leaves a beautiful work of art, displaying the majestic evidence of His presence. The seven-string lyre, referenced in Psalm 49:4, symbolizes the unfolding of divine riddles through music, echoing the ever-recurring pattern of seven that saturates Scripture from Genesis to Revelation. This pattern, evident in the seven-note scale of the kinnor or harp, serves as a mnemonic of God's covenant and creative order, resonating through the appointed times and the cycles of His eternal plan.

The Song of Moses

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Music is a profound gift from God, woven into the fabric of our daily lives and deeply cherished by Him. God created music, and it surrounds Him constantly as choirs of angels praise Him with song at all times. When God created the earth, the angels shouted for joy, singing praises for His handiwork. In the vision of God's throne in heaven, angelic beings continually offer their praises to Him through songs and poetry, extolling Him for His virtues. Anyone approaching His throne does so with song and music, enveloped in the glory and splendor of His presence. Originally, the angelic covering cherub named Helel was created with musical talents and instruments to praise God, giving Him glory and honor. However, he perverted those skills, now inspiring much of the popular music of our day in ways that often stray from God's purpose. Yet, music remains a divine creation meant for worship and joy. We, too, are created to praise God in song, as seen in our worship services and as we will do in the future when we stand before Him in heaven. At that time, having been granted the grace of the first resurrection, we will sing songs to glorify Him for His works, His nature, and His deeds. In the Kingdom of God, the redeemed, particularly the 144,000, are given the privilege of learning and singing a new, unique song before God's throne, a praise that is theirs alone due to their extraordinary experiences in overcoming the world. This song, accompanied by harps and the sound of the sea of glass, reflects a unique perspective on God's work and plan. Additionally, the redeemed sing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb, praising God for His marvelous works and judgments, highlighting His intervention in world affairs, His punishment of the wicked, and His redemption of His people. Whether this refers to one song or two, the themes of God's compassion on His servants and wrath on His enemies resonate deeply, echoing the universal truths of His justice and mercy.