See Adam Clark: the Serpent Genesis 3
See Eusebio Tanicala: are you an ignorant fool for believing what Amos wrote?
Rick Atchley: Justification for sowing discord at Richland Hills. Part One review of "foundation."
Rick Atchley: Our prophecy in 2002. Links to most of the Stoneite "proofs" for instrumental music contrary to Biblical and historical repudiation.
Hippolytus notes the reason for music: And next he orders those that are present to enter, holding laurel branches and shaking them, and uttering cries, and invoking the demon Phryn.
For also it becomes these to invoke him; and it is worthy that they make this request from demons, which they do not wish of themselves to put forward,having lost their minds. The confused noise, however, and the tumult,The literature, especially in Revelation 17-18, music is identified as SORCERY because it takes away the key to knowledge. Most if not all musical terms such as singing are defined as to ENCHANT or to bewitch people often for financial reasons. For instance:
prevent them directing attention to those things which it is supposed (the sorcerer) does in secret.
But what these are, the present is a fair opportunity for us to declare.
Click to see the sin of bringing instruments into the Holy Places.
Adam Clark on Instrumental music and Amos
Click for more mind control.
Click for David Lipscombs False Claims
Musical Worship Teams as Heresy
See the MUSIC connection to HERESY in the Greek language
See how Tertullian connects rituals to heresy.
It helps to know that the words FOR speaking in the ekklesia or synagogue outlawed both poetry and music:
Clement Against Heresies
To me, therefore, that Thracian Orpheus, that Theban, and that Methymnaean,-men, and yet unworthy of the name,-seem to have been deceivers, who, under the pretence of poetry corrupting human life, possessed by a spirit of artful sorcery for purposes of destruction, celebrating crimes in their orgies, and making human woes the materials of religious worship,
were the first to entice men to idols; nay, to build up the stupidity of the nations with blocks of wood and stone,-that is, statues and images,- subjecting to the yoke of extremest bondage the truly noble freedom of those who lived as free citizens under heaven by their songs and incantations.WORKS of self-righteousness in a "worship" sense speaks almost totally of "religious rituals which induce spiritual anxiety." That is the laded burden Jesus died to remove. The word REST or NOT doing SELF-pleasing points almost totally to the demagogue defined as "using popular arts to appease men." Of course the effort of raising up to carry away defines HERESY and "for their own purpose" is defined as KLEPTOMA.
And so all such most savage beasts, and all such blocks of stone, the celestial song has transformed into tractable men. "For even we ourselves were sometime foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another." Thus speaks the apostolic Scripture:
"But after that the kindness and love of God our saviour to man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy, He saved us." 7 7 Tit. iii. 3-5.
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Titus 3:5Paliggenesia (g3824) pal-ing-ghen-es-ee'-ah; from 3825 and 1078; (spiritual) rebirth (the state or the act), i.e. (fig.) spiritual renovation; spec. Messianic restoration: - regeneration.
"we recognize the same elements: the sacrifices and libation, the cultic feast in which the congregation gets a share of food and drink after it has been blessed by the king, and the merry-making, now in the form of instrumental and vocal music. But the central act of the ritual, which was performed by the king, is called literally 'drinking' the god (Gurney, O. R. Some Aspects of Hittite Religion, p. 33-34, Oxford University Press, 1977)Non-church of Christ scholars notes that:
"Sacrifices, rituals, festivals honoring Yahweh abounded, but these rites were tangible evidence of lack of knowledge, for they expressed the popular belief that Yahweh could be pleased and pacified by cultic ceremonies.
"The condemnation of cultic rites introduced in 4:4 f. and 5:4 f. is picked up again with new vehemence. It has been argued that Amos was not opposed to cultic ritual per se but condemned the mind set of the people by which responsibility to Yahweh was performed perfunctorily and without relationship to daily life and society."If we take Amos' words as they stand, there seems to be little doubt that he condemned the entire religious pattern--feasts, sacrifices, ritual music, offerings, tithes--everything. Gerald LaRue, History of the O.T.
"This passage (Amos 5:23-24) shows us that Amos was opposedOf Amos 6, Adam Clark Notes that:to the forms in which people acted out their worship of God,Turning back to the Mosaic period, Amos asks the rhetorical question: 'Did you bring to me sacrifices and offerings the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?" (5:25). He is merciless in his attack on the shrines, especially the royal shrine of Jeroboam II at Bethel (3:14; 7:7-9, 10-17; 9:1). It is very doubtful, however, that he intended a wholesale abolition of the system of worship. Rather, Amos was probably demanding that the cult be purified, for it had become so contaminated by pagan thought and practice that the people had become indifferent to the true worship of Yahweh and the demand of his torah... He demanded that everything be swept away that did not conform to the proper worship of Yahweh." (Anderson, Bernard, Understanding OT, p. 277).
and other passages strengthen this impression.
"Doubtless they sounded harmoniously in their own ears; but it reached no further. Their melody, like much Church-music, was for itself, and ended in itself. 'Let Christian chanters learn hence, not to set the whole devotion of Psalmody in a good voice, subtelty of modulation and rapid intonation, quavering like birds, to tickle the ears of the curious, take them off to themselves and away from prayer, lest they hear from God." (Barnes, Albert, Amos, p. 300)
"The Holy Spirit, uttering His voice by Amos, pronounces the rich to be wretched on account of their luxury: 'Those that drink strained wine, and recline on an ivory couch,' he says; and what else similar he adds by way of reproach. Especial regard is to be paid to decency (as the myth represents Athene, whoever she was, out of regard to it,giving up the pleasure of the flute because of the unseemliness of the sight). (Clement of Alexandria, p. 245)."...these same people were punctilious in their religious observances. Never did such abundant sacrifices smoke to Yahweh from the altars at Dan and Bethel and other sanctuaries in Israel; and the note of praise rose regularly and loudly from tongue and harp.Was not this the worship in which Yahweh delighted? So they thought, but the voice of yahweh through His prophet told a different story." (F.F. Bruce, Israel, p. 58)."The prophets were singularly unimpressed by all this religious busyness. They asserted that the people had abandoned the true God for heathen idolatries and that their much-frequented sanctuaries were sinks of iniquity. Recent archaeological discoveries go a long way towards confirming their condemnation of popular religion. It is significant, for example, that on the ostraca from eighth-century Samaria, the proportion of names compounded with Baal suggests that no less than a third of the population practiced some form of Canaanite religion." (Heaton, E. W., Everyday Life in the Old Testament, Scribners), p. 231).
There was no congregational singing with instrumental accompaniment among the "people's" congregation. There was no praise service in the Synagogue.You have lifted up the shrine of your king, the pedestal of your idols, the star of your god -- which you made for yourselves. -- Amos 5:26"The neighboring gods of Phoenicia, Canaan, Moab--Baal, Melkart, Astarte, Chemosh, Moloch, etc--were particularly attractive to Jerusalem, while the old Sem calf-worship seriously affected the state religion of the Northern Kingdom...the worship of the sun, moon, stars and signs of the Zodiac became so intensely fascinating that these were introduced even into the temple itself (2 Ki. 17:16; 21:3-7; 23:4, 12; Jer. 19:13; Ezek. 8:16; Amos 5:26)" (Int Std Bible Ency., Idolatry, p. 1448).
Yea, ye took the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Raephan, the image of them which ye made for yourselves." Amos 5:26 LXX
See the musical worship of Tammuz by the women in the temple.
"Amos stressed "that violations of the moral law could not be remedied by means of festive rites, offerings, or liturgical indulgence on the part of the sinner. In point of fact, God was already standing beside the altar (Am. 9:1ff), poised and ready to shatter it.No ritual, however, elaborate and symbolic in nature,
could possibly substitute for the sincere worship of the human spirit,
grounded in high moral and ethical principles."
(Harrison, R. K., Introduction to the Old Testmane, Eerdmans, p. 895).
Adam Clark: "There must have been a great deal of luxury and effeminacy among the Israelites at this time; and, consequently, abundance of riches. This was in the time of Jeroboam the second, when the kingdom had enjoyed a long peace. The description in the fourth, fifth, and sixth verses, is that of an Asiatic court even in the present day.
The nature of the singing is defined in the Latin version as:
-Cano I.imp. cante = canite, CarmThis David's Praise Word common to most national sacrificial systems.
Carm. I. Neutr., to utter melodious notes, to sing, sound, play.A. Of men: “si absurde canat,” Cic. Tusc. 2, 4, 12; Plin. Ep. 3, 18, 9: “celebrare dapes canendo,” Ov. M. 5, 113:
2.Of the faulty delivery of an orator, to speak in a sing-song tone: “inclinată ululantique voce more Asiatico canere,” Cic. Or. 8, 27; cf. canto and canticum.—C. Transf., of the instruments by which, or (poet.) of the places in which, the sounds are produced, to sound, resound: “canentes tibiae,” Cic. N. D. 2, 8, 22: “maestae cecinere tubae,” Prop. 4 (5), 11, 9.
MuClarkAmos.html
This includes: Laskô -ring, rattle, crash:--ring, rattle, crash: I. of things, ring when struck, lake chalkos, fear, Phobos
-Gallus , i, m., = Gallos Strab.,A. Galli , ōrum, m., the priests of Cybele, so called because of their raving, Ov. F. 4, 361 sq.; Plin. 5, 32, 42, § 146; 11, 49, 109, § 261; 35, 12, 46, § 165; Paul. ex Fest. p. 95 Müll.; Hor. S. 1, 2, 121.—In sing.: Gallus , i, m., a priest of Cybele, Mart. 3, 81; 11, 74; cf. Quint. 7, 9, 2: “resupinati cessantia tympana Galli,” Juv. 8, 176.—And satirically (on account of their emasculated condition), in the fem.: Gallae , ārum, Cat. 63, 12, and 34.—B. Gallĭcus , a, um, adj.
2. (Acc. to II. A., of or belonging to the priests of Cybele; hence, transf.) Of or belonging to the priests of Isis, Gallic: “turma,” the troop of the priests of Isis, Ov. Am. 2, 13, 18.
-Phobos sound of fear 2.Phobos personified, as son of Ares worshipped at Selinus, IG14.268.2.]. “edōk' Apollōn thēras phobō” Pi.P.5.61; of the person who feels fear, “edōk' Apollōn thēras phobō” Pi.P.5.61; of the person who feels fear,The words for SPEAK in the ekklesia and SPEAKING the Word of God specificially EXCLUDES music.
Hesoid Theogony [ From the Heliconian Muses let us begin to sing, who hold the great and holy mount of Helicon, and dance on soft feet about the deep-blue spring and the altar of the almighty son of Cronos, [5] and, when they have washed their tender bodies in Permessus or in the Horse's Spring or Olmeius, make their fair, lovely dances upon highest Helicon and move with vigorous feet. Thence they arise and go abroad by night, [10] veiled in thick mist, and utter their song with lovely voice, praising Zeus the aegis-holder, and queenly Hera of Argos who walks on golden sandals, and the daughter of Zeus the aegis-holder bright-eyed Athena, and Phoebus Apollo, and Artemis who delights in arrows, [15] and Poseidon the earth holder who shakes the earth, and revered Themis, and quick-glancing Aphrodite, and Hebe with the crown of gold, and fair Dione, Leto, Iapetus, and Cronos the crafty counsellor, Eos, and great Helius, and bright Selene, [20] Earth, too, and great Oceanus, and dark Night, and the holy race of all the other deathless ones that are for ever. And one day they taught Hesiod glorious song while he was shepherding his lambs under holy Helicon, and this word first the goddesses said to me— [25] the Muses of Olympus, daughters of Zeus who holds the aegis:
“Shepherds of the wilderness, wretched things of shame, mere bellies,
we know how to speak many false things as though they were true;
but we know, when we will, to utter true things.”
75] These things, then, the Muses sang who dwell on Olympus, nine daughters begotten by great Zeus, Cleio and Euterpe, Thaleia, Melpomene and Terpsichore, and Erato and Polyhymnia and Urania and Calliope, who is the chiefest of them all,[80] for she attends on worshipful princes: whomever of heaven-nourished princes the daughters of great Zeus honor and behold at his birth, they pour sweet dew upon his tongue, and from his lips flow gracious words. All the people[85] look towards him while he settles causes with true judgements: and he, speaking surely, would soon make wise end even of a great quarrel; for therefore are there princes wise in heart, because when the people are being misguided in their assembly, they set right the matter again[90] with ease, persuading them with gentle words. And when he passes through a gathering, they greet him as a god with gentle reverence, and he is conspicuous amongst the assembled: such is the holy gift of the Muses to men.
For it is through the Muses and far-shooting Apollo thatthere are singers and harpers upon the earth;
[95]
Apollo, of course, is the Abaddon or Apollyon of John's Revelation. The Muses are the singers. As operativess of the Mother of Harlots, the Muses as filthy prostitutes served as SORCERERS along with the speakers and instrumentalists.
Adam Clark: Verse 5. And invent to themselves instruments of music, like David] See the note on 1 Chron. xxiii. 5; and see especially the note on 2 Chron. xxix. 25.-Eph 5: [19]WEB loquentes vobismet ipsis in psalmis et hymnis et canticis spiritalibus cantantes et psallentes in cordibus vestris Domino
-Loquor I. inf. loquier, Naev. ap. Gell. 1, 24, 2), v. dep. n. and a. [Sanscr. lap-, to talk, whisper; Gr. lak-, elakon, laskō], to speak, talk, say (in the lang. of common life, in the tone of conversation; cf. Quint. 9, 4, 10; 11, 3, 45).
-Logik-os , ê, on, ( [logos] ) A. of or for speaking or speech, merē l. the organs of speech, Plu.Cor.38: logikē, hē, speech,
Opposite. mousikē, D.H. Comp. 11; “l. phantasia” expressed in speech, Stoic.2.61.
Opposite ēthi^k-os , ē, on, (al.; ta ēthika a treatise on morals, Id.Pol.1295a36,
Opposite ēthikē hē en ophthalmois the expression of character by the eyes,laughing expressively,Opposite. rhētorikoi, Rh.1355a13.
Again of Cano: "The chant of ancient Hebrews was rhythmical, but probably free of fixed meter. Perhaps the only exceptions were the dancing songs of women, usually accompanied by percussion instruments." (Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible, p. 466).I believe that David was not authorized by the Lord to introduce that multitude of musical instruments into the Divine worship of which we read,
and I am satisfied that his conduct in this respect is most solemnly reprehended by this prophet;
and I farther believe that the use of such instruments of music, in the Christian Church,is without the sanction and against the will of God;
that they are subversive of the spirit of true devotion, and that they are sinful.If there was a woe to them who invented instruments of music, as did David under the law, is there no woe, no curse to them who invent them, and introduce them into the worship of God in the Christian Church?
This source also supports the idea that the music of women was composed to fit the patterns of dance and were, therefore, more like what we would call a "song" than a chant or recitation of the prose form--
Homer, Iliad 14. [1] And the cry of battle was not unmarked of Nestor, albeit at his wine, but he spake winged words to the son of Asclepius: Bethink thee, goodly Machaon, how these things are to be; louder in sooth by the ships waxes the cry of lusty youths.[5] Howbeit do thou now sit where thou art and quaff the flaming wine, until fair-tressed Hecamede shall heat for thee a warm bath, and wash from thee the clotted blood, but I will go straightway to a place of outlook and see what is toward. So spake he and took the well-wrought shield of his son,[10] horse-taming Thrasymedes, that was lying in the hut, all gleaming with bronze; but the son had the shield of his father. And he grasped a valorous spear, tipped with sharp bronze, and took his stand outside the hut, and forthwith saw a deed of shame, even the Achaeans in rout and the Trojans high of heart driving them;
Adam Clark: "I am an old man, and an old minister; and I here declare that I never knew them productive of any good in the worship of God; and have had reason to believe that they were productive of much evil.
"Music, as a science, I esteem and admire: but instruments of music in the house of God I abominate and abhor. This is the abuse of music; and here I register my protest against all such corruptions in the worship of the Author of Christianity. The late venerable and most eminent divine, the Revelation John Wesley, who was a lover of music, and an elegant poet, when asked his opinion of instruments of music being introduced into the chapels of the Methodists said, in his terse and powerful manner,
"I have no objection to instruments of music in our chapels, provided they are neither HEARD nor SEEN."
I say the same, though I think the expense of purchase had better be spared.The word µyfrph happoretim, which we render chant, and the margin quaver, signifies to dance, to skip, &c. (Strong's parat) In the sight of such a text, fiddlers, drummers, waltzers, &c., may well tremble, who perform to excite detestable passions.
That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of musick, like David; Amos 6:5
Parat (h6527) paw-rat'; a prim. root; to scatter words, i. e. prate (or hum): - chant.
Albert Barnes:
"That chant to the voice of the lyre, accompanying the voice of the lyre with the human voice, giving vocal expression and utterance to what the instrumental music spoke without words. The word, which Amos alone uses in this one place, describing probably 'a hurried flow of unmeaning, unconsidered words, in which the rhythm of words and music was everything, the sense, nothing; much like most glees. The E.M. 'quaver' has also some foundation in the root, but does not suit the idiom so well,
which expresses that the act was something done to the voice of the lyre, accompanying the music, not altering the music itself." (Barnes, Albert, Amos, p. 303).
"The central meaning of the Arabic root is "anticipating another," then hurry, negligence, excess, inadvertence in act, and, in speech, exaggeration in praise, and 'got the first word,' 'spoke precipitately, the tongue outrunning the sense.' Walid... says that the corresponding Arabic participle is used to those 'who extemporize poetry, i. e. sing extempore without thought." (Barnes, Albert, Amos, p. 308).
[Paul in First Corinthians compares the lifeless instruments to speaking in tongues. He further identifies "carnal weapons" (same word as instruments) as not suitable for the Christian assembly which does not command "singing" but "speaking" or preaching the inspired Word}
"they employed on their light, enervating unmeaning music, and if they were in earnest enough, justified their inventions by the example of David... The word can mean no other than devise.
He introduced into the Temple-service the use of the stringed instruments, the kinnor, (the lyre) and the nebel (the harp) in addition to the cymbals.
Whence these, in contrast to the trumpets, are called the instruments of David." (Barnes, Albert, Amos, p. 308
"When Amos (6:5) caustically chastises the nouveaux riches and their 'artistic' extravagance, he stressed for the first time the age-old feud between the professonal and dilettante (orig. tr):
- They chant idle songs to the sound of the harp
- and fancy to play their instruments like David.
- -- (The Int. Std. Bible Dict., p. 457).
Notice that when David was about to die he made provisions for the building and organization of the temple. We will see later that Solomon and Hezekiah harken back to David's Temple provisions for their use of instrumental music in temple events widely separated from David.
1 Chronicles 23:
It is too easy to look at
the Old Testament
history through a telescope where every event seems close together.
While David is the "father" and chief proof text for instrumental
worship, note that the "teams" were not organized until late in his
live.
1 Chron 23:5 Moreover four thousand [were] porters; and four thousand praised the LORD with the instruments which I made, [said David], to praise [therewith].
Adam Clark Comments:
CHAPTER XXIII
David makes Solomon king, 1. Numbers the Levites, and appoints them their work, 2-5. The sons of Levi, Gershom, Kohath, Merari, and their descendants, 6-12. The sons of Amram, and their descendants, 13. The sons of Moses, and their descendants, 14-24.
David appoints the Levites to wait on the priests for the service of the sanctuary, 25-32.
NOTES ON CHAP. XXIII
Verse 1. David was old and full of days] On the phrase full of days, see the note on Gen. xxv. 8.
Verse 3. Thirty years and upward] The enumeration of the Levites made in the desert, Num. iv. 3, was from thirty years upwards to fifty years.
In this place, the latter limit is not mentioned, probably because the service was not so labourious now; for the ark being fixed they had no longer any heavy burdens to carry, and therefore even an old man might continue to serve the tabernacle. David made another ordinance afterwards; see on ver. 24, 27.
Verse 24. Twenty years and upward.] It appears that this was a different ordinance from that mentioned ver. 3.
At first he appointed the Levites to serve from thirty years and upward; now from twenty years.
These were David's last orders; see ver. 27. They should begin at an earlier age, and continue later.David has clearly made changes from what the Law commanded.
In verse 5 he makes no pretense that he had orders from God for the musical instruments:
Moreover four thousand were porters; and four thousand praised the Lord with the instruments which I made, said David, to praise therewith. 1 Chronicles 23:5
In Second Chronicles when we see the dedication of the temple with animal sacrifices, we hear it repeated
that David made the instruments for David to praise therewith.
And the priests waited on their offices: the Levites also with instruments of musick of the Lord,1. which David the king had made to praise the Lord, because his mercy endureth for ever,
when David praised by their ministry;
2. and the priests sounded trumpets before them, and all Israel stood. 2 Chronicles 7:6
[Remember that David was a human king permitted by God as His "replacement" when the elders of Israel rejected His Theocratic rule so that they could worship like the nations. The changes which David made were never used for "congregational worship" which would have violated Numbers 10:7 but for His own praise and for the animal sacrifices at the temple area.
Verse 5. Four thousand praised the Lord] David made this distribution according to his own judgment, and from the dictates of his piety;
but it does not appear that he had any positive Divine authority for such arrangements.
As to the instruments of music which he made they are condemned elsewhere;
see Amos vi. 5, to which this verse is allowed to be the parallel.That chant to the sound of the viol, and
invent to themselves instruments of musick, like David; Amos 6:5
So we have the confirmation again that David made instruments for David to praise God. In Amos the Israelites made instruments for the Israelites to chant with. This was identical to David which was for the altar in Jerusalem which was was permitted because David could never return to Gibeon to inquire of the Lord.
If you remember, David was king and the Levitical Warrior Musicians were under the KING and the COMMANDERS OF THE ARMY. David never played or led congregational worship nor could he enter into the Holy Place: the exception when he was starving proves the RULE that singers did not enter into the Holy Place as a type of the body or church of Christ.
On the contrary, Amos speaks of those who were doing all of their pagan music IN THE TEMPLE. Therefore, it was lawful for David to use music for the Civil Temple State but not for the Israelties in the temple.
Verse 11. Therefore they were in one reckoning] The family of Shimei, being small, was united with that of Laadan, that the two families might do that work which otherwise belonged to one, but which would have been too much for either of these separately.
Verse 13. To bless in his name] To bless the people by invoking the name of the Lord.
Verse 14. Moses the man of God] "Moses the prophet of God,"Now concerning Moses the man of God, his sons were named of the tribe of Levi. 1 Chronicles 23:14
Verse 16. To this verse the Targum adds, "The same Jonathan, who became a false prophet, repented in his old age; and David made him his chief treasurer."
Adam Clark: Full Commentary 2 Chronicles 29:
Please note that it is irrational to take the part of the musical instruments without bringing along the sacrifice of animals as a vicarious offering for your own sins. If you do that then you abandon the finished sacrificial work of Lord Jesus. The Catholic Jubilee, from which all Jubilees spring, "is for the atonement of sins." I personally helped people find an authorized cathedral from which they could be "redeemed" at Jubilee 2000.And they brought seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven he goats, for a sin offering for the kingdom, and for the sanctuary, and for Judah. And he commanded the priests the sons of Aaron to offer them on the altar of the Lord. 2 Chronicles 29:21
So they killed the bullocks, and the priests received the blood, and sprinkled it on the altar: likewise, when they had killed the rams, they sprinkled the blood upon the altar: they killed also the lambs, and they sprinkled the blood upon the altar. 2 Chronicles 29:22
And they brought forth the he goats for the sin offering before the king and the congregation; and they laid their hands upon them: 2 Chronicles 29:23
Verse 23. They laid their hands upon them] That is, they confessed their sin;
and as they had by their transgression forfeited their lives,
they now offer these animals to die as vicarious offerings,
their life being taken for the life of their owners.
See more details by Clicking here. All of the evidence is agreed that David AS KING added the instruments whereas God commanded the trumpets as SIGNAL DEVICES but not to MAKE MUSIC..
And the priests killed them, and they made reconciliation with their blood upon the altar, to make an atonement for all Israel:
for the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering should be made for all Israel. 2 Chronicles 29:24
Commandment One: And he set the Levites in the house of the Lord with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the kings seer, and Nathan the prophet:
Commandment Two: for so was the commandment of the Lord by his prophets. 2 Chronicles 29:25
This division of the verse is correct because the next verse confirms it:
Commandment One: And the Levites stood with the instruments of David, (David's Addition for the "like the nations worship)
Commandment Two: and the priests with the trumpets. 2 Chronicles 29:26 (Prescribed by God)
Adam Clark: Verse 25. With cymbals, with psalteries]
Commandment One by Clark: Moses had not appointed any musical instruments to be used in the divine worship;
there was nothing of the kind under the first tabernacle.
The trumpets or horns then used were not for song nor for praise, but as we use bells, i.e., to give notice to the congregation of what they were called to perform, &c.
[They were specificially outlawed by God in Numbers 10:7 for the assembly of the whole congregaton which was only for instruction in a literal "synagogue."]
Commandment Two by Clark: But David did certainly introduce many instruments of music into God's worship, for which we have already seen he was solemnly reproved by the prophet Amos, Amos vi. 1-6.
Which one of these offenses would God approve just so we had a "good mental attitude?"
> HEAR this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, which oppress the poor, which crush the needy, which say to their masters, Bring, and let us drink. Amos 4:1
The Lord God hath sworn by his holiness, that, lo, the days shall come upon you, that he will take you away with hooks, and your posterity with fishhooks. Amos 4:2
And ye shall go out at the breaches, every cow at that which is before her; and ye shall cast them into the palace, saith the Lord. Amos 4: 3
> Come to Beth-el, and transgress; at Gilgal multiply transgression; and bring your sacrifices every morning, and your tithes after three years: Amos 4: 4
> And offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven, and proclaim and publish the free offerings: for this liketh you, O ye children of Israel, saith the Lord God. Amos 4: 5
And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord. Amos 4: 6
And also I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered. Amos 4: 7
> WOE to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came Amos 6: 1
Pass ye unto Calneh, and see; and from thence go ye to Hamath the great: then go down to Gath of the Philistines: be they better than these kingdoms? or their border greater than your border? Amos 6: 2
[Gath was the original place of the Philistine winepress where the harp had its place in a social if disorderly and naked sense]
> Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near; Amos 6: 3
> That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall; Amos 6: 4
> That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of musick, like David; Amos 6: 5
> That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph. Amos 6: 6
> Therefore now shall they go captive with the first that go captive, and the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed. Amos 6:7
We noted above that when David was about to die he made provisions for the building and organization of the temple. Hezekiah looks back to David's Temple provisions for the use of instrumental music in a temple purification event widely separated from David.
Adam Clark continues: Here, however, the author of this book states
he had the commandment of the prophet Nathan, and Gad the king's seer;
and this is stated to have been the commandment of the Lord by his prophets:
but the Syriac and Arabic give this a different turn-"Hezekiah appointed the Levites in the house of the Lord, with instruments of music, and the sound of harps,
and with the HYMNS of DAVID,
and the HYMNS of GAD, the king's prophet,
and of [Hymns of] NATHAN, the king's prophet:
for David sang the praises of the Lord his God,as from the mouth of the prophets."
Any unclear passage must not be used as authority to use sacrificial worship practices in a Spiritual system. Therefore, if we back up to the seventh chapter we will see that the KJV explains chapter 29 exactly as the Syriac version.
And king Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty and two thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep: so the king and all the people dedicated the house of God. 2 Chronicles 7:5
> And the priests waited on their offices: (Religious)
> the Levites also with instruments of musick of the Lord, which (Authorized for Civil-state)David the king had made to praise the Lord,
because his mercy endureth for ever (To stop the plague!)when David praised by their ministry; (Notice: not the congregation!)
and the priests sounded trumpets before them,
and all Israel stood (ordained to be present or stand fast). 2 Chronicles 7:6Did you get it? No? Well, take another look. David did not compose, invent and institute musical instruments under the commanders of the army for you! Nor did he do it for congregational worship.
"The blasts of the trumpets, blown by priests only,
formed--at least in the second Temple--no part of the instrumental music of the service,
but were intended for quite different purposes.
Even the posture of the performers showed this,for while the Levites stood at their desks facing towards the sanctuary, or westwards,
the priests, with their silver trumpets, stood exactly in the opposite direction, on the west side of the rise of the altar, by the 'table of the fat,' and looking eastwards or down the courts.
Edersheim also makes it clear that the "congregation" of the people were shut "outside the gates" or "outside the camp" when the animal sacrifices with David's added noise making began.
Adam Clark continues:
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.
But were it even evident, which it is not, either from this or any other place in the sacred writings, that instruments of music were prescribed by Divine authority under the law, could this be adduced with any semblance of reason, that they ought to be used in Christian worship?
No: the whole spirit, soul, and genius of the Christian religion are against this: and those who know the Church of God best, and what constitutes its genuine spiritual state,
know that these things have been introduced as a substitute for the life and power of religion; and that where they prevail most, there is least of the power of Christianity.
Away with such portentous baubles from the worship of that infinite Spirit who requires his followers to worship him in spirit and in truth, for to no such worship are those instruments friendly. See the texts in the margin; also the use of the trumpets in the sanctuary, Num. x. 2, &c., and the notes there.
Adam Clark NOTES ON Numbers 2 Chronicles CHAP. X
Solomon's wives brought ten thousand harps from Egypt.Verse 2. Make thee two trumpets of silver: The necessity of such instruments will at once appear, when the amazing extent of this numerous army is considered; and how even the sound of two trumpets could reach them all is difficult to conceive; but we may suppose that, when they were sounded, the motion of those that were within reach of that sound taught the others in succession what they should do.
As the trumpets were to be blown by the priests ONLY the sons of Aaron,
In the time of Solomon, when the priests had greatly increased, there were 120 priests sounding with trumpets, 2 Chron. v. 12.
there were only two, because there were only two such persons to use them at this time, Eleazar and Ithamar.
In the time of Joshua there were seven trumpets used by the priests, but these were made, according to our text, of rams' horns, Josh. vi. 4.
Josephus intimates that one of these trumpets was always used to call the nobles together, the other to assemble the people; see ver. 4. It is possible that these trumpets were made of different lengths and wideness, and consequently they would emit different tones.
Thus the sound itself would at once show which was the summons for the congregation, and which for the princes only.
These trumpets were allowed to be emblematical of the sound of the Gospel, and in this reference they appear to be frequently used. Of the fate of the trumpets of the sanctuary, See the note on "Exodus xxv. 31".
"not before David's time do professional musicians appear in the Bible. From where did they come? Considering the apparent connection of professional musicians with the institution of Monarcy, we must bear in mind that in the neighboring countries, Egypt and Assyria, the professional musician was an old and familiar figure. It seems that the midrash alludes to an ancient tradition when it relates that King Solomon's Egyptian wife, daughter of the Pharaoh, carried in her dowry a thousand foreign instruments. Yet an instrument is of no use without a musician able to play it.
Hence, we may assume that the systematic import and subsequent training of professional musicians took place in the era of David and Solomon." (Int Dict of the Bible, Music, p. 457).
"The trained musicians which eventually appear around the time of David and Solomon mark a distinctive change in the history of Jewish music. Before this time much of the music was made by women." (Zondervan Pict., Music p. 313).
All ancient priesthoods were plagued with effeminacy or worse and therefore the women's instruments are taken into the service of their "gods."
Verse
5.
When ye blow an alarm] teruah, probably meaning
short, broken, sharp tones, terminating with long
ones, blown with both the
trumpets at once. From the similarity in the words some suppose that
the Hebrew teruah
was similar to the Roman taratantara, or sound of their clarion.
See
John Calvin on calling the assembly
Teruwah (h8643) ter-oo-aw'; from 7321; clamor, i. e. acclamation of joy or a battle-cry; espec. clangor of trumpets, as an alarum: - alarm, blow (-ing) (of, the) (trumpets), joy, jubile, loud noise, rejoicing, shout (-ing), (high, joyful) sound (-ing).
> At his right hand was the divination for Jerusalem, to appoint captains, to open the mouth in the slaughter, to lift up the voice with shouting, to appoint battering rams against the gates, to cast a mount, and to build a fort. Eze.21:22
> But I will send a fire upon Moab, and it shall devour the palaces of Kirioth: and Moab shall die with tumult, with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet: Am.2:2
> When ye blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey: they shall blow an alarm for their journeys. Nu.10:6
Ruwa (h7321) roo-ah'; a prim. root; to mar (espec. by breaking); fig. to split the ears (with sound), i. e. shout (for alarm or joy): - blow an alarm, cry (alarm, aloud, out), destroy, make a joyful noise, smart, shout (for joy), sound an alarm, triumph.
By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me. Ps.41:11
How to set Ambushment:
2 Chron 20:19 And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with a loud voice on high.
2 Chron 20:20 And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.
2 Chron 20:21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth for ever.
Rinnah (h7440) rin-naw'; from 7442; prop. a creaking (or shrill sound), i. e. shout (of joy or grief): - cry, gladness, joy, proclamation, rejoicing, shouting, sing (-ing), triumph.
And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set AMBUSHMENTS against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten. 2 Chron 20: 22
Ranah (h7439) raw-naw'; a prim. root; to whiz: - rattle.
He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted; neither turneth he back from the sword. Job 39:22
The quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear and the shield. Job 39:23[The Rule of the Trumpets: the trumpets] of alarm for all their service for the [ . . . ] for their commissioned men, 17[by tens of thousands and thousands and hundreds and fifties] and tens. Upon the t[rumpets . . . ]
[ . . . ] )8[ . . . ] 19[ . . . which ] 20 [,, . they shall write . . . the trumpets of Col. 3 the battle formations, and the trumpets for assembling them when the gates of the war are opened so that the infantry might advance, the trumpets for the signal of the slain, the trumpets of 2 the ambush, the trumpets of pursuit when the enemy is defeated, and the trumpets of reassembly when the battle returns.
2 Chron 20:23 For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.
Harmony of the Law - Volume 2 by John Calvin
But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm. Numbers 10:7
"For this office, to which they were appointed, was no servile one, as that they should blow the trumpets at the command of others; but rather did God thus set them over public affairs,
that the people might not tumultuously call their assemblies in the blindness and precipitation of passion, but rather that modesty, gravity, and moderation should be observed in them.
"We know how often in earthly affairs God is not regarded, but counsels are confidently discussed without reference to His word. He testified, therefore, by this employment of the priests,
that all assemblies, except those in which He should preside, were accursed.
"Profane nations also had their ceremonies, such as auguries, supplications, soothsayings, victims, because natural reason dictated that nothing could be engaged in successfully without Divine assistance;
but God would have His people bound to Him in another way, so that, when called by the sound of the sacred trumpets as by a voice from heaven,
they should assemble to holy and pious deliberations. The circumstance of the place also has the same object.
The door of the Tabernacle was to them, as if they placed themselves in the sight; of God.
We will speak of the word dewm, mogned (synagogue) elsewhere. Although it signifies an appointed time, or place, and also an assembly of the people, I prefer translating it convention, because God there in a solemn manner,
as if before His sacred tribunal, called the people to witness, or, according to appointment, proceeded to make a covenant with them.
Thus Malvenda in Poole's Syn., "et clangetis taratantara." The word is used by Ennius "At tuba terribili sonitu taratantara dixit." -- Serv. in, AEn, 4. A.V., "an alarm."
"But the trumpet sounded with its terrible taratantara." Ennius (Q. Ennius)
"The hatsotserah, or straight trumpet (Ps. 98:6; Num. 10:1-10). This name is supposed by some to be an onomatopoetic word, intended to imitate the pulse-like sound of the trumpet, like the Latin taratantara. Some have identified it with the modern trombone."
Verse 34. They could not flay all the burnt-offerings] Peace- offerings, and such like, the Levites might flay and dress; but the whole burnt-offerings,
that is, those which were entirely consumed on the altar, could be touched only by the priests, unless in a case of necessity, such as is mentioned here.
More NOTES ON 1 Chronicles CHAP. XXIII
Adam Clark: David makes Solomon king, 1. Numbers the Levites, and appoints them their work, 2-5. The sons of Levi, Gershom, Kohath, Merari, and their descendants, 6-12. The sons of Amram, and their descendants, 13. The sons of Moses, and their descendants, 14-24. David appoints the Levites to wait on the priests for the service of the sanctuary, 25-32.
Verse 1. David was old and full of days] On the phrase full of days, see the note on Gen. xxv. 8.
Verse 3. Thirty years and upward] The enumeration of the Levites made in the desert, Num. iv. 3, was from thirty years upwards to fifty years.
In this place, the latter limit is not mentioned, probably because the service was not so labourious now; for the ark being fixed they had no longer any heavy burdens to carry, and therefore even an old man might continue to serve the tabernacle. David made another ordinance afterwards; see on ver. 24, 27.
Verse
5.
Four thousand praised the Lord]
David made this distribution according to his own judgment, and from the dictates of his piety;
but it does not appear that he had any positive Divine authority for such arrangements.
As to the instruments of music which he made they are condemned elsewhere;
see Amos vi. 5, to which this verse is allowed to be the parallel.
Verse 11. Therefore they were in one reckoning] The family of Shimei, being small, was united with that of Laadan, that the two families might do that work which otherwise belonged to one, but which would have been too much for either of these separately.
Verse 13. To bless in his name] To bless the people by invoking the name of the Lord.
Verse 14. Moses the man of God] "Moses the prophet of God," - T.
Verse 16. To this verse the Targum adds, "The same Jonathan, who became a false prophet, repented in his old age; and David made him his chief treasurer."
Verse 17. But the sons of Rehabiah were very many.] The Targum says, "On account of the merits of Moses, the posterity of Rehabiah were multiplied to more than sixty myriads."
Verse 22. Their brethren the sons of Kish took them.] This was according to the law made Num. xxvii. 1, &c., and Num. xxxvi. 5-9, in favour of the daughters of Zelophehad, that women who were heiresses should marry in the family of the tribe of their father, and that their estates should not be alienated from them.
Verse 24. Twenty years and upward.] It appears that this was a different ordinance from that mentioned ver. 3.
At first he appointed the Levites to serve from thirty years and upward; now from twenty years.
These were David's last orders; see ver. 27. They should begin at an earlier age, and continue later. This was not a very painful task; the ark being now fixed, and the Levites very numerous, there could be no drudgery.
Verse 28. Purifying of all holy things] Keeping all the vessels and utensils belonging to the sacred service clean and neat.
Verse 29. Both for the shew-bread] It was the priests' office to place this bread before the Lord, and it was their privilege to feed on the old loaves when they were replaced by the new. Some of the rabbins think that the priests sowed, reaped, ground, kneaded, and baked the grain of which the shew-bread was made. This appears to be a conceit. Jerome, in his comment on Mal. i. 6, mentions it in these words: "Panes propositionis quos, juxta traditiones Hebraicas, ipsi serere, ipsi demetere, ipsi molere, ipsi coquere debebatis." For all manner of measure and size] The standards of all weights and measures were kept at the sanctuary, and by those there deposited all the weights and measures of the land were to be tried. See the note on Exod. xxx. 13.
Verse 30. To stand every morning] At the offering of the morning and evening sacrifice, they sounded their musical instruments, and sang praises to God.
The praise in Jerusalem and in all "like the nation's temple" was to make a loud noise which was really a statement of mortal fear. David's "drumming" or "slavering" on the Philistine door shows that this form of "praise" was often to pretend to be insane because, even among the American Indians, made people (and even God) know that they could not be punished. There was always a feeling of mortal fear in and around the temple especially when animals were being offered to appease God. The Hebrew word for praise is--
Halal (h1984) haw-lal'; a prim. root; to be clear (orig. of sound, but usually of color); to shine; hence to make a show, to boast; and thus to be (clamorously) foolish; to rave; causat. to celebrate; also to stultify: - (make) boast (self), celebrate, commend, (deal, make), fool (- ish, -ly), glory, give [light], be (make, feign self) mad (against), give in marriage, [sing, be worthy of] praise, rage, renowned, shine.
This is the word from which LUCIFER is derived.
Verse 32. The charge of the sons of Aaron] It was the priests' business to kill, flay, and dress, as well as to offer, the victims, but being few, they were obliged to employ the Levites to flay those animals. The Levites were, properly speaking, servants to the priests, and were employed about the more servile part of Divine worship.
Counter added
12.06.04 1:45 p 2334 / 682 11.16.06 / rev
1.25.07 862 4.21.07
1044 2.18.09 5000 11.17.09 5263
4.11.11 5609
www.perseus