Worship ~ The Music Connection (Pt. 5)

(To read the previous posts in this series click on the "worship" label on my sidebar)


As previously mentioned in these posts, contemporary Christian worship is almost always synonymous with music.  With music so prevalently associated with worship, you would think that this connection would be prevalent in Scripture as well.  So, out of the 188 verses that contain the words worship, worshipper, worshipped, and/or worshipping guess how many also mention music?  Just guess.... 100? 150? 80????


Wrong.


Seven.


Really, only seven?  And yet in modern church a worship service translates into 30-45 minutes of loud music, singing, and "worshipping".  The Bible does talk about both worship and music extensively... but it seems that it doesn't talk about them much together.


Before I continue, I want to clarify some things.   I believe music can be worshipful.  I'm not against using music in a worship setting in church.  However, I hope that in the last few posts you've seen that worship is MUCH more than music.  In fact, with only seven verses in the Scripture mentioning music and worship together, it seems that the modern church has gotten things a little out of balance.  Worship does NOT equal music.


Let me say that again in case you missed it.


Worship DOES NOT equal music... and it never has and never will.


Music can be "worshipful" in style; i.e. reverent, but music is not worship and worship is not music.  I've tried not to use the dictionary definition of worship when doing these posts, because I was seeking to define worship from the Scripture.  I know what the dictionary definition is, but I've purposely not included it.  However, I think looking at the dictionary might be useful in seeing why worship is NOT music.


Here's how the Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines worship.  reverence offered a divine being or supernatural power;also : an act of expressing such reverence.


Worship means reverence, and it does include the act expressing reverence.  So, with that in mind let's ask the question.  Is music an act that expresses reverence?  I think it can be, but I think the vast majority of music used in churches today does not express reverence.  In fact, I can even think of many traditional hymns that don't necessarily express reverence.  They may express other good things like praise, thanksgiving, and adoration, but they don't always express reverence.  Again, I don't have a problem with using Christian music in church, but let's be honest about what we call it.  If it isn't worshipful, then we shouldn't be calling it worship.  


Here's one of the verses that mentions music and worship.  II Chronicles 29:30 Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the LORD with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshipped.  This is a verse that properly calls the music what it is.  It's praise.  The act of reverence (bowing their heads) is properly called worship.  We need to realize that there's a difference between praise and worship.  They are not the same thing. 


There is a type of music that is worshipful.  Psalm 66:4 All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah.  In light of what many other verses teach us about worship, we can certainly conclude that this was reverent, humble, singing.  It was directed towards God and focused on Him, since worship is never focused on self.  


Let's go back to II Chronicles 29 for a second and look at that passage in a bit more context. And the Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets. And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD began also with the trumpets, and with the instruments ordained by David king of Israel. And all the congregation worshipped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded: and all this continued until the burnt offering was finished. And when they had made an end of offering, the king and all that were present with him bowed themselves, and worshipped (II Chr. 29:26-29).  Here again we see a major component of worship is sacrifice.  In fact, this entire chapter details the sacrifices in the temple.  The music is only a small part of the entire picture.  Notice that it's the congregation that worships, but designated people played the trumpets and sang.  At the end of the offering we have the king and the people bowing themselves and worshipping.  What a beautiful scene this must have been.  It says that the Levites played the "song of the LORD."  I really don't think we even have any idea of what the song sounded like.  I can imagine it was one of the most beautiful melodies ever written, played with the most beautiful harmony on beautiful sounding instruments.  I can imagine that it was pure, good, lovely, and altogether melodious music.  Why?  Because God loves beautiful things.  Because if it's the Lord's song, it would be the best that could be offered.  Because God deserves no less than our best, but even that pales in comparison to His beauty and greatness.


With that in mind, let me ask this.  What is beautiful about the modern praise band?  What about that music is lovely?  What about it is melodious?  Oh, you say you like it.  It's your style.  It's got a good beat.  It's got a catchy tune.  It makes you want to move.  I'm a classical musician, so of course I wouldn't like a drum set and bass guitar.  Those are "inferior" instruments.   I don't like it because I'm old fashioned.  It's just about personal taste.   Is it really? Is what is "supposed" to be my worship of God about MY personal taste?  Is it about what I like?  Why is this "supposed worship music" now about me?  Isn't it supposed to be about God?


Again, I'm not against good Christian music.  I'm a musician!  I LIKE music!  I even like Christian music.  BUT, I do have a problem with people calling music worship when it's not.  So, let's just be honest.  Aren't Christians supposed to be honest?  Let's call our music what it is, and stop misleading people into thinking worship music is about a feel-good emotional response to a style of music that WE like.   That's not worship, that's just being selfish, and the Bible says we are to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Christ (Matt. 16:24).  Biblical worship is never about self, never about what we like, and never about what pleases us.  Biblical worship is 100% about God.  


Music may be a part of worship, but true worship goes way beyond singing a few praise choruses on a Sunday morning or listening to the Christian radio station.  True worship is much deeper.  In studying worship and writing these articles, I've realized how limited my own understanding is of worship.  I really don't think I have much of a grasp on the biblical concept of worship.  After reading Genesis 22 and realizing that Abraham was prepared to worship by killing his son as a sacrifice to God, I was humbled. I haven't even come close to worshipping God the way Abraham did!  


I've learned by doing this study that worship is a result of being close to God.  The more I develop my relationship with Him, the more I will worship Him.  The closer I am the God, the more biblical my worship will be.  I see many Christians who have devalued the idea of worship into something flippant and so far removed from the worship found in Scripture. Worship has been reduced in many cases to mere entertainment, emotional highs, and even jam sessions.  Worship is so much more than that!  Instead of "rocking out for Jesus", we should be bowing before our Almighty Creator and giving Him the glory, praise, and reverence that is due to Him.

I Chronicles 16:29

Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

Revelation 7:11

And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God.

Worship ~ Spirt AND Truth (Pt. 4)

I've tried to stay away from letting the dictionary define worship while doing these posts.  I know what the word means, but I want to know what the Bible says it means.  Often we bring preconceived ideas about what words mean to our reading of the Scripture based on our culture, upbringing, geographic location, etc.  Wine is a perfect example of this.  Did you know that most times when the Bible mentions wine it's actually speaking of grape juice?  We (people now-a-days) always think of wine as being alcoholic, because that's what it is in our culture.  In the Bible it wasn't like that.  That just shows how important it is to let the Bible do the defining when it comes to our words and ideas.  So, how do we do that?  We have to read it, and we have to ask the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom.  James 1:5.  So what is worship biblically? Let's put the preconceived ideas aside.  Let's forget about how the "church" defines and practices worship.  Let's not go by the pastor's opinion or someone else's opinion.  Let's just use the Word.

John 4:19-24  The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

This Scripture is a key passage on worship.  The woman at the well brings up worship, and Jesus corrects her false perception of what exactly worship is.  According to what Jesus said here worship is basically two things.  It is spirit, and it is truth.  

The Bible has a lot to say about truth 

John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.   

Psalm 119:160 Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.  

II Samuel 7:28 And now, O Lord GOD, thou art that God, and thy words be true, and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant.  

Jeremiah 10:10  But the LORD is the true God... 

Romans 3:4 ...yea, let God be true, but every man a liar...

Truth is God's Word.  Truth is God.  True worship must conform with God's Word, because God's Word is true.  We cannot worship the sun, because God has told us that is wrong.  Worshipping images is wrong.  Allowing worldliness to characterize our worship is wrong.   Hypocritical worship is wrong.  Disorderly worship is wrong.  Worship that is characterized by the wants of self is wrong.  Why? Because the Bible, the truth, tells us these things.  Worship MUST be true.

The spirit part of this verse is a bit harder.  At least it is for me.  I think this is what gives people the idea that worship is a matter of the heart.  I agree with this statement in part.  The Bible has a lot to say about our hearts.

Proverbs 28:26 He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool... Hmmm... think about that for a minute. That's why we need Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.  Jeremiah 17:9 tells us our heart is deceitful and desperately wicked.  Worship is a matter of the heart.  Has our heart been cleansed by God?  Have our sins been forgiven?  Have we been searched our heart, and asked Got to reveal any wickedness in us?  Have we put pride out of our hearts?  Have we died to self and completely surrendered our hearts to Christ?  That's what our heart worship is.  Worship is not, my heart is worshipping, so I can us whatever music I like.  Worship is not about musical preference.   It's not about music that reaches my heart. Why?  Because all those things are about ME.  Worship is about GOD!!!  My feelings, desires, preferences, likes, and dislikes have ZERO to do with worship!  Worship IS a matter of the heart.  It's about getting my heart's focus OFF of myself and what I like and ON to God.  

Notice, Jesus didn't separate spirit and truth in worship.  That's because it's impossible to have true worship without both.  Many today want to "worship" God using worldly means.  They want to create and atmosphere of worship characterized by dim lighting, repetitious singing of mantra like phrases, and unbalanced non-musical music, all of which leads to some sort of emotional high, which apparently is supposed to be worship.  When someone shows me people worshipping like this in the Scripture, I'll go along with it, but to me, this is not worshipping in truth.  Where in the Bible did people worship in a darkness?  Maybe it's just me, but I find the fact that a lot "worship" concerts and church worship services are dark a little creepy.  Especially when the Bible says and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil (John 3:19).... just sayin'. 

Worship ~ Significance of Action (Pt. 3)

As I've mentioned before in these posts, I've recently been reading and studying verses in the Bible about worship.  The Scripture mentions the word worship, worshipped, and/or worshipping in 188 verses.  These articles are not meant to be an exhaustive study on worship, but instead, they are some observations I've made.  I'm learning a lot about what God's Word has to say about worship.  A lot of it is things I've known, but God is just renewing and deepening my understanding.  I hope by writing down my thoughts, others will be encouraged.


One thing that's really stood out to me when reading these verses about worship is what the people were doing while they were worshipping.   Worship is something that encompasses our entire being.  It involves our mind, emotions, spirit, and even our actions.  Action is significant, because it shows what's in our heart, and how many times have we heard that worship should come from our hearts.  Much modern Christian worship is characterized by bodily actions such as raising hands, lifting heads, closing eyes, and swaying.  There's some extreme groups who call themselves Christians who even convulse, laugh hysterically, and roll around on the floor all in the name of worship.   A quick google search of worship images will reveal a majority of this type of picture.  

There's nothing inherently wrong with raising one's hands or looking up while worshipping. However,  I found that more frequently in Scripture something completely opposite was happening. Not every verse that mentions worship says what the people were doing, but some do.  Out of the 188 verses, 37 of them describe worship as bowing the head, falling down, kneeling, and/or falling down on one's face.  I've selected a few verses to illustrate this.  One from the end of the Bible, one from the beginning, and one from the middle, just to show that God's Word is consistent throughout.

Revelation 22:8 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.

Genesis 24:26 And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the LORD.

Psalm 95:6 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.

My question is this.  If most of the actions accompanying worship in the Bible are bowing, kneeling and falling on one's face, why are we constantly portraying worship as the complete opposite today? Again, out of these 188 verses dealing with worship, only twice is worship described as lifting something up.  Count that: 2 times versus 37 times.  Here's the first verse.  Read it carefully.

Nehemiah 8:6 And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

If you read this verse carefully, you noticed that the lifting up of hands actually DID NOT accompany the worship.  The people lifted up their hands in agreement with what Ezra was saying.  They worshiped by bowing their heads and having their faces towards the ground. 

Second verse. Deuteronomy 4:19 And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.

This verse is also interesting, because it is speaking about false worship.  This whole passage is a command to Israel against falling into the ways of the heathen nations around them and worshipping idols.  Part of that warning is this verse reminding Israel to take caution about looking at the power of the heavenly bodies and forgetting that it's God who created them. 

Think about that verse, and then think about this picture that I found on a Christian graphics website.  What does it look like this person is worshipping?

 Or what about this picture.  What's being worshipped here?  (also from the same website)

This one kind of reminds me of this verse. Ezekiel 8:16 And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD's house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east.


Reading these verses and knowing how many Christians today worship made me ask the question... why?  Why do so many lift their hands, when in the Scriptures they were falling on their faces?  Why do we use a sun and lifted hands in so many pictures showing worship, when Israel was specifically forbidden to look at the sun?  Again, I'm not saying that lifting your hands towards the sky when worshipping God is wrong in and of itself.  I'm just saying, it didn't happen a whole lot in Scripture.  I believe there's significance to the fact that 37 times in the Scripture worship is accompanied by bowing, kneeling, or falling down.  


These actions speak strongly to an attitude of humility and reverence. Think about it. When someone is showing reverence to the Queen of England, they don't run up to her, start jumping, raising their hands, tossing their heads back, swaying back and forth (to loud, heavily syncopated music), and closing their eyes.  They bow and/or kneel.  Sometimes our actions do speak louder than our words.  Does not our Lord and Saviour deserve more respect, reverence, and awe than the Queen of England?  Is God not more important than the most powerful dignitary on earth?  Should not our actions as ambassadors of Christ reflect this truth?   Should not our worship be characterized by these attitudes?  Worship is not about me. Worship is about God.  The Bible says that God gives grace to the humble (James 4:6).  It also says that God will lift up those who humble themselves before Him (James 4:10).  How many praise and worship songs speak of us lifting up God?  This is totally backwards and somewhat ridiculous.  God doesn't need us to lift Him up!!  He's already lifted up. He's God!  In the last post we saw that worship is an act of sacrifice and faith.  Here we see that in our physical actions, our worship should be characterized by humility and reverence.  Does that mean that lifting up one's hands is not showing humility?  Not necessarily, but I do think we should think about it.  


The outward action is significant, but it's what's in our heart that is more significant.  If we approach God with and attitude of reverence and humility in our worship, our outward actions will reflect that.  I believe that's what was happening in many of these verses that I read.  Those worshipping God were awed by His greatness and majesty and goodness, and they responded by worshipping Him in reverence and humility accompanied by actions that testified to what was in their hearts.  The attitude and the action are connected.  


By the way, there are times with the Scripture does tell us to lift our hands and our eyes.  Consider these verses.
Psalm 119:48 My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes.
Psalm 121:1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.


Some things to think about...


More to follow...

Worship ~ In the Beginning (Pt. 2)

Genesis 22:5

And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.

This is not the first instance of worship in the Bible, but it is the first use of the word "worship" in the Scripture.  Worship began with Creation.  Psalm 19:1 says, The heavens declare the glory of God.  Even though the Bible doesn't specifically say it, I'm sure Adam and Eve worshipped God in the garden of Eden.  We also see an act of worship in the sacrifices of Cain and Able in Genesis 4.

When studying Scripture it's important to look at the whole picture.  Context is vital.  It's also important to view God's Word as a whole.  The Bible is made up of many books, but all those books are in agreement with each other in their teachings and doctrines.  That being said, I believe we can learn many valuable lessons about worship even from just this passage where it is first mentioned.  What is the worship that Abraham is referring to here? [I'll give you a hint:  it has nothing to do with music].

The Genesis 22 account of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac is well known to most Christians.  Consider Abraham's statement in verse 5 in light of what he knew.  He knew full well that this act of "worship" as he calls it, is about to cost him everything he holds dear.  It's about to cost him his most prized possession.  It's about to cost him something that is irreplaceable.  It's about to cost him God's promise.  God is asking him to give up EVERYTHING he's lived for up to this point.  Abraham's act of worship is the ultimate sacrifice.  

How often is our worship characterized by sacrifice?  How often do we even call or view sacrifices that we make worship? We live in a me-first world that scoffs at the idea of sacrifice.  The world wants it ALL, and wants it NOW.   Sadly, a lot of Christians are even like this.  Yet, the first mention of worship in the Bible IS nothing more and nothing less than total and complete sacrifice.  Abraham put his needs, wants, and desires on the back burner, and he put obedience to God first.  Abraham's faith completely rested not in his own abilities, but in God's faithfulness, even though God seemed like He was contradicting Himself at this moment.  We know God NEVER contradicts Himself, and NEVER breaks His promises.  Abraham knew that too, but he REALLY knew it.  He knew it so well that he was willing to lay Isaac on that altar, raise the knife, and literally be totally ready to kill his son.  

In my initial post, I mentioned how worship in today's Christian circles is nearly aways synonymous with music.  Somehow that doesn't seem to line up with the worship that was going on in Genesis 22:5.  What is it about worship music that is sacrifice?  Does the music inspire us to sacrifice more for God?  Does it renew our desire to leave all we have at the feet of our LORD?  Does the music give me the ability to give up my dearest earthly treasures?  Does it make me more willing to live without my home, family, food, and other comforts in order to worship and serve God more fully and completely?  Does putting on a praise and worship song with a catchy tune and a good beat make it easier for me to sacrifice my personal desires for the glory of God? I've never heard or sung a song that's done any of these things.  Maybe you have... I don't know?????  

It wasn't Abraham's worship music that gave him the type of relationship with God that enabled him to sacrifice his son.  It was his faith.  By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son (Heb. 11:17).  If true worship is sacrifice then it must be characterized by faith.  Faith that if we give up all, God will provide.  Faith that God's promises are true even in light of seeming contradictions.  Faith that sacrificial worship will be rewarded.  Faith because when we give it all up, we cannot see or know how God will give it back.  Total sacrifice is impossible without faith.

God wanted Abraham to prove his faith by his worship, so He asked for the impossible.  God wants us to prove our faith too.  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him  (Heb. 11:6).  When we have the faith to sacrifice, we please God, and then he rewards us.  Like Abraham we must be willing to give it all up.  Only then can God work in His amazing and miraculous ways.  Faith and sacrifice were what Abraham's worship was, and they should be what our worship is too.

To Be continued...

Worship ~ Part 1

...Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

(I Chr. 16:29, Ps. 29:2, Ps. 69:9)

Worshipping God is foundational to Christianity.  Much of our church lives centre around worship.  Perhaps even great portions of our personal lives centre around worship.  I've been thinking a lot about worship lately, and also studying the topic from the Scriptures.  It seems that the 21st century concept of Christian worship 99.9% of the time equals music.  I don't believe I exaggerate when I say this.  Churches have worship teams, worship services, worship pastors, worship practices, worship programs, and almost always these activities focus solely on music.  I'm sure if you've been in church any length of time, you would agree that I speak truth.  When Christians speak about worship, they are usually talking about music.  

I'm a musician, and I like music, but I'm not convinced that this idea of worship/music is what God intended our worship to be.  Yet, without drums, guitars, microphones, keyboards, and other instruments, many Christians seem to be at a loss of how to worship.  Is worship really that integrally connected with music?  MUST we have music in order to worship God?  Is it possible to worship God without music?  Is music the PRIMARY vehicle of worship?  I've often wondered what would happen to our worship if we took the music out of our services?  What does the Bible say about worship?

There are 188 verses in the Scripture containing the word "worship", "worshipping" or "worshiped" (biblegateway.com).  I've been reading these verses, thinking about them, and trying to use them to answer some questions that I have about worship.  I've also been trying to formulate a Scripture based definition of worship.  I've come to the conclusion that we're not even close to understanding what God really means when He says we are to worship Him.  Not. Even. Close!


Letting the Scriptures speak for themselves is an amazing thing.  Trying to get rid of pre-conceived ideas is difficult.  However, I'm doing my best through much prayer and reading to approach this study without applying my own finite wisdom.  Instead, I'm seeking to rely on God's wisdom (James 1:5), and trust that I can better understand and know what He considers to be true worship.  One hundred and eighty-eight verses makes this a pretty significant topic in the Scriptures.  God is specific about worship, and a clear understanding of worship is possible.  


More to follow...