The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Chronicles 25:1,
"David, together with the commanders of the army, set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun for the ministry of prophesying, accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals."
These Levite musicians were set apart by David, as well as his military commanders, for the purpose of "prophesying, accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals." We are told in verse 3 that Jeduthun "prophesied, using the harp in thanking and praising the Lord."
In verse 6 we see that these sons of Asaph, under his supervision, provided "the music of the temple of the Lord, with cymbals, lyres and harps, for the ministry at the house of God." In the following verse we see Asaph served under David's supervision.
There was a clear chain of supervision for the worship at the temple, certainly for the music that was provided in connection with the temple worship. Music was a big part of the doings there, and prophesy, accompanied by music was to be a part of what took place.
I must confess that I am not quite certain of the nature of the prophesy that took place we read of here. Prophecy is normally thought of as the revelation of God provided through certain identified individuals: a specific message from God to an individual who was to pass that message on to the intended hearers. A go-between. I wonder if the term here refers to something a little more broader than that.
Nonetheless, the prophetic activity here was to be accompanied by music. Assigned musicians were tasked to perform their music within the context of prophetic activity at the temple of the Lord, verse 6.
I note that music has often been a part of ecstatic expressions in many false religions. The music being a part of that which helps whip a crowd into a frenzy resulting in rapturous expressions, often understood by adherents as some type of other-worldly sourced communication - their concept of prophesy.
Prophesy in the Scriptures is of a different nature entirely. Not sourced in the frenzied expressions of mystics and the like, all prophecy in Scripture is inspired by God himself. Originating directly from him, it is not founded in the manipulation of people through music, drugs, incantations or anything of the like. It originates from the Holy Spirit himself.
We read in 1 Peter 1:20-21, "Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."
"David, together with the commanders of the army, set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun for the ministry of prophesying, accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals."
These Levite musicians were set apart by David, as well as his military commanders, for the purpose of "prophesying, accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals." We are told in verse 3 that Jeduthun "prophesied, using the harp in thanking and praising the Lord."
In verse 6 we see that these sons of Asaph, under his supervision, provided "the music of the temple of the Lord, with cymbals, lyres and harps, for the ministry at the house of God." In the following verse we see Asaph served under David's supervision.
There was a clear chain of supervision for the worship at the temple, certainly for the music that was provided in connection with the temple worship. Music was a big part of the doings there, and prophesy, accompanied by music was to be a part of what took place.
I must confess that I am not quite certain of the nature of the prophesy that took place we read of here. Prophecy is normally thought of as the revelation of God provided through certain identified individuals: a specific message from God to an individual who was to pass that message on to the intended hearers. A go-between. I wonder if the term here refers to something a little more broader than that.
Nonetheless, the prophetic activity here was to be accompanied by music. Assigned musicians were tasked to perform their music within the context of prophetic activity at the temple of the Lord, verse 6.
I note that music has often been a part of ecstatic expressions in many false religions. The music being a part of that which helps whip a crowd into a frenzy resulting in rapturous expressions, often understood by adherents as some type of other-worldly sourced communication - their concept of prophesy.
Prophesy in the Scriptures is of a different nature entirely. Not sourced in the frenzied expressions of mystics and the like, all prophecy in Scripture is inspired by God himself. Originating directly from him, it is not founded in the manipulation of people through music, drugs, incantations or anything of the like. It originates from the Holy Spirit himself.
We read in 1 Peter 1:20-21, "Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."
A thorough reading of the Scriptures provides us with the clear impression that most all prophesy came about apart from any connection with music. However, look at what was planned for and organized under David's direction! The activity at the temple when it was built by Solomon must have been an astonishingly spiritual event to experience. Spiritually enchanting!
What would it have been like to visit such an enormously imposing structure as the temple Solomon built, observing the activities of the priesthood performing their duties, together with the temple musicians accompanying the prophesying that took place there! It must have been astonishing!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
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