Instrumental music in worship

At Mount Sinai God authorised the use of silver trumpets, but they were not to accompany the singing. They were appointed for four purposes: (a) "For the calling of the assembly", i.e., for summoning the people to meet; (b) To announce that the people were to resume marching; (c) "If ye go to war . . . thou shalt blow an alarm with the trumpets"; (d) "Ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt-offerings and over the sacrifices of the peace-offerings". The blowing of the trumpets had nothing whatsoever to do with congregational singing, for there was no such singing in the tabernacle and temple. Further, the blowing of the trumpets was performed by the priests.

When King David was advanced in years and had made great preparations for the building of the temple, which was to replace the tabernacle, God directed him to change the age-long practice by introducing into the tabernacle instruments of music. The advocates of instrumental music into Christian worship are doomed to disappointment if they look to this for encouragement. Again, let us view the facts. For David to have made this change without divine instructions would have been grievous sin. It is recorded in II Chronicles 29:25: "And he (Hezekiah) set the Levites in the house of the Lord with cymbals, vith psalteries and with harps, according to the commandment of David and the king's seer and Nathan the prophet; for so was the commandment of the Lord by His prophets." This clearly records that when King Hezekiah "set the Levites" in the temple, he was following the example of King David who had "set the Levites" in the tabernacle. Also it is plainly stated that King David in introducing musical instruments into the tabernacle obeyed "the commandment of the Lord". Further, it is clear that this change was effected when the tabernacle was about to be replaced by the temple.

In this connection it should be noted that the appointment of Levites to use cymbals, psalteries and harps in the temple had nothing at all to do with congregational singing. Musical instruments were appointed not for the ordinary worship of the Jew, but for the highly figurative worship in the temple, where Levitical orchestras accompanied the priestly singing.

Those who maintain that Jewish worship had associated with it instruments of music fail to appreciate the facts; and some of the facts are as follows. The ordinary worship of the Jew was that of the synagogue, and it was always unembellished. The men of Israel were commanded to attend the temple worship only thrice annually. Throughout the remainder of the year, Sabbath by Sabbath, they met for worship in their synagogues. Their wives and children attended regularly the synagogues where the services were marked by simplicity. In order to correct false views and to counter erroneous statements it is necessary to declare and to reiterate that the Jew knew nothing of musical accompaniments to congregational singing. The singing in the temple was not congregational. In the synagogue where there was congregational singing, there was no musical instrument. It can be affirmed confidently that from the time the tabernacle worship was authorised until the advent of Christianity, the Jews did not employ musical instruments in their congregational praise. Despite the clear teaching of history, it is common to hear Christians assert the contrary. It is erroneous then to imagine that the Jews were accustomed to ornate services or instrumental music in the ordinary worship.

Some Christians direct attention to the fact that in many Jewish synagogues in these days instrumental music accompanies the congregational singing. In this connection the following statements of Rabbi R. Brasch of Sydney should prove helpful. ''There are no definite records as to the actual introduction of instrumental music into the synagogue until 18l0, when Reform Temples in Germany did so for the first time . . . In the present-day world, orthodox synagogues still abstain from instrumental music . . . but every Liberal and Reform Temple accompany the congregational singing and the choir on an organ." It is both interesting and informative to notice that the instruments of music were first used in synagogues at the beginning of the nineteenth century, that is, about the same time as they began to be introduced into Protestant churches.

Temple worship
It is well to emphasize that the temple worship, being typical, was necessarily temporary. It foreshadowed Christ and the blessings of the Gospel. On the contrary, the synagogue worship was neither typical nor transitory. The three outstanding elements of the worship in the synagogue - the reading and exposition of God's Word, prayer and praise - are the leading and essential parts of Christian worship.

In the Book of Psalms there are references to many features of the temple worship. In the New Testament there are also many. The Apocalypse (Revelation) refers frequently to the Jewish temple and its service; but the Epistle to the Hebrews is an inspired interpretation of the symbolism of the temple worship, and therefore abounds in references to it. An objection sometimes brought against the Book of Psalms, as a manual of Christian praise, is that it refers to incense, animal sacrifices, instruments of music, etc., which were peculiar to the temple services. But those who so object appear to overlook the fact that the New Testament treats of all these characteristics of the temple worship, and sets forth their spiritual significance, as symbolic of Christ, His work and the blessings of the Gospel.

Christians have a clearer insight into the spiritual significance of much of the contents of the Psalms than was possible in the pre-Christian era; consequently the Psalter is pre-eminently suitable as the Christian's manual of praise.

In the light of Scripture, Christians throughout the world need not be in doubt as to what should be included in and what should be excluded from Christian worship. In this respect no individual or church is a law to himself or to itself. We are not advocating the practices of any particular church or churches, but are declaring the principles of true worship as set forth in the Word of God. It is the duty of Christian people to stand firmly for Scriptural doctrine and worship, and it is their privilege to do so. The success of the Christian cause is conditioned by this. That which God has appointed is always right, and when and where observed leads to true success. Ephemeral success may seem to attend worship which is of man's devising, but real durable results accrue to those who comply with that which is divinely prescribed. Thousands of years have passed since God declared, "them who honour me, I will honour" (II Sam. 2:30) . That declaration is valid for today.

As the Lord Jesus foretold, the temple worship terminated with the destruction of the building, but the age-long synagogue worship persisted. In the Epistle to the Hebrews the symbolic character of the temple worship is set forth at great length, and the temporary nature of it is emphasized. There it is asserted that that service was "a shadow of good things to come." (Heb 10: 1 ). How fatuous and futile it would be for anyone to attempt to erect a building to fulfil the functions of the Jewish temple! It would be equally futile and presumptuous to seek to reproduce the temple worship, and to imagine that such worship would now be acceptable to God. To do so would be a grievous dishonour to the Lord Jesus, for it would indicate a greater appreciation of the types than of the glorious archetype, the Saviour Himself. Nevertheless there is a very degraded form of Christianity which has an order of sacrificing priests, altars, incense, elaborate services of music, other features of the temple worship and, as an anomaly, bloodless sacrifices.

Such action is characterised by the Apostle Paul as a return to "the weak and beggarly (impoverishing) elements" (Gal. 4:9). Very pertinent are the remarks of Dr. John Owen, "it is a sad instance of the degeneracy of the corrupted nature of man . . . The principal reason why the church of the Jews rejected Him at His coming was that they preferred these institutions and their carnal use, above and before Him who was the substance and life of them all" (Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews, Vol. IV, p. 39.) What need there is for such in our day to come to the clear light of the word of God, and to grasp the Scriptural concept of Christ and His perfect work and to worship Him as He Himself has appointed! May God defer not to work mightily to this end!

Acceptable uses of instruments
Instrumental music, as an art, is common to all peoples civilised and uncivilised. Throughout the whole of human history it has been practised. In itself it is good. Only its misuse calls for condemnation. In the fourth chapter of Genesis we read of the use of musical instruments prior to the Deluge. From Genesis, chapter thirty-one, we learn that the patriarchs used them, for Laban said to Jacob that if he had been advised of his impending departure, he would have sent away Jacob "with mirth and with songs, with tabret and with harp". It is recorded in Exodus 15 that after Israel's triumphant passage through the Red Sea, the women celebrated the event, for "Miriam, the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances." The company of priests whom Saul joined played upon various musical instruments (I Sam. 10).

In I Sam. 18 it is recorded that women "came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing with tabrets, with joy and with instruments of music" to meet King Saul and David. These and other similar events had no reference at all to the worship of God. In those days, as in these days, at local and national rejoicings and festivities, musical instruments were played. From the earliest periods of human history until today music has been employed at social gatherings, and martial music has been in use from the remote past. The many reference throughout the Old Testament to the employment of instrumental music on these occasions have not the least bearing upon the worship of God.