Music: Where does it come from? It comes from God. Music heals our minds and brings us peace and tranquility. Music drives away depression. GOD gave music to man and woman to make each other happy, to love, for joy, to celebrate, to ease the pain and sorrow. Music is GOD’s gift to us. Let’s thank God for music as we listen to it. What a perfect gift. Thank you GOD. Thank you Lord Jesus.
~ Ya Tafari(Yacob Tafari Makuannen)
Bahamian Recording Artist and Minister of Jesus Christ
Sometimes the sound is hushed and peaceful, wafting softly like a “still small voice”. [I Kings 19:12] At other times it approaches like the thunderous storm over Mount Sinai. [Exodus 20:18]
The language might be different and the tone of it may vary, but it is given as a gift to all from God. It arrives as an amalgamation of pitches and notes. Its frequencies are measured in cycles-per-second and its volume determined by decibels.
It is audible art, a crafted beauty designed for the satisfaction of man’s auditory nerve and for the pleasing of the heart of God. It is the voice of heaven – celestial waves of sound we simply call music.
Music, like ice cream, is available in many flavors, colors, and varieties. We have our favorites, and we prefer some tastes over others, but hasn’t it all been created and extended by the hand of God for us to “richly enjoy”? [I Timothy 6:17]
Our God of invention and variety has given mankind the ability to develop many forms of musical instruments, thus creating an array of melodic sounds. It should be no wonder that we find music to be a central focus in many areas of the bible.
Music notes were used to bring down the walls of Jericho. [Joshua 6:20] Music proceeded the Ark of the Covenant [I Chronicles 15:16]. Singers were elevated above soldiers on the battlefield [2 Chronicles 20:21] and led the congregation in worship. [Psalm 68:25]
I am not of the camp who believes music must be of a particular style in order to be pleasing or acceptable to God. Some assert that specific rhythm patterns or chord progressions have been invented by Satan. If so, this would make him a creator. (Satan is the creator of nothing, simply a corrupter of what has already been created by God).
Though we are encouraged to “play skillfully, with a loud noise”, [Psalm 33:3] I believe God is more concerned with the condition of our heart than with the sound of our music.
Like any gift or created force, music can be used for purposes unintended. It can be abused and converted into a source of self-exaltation and flesh-promotion. It can be fashioned into a tool that fuels greed and materialism or countless other displays of ungodliness.
But, placed within clean hands and ascending from pure hearts, music can be a great source of encouragement to man, a sower of good seed, and a powerful form of worship to our wonderful God.
Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet: praise Him with the psaltery and harp. Praise Him with the timbrel and dance: praise Him with the stringed instruments and organs. Praise Him upon the loud cymbals: praise Him upon the high sounding cymbals. Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. (Psalm 150: 3-6 KJV)
