{"id":2579,"date":"2016-12-05T05:14:56","date_gmt":"2016-12-05T11:14:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/?page_id=2579"},"modified":"2025-02-18T09:16:34","modified_gmt":"2025-02-18T15:16:34","slug":"music-singing-and-dancing","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/music-singing-and-dancing","title":{"rendered":"Music, Singing and Dancing"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>MUSIC AND RELIGION<\/strong><br \/>\nReligion always includes music. The style of music varies from one religion to another. Anyone who doubts the importance of music to religion only needs to try to imagine a religious service without music or with music that is not part of their personal religious history. Such a worship service will be very unsatisfying.<\/p>\n<p>Every religion includes music because music always stirs up positive emotions and physical feelings. See the following links for scholarly articles about the intoxicating power of music and religion:<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/archive.org\/stream\/jstor-1413899\/1413899_djvu.txt\">Ecstatic Intoxication in Religion<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/arstechnica.com\/science\/2011\/01\/turns-out-that-music-really-is-intoxicating-after-all\/\">Turns out that music really is intoxicating, after all<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/books.google.com\/books?id=cXC6AwAAQBAJ&amp;pg=PT21&amp;lpg=PT21&amp;dq=intoxicate+music&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=4DtYbF5RH_&amp;sig=7Nv3l7oiTGPC--Lpqit8GSzcQb8&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=0ahUKEwiW3cbg4aXQAhXGwFQKHTmzAekQ6AEILzAD#v=onepage&amp;q=intoxicate%20music&amp;f=false\">The Mysticism of Sound and Music<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/books.google.com\/books?id=cXC6AwAAQBAJ&amp;pg=PT21&amp;lpg=PT21&amp;dq=intoxicate+music&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=4DtYbF5RH_&amp;sig=7Nv3l7oiTGPC--Lpqit8GSzcQb8&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=0ahUKEwiW3cbg4aXQAhXGwFQKHTmzAekQ6AEILzAD#v=onepage&amp;q=intoxicate%20music&amp;f=false\">This Is Your Brain on Music (review 1)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/This_Is_Your_Brain_on_Music\">This Is Your Brain on Music <\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/books.google.com\/books?id=dewPBQAAQBAJ&amp;pg=PA84&amp;lpg=PA84&amp;dq=intoxicate+music&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=6PKTyVq5vW&amp;sig=myVJ9Igu9sBZF7g-sng20bdIXpU&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=0ahUKEwi7iYX86aXQAhWLwFQKHYD-Ats4ChDoAQgpMAQ#v=onepage&amp;q=intoxicate%20music&amp;f=false\">Emotion, Music Reception and Intoxication<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/books.google.com\/books?id=dewPBQAAQBAJ&amp;pg=PA84&amp;lpg=PA84&amp;dq=intoxicate+music&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=6PKTyVq5vW&amp;sig=myVJ9Igu9sBZF7g-sng20bdIXpU&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=0ahUKEwi7iYX86aXQAhWLwFQKHYD-Ats4ChDoAQgpMAQ#v=onepage&amp;q=intoxicate%20music&amp;f=false\">The Power of Music<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/302903.php\">The power of music: how it can benefit health<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/213412.php\">Thrilling Music Is Like Food And Sex: More Pleasure and Anticipation Equals More Dopamine<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>These articles confirm that all kinds of music have power to influence people physically and emotionally. When we apply this power to religious music we see how it is a constant source of influence within religion to generate good, positive feelings to religionists &#8212; especially in ritualistic worship settings. Being well aware of this influence, religious leaders are always mindful of the need to include music in any religious gathering as a sure-fire way of creating those good feelings which will keep people coming back for more.<\/p>\n<p>What we learn from these scientific studies about the effects of music on people is that the good feelings it inspires are not exclusive to religious music and not exclusive to Jews and Christians. In other words, any music has the potential to affect any human person. The relative strength of the effects of music on any individual is dependent on their cultural training &#8212; not on God.<\/p>\n<p>Religious people should take the following lessons from these studies:<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"medium-8 inline-block\">The fact that a particular type of music (e.g. hymns, contemporary worship songs, chants, etc.) stirs the body (i.e. releases dopamine) and creates good feelings (e.g. joy, tears, etc.) does not mean that the music is evidence of a two-way connection with God.<\/li>\n<li class=\"medium-8 inline-block\">All religions employ music as a way to make people feel good about participating in the religion.<\/li>\n<li class=\"medium-8 inline-block\">All religions employ music as a way to convince people that they are communicating with their god through music.<\/li>\n<li class=\"medium-8 inline-block\">All religions employ music as a way of convincing people that their particular type of music is especially pleasing to their god because he will reward them with good feelings when they worship using that music.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>The role of music in religion has been well-documented. The following links are a small selection of scholarly articles on the subject:<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.stevenestrella.com\/composers\/ancientmusic.html\">Music in Ancient Times<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ancient.eu\/article\/1075\/music--dance-in-ancient-egypt\/\">Music and Dance in Ancient Egyptian<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.wwnorton.com\/college\/music\/hanning3\/outlines\/ch01.htm\">Music in Ancient Greece and Early Christian Rome<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/History_of_music_in_the_biblical_period\">History of music in the biblical period<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ancient_music\">Ancient music<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Music_of_ancient_Rome\">Music of ancient Rome<\/a><\/li>\n<li>\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.ancient-egypt-online.com\/egyptian-music.html\">Music in Ancient Egypt<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>When we read these articles, the main fact to keep in mind is that the religions in which they were important features are the religions about which God said &#8220;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=exodus+23:20-27;+deuteronomy+12:29-32;+deuteronomy+18:9;+leviticus+18:3;+leviticus+18:30;+leviticus+20:22-26;+2-kings+17:7-13;+2-kings+21:1-2;+ezra+9:10-15;+jeremiah+10:2;+jeremiah+44:2-8\">you shall not do what they do or follow their customs<\/a>.&#8221; In other words, if another religion employs music as a feature of worship, God&#8217;s people (i.e. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenantspart1\/2#newcovenant\">New Covenant<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenantspart1\/#disciple\">disciples <\/a>) should not employ music as features of their worship.<\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<p><strong>HISTORY<\/strong><br \/>\nScholars report that <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/History_of_music_in_the_biblical_period\">music<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www2.lawrence.edu\/fast\/KOOPMAJO\/antiquity.html\">singing<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Dance_in_mythology_and_religion\">dancing<\/a> have always been present in religion. It is especially worth noting that music was an active feature of religion in <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/History_of_music_in_the_biblical_period#Egypt\">Egypt, Sumeria and Babylon<\/a> because these nations had profound religious influence on <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/History_of_music_in_the_biblical_period\">Israel which had its own unique musical history during Biblical times.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>We conclude from this brief history that music, singing, dance and religion are inseparable. This history, along with our casual observations of religious activities in all cultures as we see them portrayed in movies and television, reveals that some form of music, singing, and body motion (sometimes outright dancing) is always present in religious activity. Consider, for example, the solemn processions of Catholics, hymns of the protestants, the dancing of Pentecostals and the dances of indigenous cultures. They all employ music, body motion (i.e. dancing, solemn processions, bowing, raising hands, etc.) and singing in their religion.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to these modern examples that we can observe directly, <a href=\"https:\/\/isearch.avg.com\/search?q=ancient+music+religious&amp;sap=dsp&amp;lang=en&amp;mid=d114a5a4a80347d0a08a2104e484245a-9c9f1eacbc1499475ffced00203e9eee8ccccc8f&amp;cid=%7Bf5577822-b271-4c24-aee4-b0ed53184e27%7D&amp;v=12.2.5.32&amp;ds=ts026&amp;d=3%2F24%2F2012+5%3A27%3A34+PM&amp;pr=sa&amp;snd=hdr\">researchers have documented the history of religious music in many cultures <\/a>to confirm what we think we know about music and religion. And of course we have many Old Testament examples of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/search\/?q=music\">music<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/search\/?q=danc*&amp;t=niv&amp;s=Bibles&amp;ps=10&amp;p=1\">dancing<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/search\/?q=singing&amp;c=ot&amp;t=niv&amp;ps=10&amp;s=Bibles\">singing<\/a> that lend an apparent spiritual legitimacy to these activities. We say &#8220;apparent spiritual legitimacy&#8221; because we find many other scriptures that bring the spiritual legitimacy of these activities into serious doubt. These scriptures are the focus of this series of pages.<\/p>\n<p>The idea that music, singing and dancing are not legitimate religious activities will shock most readers. How can something so beautiful, so inspirational be anything but spiritual? How can these traditions which have been practiced by our spiritual fathers for so many years be denied to be anything but Godly?<\/p>\n<p>The reason that these traditions are ungodly is that <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ancient_music\">religious nations in Biblical times included music in their religious practices.<\/a>\u00a0That fact alone will not convince most religious people that music and dance are ungodly. What should convince them, however, is the fact that many times God said Israel<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=exodus+23:20-27;deuteronomy+12:29-32;deuteronomy+18:9;leviticus+18:3;leviticus+20:22-26;2+kings+17:7-13;2+kings+21:1-2;ezra+9:10-15;jeremiah+10:2;jeremiah+44:2-8\"> should not follow the abominable practices of other religions.<\/a>\u00a0If we consider these clear commands alongside the truths that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/2-timothy\/passage\/?q=2-timothy+3:16-17\">all scripture is useful for training in righteousness,<\/a>\u00a0and that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/1-samuel\/passage\/?q=1-samuel+16:1-7\">God does not look at outward appearances<\/a> (including what the body might be doing), we can begin to appreciate that music and other expressions of human flesh are not acceptable to God. And if that does not convince, then we only need to remember that<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=1-samuel+16:7;+1-kings+8:39;+1-chronicles+28:9;+luke+16:15;+acts+1:24;+2-chronicles+6:30\"> God looks at the heart<\/a> and that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=john+6:63;+romans+7:18;+john+3:6;+romans+7:25;+romans+8:3\">flesh, including what the flesh does, counts for nothing.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>When we say that music is not acceptable to God, we are not saying that music, singing and dancing are intrinsically evil or bad. What we are saying, however, that music, singing and dancing in a religious context are not recognized by God as ligimate expressions of spiritual worship. They are, however, expressions of<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\"> religious worship which is not the equivalent of spiritual worship expressed through invisible faith <\/a>(i.e. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/place-where-god-will-place-his-name\/4#goodpureheart\">pure heart<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p>To understand that music, singing and dancing are not acceptable to God, we must first understand that religion can always be observed because it always involves use of physical, natural things &#8212; including the physical body which plays music, sings and dances. Physical expressions of the natural body cannot be spiritual, or faith-driven, because the nature of spirit and faith is that they cannot be seen, touched, tasted, heard or smelled. Therefore, while religion can be observed by anyone, true spiritual faith is always invisible &#8212; except to God &#8212; because they are internal matters of the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/place-where-god-will-place-his-name\/4#goodpureheart\">heart<\/a> which <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=1-samuel+16:7;+2-chronicles+6:12-31;+1-kings+8:22-40\">only God can see<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"worldofreligion\"><\/a>Religion is all around us. It is impossible to avoid the pervasive evidence of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/world\">religion in the world<\/a>. That is why God&#8217;s references to the world are symbolic references to the <span class=\"SDZsVb\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"link\" data-term-for-update=\"penetrating\" data-ved=\"2ahUKEwjvrJfR1qrjAhXBHc0KHSiGCB8Q_SowAHoECAsQCw\">penetrating<\/span>, pervading, permeating, <span class=\"SDZsVb\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"link\" data-term-for-update=\"extensive\" data-ved=\"2ahUKEwjvrJfR1qrjAhXBHc0KHSiGCB8Q_SowAHoECAsQDA\">extensive<\/span>, <span class=\"SDZsVb\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"link\" data-term-for-update=\"ubiquitous\" data-ved=\"2ahUKEwjvrJfR1qrjAhXBHc0KHSiGCB8Q_SowAHoECAsQDQ\">ubiquitous<\/span>, <span class=\"SDZsVb\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"link\" data-term-for-update=\"omnipresent\" data-ved=\"2ahUKEwjvrJfR1qrjAhXBHc0KHSiGCB8Q_SowAHoECAsQDg\">omnipresent<\/span>, <span class=\"SDZsVb\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"link\" data-term-for-update=\"widespread\" data-ved=\"2ahUKEwjvrJfR1qrjAhXBHc0KHSiGCB8Q_SowAHoECAsQEA\">widespread,\u00a0<\/span> <span class=\"SDZsVb\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"link\" data-term-for-update=\"universal\" data-ved=\"2ahUKEwjvrJfR1qrjAhXBHc0KHSiGCB8Q_SowAHoECAsQEw\">universal<\/span>, <span class=\"SDZsVb\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"link\" data-term-for-update=\"epidemic\" data-ved=\"2ahUKEwjvrJfR1qrjAhXBHc0KHSiGCB8Q_SowAHoECAsQFQ\">epidemic<\/span>,\u00a0<span class=\"SDZsVb\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"link\" data-term-for-update=\"inescapable\" data-ved=\"2ahUKEwjvrJfR1qrjAhXBHc0KHSiGCB8Q_SowAHoECAsQFw\">inescapable<\/span>, <span class=\"SDZsVb\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"link\" data-term-for-update=\"insidious\" data-ved=\"2ahUKEwjvrJfR1qrjAhXBHc0KHSiGCB8Q_SowAHoECAsQGA\">insidious presence of religion in every corner of the world. Religion is everywhere. It is nearly impossible to escape it &#8212; no matter where you live. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>It is from this world of religion that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=exodus+22:31;+exodus+19:6;+leviticus+11:44;+leviticus+19:2;+leviticus+20:7;+leviticus+20:26;+ephesians+1:4;+1-peter+1:14-16\">God&#8217;s people are to be holy (i.e. set apart)<\/a>. God&#8217;s people\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/passage\/?q=1-john+2:16;+john+18:31-37;+john+15:19;+john+17:14-16;+romans+12:2;+revelation+11:15;+isaiah+23:12-18;+jeremiah+25:21-31;+matthew+4:1-10;+luke+4;+luke+5;+luke+6;+luke+7;+luke+8:1;+matthew+28:18-20\">live in the world of Old\/First Covenant religion but they are not part of the world of religion<\/a>. God&#8217;s people (i.e. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenantspart1\/2#newcovenant\">New Covenant<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenantspart1\/#disciple\">disciples <\/a>) are set apart from the world of religion when they do not do any of the religious things past religions did or present religions do. This describes Jesus relationship with his fellow Jews and describes the relationship Jesus&#8217; followers have with the religious communities in which they live.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"SDZsVb\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"link\" data-term-for-update=\"insidious\" data-ved=\"2ahUKEwjvrJfR1qrjAhXBHc0KHSiGCB8Q_SowAHoECAsQGA\">Living in a religious community without being a part of that community can be a lonely experience. This is what Jesus meant in his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=john+15:19;+john+17:14;+john+16:33;+john+16:28;+1-john+2:15\">teaching about relationships his followers will have with the world of religion<\/a>. Loneliness, rejection and hatred is a cost of holiness. But, the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/#rewards\">rewards of hearing God&#8217;s voice<\/a> more than compensates for loss of relationships with people.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">STUDY TIP: See <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/world\">The World<\/a> for understanding of the world of religion.<\/p>\n<p>No one is excused from obedience to God&#8217;s <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=exodus+23:20-27;+deuteronomy+12:29-32;+deuteronomy+18:9;+leviticus+18:3;+leviticus+18:30;+leviticus+20:22-26;+2-kings+17:7-13;+2-kings+21:1-2;+ezra+9:10-15;+jeremiah+10:2;+jeremiah+44:2-8\">command that his people should not follow the customs of surrounding religious nations<\/a>. The fact that a religious practice has been a tradition for many years does not make it acceptable to God. Nor does mention of God&#8217;s name or Jesus&#8217; name in the music automatically qualify music as acceptable. Music in any form is always an expression of the flesh and not of the spirit.<\/p>\n<p>If it is true that religious music is not acceptable to God, we might logically wonder how generations of Jews and Christians might have made such an error. The answer is the same for music as it is for all forms of religious activity found in the Bible. Music, along with all other religious activity is <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/egypt-and-babylon\/2\">modeled after the religions of ancient Egypt and Babylon.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>When reading the Bible\u00a0we must always remember that it is full of symbolism where God uses natural things or behaviors to represent spiritual truths. This the fulfillment of the &#8220;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/literal-or-symbolic-interpretation-part-2\/3\">first the natural and then the spiritual<\/a>&#8221; principle in understanding the Bible. Thus, just as God uses physical temples, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/breadfood-and-wine\">food<\/a> and blood sacrifices to represent spiritual truths, he uses physical music and dancing to represent spiritual worship.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">STUDY TIP: See <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\">Symbols, Signs, Types, Copies and Shadows,<\/a> and subordinate pages for discussion of many Biblical symbols.<\/p>\n<p>Accepting that music and dancing are manifestations of the flesh and not spirit will be a hard pill to swallow for religionists who have strong affections for their chosen styles of religious music. Nevertheless, it is a necessary step for anyone who wants to be set free from the bondage of defiled, Old\/First Covenant religion.<\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><br \/>\n<strong>BEWARE OF COMMANDS TO WORSHIP WITH MUSIC<\/strong><br \/>\nOne of the best clues we have that music is an element of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenantspart1\/5\">defiled religion<\/a> is found in this well-known story:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/daniel\/3.html\">Daniel 3:1-30: <\/a>King Nebuchadnez&#8217;zar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 2 Then King Nebuchadnez&#8217;zar sent to assemble the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image which King Nebuchadnez&#8217;zar had set up.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">3 Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces, were assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnez&#8217;zar had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnez&#8217;zar had set up. 4 And the herald proclaimed aloud, &#8220;You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 5 that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnez&#8217;zar has set up; 6 and whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">7 Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image which King Nebuchadnez&#8217;zar had set up. 8 Therefore at that time certain Chalde&#8217;ans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews. 9 They said to King Nebuchadnez&#8217;zar, &#8220;O king, live for ever! 10 You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image; 11 and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace. 12 There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed&#8217;nego. These men, O king, pay no heed to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">13 Then Nebuchadnez&#8217;zar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed&#8217;nego be brought. Then they brought these men before the king. 14 Nebuchadnez&#8217;zar said to them, &#8220;Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed&#8217;nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image which I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image which I have made, well and good; but if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace; and who is the god that will deliver you out of my hands?&#8221;<span id=\"da3-15\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span id=\"da3-15\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"> <\/span> <span id=\"da3-16\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">16<\/span> Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed&#8217;nego answered the king, &#8220;O Nebuchadnez&#8217;zar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. <\/span> <span id=\"da3-17\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">17<\/span> If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace; and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. <\/span> <span id=\"da3-18\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">18<\/span> But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up.&#8221; <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span id=\"da3-19\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">19<\/span> Then Nebuchadnez&#8217;zar was full of fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed&#8217;nego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was wont to be heated. <\/span> <span id=\"da3-20\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">20<\/span> And he ordered certain mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed&#8217;nego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. <\/span> <span id=\"da3-21\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">21<\/span> Then these men were bound in their mantles, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments, and they were cast into the burning fiery furnace. <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span id=\"da3-22\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">22<\/span> Because the king&#8217;s order was strict and the furnace very hot, the flame of the fire slew those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed&#8217;nego. <\/span> <span id=\"da3-23\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">23<\/span> And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed&#8217;nego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span id=\"da3-24\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">24<\/span> Then King Nebuchadnez&#8217;zar was astonished and rose up in haste. He said to his counselors, &#8220;Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?&#8221; They answered the king, &#8220;True, O king.&#8221; <\/span> <span id=\"da3-25\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">25<\/span> He answered, &#8220;But I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.&#8221; <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span id=\"da3-26\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">26<\/span> Then Nebuchadnez&#8217;zar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace and said, &#8220;Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed&#8217;nego, servants of the Most High God, come forth, and come here!&#8221; Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed&#8217;nego came out from the fire. <\/span> <span id=\"da3-27\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">27<\/span> And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king&#8217;s counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men; the hair of their heads was not singed, their mantles were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them. <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span id=\"da3-28\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">28<\/span> Nebuchadnez&#8217;zar said, &#8220;Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed&#8217;nego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set at nought the king&#8217;s command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. <\/span> <span id=\"da3-29\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">29<\/span> Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed&#8217;nego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins; for there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way.&#8221; <\/span> <span id=\"da3-30\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">30<\/span> Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed&#8217;nego in the province of Babylon. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>This popular Old Testament story is commonly interpreted as a simple miracle of God&#8217;s people surviving a physical fiery furnace. It is full of imagery that is commonly interpreted as God&#8217;s protection from all kinds of hardship. There is, however, much deeper imagery that must be explored to get to the primary message which we summarize as follows:<\/p>\n<table border=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li><span id=\"da3-28\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\">Nebuchadnez&#8217;zar is a type of religious leader.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span id=\"da3-28\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\">Nebuchadnez&#8217;zar&#8217;s commands are laws should be interpreted as traditions established by religious leaders (past and present) for religious people (past and present) to obey.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span id=\"da3-24\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span id=\"da3-27\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\">Satraps, prefects, governors, king&#8217;s counselors, <\/span><\/span><span id=\"da3-24\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span id=\"da3-27\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\">treasurers, justices, magistrates, and officials of the provinces are religious leaders that\u00a0enforce commands to participate in Old\/First Covenant religion.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li>The golden image is any of man&#8217;s physical creations to which man has assigned spiritual meaning and power. This imagery can be applied to music along with other physical idols.<\/li>\n<li><span id=\"da3-24\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span id=\"da3-26\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\">The fiery furnace is Old\/First Covenant religion which includes worship of physical objects and music.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li>The sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music are physical triggers, or prompts, employed by religious leaders to incite people to worship the golden image (i.e. religion) they have created. Religion always employs these triggers to call people to worship and activate their emotions.<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span id=\"da3-29\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\">Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed&#8217;nego are New Covenant disciples who did not submit to the commands of religious leaders to worship with physical music. Their worship is spiritual and they take their commands to worship from God. The sound of music is not a trigger\/prompt for them to worship with their physical bodies.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><a id=\"goldencalf\"><\/a>This story is basically a retelling of the prophetic picture of how religious gods and idols are created. This picture is first introduced in the story of the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=exodus+32;+acts+7:39-43;+psalm+106:19\">Golden calf <\/a>where we find a graphic symbolic reference to religion as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=acts+7:39-43;+revelation+9:20;+deuteronomy+4:23-30;+jeremiah+1:15-16;+micah+5:10-15\">work of man&#8217;s hands<\/a> (i.e. the mental and physical human labor required to establish and maintain idolatrous religions). ***<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY ON THE GOLDEN CALF INCIDENT: If we believe that<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/2-timothy\/passage\/?q=2-timothy+3:15-17\">\u00a0all scripture is useful for training in righteousness,<\/a>\u00a0we must understand the spiritual meaning of this story. To understand it, we must put it in its proper context which is that Israel had escaped from\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/egypt-and-babylon\">Egypt.\u00a0<\/a>Moses was nearing the end of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/exodus\/24.html\">forty days<\/a>\u00a0on the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/prayer\/prayer-2\/public-prayer\/#mountainofgod\">mountain of God<\/a>\u00a0where God spoke his laws (i.e. commandments) to Moses who is a type of\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/true-prophets\/messiah\">messiah<\/a>\u00a0who could\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/how-to-hear-gods-spoken-voice\">hear God\u2019s spoken voice<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/passage\/?q=1-corinthians+2;+john+7:16;+john+12:49;+john+14:10;+john+14:24-31;+john+16:13;+1-corinthians+2:12-13;+psalm+143:10;+luke+12:11-12;+matthew+10:17-20;+mark+13:11;+1-thessalonians+2:13;+exodus+4:12;+deuteronomy+18:18;+john+5:19;+matthew+26:39;+john+5:30;+john+6:38;+john+6:68;+john+8:28;+acts+4:29\">speak on God&#8217;s behalf<\/a> as a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/true-prophets\">true prophet<\/a>. It is also critical to understand that Israel had refused to listen to God themselves and instead chose to listen to a mediator (i.e. Moses).<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/exodus\/passage\/?q=exodus+32:1-6\">In Moses\u2019 absence, the people got restless because they didn\u2019t have anyone to report what God said to them. So, lacking leadership, and unwilling to listen to God&#8217;s voice, they created a new god (i.e. religion) out of the golden objects<\/a>\u00a0that\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/passage\/?q=exodus+3:20-22;+exodus+11:1-3;+exodus+12:35-36\">they collected before they left Egypt.\u00a0<\/a>These golden objects symbolically represent all of the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=artifacts&amp;ie=utf-8&amp;oe=utf-8&amp;client=firefox-b-1-ab\">artifacts\u00a0<\/a>(e.g. buildings, altars, clothing, rituals, etc.) that make religion look attractive.***<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">These religious artifacts are the physical things that made the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/breadfood-and-wine\/3#treeofknowledgeofgoodandevil\">fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil<\/a> appear to be good for food in the sight of Eve. These physical things associated with religion <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/breadfood-and-wine#evilsoulishfood\">appealed to her natural senses (i.e. eyes, ears, touch, smell, intellect),<\/a>\u00a0and appeared to offer the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=1-corinthians+1:18-27;+1-corinthians+3:18-21;+2-corinthians+1:12;+james+3:13-18;+1-corinthians+2:1-14;+jeremiah+4:19-22;+isaiah+5:20-21;+isaiah+29:14;+isaiah+47:10;+jeremiah+8:9;+proverbs+3:1-7;+romans+1:22\">wisdom<\/a> that would make her like God. These senses are all matters of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/flesh\">flesh<\/a> &#8212; not spirit &#8212; because <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenantspart1\/faith-grace-mercy-peace-love-heart-glory-blessing-spirit-and-truth\/3\">spiritual things are matters of faith which cannot be observed with the natural senses.<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">Since Eve is a symbolic representation of religious Jews and Christians, we interpret this story to be the story of all religious people who find the physical appearance and artifacts of religion to be attractive. Making this association is the only way to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/2-timothy\/passage\/?q=2-timothy+3:16-17\">apply this scripture to our personal lives<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>This work of creating and maintaining religious idols is the specific work that God had in mind when <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=exodus+16:23;+exodus+16:25-26;+exodus+16:29;+exodus+20:8;+exodus+20:10-11;+exodus+31:13-16;+exodus+35:2-3;+leviticus+19:30;+leviticus+23;+deuteronomy+5:12-15;+ezekiel+20:12-24;+hebrews+3;+hebrews+4\">he told his people to rest from their work<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The lesson from this vivid Biblical story is that religious music is a deceptive tool used by religious leaders to incite religious people to engage in worship of Old\/First Covenant religion. \u00a0New Covenant disciples, however, worship God in spirit &#8212; not through religious activities such as music, raising hands, and dance.<\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<p><strong>SACRED MUSIC<\/strong><br \/>\nMany people claim that religious music is <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/lexicons\/hebrew\/nas\/qodesh.html\">sacred, or holy<\/a>. A <a href=\"http:\/\/isearch.avg.com\/search?cid={F5577822-B271-4C24-AEE4-B0ED53184E27}&amp;mid=d114a5a4a80347d0a08a2104e484245a-9c9f1eacbc1499475ffced00203e9eee8ccccc8f&amp;lang=en&amp;ds=ts026&amp;coid=&amp;pr=sa&amp;d=2012-03-24%2017:27:34&amp;v=17.1.2.1&amp;pid=avg&amp;sg=0&amp;sap=dsp&amp;q=sacred+music\">click on this link<\/a> reveals many web sites that confirm this claim. While music may be sacred in the minds of people who make those claims, it is not sacred in God&#8217;s eyes. Indeed God does speak of making music with instruments and singing, but such scriptures are only the literal interpretation of his word. The kind of music God is talking about is internal, in the heart &#8212; not external with physical instruments or with the natural voice as made clear in these scriptures:<\/p>\n<div class=\"ResultList\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/psalms\/28-7.html\">Psalm 28:7 RSV <\/a>The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my <span class=\"Highlight\">heart<\/span> trusts; so I am helped, and my <span class=\"Highlight\">heart<\/span> exults, and with my <span class=\"Highlight\">song<\/span> I give thanks to him.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"ResultList\" style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: It is the heart that exults &#8212; not the body. The clear inference here is that the song is a spiritual song of the heart &#8212; not the flesh.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"ResultList\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/psalms\/45-1.html\">Psalm 45:1 RSV <\/a>To the choirmaster: according to Lilies. A Maskil of the Sons of Korah a love <span class=\"Highlight\">song<\/span>. My <span class=\"Highlight\">heart<\/span> overflows with a goodly theme; I address my verses to the king; my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"ResultList\" style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY:\u00a0Since <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=jeremiah+17:10;+psalm+44:20-21;+proverbs+15:11\">God knows the heart<\/a>, it is not necessary to express the overflow of the heart with human words.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"ResultList\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/psalms\/108-1.html\">Psalm 108:1 RSV <\/a>A <span class=\"Highlight\">Song<\/span>. A Psalm of David. My <span class=\"Highlight\">heart<\/span> is steadfast, O God, my <span class=\"Highlight\">heart<\/span> is steadfast! I will sing and make melody! Awake, my soul!<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"ResultList\" style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: The clear inference here is that the singing and melody come from the heart &#8212; not the flesh.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"ResultList\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Psalm 138:1 NIV I will praise you, O LORD, with all my <span class=\"Highlight\">heart<\/span>; before the &#8220;gods&#8221; I will sing your praise.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"ResultList\" style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: It is very clear here that the praise comes from the heart.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"ResultList\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/isaiah\/30-29.html\">Isaiah 30:29 RS <\/a>You shall have a <span class=\"Highlight\">song<\/span> as in the night when a holy feast is kept; and gladness of <span class=\"Highlight\">heart<\/span>, as when one sets out to the sound of the flute to go to the mountain of the LORD, to the Rock of Israel.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: See <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/prayer\/prayer-2\/public-prayer\/#mountainofgod\">Mountain of God<\/a>.<\/div>\n<p class=\"Title TitleSmall\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/psalms\/passage\/?q=psalms+119:49-59\">Psalm 119:49-59<\/a>: <span id=\"ps119-49\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"> Remember thy word to thy servant, in which thou hast made me hope. <\/span> <span id=\"ps119-50\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">50<\/span> This is my comfort in my affliction that thy promise gives me life. <\/span> <span id=\"ps119-51\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">51<\/span> Godless men utterly deride me, but I do not turn away from thy law. <\/span> <span id=\"ps119-52\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">52<\/span> When I think of thy ordinances from of old, I take comfort, O LORD. <\/span> <span id=\"ps119-53\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">53<\/span> Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked, who forsake thy law. <\/span> <span id=\"ps119-54\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">54<\/span> Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage. <\/span> <span id=\"ps119-55\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">55<\/span> I remember thy name in the night, O LORD, and keep thy law. <\/span> <span id=\"ps119-56\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">56<\/span> This blessing has fallen to me, that I have kept thy precepts. <\/span> <span id=\"ps119-57\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">57<\/span> The LORD is my portion; I promise to keep thy words. <\/span> <span id=\"ps119-58\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">58<\/span> I entreat thy favor with all my heart; be gracious to me according to thy promise. <\/span> <span id=\"ps119-59\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">59<\/span> When I think of thy ways, I turn my feet to thy testimonies; <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"Title TitleSmall\" style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: It is hard for the natural mind to imagine how God&#8217;s statutes can be equated with songs. When we think in terms of statutes and laws written on our hearts, however, it begins to make sense. The &#8220;house of my pilgrimage&#8221; is poetic, symbolic language for the heart, which is code language for the presence of the New Covenant. Thus, it is the presence of God&#8217;s laws written on our hearts that makes our hearts sing spiritual songs that only God can hear.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Title TitleSmall\" style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">New Covenant disciples know that singing with the natural voice and making music with natural instruments are only religious forms adapted from literal readings of scripture. They know that music that can be heard with the natural ear is Old\/First Covenant religion &#8212; not appropriate for a New Covenant disciple.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Title TitleSmall\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/kjv\/ephesians\/passage\/?q=ephesians+5:17-20\">Ephesians 5:17-20 KJV:<\/a> <span id=\"eph5-17\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"> <\/span><span class=\"strongs\">Wherefore<\/span> <span class=\"strongs\">be<\/span> <span class=\"strongs\">ye<\/span> <span class=\"strongs\">not<\/span> <span class=\"strongs\">unwise,<\/span> <span class=\"strongs\">but<\/span> <span class=\"strongs\">understanding<\/span> <span class=\"strongs\">what<\/span> the <span class=\"strongs\">will<\/span> of the <span class=\"strongs\">Lord<\/span> is. <span id=\"eph5-18\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">18<\/span> <span class=\"strongs\">And<\/span> <span class=\"strongs\">be<\/span> <span class=\"strongs\">not<\/span> <span class=\"strongs\">drunk<\/span> with <span class=\"strongs\">wine,<\/span> <span class=\"strongs\">wherein<\/span> <span class=\"strongs\">is<\/span> <span class=\"strongs\">excess;<\/span> <span class=\"strongs\">but<\/span> be <span class=\"strongs\">filled<\/span> <span class=\"strongs\">with<\/span> the <span class=\"strongs\">Spirit;<\/span> <\/span> <span id=\"eph5-19\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">19<\/span> Speaking to Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,\u00a0singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; <\/span> <span id=\"eph5-20\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">20<\/span> Giving <span class=\"strongs\">thanks<\/span> <span class=\"strongs\">always<\/span> <span class=\"strongs\">for<\/span> all <span class=\"strongs\">things<\/span> unto <span class=\"strongs\">God<\/span> <span class=\"strongs\">and<\/span> the <span class=\"strongs\">Father<\/span> <span class=\"strongs\">in<\/span> the <span class=\"strongs\">name<\/span> of <span class=\"strongs\">our<\/span> <span class=\"strongs\">Lord<\/span> <span class=\"strongs\">Jesus<\/span> <span class=\"strongs\">Christ;<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: The clear message here is that singing and music making that God recognizes as sacred happens in<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/place-where-god-will-place-his-name\/4#goodpureheart\"> pure hearts<\/a> of New Covenant disciples. The scripture says that singing and making music is something that happens internally where God alone can hear it &#8212; not externally where others can hear. This understanding is fully consistent with the fact that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=1-samuel+16:7;psalm+44:18-21;psalm+139:23;revelation+2:18-23;1-kings+8:35-40;1-chronicles+28:9\">God looks at the heart and not the outward appearance of activities of people.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a id=\"whatitmeanstobesacred\"><\/a>The word that is translated as &#8220;sacred&#8221; in many versions of the Bible in the Old Testament is translated from the Hebrew word &#8220;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/lexicons\/hebrew\/kjv\/qodesh.html\">Qodesh<\/a>&#8221; which is always translated as &#8220;holy&#8221; in the King James Version. Using the definition in qodesh, we find that it primarily means &#8220;set apart.&#8221; In the New Testament, the word &#8220;holy&#8221; is translated from the Greek word &#8220;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/lexicons\/greek\/kjv\/hagios.html\">Hagios,<\/a>&#8221; but there is no further explanation of what it means. Thus our primary understanding of holy things is that they are set apart. But that does not help much, so we need to look deeper into scripture to discover what it is that is set apart and what it means to be set apart:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY ON WHAT IT MEANS TO BE SACRED, OR HOLY: Because Christians tend to ignore the Old Testament, they tend to think of the &#8220;holy spirit&#8221; as a New Testament phenomenon introduced at the Pentecost event in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/acts\/passage\/?q=acts+2:1-13\">Acts 2: 1-13<\/a>. This is wrong thinking. The Holy Spirit was always present and always at work in the lives of God&#8217;s people in acts of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/godsvoice\/creation\/\">creation<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">It is important to understand that it was always the presence of the Holy Spirit and God&#8217;s spoken word that enabled anyone to be holy. Holiness is a characteristic, therefore, of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenantspart1\/2#newcovenant\">New Covenant<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenantspart1\/#disciple\">disciples <\/a>who have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=jeremiah+31:31-34;+jeremiah+32:36-40;+jeremiah+33:14;+isaiah+59:21;+jeremiah+24:7;+ezekiel+37:26;+ezekiel+39:29;+luke+22:20;+1-corinthians+11:25;+2-corinthians+3:1-6;+hebrews+8:8-12;+hebrews+10:16-17;+psalm+40:8;+psalm+37:31;+genesis+17:7-13;+2-kings+18:11-12;+exodus+19:3-6;+judges+2:16-23;+deuteronomy+5:1-4\">God&#8217;s laws (i.e. his spoken word) written on their hearts.<\/a>\u00a0 It is not the physical body, or what the body does that is holy. It is <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/place-where-god-will-place-his-name\">clean, pure hearts<\/a> that are holy.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">The qualifications for holiness have never changed. Some Old Testament characters were holy and some were not. Some New Testament characters were holy and some were not. The presence of the Holy Spirit in the heart of a person has always been the evidence that he\/she was a beneficiary of God&#8217;s promise to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=ezekiel+39:17-29;joel+2:28-29;zechariah+12:10;acts+2:17-18\">pour out his Spirit on all flesh<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/john\/passage\/?q=john+16:7;john+14:16;john+14:26;john+15:26\">send a Counselor (i.e. Holy Spirit)<\/a> according to the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/jeremiah\/passage\/?q=jeremiah+31:31-34\">terms of the New Covenant.<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 240px;\">STUDY TIP: Here are the key scriptural references that instruct about holiness:<\/p>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 42.6154%;\"><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 57.3846%;\">\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=leviticus+19:2;+leviticus+20:7;+leviticus+20:26;+leviticus+11:44-45;+psalm+99:3;+matthew+5:48;+1-peter+1:15-16\">God is holy.<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=psalm+105:42;+psalm+106:47;+psalm+97:12;+1-chronicles+29:16;+psalm+105:3;+psalm+30:4;+leviticus+20:3;+psalm+33:21;+ezekiel+36:21;+ephesians+5:26;+acts+4:31;+acts+10:44;+daniel+4:17;+ezekiel+39:7;+leviticus+22:32;+psalm+103;+1-chronicles+16:10;+psalm+145:21\">God&#8217;s word and his name are holy<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=psalm+51:11;+acts+19:2;+luke+4:1;+jude+1:20;+acts+2:4;+ephesians+4:30;+acts+1:2;+hebrews+9:8;+romans+9:1;+1-corinthians+6:19;+2-timothy+1:14;+acts+13:52;+acts+13:2;+hebrews+2:4;+isaiah+63:10-11;+2-corinthians+6:6\">God&#8217;s spirit is holy.<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/romans\/7-12.html\">God&#8217;s law and commands are holy<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/kjv\/passage\/?q=romans+11:16;+exodus+23:19;+ezekiel+20:40;+exodus+34:26;+leviticus+23:10;+numbers+18:13;+deuteronomy+26:1-2;+proverbs+3:9;+romans+12:1;+2-chronicles+35:13;+2-chronicles+29:31-36;+leviticus+24:9\">First-fruit sacrifices and offerings are holy.<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/kjv\/passage\/?q=2-chronicles+31:6;+leviticus+27:30-32\">The tithe is holy.<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/kjv\/jude\/1-20.html\">Faith is holy.<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">From these truths we conclude that God, his name, his word, his laws and his spirit are all the same thing because they are all holy. God is not separate from his word, and is not separate from his name, and is not separate from his spirit. This is the meaning of scriptures that say &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=james+2:19;+deuteronomy+6:4;+mark+12:29\">God is one<\/a>.&#8221; To try to divide God into parts is a futile task like trying to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=john+3:8;+ecclesiastes+6:9;+ecclesiastes+1:17;+ecclesiastes+2:11;+ecclesiastes+2:17;+ecclesiastes+4:4\">chase or divide the wind. <\/a>It can&#8217;t be done. We also conclude that spritual sacrifices, offering and tithes are holy because they are all the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/breadfood-and-wine\/3#treeoflife\">fruit from the spiritual seed of the Tree of Life<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">We also conclude that clean, pure hearts are holy because <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=romans+10:8;+luke+8:15;+psalm+119:11;+psalm+119:161;+deuteronomy+30:14;+luke+8:12;+jeremiah+20:9;+hebrews+4:12\">God&#8217;s word is deposited in these kinds of hearts<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">Knowing what God means by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/lexicons\/hebrew\/nas\/qodesh.html\">sacred\/holy<\/a>, we should resist calling any physical thing &#8212; including a human &#8212; sacred. If anything is called sacred or holy, it is equated with God himself because <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/revelation\/15-4.html\">only God is holy<\/a>. And, because only God knows the condition of hearts, only God is qualified to determine if a person&#8217;s heart is clean and pure or <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/place-where-god-will-place-his-name\/4#evilimpureheart\">evil and impure<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">Nevertheless, in many religions, people are said to be holy because of all the religious things that people see them do. They base their assessment on faithfulness to obey religious rules. People who appear to obey the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/6#religiouslaws\">rules of a particular religion<\/a> are therefore said to be holy. This is not what God means by holiness. God makes his evaluation on obedience to his <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/6#spirituallaws\">spiritual laws<\/a> that are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=jeremiah+31:31-34;+jeremiah+32:39-40;+jeremiah+33:14;+jeremiah+24:7;+ezekiel+37:26;+ezekiel+39:29;+luke+22:20;+1-corinthians+11:25;+2-corinthians+3:1-6;+hebrews+8:8-12;+hebrews+10:16-17;+psalm+40:8;+psalm+37:31;+genesis+17:7-13\">written on the heart<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">Since God is both invisible and holy, anything else that is holy must also be invisible. That condition totally rules out buildings, physical land, religious behaviors, religious artifacts, tithes\/offerings of money, and audible music from qualifying as holy. People may call these things and places holy but they are not holy in God&#8217;s eyes.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">For God, holiness is represented only in his spoken word and in people who have <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/place-where-god-will-place-his-name\/4#goodpureheart\">clean, pure hearts<\/a>.\u00a0 Holiness is not a matter of the religious things that the body does. Thus, the only thing about a person that can be rightly called holy is the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=2-chronicles+6:12-31;+1-kings+8:22-40\">heart which only God can see<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">Religion, including Judaism and Christianity have totally perverted the concept of sacredness and holiness. Simply calling something like music or a religious relic or a building sacred or holy does not make it so. No one, not even a powerful religious leader has the authority to declare any physical thing holy. Calling things sacred is idle religious talk that has no real spiritual power, but it does have religious power because gullible people don&#8217;t know the truth.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">We must all keep in mind that, just as God is holy (i.e. set apart), any holy thing must have the same characteristics that God has. Since one of God&#8217;s\u00a0 primary characteristics is invisibility, all truly holy things must also be invisible or not observable with the natural senses such as eyes, ears or touch. Since God <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/kjv\/passage\/?q=leviticus+11:44-45;leviticus+19:2;leviticus+20:7;leviticus+20:26;leviticus+21:8;joel+3:17\">commands his people to be holy<\/a>, their holiness characteristics will be invisible also &#8212; except to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=1-kings+8:37-39;+2-chronicles+6:28-30;+2-chronicles+32:31;+psalm+26:2;+jeremiah+17:10;+jeremiah+20:12;+psalm+7:9;+psalm+11:5;+psalm+17:3;+psalm+139:23;+jeremiah+11:20\">God alone who knows the heart<\/a>. Thus, those who parade their ideas of holiness invite\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=matthew+6:1-5;+matthew+6:16;+matthew+23:1-36;+luke+6:20-26;+john+12:37-43;+john+5:41-44;+romans+2:29\">God&#8217;s rebukes for religious behaviors.\u00a0<\/a>They are ignorant of the reality that God&#8217;s idea of holiness is the exact opposite of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/fakefaith\/2018\/05\/20\/disconnects\/\">public religion<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">Since the<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=jeremiah+31:31-34;+hebrews+10:15-17;+hebrews+8:7-13\"> purpose of the New Covenant is that God&#8217;s spirit resides in the heart of people<\/a>, the only part of a person that can be holy is the heart. And that is holy only because <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=romans+10:8;+luke+8:15;+psalm+119:11;+psalm+119:161;+deuteronomy+30:14;+luke+8:12;+jeremiah+20:9;+hebrews+4:12\">God&#8217;s laws\/words are written on the heart<\/a>. It is, in terms of the Tabernacle of Moses, the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=exodus+26:33-34;leviticus+7:6;leviticus+24:9;numbers+18:9-10\">&#8216;&#8221;most holy place&#8221;<\/a> where the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=exodus+26:33-34;leviticus+7:6;leviticus+24:9;numbers+18:9-10\">&#8220;Ark of the Covenant&#8221; <\/a>resides. Anything else (e.g. people, things, music, places, etc.) that religion falsely represents as holy or sacred falls in the category of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenantspart1\/5\">Old\/First Covenant Religion<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">Claims that religious people, religious places, religious things, or religious music are holy is a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenantspart1\/faith-grace-mercy-peace-love-heart-glory-blessing-spirit-and-truth\/oil-water-face-hands\/the-gospel\/7#differencesfalsetruegospels\">false gospel<\/a>. Religious people, religious places, religious things, and religious music are not set apart from religion. They are the substance of religion. Religious people, religious places, religious things, and religious music cannot be holy because they can be seen, touched, and heard with natural, human senses. If they can be seen, touched or heard with human senses, they are flesh &#8212; not a matter of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenantspart1\/faith-grace-mercy-peace-love-heart-glory-blessing-spirit-and-truth\/3\">faith which is the substance of things not seen.<\/a> Because <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenantspart1\/faith-grace-mercy-peace-love-heart-glory-blessing-spirit-and-truth\/oil-water-face-hands\">God and his spoken word are one<\/a>, the only <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=1-samuel+2:2;+leviticus+11:44-45;+1-peter+1:16;+leviticus+19:2;+leviticus+20:7;+psalm+99:9;+isaiah+6:3;+leviticus+20:26;+psalm+99:3;+matthew+5:48;+1-peter+1:15-16\">God and his spoken word are holy<\/a>. The only place to find God and his spoken word is the hearts of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenantspart1\/2#newcovenant\">New Covenant<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenantspart1\/#disciple\">disciples. <\/a><\/p>\n<p>With this understanding of what God means by sacred (i.e. holy), religious people should never consider religious music to be sacred\/holy because the concept of holiness carries greater spiritual weight than the physical, visible, audible things they like to call sacred. Such things are only religious artifacts made by human hands. Similarly, religious leaders should not be called holy. None of these people or things created by human hands are sacred, or holy, as God intends the term to be understood.<\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<p><strong>DIVIDING SOUL AND SPIRIT<\/strong><br \/>\nIn many places God says that he is not pleased with the things his people do. The confusing thing about such statements is that God told his people to do those things &#8212; including the making of music. We have presented many such examples in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/tabernacles-temples-altars-high-places-and-pilgrimages\">Tabernacles, Temples and Altars<\/a>, and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/sacrifices-tithes-and-offerings\">Sacrifices, Tithes and Offerings<\/a> where we showed that God was interested in the right heart attitude and not outward displays of religious behavior or words.<\/p>\n<p>In <a title=\"New Covenant\" href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenantspart1\/2#newcovenant\">New Covenant<\/a> we showed that the right heart attitude is a function of being in a New Covenant relationship with God where The Law is written on the heart. And in Old\/First Covenant we showed that the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/place-where-god-will-place-his-name\/4#evilimpureheart\">wrong heart attitude<\/a> is found in people who are in an Old\/First Covenant relationship which involves obedience to the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/6#religiouslaws\">religious laws<\/a> based on the literal words of the Bible.<\/p>\n<p>The issues of Music, Singing and Dancing fall into the same category of commandments as Sacrifices, Tithes and Offerings where God commands certain acts of obedience that appear to be satisfied by doing them outwardly but are not acceptable to God because the heart attitude is not correct. Because they are not acceptable, he will do away with them as he promises in these verses:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/isaiah\/24.html\">Isaiah 24<\/a> Behold, the LORD will lay waste the earth and make it desolate, and he will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants. 2 And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the slave, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the creditor, so with the debtor.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: This is God&#8217;s way of saying that religious people are doomed to be like their religious leaders.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">3 The earth shall be utterly laid waste and utterly despoiled; for the LORD has spoken this word. 4 The earth mourns and withers, the world languishes and withers; the heavens languish together with the earth. 5 The earth lies polluted under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: The laws and statutes that have been transgressed are <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/6#spirituallaws\">God&#8217;s spiritual laws<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">6 Therefore a curse devours the earth, and its inhabitants suffer for their guilt; therefore the inhabitants of the earth are scorched, and few men are left. 7 The wine mourns, the vine languishes, all the merry-hearted sigh. 8 The mirth of the timbrels is stilled, the noise of the jubilant has ceased, the mirth of the lyre is stilled. 9 No more do they drink wine with singing; strong drink is bitter to those who drink it. 10 The city of chaos is broken down, every house is shut up so that none can enter. 11 There is an outcry in the streets for lack of wine; all joy has reached its eventide; the gladness of the earth is banished. 12 Desolation is left in the city, the gates are battered into ruins. 13 For thus it shall be in the midst of the earth among the nations, as when an olive tree is beaten, as at the gleaning when the vintage is done. 14 They lift up their voices, they sing for joy; over the majesty of the LORD they shout from the west. 15 Therefore in the east give glory to the LORD; in the coastlands of the sea, to the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. 16 From the ends of the earth we hear songs of praise, of glory to the Righteous One. But I say, &#8220;I pine away, I pine away. Woe is me! For the treacherous deal treacherously, the treacherous deal very treacherously.&#8221; 17 Terror, and the pit, and the snare are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth! 18 He who flees at the sound of the terror shall fall into the pit; and he who climbs out of the pit shall be caught in the snare. For the windows of heaven are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble. 19 The earth is utterly broken, the earth is rent asunder, the earth is violently shaken. 20 The earth staggers like a drunken man, it sways like a hut; its transgression lies heavy upon it, and it falls, and will not rise again. 21 On that day the LORD will punish the host of heaven, in heaven, and the kings of the earth, on the earth. 22 They will be gathered together as prisoners in a pit; they will be shut up in a prison, and after many days they will be punished. 23 Then the moon will be confounded, and the sun ashamed; for the LORD of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem and before his elders he will manifest his glory.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: Because<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/world\"> the world<\/a> is <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/6#religionisacurse\">cursed with religion,<\/a> all kinds of bad things will happen to it.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/ezekiel\/26.html\">Ezekiel 26<\/a> In the eleventh year, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me: 2 &#8220;Son of man, because Tyre said concerning Jerusalem, &#8216;Aha, the gate of the peoples is broken, it has swung open to me; I shall be replenished, now that she is laid waste,&#8217; 3 therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am against you, O Tyre, and will bring up many nations against you, as the sea brings up its waves. 4 They shall destroy the walls of Tyre, and break down her towers; and I will scrape her soil from her, and make her a bare rock. 5 She shall be in the midst of the sea a place for the spreading of nets; for I have spoken, says the Lord GOD; and she shall become a spoil to the nations; 6 and her daughters on the mainland shall be slain by the sword. Then they will know that I am the LORD. 7 &#8220;For thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will bring upon Tyre from the north Nebuchadrez&#8217;zar king of Babylon, king of kings, with horses and chariots, and with horsemen and a host of many soldiers. 8 He will slay with the sword your daughters on the mainland; he will set up a siege wall against you, and throw up a mound against you, and raise a roof of shields against you. 9 He will direct the shock of his battering rams against your walls, and with his axes he will break down your towers. 10 His horses will be so many that their dust will cover you; your walls will shake at the noise of the horsemen and wagons and chariots, when he enters your gates as one enters a city which has been breached. 11 With the hoofs of his horses he will trample all your streets; he will slay your people with the sword; and your mighty pillars will fall to the ground. 12 They will make a spoil of your riches and a prey of your merchandise; they will break down your walls and destroy your pleasant houses; your stones and timber and soil they will cast into the midst of the waters. 13 And I will stop the music of your songs, and the sound of your lyres shall be heard no more. 14 I will make you a bare rock; you shall be a place for the spreading of nets; you shall never be rebuilt; for I the LORD have spoken, says the Lord GOD. 15 &#8220;Thus says the Lord GOD to Tyre: Will not the coastlands shake at the sound of your fall, when the wounded groan, when slaughter is made in the midst of you? 16 Then all the princes of the sea will step down from their thrones, and remove their robes, and strip off their embroidered garments; they will clothe themselves with trembling; they will sit upon the ground and tremble every moment, and be appalled at you. 17 And they will raise a lamentation over you, and say to you, &#8216;How you have vanished from the seas, O city renowned, that was mighty on the sea, you and your inhabitants, who imposed your terror on all the mainland! 18 Now the isles tremble on the day of your fall; yea, the isles that are in the sea are dismayed at your passing.&#8217; 19 &#8220;For thus says the Lord GOD: When I make you a city laid waste, like the cities that are not inhabited, when I bring up the deep over you, and the great waters cover you, 20 then I will thrust you down with those who descend into the Pit, to the people of old, and I will make you to dwell in the nether world, among primeval ruins, with those who go down to the Pit, so that you will not be inhabited or have a place in the land of the living. 21 I will bring you to a dreadful end, and you shall be no more; though you be sought for, you will never be found again, says the Lord GOD.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: Tyre is another symbolic reference to organized religion just like <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/egypt-and-babylon\">Egypt and Babylon<\/a>. It is occupied by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-the-enemy\">God&#8217;s enemies<\/a>, it will be destroyed.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/ezekiel\/passage\/?q=ezekiel+33:27-33\">Ezekiel 33:27-33 <\/a> Say this to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: As I live, surely those who are in the waste places shall fall by the sword; and him that is in the open field I will give to the beasts to be devoured; and those who are in strongholds and in caves shall die by pestilence. 28 And I will make the land a desolation and a waste; and her proud might shall come to an end; and the mountains of Israel shall be so desolate that none will pass through. 29 Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I have made the land a desolation and a waste because of all their abominations which they have committed. 30 &#8220;As for you, son of man, your people who talk together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, say to one another, each to his brother, &#8216;Come, and hear what the word is that comes forth from the LORD.&#8217; 31 And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say but they will not do it; for with their lips they show much love, but their heart is set on their gain. 32 And, lo, you are to them like one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument, for they hear what you say, but they will not do it. 33 When this comes&#8211;and come it will! &#8211;then they will know that a prophet has been among them.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/revelation\/18.html\">Revelation 18<\/a> After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority; and the earth was made bright with his splendor. 2 And he called out with a mighty voice, &#8220;Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! It has become a dwelling place of demons, a haunt of every foul spirit, a haunt of every foul and hateful bird; 3 for all nations have drunk the wine of her impure passion, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown rich with the wealth of her wantonness.&#8221; 4 Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, &#8220;Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues; 5 for her sins are heaped high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. 6 Render to her as she herself has rendered, and repay her double for her deeds; mix a double draught for her in the cup she mixed. 7 As she glorified herself and played the wanton, so give her a like measure of torment and mourning. Since in her heart she says, &#8216;A queen I sit, I am no widow, mourning I shall never see,&#8217; 8 so shall her plagues come in a single day, pestilence and mourning and famine, and she shall be burned with fire; for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.&#8221; 9 And the kings of the earth, who committed fornication and were wanton with her, will weep and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning; 10 they will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say, &#8220;Alas! alas! thou great city, thou mighty city, Babylon! In one hour has thy judgment come.&#8221; 11 And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her, since no one buys their cargo any more, 12 cargo of gold, silver, jewels and pearls, fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet, all kinds of scented wood, all articles of ivory, all articles of costly wood, bronze, iron and marble, 13 cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, oil, fine flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and slaves, that is, human souls. 14 &#8220;The fruit for which thy soul longed has gone from thee, and all thy dainties and thy splendor are lost to thee, never to be found again!&#8221; 15 The merchants of these wares, who gained wealth from her, will stand far off, in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning aloud, 16 &#8220;Alas, alas, for the great city that was clothed in fine linen, in purple and scarlet, bedecked with gold, with jewels, and with pearls! 17 In one hour all this wealth has been laid waste.&#8221; And all shipmasters and seafaring men, sailors and all whose trade is on the sea, stood far off 18 and cried out as they saw the smoke of her burning, &#8220;What city was like the great city?&#8221; 19 And they threw dust on their heads, as they wept and mourned, crying out, &#8220;Alas, alas, for the great city where all who had ships at sea grew rich by her wealth! In one hour she has been laid waste. 20 Rejoice over her, O heaven, O saints and apostles and prophets, for God has given judgment for you against her!&#8221; 21 Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, &#8220;So shall Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence, and shall be found no more; 22 and the sound of harpers and minstrels, of flute players and trumpeters, shall be heard in thee no more; and a craftsman of any craft shall be found in thee no more; and the sound of the millstone shall be heard in thee no more; 23 and the light of a lamp shall shine in thee no more; and the voice of bridegroom and bride shall be heard in thee no more; for thy merchants were the great men of the earth, and all nations were deceived by thy sorcery. 24 And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all who have been slain on earth.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/isaiah\/passage\/?q=isaiah+65:9-19\">Isaiah 65:9-19<\/a> I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, and from Judah inheritors of my mountains; my chosen shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there. 10 Sharon shall become a pasture for flocks, and the Valley of Achor a place for herds to lie down, for my people who have sought me. 11 But you who forsake the LORD, who forget my holy mountain, who set a table for Fortune and fill cups of mixed wine for Destiny; 12 I will destine you to the sword, and all of you shall bow down to the slaughter; because, when I called, you did not answer, when I spoke, you did not listen, but you did what was evil in my eyes, and chose what I did not delight in.&#8221; 13 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: &#8220;Behold, my servants shall eat, but you shall be hungry; behold, my servants shall drink, but you shall be thirsty; behold, my servants shall rejoice, but you shall be put to shame; 14 behold, my servants shall sing for gladness of heart, but you shall cry out for pain of heart, and shall wail for anguish of spirit. 15 You shall leave your name to my chosen for a curse, and the Lord GOD will slay you; but his servants he will call by a different name. 16 So that he who blesses himself in the land shall bless himself by the God of truth, and he who takes an oath in the land shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten and are hid from my eyes. 17 &#8220;For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind. 18 But be glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. 19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and be glad in my people; no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping and the cry of distress.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/amos\/passage\/?q=amos+5:18-27\">Amos 5:18-27<\/a> Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD! Why would you have the day of the LORD? It is darkness, and not light; 19 as if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house and leaned with his hand against the wall, and a serpent bit him. 20 Is not the day of the LORD darkness, and not light, and gloom with no brightness in it? 21 &#8220;I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. 22 Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and cereal offerings, I will not accept them, and the peace offerings of your fatted beasts I will not look upon. 23 Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen. 24 But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. 25 &#8220;Did you bring to me sacrifices and offerings the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? 26 You shall take up Sakkuth your king, and Kaiwan your star-god, your images, which you made for yourselves; 27 therefore I will take you into exile beyond Damascus,&#8221; says the LORD, whose name is the God of hosts.<\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><br \/>\n<strong>FEELING GOOD IS NOT NECESSARILY SPIRITUAL<\/strong><br \/>\nThere are many studies about the emotional effects of music. Some <a href=\"http:\/\/www.christianitytoday.com\/ct\/2012\/october\/is-megachurch-worship-addictive.html\">Christians will even allow that worship music can be addictive. <\/a>Some have gone so far as to propose that the effects of worship in mega churches create emotional responses that equate God to a drug. Consider the following excerpts from a paper titled: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.kecorcoran.com\/uploads\/1\/7\/6\/6\/17661685\/megachurchsocforum.pdf\"><em> God is like a Drug&#8230;&#8217;: Explaining Interaction Ritual Chains in American Megachurches&#8217; by James K. Wellman Jr, Katie E. Corcoran and Kate Stockly-Meyerdirk:<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>&#8230; This paper applies &#8220;interaction ritual theory&#8221; (Collins 2004) to American mega churches. We propose that megachurches are successful interaction ritual venues and powerful purveyors of emotional religious experience. We predict that these interaction rituals will result in positive emotional energy for participants, membership feelings, membership symbols charged with emotional significance, and heightened spirituality&#8230;.<\/em>page 1<em><br \/>\n<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&#8230;<em> First, drawing on Collins&#8217; (2004) Interaction Ritual Theory, we argue that mega churches are leaders in the religious market for emotional energy (EE) and ritual solidarity. Collins&#8217; (2004) theory assumes that individuals want EE and are thus more likely to take part in rituals to the extent that they provide high levels of it. We propose that mega churches are successful interaction ritual venues and powerful purveyors of emotional religious experience. Mega church worship services are intentionally orchestrated, complete with elements from pop-cultural sources, which are both entertaining and sensually stimulating. Participants come \u201chungry\u201d for EE and leave energized. Thus, contrary to past research theorizing the negative effects of large church size on organizational vitality and member commitment, we propose that the size of mega churches facilitates the generation of strong positive collective emotions through large- (i.e., worship services) and small-scale interaction rituals (i.e., small group participation). We predict that these interaction rituals will result in high-levels of EE, feelings of belonging, membership symbols, morality, and heightened spirituality&#8230;<\/em> page 4<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">See <a href=\"http:\/\/www.kecorcoran.com\/uploads\/1\/7\/6\/6\/17661685\/megachurchsocforum.pdf\">this link<\/a> for the entire paper.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>These studies are based on sociological <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Catherine_Bell_(religious_studies_scholar)#Ritual_Theory,_Ritual_Practice\">theories of ritual interaction<\/a> as they are applied to particular religious contexts. Not surprisingly, the contexts which tend to facilitate the emotional energy most effectively are those which emphasize the ritual of music, singing and dance-like movements in large, compact, church environments. It must be said, however, that the same effects are also powerfully at work in small congregations that employ only a piano or organ or no instruments at all &#8212; other than the human voice.<\/p>\n<p>The way we see it, these studies have exposed truths that churches have either ignored or denied about what constitutes true spirituality. Church rituals in all sizes and theological configurations depend on these rituals to keep their adherents physically and financially engaged. Whether it is singing hymns, reciting creeds or ecstatic worship, they all have an audience that will be enriched by participating in them and will keep coming back for more because it feels so good.<\/p>\n<p>The prevailing attitude in religious communities is the belief that, if participation in the rituals and traditions feels good, it is spiritual. If their emotions get excited, they assume that they are connecting with God. And if they are in the company of others who are similarly excited and keep coming back for more, they assume that they have all achieved spiritual maturity. The emotions they feel are marketed as tangible evidence that the Holy Spirit is present in that church building and he physically touches (even to the point of causing people to cry or collapse under the power of the Spirit) everyone who comes there with the power of God&#8217;s love. And he will do it regularly, Sunday after Sunday.<\/p>\n<p>Under these assumptions, church leaders will do whatever they need to do to satisfy the tastes and expectations of their adherents. And why shouldn&#8217;t they? The ones who keep coming back are the ones who pay the tithes which pay the pastor&#8217;s salary and keep the doors of the church open. It is a win-win proposition. But it is not a win-win proposition for God. All this religious activity has the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/2-timothy\/passage\/?q=2-timothy+3:1-5\">appearance of Godliness, but lacks spiritual power<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The Bible does talk about <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenantspart1\/faith-grace-mercy-peace-love-heart-glory-blessing-spirit-and-truth\/oil-water-face-hands\/love\">love<\/a>, of course, but God&#8217;s kind of love is not the mushy, feel good kind of emotions that music and ritual worship inspire. Jesus said, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/john\/passage\/?q=john+14:15;john+14:21\">&#8220;If you love me you will keep my commandment.&#8221;<\/a> Participation in ecstatic, ritual worship is not the kind of love that God is talking about. God is talking about being a New Covenant disciple who has the law written on his\/her heart.<\/p>\n<p>What religion represents as God&#8217;s love is nothing more than a soulish response to the effects of ritual interaction in which people are joined by their addiction to the emotional effects of joint participation in an activity they enjoy week after week. They could get the same effect by going to orchestra concerts, a sporting even or sing-a-long events in a bar, but then they could not associate the emotional effects with the Holy Spirit and call it a spiritual experience.<\/p>\n<p>True spiritual experiences happen <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=ephesians+5:18-19;+psalm+28:7;+psalm+45:1;+psalm+57:7;+psalm+77:6;+psalm+108:1;+psalm+119:49-59;+ezekiel+26:1-14;+ezekiel+33:27-33;+isaiah+30:29;+isaiah+65:9-19;+amos+5:18-27\">only in the heart<\/a>. And they can happen anywhere at any time. They are not limited to religious gatherings in religious places.<\/p>\n<p>The kind of feel good experience to which we should aspire is when we <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/how-to-hear-gods-spoken-voice#whatgodsvoiceislike\">hear God&#8217;s spoken voice<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>MUSIC AND RELIGION Religion always includes music. The style of music varies from one religion to another. Anyone who doubts the importance of music to religion only needs to try to imagine a religious service without music or with music <span class=\"excerpt-dots\">&hellip;<\/span> <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/music-singing-and-dancing\"><span class=\"more-msg\">Continue reading &rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":1687,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2579","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2579","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2579"}],"version-history":[{"count":69,"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2579\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13785,"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2579\/revisions\/13785"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1687"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2579"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}