Sermons

S.R. 2 Chronicles 29:20-28 

Introduction

Welcome to this period of investigation into ancient worship practices. The questions relating to God’s desire for mechanical instruments of music are fascinating and intriguing. Please take this journey with us as we compare, consider and contrast the public worship during the period of the tabernacle and temple of the Jewish people.

Outline

1. Musical Instruments in Old Testament Public Worship
   1. Tabernacle – the only instrument used was the trumpet
      1. Numbers 10:1-10
   2. Temple Worship in the days of David
      1. A distinctive change takes place regarding God’s worship in the days of King David.
      2. David began to use them as professional singers and musicians (1 Chronicles 16:1-6; 23:1-5 and 1 Chronicles 23:25-26).
   3. Why the change in Worship in the Temple?
      1. We are not told why initially.
         1. Was it merely David’s personal preference or desire?
         2. Was it the desire to make the worship more festive or appealing?
         3. Was it that instrumental music had become more culturally appealing?
      2. Reason given regarding why the change in worship (2 Chronicles 29:25-27)
   4. Hezekiah sought to restore the Temple worship.
      1. Questions had to be answered regarding how God should be worshipped musically:
      2. Hezekiah did not presume to act, but rather, sought divine command.
      3. Hezekiah found that God had authorized only certain musical instruments for His worship.
      4. “And he stationed the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, with stringed instruments, and with harps, according to the commandment of David…
      5. “The Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets.” (2 Chronicles 29:25-26)
         
   5. Where did this command come from?
      1. What is included under this “command of David” (1 Chronicles 16:4-7)
      2. We have two sets of instruments:
         1. Trumpets, as prescribed by God through Moses.
         2. “Musical instruments of David” (2 Chronicles 29:26)
   6. This “command of David” continued in the worship within the Temple. (1 Chronicles 23:1-5)
   7. This command for the Levites to use instrumental music in the Temple was a part of God’s Spirit directed plan. (1 Chronicles 28:11-13, 19)
   8. Principles Reviewed:
      1. God has always regulated His worship even in regard to musical instruments both in the tabernacle and the Temple.
      2. God has regulated even the specific instruments to be used.
2. “The command of David,” precedent for all efforts to restore Temple worship
   1. Solomon institutes Temple worship: (2 Chronicles 5:11-13; 8:14)
   2. Reform led by the priest, Jehoiada, approx. 170 years after David. (2 Chronicles 23:18)
   3. Reform lead by king Hezekiah, about 300 years after David (2 Chronicles 29)
   4. Reform led by king Josiah, about 380 years after David (2 Chronicles 35:4, 15)
   5. Rebuilding of the Temple, 550 years after David. (Ezra 3:10)
   6. Nearly 600 years after David, reforms under Nehemiah (Nehemiah 12:24, 35-36, 45-46)
      
   7. Principles reviewed:
      1. The men of the Old Testament always viewed musical instruments in public worship as under God’s authority.
      2. In every situation described above, we seen an application of looking back to God regulating principle regarding worship.
      3. The people of God continued to look back hundreds of years to what God had commanded through David in the Scripture.
      4. They brought only those instruments into worship.
      5. Even in the days of Nehemiah, 600 years after David, they limited the musical instruments to be used in worship to those which God approved.
      6. They never assumed they had authority to bring any other instruments into God’s worship without clear divine command.
   8. Advocates of mechanical instruments of music in the worship of the church claim that men may bring any instrument they desire.
      1. It is assumed that God has not specified or approved which instruments are acceptable to Him.
      2. This was clearly not the view of Old Testaments restorers of worship.
   9. The same principle of Temple worship restoration was observed regarding the restoring of the sacrificial system.
      
      1. Looking back to Moses the prophet of God:
         1. (2 Chronicles 23:18; 31:3)
      2. Ezra 3:2 (Nehemiah 8:14-15; 10:34-36; 13:1) and
      3. “according to the word of the Lord by Moses” (2 Chronicles 35: 6, 12)
         
      4. Point: Both sets of recurring phrases, those that relate to the sacrificial system and those with instrumental music in worship are remarkably similar.
3. Conclusion:
   1. Will we look to Scripture alone to govern our thinking in regard to musical instruments in worship, or will we look to personal desire?
   2. The question we will consider in a future study is: What is the historical evidence regarding the public worship of God’s New Testament people? Please join us.