MUSIC: A GIFT AND MUSIC: A GIFT AND A SNAREA SNARE

Samples of Adventist Music

We are in a battle fieldWe are in a battle field• Revelation 12:17Revelation 12:17 And the And the

dragon was wroth with the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to woman, and went to MAKE MAKE WARWAR with the remnant of her with the remnant of her seed, which keep the seed, which keep the commandments of Godcommandments of God, and , and have the have the testimony of Jesus testimony of Jesus Christ.Christ.

The real issueThe real issue• Mathew 4:8Mathew 4:8 Again, the devil taketh Again, the devil taketh

him up into an exceeding high him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the worldkingdoms of the world, and the , and the gloryglory of of them; them;

• 4:94:9 And saith unto him, And saith unto him, All theseAll these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and down and worship meworship me..

Principle of worldly musicPrinciple of worldly music

Protestantism: The lyrics not Protestantism: The lyrics not style!!style!!

1 Samuel 16:141 Samuel 16:14 But the spirit of the LORD But the spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD LORD troubled him.troubled him.

16:1516:15 And Saul's servants said unto him, And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth troubleth thee. thee.

16:1616:16 Let our lord now command thy Let our lord now command thy servants, [which are] before thee, to seek out a servants, [which are] before thee, to seek out a man, man, [who is] a cunning player on an harp[who is] a cunning player on an harp: and it : and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that is upon thee, that he shall play with his handhe shall play with his hand, and , and thou shalt be well. thou shalt be well.

• 1 Samuel 16:231 Samuel 16:23 And it came to And it came to pass, when the [evil] spirit from pass, when the [evil] spirit from God was upon Saul, God was upon Saul, that David that David took an harp, and played with his took an harp, and played with his handhand: so : so Saul was refreshed, and Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed was well, and the evil spirit departed from him. from him.

• 1 Corinthians 14:71 Corinthians 14:7 And even And even things without life giving sound, things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except whether pipe or harp, except they give a they give a distinction in the distinction in the soundssounds, how shall , how shall it be knownit be known what is piped or harped? what is piped or harped?

• 14:814:8 For if the trumpet give an For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound,uncertain sound, who shall who shall prepare himself to the battle? prepare himself to the battle?

SOUND TRACKSOUND TRACK

Music: A snare or a gift?Music: A snare or a gift?

Those things which have been in the past Those things which have been in the past will be in the future.will be in the future. Satan will make music Satan will make music a snare by the way in which it is conducted.a snare by the way in which it is conducted. God calls upon His people, who have the God calls upon His people, who have the light before them in the Word and in the light before them in the Word and in the Testimonies, to read and consider, and to Testimonies, to read and consider, and to take heed. take heed. Clear and definite instruction Clear and definite instruction has been givenhas been given in order that all may in order that all may understand. But the understand. But the itching desireitching desire to to originate something new results in strange originate something new results in strange doctrines, {2SM 38.1} doctrines, {2SM 38.1}

Music Mutation through Music Mutation through HistoryHistory

Sacred and secular songs (1450-Sacred and secular songs (1450-1600)1600)

The path of drums- roots The path of drums- roots (Thomas Dorsey-1899-1993)(Thomas Dorsey-1899-1993)

Voodoo in ProtestantismVoodoo in Protestantism

A bedlam of noise A bedlam of noise shocks the sensesshocks the senses and perverts that which if conducted and perverts that which if conducted aright might be a blessing. The powers aright might be a blessing. The powers of of satanic agencies blend with the dinsatanic agencies blend with the din and noise to have a carnival, and this is and noise to have a carnival, and this is termed the Holy Spirit's workingtermed the Holy Spirit's working. . . . . . . . Those things which have been in the Those things which have been in the past will be in the future. Satan will past will be in the future. Satan will make make music a snare by the way in music a snare by the way in which it is conductedwhich it is conducted..--2SM 36, 38 --2SM 36, 38 (1900)(1900)

Beldam of noise/ Christian RockBeldam of noise/ Christian Rock

• The The line of distinctionline of distinction between between professed Christians and the professed Christians and the ungodly is now ungodly is now hardly hardly distinguishable.distinguishable. Church-members Church-members love what the world loves, and are love what the world loves, and are ready to join with them; and Satan ready to join with them; and Satan determines to determines to unite them in one unite them in one bodybody, and thus strengthen his cause , and thus strengthen his cause by sweeping all into the ranks of by sweeping all into the ranks of Spiritualism. {Great Controversy p. Spiritualism. {Great Controversy p. 589}589}

Universal music- unity in musicUniversal music- unity in music

• Daniel 3:1Daniel 3:1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of goldimage of gold, whose height [was] , whose height [was] threescore threescore cubitscubits, [and] the breadth thereof , [and] the breadth thereof six cubitssix cubits: he set : he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of BabylonBabylon..

• 3:43:4 Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commandedcommanded,, O people, nations, and languages, O people, nations, and languages,

• 3:53:5 [That] at what time ye hear the sound of the [That] at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and and all kinds of musicall kinds of music, ye fall down and worship , ye fall down and worship the the golden imagegolden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: hath set up:

Which music could that be?Which music could that be?

Voodoo in AdventismVoodoo in Adventism

The things you have described as The things you have described as taking place in Indiana, the Lord taking place in Indiana, the Lord has shown me would take place just has shown me would take place just before the close of probation.before the close of probation. Every Every uncouth thing will be uncouth thing will be demonstrated. There will be demonstrated. There will be shoutingshouting, with , with drumsdrums, , musicmusic, and , and dancingdancing. The senses of rational . The senses of rational beings will become so confused that beings will become so confused that they cannot be trusted to make they cannot be trusted to make right decisions. {2SM p. 36, 38}right decisions. {2SM p. 36, 38}

Music and dance in AdventismMusic and dance in Adventism

Distinction?Distinction?

• The history of the songs of the Bible is The history of the songs of the Bible is full of suggestion as to the uses and full of suggestion as to the uses and benefits of music and song. Music is benefits of music and song. Music is often often pervertedperverted to serve purposes of to serve purposes of evil, and it thus becomes one of the evil, and it thus becomes one of the most alluring agencies of temptationmost alluring agencies of temptation. . But, rightly employed, it is a precious But, rightly employed, it is a precious gift of God, gift of God, designed to uplift the designed to uplift the thoughts to high and noble themes, to thoughts to high and noble themes, to inspire and elevate the soulinspire and elevate the soul. . . . {Child . . . . {Child Guidance 523.1} Guidance 523.1}

Uplifting and not carnalUplifting and not carnal

• Ephesians 5:17Ephesians 5:17 Wherefore be ye not Wherefore be ye not unwise, but unwise, but understanding what the understanding what the will of the Lord [is]will of the Lord [is]. .

• 5:185:18 And be And be not drunk with winenot drunk with wine, , wherein is excess; but be wherein is excess; but be filled with the filled with the Spirit; Spirit;

• 5:195:19 Speaking to yourselves in Speaking to yourselves in psalmspsalms and and hymnshymns and and spiritual songsspiritual songs, , singing and singing and making melodymaking melody in your in your heart to the Lord;heart to the Lord;

Spiritual not Spiritual not carnal/secular/strange music carnal/secular/strange music

In some of our churches I have In some of our churches I have heard heard solossolos that were altogether that were altogether unsuitable for the service of the unsuitable for the service of the Lord's house.Lord's house. The long-drawn-out The long-drawn-out notesnotes and the peculiar sounds and the peculiar sounds common in operatic singing are not common in operatic singing are not pleasing to the angels. They delight pleasing to the angels. They delight to hear the simple songs of praise to hear the simple songs of praise sung sung in a natural tonein a natural tone. .

The songs in which every The songs in which every word word is uttered clearlyis uttered clearly, in a musical , in a musical tone, are the songs that they join tone, are the songs that they join us in singing. They take up the us in singing. They take up the refrain that is sung from the refrain that is sung from the heart heart with the spirit and the with the spirit and the understanding.understanding.

(Evangelism p. 510)(Evangelism p. 510)

Inspirational?Inspirational?

Natural tone (Adventist)???Natural tone (Adventist)???

Vain RepetitionVain Repetition

• Mathew 6:7Mathew 6:7 But when ye pray, But when ye pray, use not vain repetitionsuse not vain repetitions, as the , as the heathenheathen [do]: for they think that [do]: for they think that they shall be heard for their they shall be heard for their much speaking.much speaking.

Repetition in musicRepetition in music

• In their efforts In their efforts to reach the peopleto reach the people, the , the Lord's messengers are not to Lord's messengers are not to follow the follow the ways of the worldways of the world.. In the meetings that In the meetings that are held, they are not to depend on are held, they are not to depend on worldly singersworldly singers and and theatrical display theatrical display to awaken an interestto awaken an interest… How can the … How can the heavenly choir join in music that is only heavenly choir join in music that is only a form?, {a form?, {Testimonies, vol. 9, p. 143. Testimonies, vol. 9, p. 143. (1909)}(1909)}

Theatrical displayTheatrical display

• Music is the idol which many Music is the idol which many professed Sabbath-keeping professed Sabbath-keeping Christians worship.Christians worship. Satan has no Satan has no objection to music, if he can objection to music, if he can make that a channel through make that a channel through which to gain access to the minds which to gain access to the minds of the youth. “{Testimonies for of the youth. “{Testimonies for the Church," Vol. 1, p. 506}the Church," Vol. 1, p. 506}

• 1 Corinthians 14:151 Corinthians 14:15 What is it then? I What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: with the understanding also: I will singI will sing with with the spirit, and the spirit, and I will singI will sing with the with the understandingunderstanding also. also.

• 14:1614:16 Else when thou shalt bless with the Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned of the unlearned say Amensay Amen at thy giving of at thy giving of thanks, seeing thanks, seeing he understandeth not what he understandeth not what thou sayest? thou sayest?