Department of Music

My list of exciting Bible passages doesn't include a lot from 1 Chronicles, but every once in a while something interesting appears there. Here's one from chapter 25:

David, together with the comanders of the army, set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun for the ministry of prophesying, accompanied by harps, lyres, and cymbals.
[list elided]

All these men were under the supervision of their fathers for the music of the temple of the Lord, with cymbals, lyres and harps, for the ministry of the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman were under the supervision of the king.

1 Chronicles 25.1,6-7

Now what, you may be thinking, does he think is so interesting about that?

You mean you don't see it?

Picture a meeting of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, but besides the Army, Navy, Air Force, etc., there's also the Secretary of Music. Whoa. The king and the army commander picked these guys out to prophesy and to... play music? Wha...?

A couple of summers back, during the preparation for a Mienh Youth Camp, one of our speakers talked about spiritual forces. You know, the kind that most North Americans don't believe in. There are a lot of ways to fight these bad spiritual forces, but music -- songs of worship and praise -- constitute one very important means. This is something that King David had figured out (he did write a lot of songs) better than a lot of kings (presidents, chiefs, etc.) did. And certainly a lot better than most Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

And how about you and me? Praise is an important part of my prayer life, because if I don't remember that God is the creator and provider and protector, if I forget that he's all-powerful and all-knowing and filled with mercy and compassion, then I can really easily get into a downward spiral, especially if I look at the news.

But music -- that's not as big a part of my life with the Lord as perhaps it should be...

posted 7/18