Short history of music in the temple

On June 26, 2020July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn Bible, blessings, family, Inspirational, joy, praise, Thanksgiving, worshipLeave a comment

The scripture for today, June 26 (6/26), is 1st Chronicles 6:26ff as found in the Old Testament of the Bible.

“Elkanah his son, Zophai his son, Nahath his son, Eliab his son, Jeroham his son, Elkanah his son and SAMUEL his son. The sons of Samuel: JOEL the firstborn and Abijah the second son.”

This is a little long, but I think you will enjoy it.

The prophet Samuel came from a musical family who descended from Levi’s son Kohath. Samuel’s son, listed in this scripture, was Joel. Verse 33 called the son of Joel and grandson of Samuel “Heman, the musician.” Just what did Heman the musician do?

David told the Levites to appoint “singers to sing joyful songs, accompanied by musical instruments: lyres, harps, and cymbals.” Heman was the first one they appointed (I Chronicles 15:16f), and he had two assistants, ~ Asaph and Merari (I Chronicles. 6:39, 44). David put them in charge of the music in the house of the Lord, and they performed their duties according to the regulations (verses 31f).

So what David appointed was a choir and orchestra. When David first appointed them, Heman had 120 relatives in his clan, and his assistants had 220 and 130 in their clans (I Chronicles. 15:5-7; 19-22; 27-28), so they had a total of 470 musicians. Wow! And these musicians had a full-time job!

They were to minister before the Lord “according to each day’s requirements” of sacrifices as written in the Law of Moses. Heman and the others were responsible for sounding the trumpets and cymbals and playing the other instruments ~ lyres, harps, and cymbals (15:19-21) ~ for sacred song (16:37-42). In addition to playing the prescribed lyres, harps, and cymbals, trumpets were to be sounded to announce sacrifices, etc. (16:4-6).

By the time David was old, there were “four thousand…to praise the Lord with the musical instruments” (I Chronicles 23:5)! What an amazing choir and orchestra they had by this time! Remember, they were all male Levites, and were to help Aaron’s descendants, the priests, in the temple every day and at special feasts (verse 28, 30f). And what instruments were they still playing? Cymbals, lyres, and harps “for the ministry at the house of God” (I Chronicles. 25:1 & 6).

Years later after David died and his son Solomon had completed the grand Temple in Jerusalem (II Chronicles. 5:1), “all the Levites who were musicians…stood on the east side of the altar dressed in fine linen and playing cymbals, harps and lyres, accompanied by 120 priests sounding trumpets. The trumpeters and singers joined in unison as with one voice to give praise and thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and the other instruments, they raised their voices in praise to the Lord” (verses 12-13).

Can you imagine such an orchestra and choir? The tinkling of the harps and lyres, with cymbals keeping the tempo, and trumpets calling attention to it all? And all those singers! Was God pleased? Indeed he was, for in the form of a cloud, “the glory of the Lord filled the temple of God” (verse 14).

All this occurred around 1000 BC. Three centuries later, when Hezekiah was king, the same instruments were being played ~ cymbals, harps, and lyres (II Chronicles. 29:25f). Why? Because they were prescribed by David, Gad the seer and Nathan the prophet as commanded by God through his prophets. (Acts 2:29-30 says David was a prophet too.)

So we see that during Old Testament times, God commanded that they have full-time musicians to sing and play during daily sacrifices and special feasts, and they had to be male Levites, and they had to play cymbals, harps, and lyres, sometimes accompanied by trumpets.

What a family Samuel had! And I’ll bet he was musical himself. How proud he would have been of his descendants.

Interestingly, although God specified every detail of the instruments that had to be played in the Old Testament, nothing like that was specified in the New Testament. Did God forget? Perhaps God took us to a higher plain in the New Testament era. We do know that in I Corinthians 14:15, we are told to both pray and sing with mind and spirit.

And in Ephesians 5:19, we are told to “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord.” The term “make music” in the original Greek language of the New Testament is to play on strings. Since we are to make music in our hearts, then it looks like we are to play on the instrument of our heart. How beautiful!

About 50 years ago, when my father died, the funeral was in a little country church. The music consisted of a small group from the congregation who sang hymns without the accompaniment of an instrument. They were not good performers ~ they twanged a lot and sometimes were a bit off-key. But it was some of the most beautiful music I have ever heard. Why? Because their singing was accompanied by their heart. They were telling my family, “We love you,” and I really felt that they did.

God looks down at our singing ~ no matter how good or feeble ~ and says, “I can tell you love me.” And that’s all that matters.

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Delirious exultation and sacred peace

On June 24, 2020 By Inspirations By KatherynIn #friendships, blessings, church, family, Inspirational, joy, love, praise, prayer, Scripture, Thanksgiving, worshipLeave a comment

You are my God and the only God. You give life, you radiate love, you judge rightly, you bestow mercy. I lift up my spirit, my heart, my soul to you. I will sing my praises to you through each day of my life no matter how difficult Satan may try to make it and no matter how short or long I live. I will sing your praises on and on. I will still be singing when I close my eyes here and walk through the gate into your realm. There I will lift my voice in highest praise, then bow at your feet in delirious exultation and sacred peace.

Thank you, God, for the friends who came to see me moments ago. You hear my weakest plea. You hear me when I am down and when I am flying high in jubilation. You hear me in my sunset moments, on cloudy days, in darkness and the shadows of a late dawn. Though there are millions of souls asking for your attention at the same time, you hear us all and come to us all as though each was the only one. How do you do that? You are God; that is how. And you love me. With my mind, my heart, and my soul I thank you and worship you.

I am pleased to announce my RESTORATON REPRINT LIBRARY

Reprinted Book I – The Best of Alexander Campbhell’s Millennial Harbinger 1830-1839
Reprint Book II – Instrumental Music in the Worship of the Church, written 1888
Reprint Book III – Writings of the Church of Christ in London 1600-1699 (pending)

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The God of Everywhere

On June 24, 2020 By Inspirations By KatherynIn #friendships, blessings, church, family, Inspirational, joy, love, praise, prayer, Thanksgiving, worshipLeave a comment

The beauty of the earth and the glory of the skies declare praises to you. Each hour holds a special wonder of you, each day a throng of delights to carry me through the night. You are my courage amid fear, my expectations amid disappointment, my audacity amid timidity, my hope amid doubt. You are my light through the darkness, my path through the wilderness, my life through danger. May your name be proclaimed by children, declared to be true by atheists, lauded by the world. Arise, oh universe! Praise the God of all things and of your very existence!

Thank you for your church, your family. You set it up so perfectly. Congregations of your family here and others there all around the world. Each congregation survives because you teach us to love one another and overlook intentional and unintentional mistakes. Brothers and sisters hand in hand, praying for each other, eating glad meals with each other, worshiping you together. Always there with a smile and a sigh, always there with laughter and tears, always together. Always your children, always a part of your family. Even when we travel and meet people in other parts of the world, we instantly have an immediate love whether it be to Asia or South America, Europe, or New Zealand, the Middle East or North America, Africa or one of earth’s poles. Where ever we find each other, we are still family. You are our forever Father and I worship you.

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You stand in the universe among the worlds

On June 19, 2020July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn blessings, eternity, Inspirational, love, power, praise, Thanksgiving, truth, worshipLeave a comment

The stars join together in rapturous chords to sing your praises from galaxy to galaxy. The planets echo their song. It spirals down to the mountain tops. The mountains tremble and the song soars upward until it penetrates worlds and rests at last at your throne. Though there be hundreds of billions of galaxies, the worlds cannot praise you enough, nor can my heart.

I thank you, God, because you never change. No matter how much people change, you stay the same. You never allow anyone to pressure you to give in to us or become like us to ease our consciences. If you changed, there would be no such thing as truth. If you changed there would be no such thing as love. If you changed, we could not be saved from Satan and his world. Your love is stubborn, immovable, persevering. You will stand in the universe among the worlds tall and strong, exalted and majestic. Thank you for never changing. I worship you.

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What kind of building is your body?

On June 18, 2020July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn #friendships, #Handicaps, attitude, good works, Inspirational, joy, problems, victoryLeave a comment

The scripture for today, June 19 (6/19) is 1st Corinthians 6:19f as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you whom you have received from God? You are not your own. You were bought with a price. Therefore, honor God with your body.”

Your body is pretty valuable. The purchase price was high. Jesus bought you back from Satan with something very expensive ~ his body and the blood within it.

This world’s temples are sometimes small and sometimes large. Sometimes plain, sometimes fancy. Sometimes there is complete silence in a temple. And sometimes it echoes with song. Sometimes it has many people, sometimes it stands alone. People can usually figure out that each is a temple, whether or not it has a sign.

Can people tell what you are without you having to tell them? When your family and friends need a place of quiet and rest, can they come to you? When people need a place of joy, can they come to you? After you part company with someone, are they glad you’re gone, or do they feel good about themselves and look forward to the next time they can be with you?

What kind of building would you describe your body?

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The presence of divine majesty

On June 18, 2020July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn good works, healing, Inspirational, joy, Life of Christ, praise, prayer, Thanksgiving, truth, worshipLeave a comment

Heaven stirs. The song comes near. Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Angel wings are heard then stilled. Prayers rise from earth and soar to your majestic throne. The mountains declare your glory and the ocean answers with a mighty roar. Your love is like trees in a storm, bending but not breaking, and coming back stronger than ever. My praises break forth from my heart, dear Lord, in jubilation. The forests shiver in excitement and the tiniest creature answers with its little squeak.

It is dawn. The sun is shining today. We have had a lot of rain and that made the gardens happy. Now the sun is back, gleaming in a deep blue sky while cottony white clouds bounce here and there in satisfaction. Delightful serendipity. No matter what the heavens bring day by day, I thank you for that, and I smile. And I worship you.

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Stretch your spirit and praise him anyway

On June 14, 2020July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn discouragement, emptiness, good works, Inspirational, Life of Christ, patience, ThanksgivingLeave a comment

The scripture for today, June 15 (6/15), is 1st Timothy 6:15 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

.” ..which God will bring about in his own time ~ God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords!”

But it’s hard to know just when God’s time for certain things in our life is. You may think it is when an opportunity arises, but something happens, and it doesn’t turn out. So later, another opportunity arises, but something happens there too, and it still doesn’t turn out.

This verse can carry you from hope to hope from discouragement to discouragement. That is because you cannot see what God sees.

Your life is like a line drawn across a piece of paper, and you have to stay on that line. But God looks down and can see the entire line at once, and he can also see everything going on around you. Those other events may not be good for you to become involved in. There may never be a time when events around you will be good for you.

Rather than give up on God and decide he doesn’t really love you as he claims, amidst your tears of disappointment, stretch your spirit and praise him anyway. Acknowledge him. Then rest until his own time, whether it be soon or in eternity.

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All-night prayer?

On June 11, 2020 By Inspirations By KatherynIn #friendships, blessings, Daily, family, forgiveness, Inspirational, love, praise, prayer, problems, sin, temptation, ThanksgivingLeave a comment

The scripture for today, June 12 (6/12), is Luke 6:12 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“One of those days, Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.”

How in the world did Jesus think of enough things to say that he could pray all night? Most of us, on a good day, only manage a 5-minute prayer. The next verse says that the next morning he selected his twelve apostles. Aha! He had a list. He had probably spent at least half an hour each praying about them by name, as well as about others he was considering. Jesus knew what his apostles would be facing someday. Which ones would be loyal enough, stubborn enough, strong-willed enough to someday in the future endure persecution, torture (skinned alive, beaten to death, burned), and martyrdom for him?

Who do you pray for by name? Do you have a prayer list? How about opening the newspaper and praying for all those people in the news ~ perpetrators, victims, causes, governments, situations? Or everyone you work with? Or everyone your children go to school with? Or all their teachers and administrators? Or the clerks in the stores you go to regularly? Or members of an organization you belong to? Or every member of your congregation? What about countries where people become Christians at risk of their freedom and even their lives?

There are always people in need of prayer. And one of the joys of such a prayer life is now and then telling people whom you know that they are in your prayers, or writing a note to someone who is a stranger to you telling them that you pray for them.

Some people have never heard their names in prayer. Some people have never even been told that someone prays for them.

God loves to answer prayer. Do you love prayer?

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Going through tomorrow

On June 10, 2020July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn #friendships, eternity, Heaven, Inspirational, joy, praise, prayer, Thanksgiving, victory, worshipLeave a comment

I hear it! The anthem of angels praising God on high. My heart strives to join them. My soul leaps for joy at the thought of seeing you face to face as you are, and bowing before you. How long, Lord? How much longer will it be until my longing becomes a reality? As I wait, I sing my puny songs. Take them, Lord, and make them swell with radiance into refrains that grace your throne. May my songs soar through the universe and come back to me enriched by your laughter.

Ah, Lord God, thank you for being my friend. We share everything together ~ our joys and sorrows, our adventures, our quiet times. Sometimes we walk together and Plan tomorrow or bask in today. Though I am one of millions, you notice me and will go with me through tomorrow. Thank you, Lord God.

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An odd way to beat poverty

On June 9, 2020July 15, 2025 By Inspirations By KatherynIn attitude, blessings, Daily, discouragement, ego, ethics, good works, humility, Inspirational, patience, problemsLeave a comment

The scripture for today, June 10 (6/10), is Proverbs 6:10f as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest ~ and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.”

Oh! This scripture really comes to the point, doesn’t it? Perhaps during difficult economic times for some people, this can be a gentle reminder. If you can’t work for money, you can work for free. There is always work to do as a volunteer either in an organization or just by yourself. All it takes is for you to look around.

Well, if you’re already in the clutches of poverty, what will volunteering do to help the situation? People will notice you. They will notice your work ethic and your cheerfulness and your thoughtfulness. They will know you are out of work and just might tell people looking for someone to hire. And in the process, you are helping others. That in itself can make you feel rich ~ even if you’re not.

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