King Mesha of Moab was a sheep breeder. He used to pay the king of Israel an annual tribute of 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams. But after Ahab’s death, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. So King Joram promptly mustered the army of Israel and marched from Samaria. On the way, he sent this message to King Jehoshaphat of Judah: “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you join me in battle against him?” And Jehoshaphat replied, “Why, of course! You and I are as one. My troops are your troops, and my horses are your horses.” Then Jehoshaphat asked, “What route will we take?” “We will attack from the wilderness of Edom,” Joram replied. The king of Edom and his troops joined them, and all three armies traveled along a roundabout route through the wilderness for seven days. But there was no water for the men or their animals. “What should we do?” the king of Israel cried out. “The Lord has brought the three of us here to let the king of Moab defeat us.” But King Jehoshaphat of Judah asked, “Is there no prophet of the Lord with us? If there is, we can ask the Lord what to do through him.” One of King Joram’s officers replied, “Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He used to be Elijah’s personal assistant.” Jehoshaphat said, “Yes, the Lord speaks through him.” So the kings of Israel, Judah, and Edom went to consult with Elisha. “Why are you coming to me?” Elisha asked the king of Israel. “Go to the pagan prophets of your father and mother!” But King Joram of Israel said, “No! For it was the Lord who called us three kings here—only to be defeated by the king of Moab!” Elisha replied, “As surely as the Lord Almighty lives, whom I serve, I wouldn’t even bother with you except for my respect for King Jehoshaphat of Judah. Now bring me someone who can play the harp.” While the harp was being played, the power of the Lord came upon Elisha
-2 Kings 3
Now bring me someone who can play the harp.
"Ah, music! A magic beyond all we do here!"
-Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - 1991-1992
What is this magic we call music?
Music was played while the power of the Lord came upon Elisha.
Music was sung on the slave ships as they crossed the Atlantic Ocean.
Music was sung in the Nazi concentration camps.
Music was sung while Paul and Silas were imprisoned.
Music is a great magic one we cannot seem to grasp.
Music has the power to move us. It has the power to keep us moving. It has the power to lift us up. Music can give us hope. But what is music? It's just sound arranged.
The science of it makes no sense. Yet when I turn music on for my preschool class I see them uncontrollably start to move, start to dance. Why? How do they know to do this? How do infants know to start bobbing their heads?
Why did Elisha request someone who can play the harp? It doesn't seem to matter who plays the harp the important part of the request is the harp. He didn't request a certain song. The song isn't the important part of the request. It's the harp. It's the music.
The power of the Lord came upon Elisha as the harp was played by someone.
Saul's demons were soothed to David's harp.
What is this magic that can summon God's power, lift our spirits, sooth a possessed man, give us hope?
Music is such an important part of life, of worship.
I wonder if the power of the Lord falls as I attempt to play my sad excuse for songs on my guitar. I wonder if music is a more accurate prayer than words.
music is a lot like God
It cannot be seen
It cannot be captured
Even if it is recorded it still must be played again and again but that recording isn't music it is only the representation of music. Like a photograph of the sunrise, it can in no way do the real thing justice.
Music is not just one simple thing. It isn't simply one note, although it can be. It is the collection of many instruments, many notes, many styles, types, genres. It can be as simple as hands clapping, to voices humming. It can be as complex as a symphony to an orchestra.
Just like God there isn't one true way to worship, there isn't one true way to create music.
Just like God music can be as complex or as simple as we decide to explore.
Just like God we can choose to get the recording, the representation, the theology of someone else and simply copy that, or simply play that. Or we can create our own, we can dive deep we can invest, explore, experiment, fail, learn, love, trust, hope practice for the duration of our entire lives and still never master this magic known as "music."
music is like God. Everyone hears it some choose to call it music others call it noise.
Sometimes those who are deaf actually hear better than those who aren't.
Ludwig van Beethoven was deaf yet he composed some of the most beautiful music the Earth as heard. It reminds me of the blind man Jesus healed.
He replied, “I know nothing about that one way or the other. But I know one thing for sure: I was blind . . . I now see.” They said, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” “I’ve told you over and over and you haven’t listened. Why do you want to hear it again? Are you so eager to become his disciples?” With that they jumped all over him. “You might be a disciple of that man, but we’re disciples of Moses. We know for sure that God spoke to Moses, but we have no idea where this man even comes from.” The man replied, “This is amazing! You claim to know nothing about him, but the fact is, he opened my eyes! It’s well known that God isn’t at the beck and call of sinners, but listens carefully to anyone who lives in reverence and does his will. That someone opened the eyes of a man born blind has never been heard of—ever. If this man didn’t come from God, he wouldn’t be able to do anything.” They said, “You’re nothing but dirt! How dare you take that tone with us!” Then they threw him out in the street.
The blind man saw who Jesus is yet the Pharisees who had sight were completely blind.
And this is the God of the universe, Deaf people compose beautiful music. Blind people see the savior of the world.
The scientists dissect the sound waves, they study the rhythm they capture it on recordings but yet they miss the whole thing.
Just as scientists treat the world we live in this 'reality' yet they miss the whole thing.
Why can the cello make me cry?
Why can the sunrise fill my heart?
Why can the drum make me dance?
Why can the mountains make me still?
Why can the strings make me smile?
Why can the trees make me shout?
Weddings
Funerals
Battles
Worship
Festivals
Celebrations
Peace
All of these occasions have music.
There is not only one way to music.
There is not only one style of music.
There is not only one way to God.
There is not only one style of worship.
Bombadil- One More Ring
-2 Kings 3
Now bring me someone who can play the harp.
"Ah, music! A magic beyond all we do here!"
-Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - 1991-1992
What is this magic we call music?
Music was played while the power of the Lord came upon Elisha.
Music was sung on the slave ships as they crossed the Atlantic Ocean.
Music was sung in the Nazi concentration camps.
Music was sung while Paul and Silas were imprisoned.
Music is a great magic one we cannot seem to grasp.
Music has the power to move us. It has the power to keep us moving. It has the power to lift us up. Music can give us hope. But what is music? It's just sound arranged.
The science of it makes no sense. Yet when I turn music on for my preschool class I see them uncontrollably start to move, start to dance. Why? How do they know to do this? How do infants know to start bobbing their heads?
Why did Elisha request someone who can play the harp? It doesn't seem to matter who plays the harp the important part of the request is the harp. He didn't request a certain song. The song isn't the important part of the request. It's the harp. It's the music.
The power of the Lord came upon Elisha as the harp was played by someone.
Saul's demons were soothed to David's harp.
What is this magic that can summon God's power, lift our spirits, sooth a possessed man, give us hope?
Music is such an important part of life, of worship.
I wonder if the power of the Lord falls as I attempt to play my sad excuse for songs on my guitar. I wonder if music is a more accurate prayer than words.
music is a lot like God
It cannot be seen
It cannot be captured
Even if it is recorded it still must be played again and again but that recording isn't music it is only the representation of music. Like a photograph of the sunrise, it can in no way do the real thing justice.
Music is not just one simple thing. It isn't simply one note, although it can be. It is the collection of many instruments, many notes, many styles, types, genres. It can be as simple as hands clapping, to voices humming. It can be as complex as a symphony to an orchestra.
Just like God there isn't one true way to worship, there isn't one true way to create music.
Just like God music can be as complex or as simple as we decide to explore.
Just like God we can choose to get the recording, the representation, the theology of someone else and simply copy that, or simply play that. Or we can create our own, we can dive deep we can invest, explore, experiment, fail, learn, love, trust, hope practice for the duration of our entire lives and still never master this magic known as "music."
music is like God. Everyone hears it some choose to call it music others call it noise.
Sometimes those who are deaf actually hear better than those who aren't.
Ludwig van Beethoven was deaf yet he composed some of the most beautiful music the Earth as heard. It reminds me of the blind man Jesus healed.
He replied, “I know nothing about that one way or the other. But I know one thing for sure: I was blind . . . I now see.” They said, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” “I’ve told you over and over and you haven’t listened. Why do you want to hear it again? Are you so eager to become his disciples?” With that they jumped all over him. “You might be a disciple of that man, but we’re disciples of Moses. We know for sure that God spoke to Moses, but we have no idea where this man even comes from.” The man replied, “This is amazing! You claim to know nothing about him, but the fact is, he opened my eyes! It’s well known that God isn’t at the beck and call of sinners, but listens carefully to anyone who lives in reverence and does his will. That someone opened the eyes of a man born blind has never been heard of—ever. If this man didn’t come from God, he wouldn’t be able to do anything.” They said, “You’re nothing but dirt! How dare you take that tone with us!” Then they threw him out in the street.
The blind man saw who Jesus is yet the Pharisees who had sight were completely blind.
And this is the God of the universe, Deaf people compose beautiful music. Blind people see the savior of the world.
The scientists dissect the sound waves, they study the rhythm they capture it on recordings but yet they miss the whole thing.
Just as scientists treat the world we live in this 'reality' yet they miss the whole thing.
Why can the cello make me cry?
Why can the sunrise fill my heart?
Why can the drum make me dance?
Why can the mountains make me still?
Why can the strings make me smile?
Why can the trees make me shout?
Weddings
Funerals
Battles
Worship
Festivals
Celebrations
Peace
All of these occasions have music.
There is not only one way to music.
There is not only one style of music.
There is not only one way to God.
There is not only one style of worship.
Bombadil- One More Ring