Why are songs with drums not encouraged in church?
By Gynesis Roquero
The Bible is not opposed to the use of musical instruments in the Seventh-day Adventist church. In fact, Mrs. White encouraged the tasteful use of musical instruments. However, she was emphatic that it is better never to have the worship of God blended with music than to use musical instruments to create “a bedlam of noise” that shocks the senses and perverts the worship. “The Holy Spirit never reveals [Himself] in such methods, in such a bedlam of noise.” (2 Selected Messages, p. 36).
And regarding with the sanctuary worship The Lord specified three types of instruments to be used by the Levites in the Sanctuary. These are: harp, lyre [or stringed instrument], and the cymbal (1 Chronicles 25:1). Assorted drums were not used in the sanctuary service at all. Most were used for festivals and gatherings outside of the sanctuary. Here are some relevant texts:
Job 21:11-14, they send forth their little ones like a flock and their children dance. 12 They sing to the tambourine and harp and rejoice to the sound of the flute. 13 They spend their days in wealth and in a moment go down to the grave. 14 Yet they say to God, ‘Depart from us for we do not desire the knowledge of your ways” Isaiah 24:8—refers to the sound of music ceasing at the desolation of the earth.
“The mirth of the tambourine ceases the noise of the jubilant ends, the joy of the harp ceases.”
Furthermore Ellen White states, there are wandering stars professing to be ministers sent of God who are preaching the Sabbath from place to place, but who have truth mixed up with error and are throwing out their mass of discordant views to the people. Satan has pushed them into disgust intelligent and sensible unbelievers. Some of these have much to say upon the gifts and are often especially exercised. They give themselves up to wild, excitable feelings and make unintelligible sounds which they call the gift of tongues, and a certain class seems to be charmed with these strange manifestations. A strange spirit rules with this class, which would bear down and run over anyone who would reprove them. God’s Spirit is not in the work and does not attend such workmen. They have another spirit.—Testimonies for the Church 1:411-414.
Many believe that the only effective way to reach this new generation is to incorporate rock music and the drum set into the worship service. But I know from experience that such thinking is flawed. I came to know the truth at the time when I was deeply involved in rock and jazz. The blending of this music with worship was unattractive, and almost laughable, because if I really wanted to hear that music I would go to a place where it came from: the world. And young people who are honest realize that their experience in church should be different than what they receive from the world. – (Amazing facts).
In conclusion, The Church of today needs to make the same decisions that Joshua and David made when they set out to do God’s will. It needs to avoid using horses and chariots and remember that true victory will only come in the name of the Lord.YP
Gynesis Roquero or Necy, for short, is an active senior high school student who is often described by her peers as “witty” and “fun”. Being a former member of the MT Club, she also enjoys sharing God’s glory by doing her best at everything she can get her hands to do.
Illustration by JP Hiwatig
Photo by Josh Sorenson on Unsplash
Young Pens 