Drums and Dancing in the Church

Compiled by Juan Arias. All texts are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth. Psalm 96:9
Doesnt the book of Psalms permit drums and dancing in the church? Didnt David dance? Lets take a closer look at the texts that address these issues. And David danced before the LORD with all [his] might; and David [was] girded with a linen ephod. 2 Samuel 6:14 Here David celebrates after having recovered the Sacred Ark of the LORD; but this did not occur inside the Sanctuary. What was David doing anyway? Lets take a closer look. The word danced in the original Hebrew is krar' which has nothing to do with a dance as in a nightclub as some have interpreted it. The word krar' used here simply means to jump or joy or as the Strongs Concordance describes it, to leap or whirl. This is not in the context of a worship service but of a "jump" for joy. Many people jump for joy after having scored a touchdown in a football game or having run a marathon. But in the setting of Gods Holy Temple in the presence of a Holy God, is this appropriate behavior? Is this worship in which the Bible is pointing us? The story of David continues in that same chapter Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself! And David said unto Michal, [It was] before the LORD, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD. 2 Samuel 6:20-21 David, in this story, uncovered himself, and also declared that since he was appointed to as ruler, he would play before the LORD. This obvious inappropriate behavior leads us an important conclusion, that David is not our example. Men in the Bible often misused their power and misrepresented Gods character, even if they were the elect of God. For example, Noah and His family were saved from Worldwide destruction, but He sinned in uncovering himself before His

sons while drunk. Abraham doubted Gods Word and had Ishmael, which led to generations of degeneration. So, with these examples, how do we know if something is Gods will for us? It is simple. When God speaks to us, He will use a Thus Saith the Lord, an It Is Written, or a Verily, I say unto you. The Prophetess of the Lord uses an I have been shown. But, Biblically speaking, we can also safely conclude that JESUS is our one true consistent example. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. 1 Peter 2:21-22 We are called to serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear as He himself did in the earthly Sanctuary. Hebrews 12:28

Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord. Leviticus 26:2
What about Psalm 150? Dont Christians have Biblical permission here to dance and praise God with distorted guitars, syncopated rhythms, and pulsing bass lines? Let us read Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. Psalm 150:4 What is the context of this verse? Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp. [Let] the high [praises] of God [be] in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand; to execute vengeance upon the heathen, [and] punishments upon the people; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the lord. Psalm 149:3,6-9 These Psalms are clearly battle cries and hymns. They are not Thus Saith the Lord instructions on how to conduct the tabernacle ceremony or sanctuary service. How do we know? Because Psalm 149 and 150 were not divided before they came up with the divisions and chapters in the Bible. Consider this When they the Israelites praised the Lord with dancing before the Golden Calf, Joshua heard this and said the following:

And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp. Exodus 32:17 In the original Hebrew the word "noise" is qowl, which means voices, sounds of instruments. This same music was heard throughout all the Old Testament wars and battles. You will not find one reference to drums or dancing in the New Testament. Why? God through Paul instructs all Christians in the New Testament that we no longer "war after the flesh". 2 Corinthians 10:3. There are no references to drums or dancing inside the Sanctuary in both Old or New Testaments. And GOD, through His prophet, has also warned us what would take place right before probation closes: The Lord has shown me would take place just before the close of probation. Every uncouth thing will be demonstrated. There will be shouting, with drums, music, and dancing. The senses of rational beings will become so confused that they cannot be trusted to make right decisions. And this is called the moving of the Holy Spirit. - Selected Messages Volume 2, page 36 She later warns, by that the direction of the Holy Spirit never manifests itself in a bedlam of noise. Gods temple was designed to keep Holy and pure. With this and much more evidences that we can and shall soon uncover about almost all modern Contemporary Christian Music, will we harden our hearts? Will we ignore the facts? Let us learn to worship the LORD in spirit and in truth as true worshippers, because the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth. John 4:23-24

But the Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him. Habakkuk 2:20