Most people who know me, know that I love music. Once, I was out to dinner and the conversation was on music. I was asked, “What about you?” I responded, “I just like live music.” To clarify, it is music of all sorts. It could be a guy on the corner playing a one string guitar, I would stop and listen. If someone is doing what they love and making music to entertain others, I appreciate it. I appreciate them and I show it by stopping and listening and if they are asking I give them money.
I recently stumbled upon a young composer named Jacob Collier . . . a brilliant musical mind, almost too brilliant, really. I was watching one of his teaching sessions from Australia and this quote from him hit me. So, I thought I would pass it on here with a note. He said, “As a teacher, as a performer, as a parent, you are only as powerful as you make other people feel.” It reminded me of the golden rule. “Do unto others what you would have them do to you.” Or “Love your neighbor as yourself.” These principles are what make a person successful. Life is about relationships, be relational, be intentional, love always, forgive often.
I don’t know about power or making people feel powerful, but forgiven, loved, hopeful, encouraged. These are right and good. Music, is a powerful influencer. Frequencies, are known to heal and harm. Now I don’t know enough about it to tell you anything specific or matter-a-fact. But, different frequencies have been used scientifically to influence the mind and body. Researchers at MIT and the National Institute of Health have articles on the subject if the idea intrigues you beyond what I have to say here.
As well, people have been influenced by the music they listen to throughout time. Young David, would play the harp before King Saul when he was being tormented and it would sooth his spirit. 1 Samuel 16:22-23 – “Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, ‘Let David remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.’ And whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would pick up his harp and play. Then Saul would find relief and feel better, and the spirit of distress would depart from him.”
Some believe that music is a form of spell casting, or that it can be used in such away. Jacob Collier, mentioned above said that when he was a kid he would watch his mother conduct the orchestra and that it looked like she was casting a spell. He was referring to her hand gestures and the way her body moved as she conducted. He described it as ‘mesmerizing’. Music is a powerful tool.
It is often depicted as a choir of angels appearing to the shepherds in the field to tell them that Yahoshua (Jesus) was born. The actual reference in Luke 2:13-14 says: “And suddenly there appeared with the angel a great multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying: ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests!‘” The word ‘lego’ being translated here as ‘saying‘ according to Strongs G3004 means exactly that, ‘say, speak, call, tell’. It is the same word legō that is used in Revelation 4:8 which tells of the angels around the Throne of God. “And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is Adonai Elohim Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”
There are plenty of musicians who incorporate the spoken word into musical rhythms. So I don’t say this to detract from the idea of music but perhaps to more focus on the frequency than how the words of a melody are presented. One thing that fascinated me about Jacob Collier is his ability to create melody with the voices of people who had no idea he was going to do such a thing. At a jazz festival, he got the audience involved with just their voices, no knowledge before hand, no script, he just simply gave them the example. He gave out different parts to sections of the audience and then by simply gesturing to them he created a melodic sound so captivating the people were left in awe. That is the power of music, melody, and frequency.
It is said that Satan, aka Lucifer, was the choir director or orchestra conductor in heaven before his fall. Whether or not this true there isn’t definitive proof. However, in Ezekiel 28 there is perhaps a hint. A hint great enough to create the theory. Ezekiel is directed by Elohim to write a lament for the king of Tyre. Ezekiel 28:11-15 says:
“Again the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, “Son of man, take up a lament for the king of Tyre and tell him that this is what Yahweh Elohim says: ‘You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God. Every kind of precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald. Your mountings and settings were crafted in gold, the workmanship of your timbrels and of your pipes were prepared in you in the day that you were created, prepared on the day of your creation. You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for I had ordained you. You were on the holy mountain of God; you walked among the fiery stones. From the day you were created you were blameless in your ways—until wickedness was found in you.”
Timbrels: Translated from a Hebrew word (toph) typically meaning a hand drum, tambourine, or percussive instrument.
Pipes: Translated from a less clear Hebrew word (neqeb) that some scholars and historic translations interpret as flutes, wind instruments, or hollow cavities meant for sound.
Understanding now both the beauty Lucifer is described with and the potential ability to conduct music, one can see how great the potential for pride there was. Look at the music industry today, the pride, and the superficial emphasis on beauty. There are very few ‘ugly’ frontmen in the music industry. Obviously, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and I am not saying they don’t exist but they are far and few between. Forest Frank, not too long ago ruffled a few feathers when he refused to attend an award show and receive an award for his music. Essentially saying, he didn’t want the credit for his music but rather that the glory should go to God alone. Needless to say that was not a popular opinion amongst his peers.
Music is powerful, it is seducing in its appeal, it draws the heart and the mind. If the theory of Satan/Lucifer is true and he was the director/conductor of music we can certainly see how it was possible to draw a third of the angels with him. A third is not a small number. If someone is polling at 33% they are considered a threat in politics. There had to be some sort of influence being wielded about to garner 33% allegiance from his fellow angels. Strong enough to cause them to join his rebellion. Imagine that if you will and then consider what influence music has over you.
As I stated in the beginning, I love music. I enjoy listening to live music. I will go out of my way to support musicians. Especially, if I know them and if their music lightens my mood. I often play soft jazz in the background at work. I call it my serenity music in the midst of chaos. I certainly notice when it isn’t playing and there is a higher level of stress in the work place. So perhaps I am simply writing to myself, to caution myself to the power of music, to its influential powers, and hypnotic potential. As they say, ‘garbage in, garbage out.’
So, I am constantly asking Adonai to fill me with His melody. To place His song in my heart and mind and lips. As the Psalmist says 48:1-5:
I waited patiently for Adonai;
And He inclined to me and heard my cry.
2 He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay,
And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm.
3 He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God;
Many will see and fear
And will trust in Adonai.
4 How blessed is the man who has made Adonai his trust,
And has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood.
5 Many, O Adonai my God, are the wonders which You have done,
And Your thoughts toward us;
There is none to compare with You.
If I would declare and speak of them,
They would be too numerous to count.
May our hearts cry, be that Adonai Elohim fill us with His song, His music, His lyric, His melody, His frequency, that we would not be influenced by the worlds music but by His alone. May we seek to love our neighbors, to do for others what we would have them do for us. To seek first the Kingdom of Elohim and His righteousness. To live out the example set out for us in Messiah. Above all, to love Elohim with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. Singing unto Him all the praise and honor due His Name.
You are loved,
cj
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