- The Issue Concerning Spiritual Struggle – 16:14-16
- The Reality of Spiritual Warfare – v.
14
- We have noticed the tragedy of Saul’s progressive slide toward alienation
from God.
- He has been so consumed with his own way and strength, he failed miserably
the weightier matters of leading the people of God – God’s will and enabling.
- As a consequence of the slighting of God, Saul lost the anointing as
God’s representative leader of Israel, and he became a leader that was
"on his own" – "Now
the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul."
- Once again it is necessary to repeat that the presence of the Holy
Spirit in the OT was particular and temporary.
- Instead of indwelling believers as He does today, the Holy Spirit "came
upon" believers temporarily and filled them for a particular enabling
– cp. Judges
16:20; Psalm
51:11; John
14:17
- The anointing that enabled Saul to perform the task of leading the
Nation of Israel under the guidance and supernatural ability granted by
the Holy Spirit, was removed and that anointing had just been given to
David.
- This departure of the Spirit of the Lord was independent to the issue
of Saul’s salvation, but did place Saul in a precarious position:
- He was in a condition where the demands of his office exceeded his
capabilities.
- He was in a condition where he was exposed to the aggressive efforts
of the enemies of God to defeat the people of God.
- He was in a condition where he had to wrestle with spiritual powers
against which what he had consistently relied upon did not equate him to
the task.
- One reason for the withdrawal of the enabling by the Spirit was to
leave Saul dependent on his own abilities – something (as we have noticed)
he was satisfied in doing.
- To demonstrate to Saul (and to use him as an example to us) the Lord
allowed a demonic spirit to vex him – "…
and an evil spirit from the Lord terrorized him."
- The terminology here indicates that the evil spirit attacked Saul repeatedly
and intermittently from without.
- There is no indication that this spirit actually possessed Saul.
- This demonstrates the essence of spiritual warfare – how that in wrestling
against spiritual powers we find ourselves constantly under the protection
and enabling of God’s Spirit.
- Essentially, we are unable to depend upon our own strength to defeat
our foe – but are dependent on the power of God exhibited through obedience
produced by faith.
- A Resource in Spiritual Warfare – vv.
15-16
- Whether it was by spiritual perception, or divine illumination, those
attending Saul realized what was happening – "Saul
servants then said to him, ‘Behold now, an evil spirit from God is terrorizing
you."
- Their immediate solution involved providing Saul with a wonderful resource
in gaining spiritual strength – the provision of godly music – "Let
our lord now command your servants who are before you. Let them seek a
man who is a skillful player on the harp; and it shall come about when
the evil spirit from God is on you, that he shall play the harp with his
hand, and you will be well."
- This demonstrates that one of the fundamental elements in the spiritual
struggles that men face is the role of music – cp. 2
Kings 3:15.
- If it is true that music has the ability to reduce the influence
of the enemy of the souls of men, the opposite must also be true - music
can enhance the influence of our enemy.
- Clearly we are shown here the incredible power that exists in music
for that which is good – the "driving away" of the evil spirit
- It is incumbent upon the sensible believer to recognize that Satan
(as the great imitator of God and counterfeiter of what is good) will counter
the weapon music by generating music that He can use to his own advantage
in quenching the Holy Spirit.
- When we consider the point of Satan’s past role as a musical leader
in heaven, we are convinced that music is one major arsenal in Satan’s
schemes against men – cp. Ezekiel
28:11-15
11 Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying,12
"Son of man, take up a lamentation for the king of Tyre, and say to
him, ‘Thus says the Lord God: "You were the seal of perfection,
Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. 13 You were in Eden, the garden of
God; Every precious stone was your covering: The sardius, topaz,
and diamond,
Beryl, onyx, and jasper, Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald
with gold.
The workmanship of your timbrels
and pipes
Was prepared for you on the day you were created.
14 "You were the anointed cherub who covers;
I established you; You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked back
and forth in the midst of fiery stones. 15 You were perfect in your
ways from the day you were created, Till iniquity was found in you
- The Importance of Spiritual Qualification –
16:17-22
- The Vitality of a Spiritually Qualified Musician
– vv. 17-18
- Saul was in a depressed condition – and was interested in whatever
would provide him relief from the darkness and distress suffered at the
hands of this evil spirit.
- His reply provided the open door for the anointed of the Lord to enter
the court of Israel – "So
Saul said to his servants, ‘provide for me now a man who can play well
and bring him to me’."
- There was within Saul’s advisory staff a young man who possessed discernment
and recognized that not any musician would do – but one who was of character
and strength of heart
- This young man "answered
and said, ‘Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is a
skillful musician …" -acknowledging the need
for someone who could play well.
- However, beyond the mere ability is the character that qualifies a
musician to minister in the name of God – "…
a mighty man of valor, a warrior, one prudent in speech, and a handsome
man; and the Lord is with him."
- David was a man who demonstrated excellence in the discernable features
of his character:
- "… a mighty man of valor"
– he possessed courage – not afraid of a threatening situation
- "… a warrior"
– he demonstrated the ability to fight well – probably when he slayed the
bear and lioin
- "… one prudent in speech"
– he knows what to say and when to say it
- "… and a handsome man"
– pleasing to the eye – implying that he is well kept
- But the most important feature is that "the
Lord is with him"
- The description that this young man gave of David demonstrates the
need for musicians to be of such a testimony that their lives verify the
words they sing and remain consistent with the music they perform.
- The Value of a Spiritually Qualified Musician –
vv. 19-22
- Taking the recommendation of his advisors, "Saul
sent messengers to Jesse and said, ‘Send me your son David who is with
the flock’."
- As we pointed out in the last study, David went from the mundane duties
of tending a flock of sheep to the forefront of the vitality of Israel
– rescuing the king from the grip of demonic forces.
- He was so chosen not merely because of his musical abilities – although
these were important – but because of the faithfulness that characterized
his life.
- Jesse was apparently somewhat distressed that his son had been summoned
– having known that David was the Lord’s choice to replace Saul, and knowing
of Saul’s intemperate condition – he sent a gift possibly to show loyalty
and support of Saul - "Jesse
took a donkey loaded with bread and a jug of wine and a young goat, and
sent them to Saul by David his son."
- David’s ministry to Saul was effective as explained in v. 23, and resulted
in advancement – "Then David
came to Saul and attended him; and Saul loved him greatly, and he became
his armor bearer."
- David’s ministry to Saul became so foundational that Saul determined
that he couldn’t do without him – "Saul
sent to Jesse, saying, ‘Let David now stand before me, for he has found
favor in my sight’."
- The Influence of the Music – 16:23
- The Revitalization of the Human Spirit
- As mentioned above, David’s ministry of music did exactly what was
postulated by Saul’s advisors – provide Saul with relief from the evil
spirit that troubled him – "So
it came about whenever the evil spirit from God came to Saul, David would
take the harp and play it with his hand; and Saul would be refreshed …"
- Godly music is designed by God who gave it to express the heart of
a believer to the Lord.
- This is why the believer, having been reconciled to the Lord, is given
a "new song" – distinct from what is common with the world –
cp. Psalm
33:1-3; Psalm
40:1-3; Revelation
5:9
- Music that is embraced by the world (that system that is opposed to
God) is clearly not music that is consistent with those devoted to godliness.
- Note here that unbelievers may find godly music attractive in the sense
that it is technically appreciable, but will not normally choose it over
music that more properly reflects the condition and nature of their souls.
- The music a person embraces is one of the best means by which the condition
of their souls is diagnosed.
- Consequently, music that promotes sensuality and carnality is not "of
the Spirit" and is therefore illegitimate as a "style" for
the believer – cp. Galatians
5:17
- It is inevitable that I address the issue of "rock" music,
or Contemporary Christian Music as it is called within the "Christian"
culture.
- It is inarguable that the rock style of music that emerged in this
country in the 1950’s and 60’s and which has evolved over the past 30-40
years was designed to attack the morals and values of the Judeo/Christian
ethic.
- Rock musicians have never hidden their agenda – which included freedom
from sexual restraint, the escapism of the use of drugs, the rebellion
against authority of any kind, and the abolishing of absolutes in conduct
or creed.
- These are all features of the natural man – the condition from which
we who know Christ have been saved.
- For the church to embrace music that by its design is given to ungodliness,
and to combine it with words that promote godliness is confusion at best
and blasphemy at worst – cp. Haggai
2:12-13 (see Ryrie’s note)
- Never before have the people of God utilized music given to sensual
indulgence and ungodly pursuit to approach God in any acceptable manner.
- We cannot claim the profane and offer it God as sanctified by mixing
it with words that we believe will please Him – cp. Amos
5:23.
- He has already informed us that it is better to obey than to sacrifice
to Him – and he has told us not to mingle the profane and holy – cp. 2
Corinthians 6:14-17
- When God’s people have embraced sensual music in their worship, it
has always been worship being offered to a god of their own making and
not the holy God of Israel – cp. Exodus
32:17-18.
- The Relief from the Evil Spirit
- We are told that Saul "would
be refreshed and be well" when David played.
- Part of the reason for this is that when David played music that was
consistent with godliness, "the
evil spirit would depart from him"
- Therefore, just as the quotation of Scripture is able to ward off the
temptations of the enemy (cp. Christ’s temptations in Matthew 4), godly
music is a means by which the devil can be resisted – cp. James
4:7.
- The key here is the "submission to God" – that is bringing
oneself into alignment with him.
- Music that brings submission to God reflects the nature and character
of God – essentially it is Christlike
- It is filled with joy – not the enhancement of abandon and carnal
delights
- It is marked by order and balance
- It is dominated by its melody
- It is embellished by its harmony
- It is supported by its rhythm.
- It is yielded to authority – not given to rebellion and self-expression
- It is empowered by the Spirit - not adrenaline
- Even as we have noticed that music that is brings a person into yielded
submission to God has the ability to deliver a person from satanic oppression
and influence, music that is inconsistent with God will dramatically heighten
our susceptibility to Satan’s oppression and influence.
- Unfortunately, we have given credence to a philosophy that finds absolutely
no biblical foundation or justification – that music is essentially "amoral"
- It is quite interesting that the only people attempting
to claim that "Christian" rock music is indeed consistent with
the Christian message are those people who are indulgent and are attempting
to justify it. The secular rock musicians, new age musicians, etc…, all
readily and honestly admit that the music they advocate is completely inconsistent
with the Christian message. In fact, immorality and rebellion is touted
as forming the essence of their music
- Writing in Life Magazine, rock star Frank Zappa reported:
"Rock music is sex."
- Dr. Paul Kienel reported in an article for the "Christian
School Comment" that "Music composer and conductor Dimitri Tiomkin
said of the rock sound, ‘Youngsters who listen constantly to this sort
of sound are thrust into turmoil. They are no longer relaxed normal kids.’"
- Alfred Aronowitz, former music critic for the New York
Post, wrote: "If the establishment knew what today’s popular music
is really saying, not only what the words are saying, but what the music
itself is saying, then they wouldn’t just turn thumbs down on it. They’d
ban it, they’d smash all the records and they’d arrest anyone who tried
to play it."
- John Kay of "Steppenwolf" described his group’s
success this way: "One of the reasons we’re so successful is that
we are able to keep the music hard and direct so that it communicates directly
with the body."
- "Little Richard" who professed to convert to
Christianity said: "I was using dope, marijuana, angel dust, cocaine
and heroin with pills and drinking and all I wanted to do was have orgies
. . . rock ‘n’ roll doesn’t’ glorify God. You can’t drink out of God’s
cup and the devil’s cup at the same time. I was one of the pioneers of
that music, one of the builders. I know what the blocks are made of because
I built them."
- Time Magazine stated on October 31, 1969, p. 49 that
"Rock ‘n’ Roll has by its very beat and sound always celebrated sexuality"
- Bob Larson, a former rock musician stated: "The
term ‘rock and roll’ was coined by a Cleveland disc jockey who borrowed
the phrase from the ghetto where it was used as a descriptive sex expression.
‘Rock and roll’ actually means ‘promiscuous sexual relationship music.’"
- It is my personal opinion that those who claim that music is amoral
can only do so at the expense of naivete at best or an attempt to justify
what they would otherwise have to admit is wrong.
- I believe that one of the main reasons why the church today is so spiritually
secularized and weak is because it has embraced the notion that music is
not an issue – our text tonight demonstrates unequivocally that it is an
issue to spiritual victory – a major issue!
