The role music plays in worship-part 12

       One of the many questions about worship is whether or not meeting together to is really an ancient landmark of worshiping God. Did God ever say that people need a place to worship and commune with him? In Exodus 25:8 it is recorded that Jehovah commanded Moses, "And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them." Then Jehovah proceeded to outline in detail the particulars of the construction of the Tabernacle of worship. God also instructed Moses, in verse 22 of the same chapter, "And there I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel." The Tabernacle was what I call a "beginning place" for the worship of Jehovah.  Worship there was for an esoteric few and not for everyone. We know that in the Tabernacle only a selected few were permitted to perform the acts of worship in representation of the people. Later the Temple was much more open to a type of public woeship.  Now everyone can attend.
        We know of a surety that God desired to commune with ancient Israel, but does He still desires for Christians in this dispensation to come together to commune with him? Since we are God's temple isn't it better to sing and pray by one's self? In Hebrews 10:24-25 we get a clear picture of the importance of public worship. "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." So the writer of the Epistle of Hebrews very carefully explains the virtues of meeting together to worship God and build each other up in our holy faith.
       We are aware that each Christian is to privately worship God. Therefore, some do not see the importance of public corporate worship. Those who discount the necessity of public worship often quote Acts 7:48 and 17: 24 as proof texts that God doesn't dwell in "temples made with hands". Although God lives in our hearts rather than in church buildings, there is nothing about these verses that would suggest that God does not meet with Christians when they come to His house to worship Him.
       Now you may legitimately ask what on earth does all this has to do with music in worship? Good question! First, one of the ways that the Holy Spirit was able to convict me of the awfulness of my sin that separated me from God was watching a camp meeting choir at the Eastern Kansas Camp praise the Lord. God uses the musicing of His people, to cause those who do not know him to desire to have fellowship with God. Second, music is an excellent vehicle to exhort believers to draw closer to our Heavenly father. Third, the emotions and effusions of a worshiping heart can be expressed more clearly with music than with “words alone". As Mike Avery, president of God's Bible College often states, "Words break down and squeak" when we try to explain our response to our loving Savior Jesus Christ. Musicing unto the blessed Trinity often fills the gap when taking the journey from the natural to the supernatural in our worship experiences.