The musical discourse in Exodus 32:17-20 is a discussion
between Joshua and Moses about the musical sounds that they heard coming from
the camp of the Israelites. Although I
will not be able to thoroughly consider this Bible example of musicing in the
middle of this discussion of the formal properties of music, I simply wish to
point out that the sounds produced from the formal properties of this “worship”
music greatly disturbed both Joshua and Moses.
Remember that they “heard” before they “saw” the people musicing. These
men of God were aware from the sounds they heard that there was something wrong
with the worship music they were hearing as they approached the camp of the
Israelites. When they saw the people musicing Moses was convinced that it was
certainly a very carnal form of worship.
It is evident to me that if this musicing had been a representation of
“the joyful sound” that Joshua and Moses would not have been so upset by what
they heard.
One more observation of this musical discourse in the
thirty second chapter of Exodus is that Moses had just spent time on Mount
Sinai in the presence of Jehovah. When
he left the presence of God, where he received the Ten Commandments, and no
doubt spent time worshiping in the presence of the giver of the Decalogue, he
was in a position to recognize the genuine from the false i.e. sacred from
profane musical sounds of worship.
Twenty-first century Christian worship leaders should learn from this
example that it will be the presence of God that will keep us in tune with “the
joyful sound” and that there is a difference in sacred and profane musical
sounds.
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