Thought for the day

If you were Satan and knew how powerful  an influence music could have over mankind, what would you do to it to make it less efficacious for good?

What we know about music from the Genesis record-Part 2

       As we have have considered in previous posts, music in its beginning, is not the original concept of primitive mankind, but rather the concept of God who is alpha and omega the beginning and the end.  To assume anything less is presumptuous and has no basis  in or outside of Scripture.  God created sound or tone, the basis of music, and it has existed from the time of creation. As we have stated emphatically before, man did not evolve into existence, and likewise music did not evolve into existence. 
       The Genesis record does not major on the particulars of music in ancient times.  Frankly, the Genesis record establishes many other very important foundations that we will not discuss in these philosophical posts on music.
However, we are not completely left in the dark concerning the of the beginnings of music since we have the mention of Jubal and his music instruments early in the Genesis record.  By the time of Jacob (Genesis 31:27), we have record of songs, the frame drum translated in the KJV (toph 8596), and the lyre (kinnor 3658) translated harp in the KJV. 
        A review of Scripture (much of it later than the Genesis record) reveals that during Israel’s early period of nomadic life, instrumental music was well developed.  I will say gain that music's beginning can be traced back to creation, but most of its mention in the OT will be recorded after the Book of Genesis.  You may wonder what I am trying to establish philosophically by nailing down the facts of music's beginnings in God's creative acts and its early mention in Genesis. A simple answer is, at this point, that there are ancient landmarks of musicing to be found in early Scripture.

Thought for the day-Genesis record-part 1

Those who deny a literal creation by an infinitely wise God spend the rest of their lives developing stomach ulcers trying in vain to figure out how music began.

What we know about music from the Genesis record--part 1

Yesterday we discussed the fact that God created the seven note musical scale as an on purpose part of his six day creation.  At the end of the sixth day the Genesis record in chapter 1:31 explains “And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.”  As I stated earlier we know with certainty that in the beginning God created music.  Now we know with certainty in verse thirty-one that the music creation was not only good but also very good.  In God’s opinion the system of music he created was very good.  I don’t know about you but for me I trust God’s opinion for it embodies absolute truth concerning all aspects of music.

            One may honestly ask, “What is God’s opinion concerning music?”  This is an honest question so it deserves an honest answer.  Some of God’s ultimate and perfect opinion concerning music is found in the more than 600 references to music in the Bible.  Many Bible doctrines are only mentioned a few times in God’s Word but music is so important to God that he mentions it hundreds of times in this inspired infallible Word. 

            So, the concept that God doesn’t have any thing to say about sacred and secular music is false.  As a matter of fact, this faulty view actually denies God’s authority over the whole of Creation which includes the whole of music.  It behooves all of us to study His Word and discern just what His will is concerning music.  It is also safe to conclude that all Music Matters very much to God. Although it it presumptuous to claim to know exactly all that God thinks about music, we do know from His infallible inspired Word more about how to music unto Him than many Christian suppose.

Thought for the day

Some Christians believe that the music part of music (the seven note creation) doesn't matter to God in spite of the fact that He, on purpose, created it.  Can you imagine God creating something as wonderful as music that He doesn't care about?

The Seven Note Creation

       On January eleven 2012 we discussed that God created sound.  Today we are discussing God's creation of the seven note musical scale.  Before God created man, He created, “the heaven and the earth.”  The world was brought into being and set in motion at the will of God in accordance to His laws. 
        A part of these laws was the eternal concept of seven days ending with a Sabbath and a re-beginning on the eighth day.  God, without doubt, created music in the beginning to conform to these laws.  The eighth note of the musical scale is essentially the same as Sunday of the next week.  Sunday is the eighth day or the day of re-beginning of the same sequence just like the eighth note of the musical scale.  If you sing the diatonic major scale and stop on the seventh degree  this leading tone demands resolution.  The note of resolution is the eighth degree of the music scale which is the same as the first degree i.e. the tonic.   The concept of seven degrees in a musical scale cannot be improved upon since the number seven is always the number of perfection in Scripture, and eight is the number of regeneration and re-beginning. 

       When we study the te'amim (which is the musical notation found above and below the texts of the entire Old Testament) we find that the the tonic of both the psalmodic and prosodiac systems of notation have a tonic note.  (See chapter 8 of my book, Music of the Bible in Christian Perspective).  This tonic note is called "silluq".  This term means "end" and has the same function as the tonic note of our "modern" diatonic scale.. God created and rested in seven days and God made a seven note  scale with a resting note.  After the seventh day the sequence of days re-begins and after the seventh note the musical scale re-bergins--all this is more than a coincidence!  It is the work of an omniscient creator.

       Outside of our knowledge of  the te'amim, the Pentateuch is relatively silent as to the specifics of the beginnings of music.  However, we do know that God imparted musical knowledge to man before the flood.  Genesis 4:21 states that Lamech’s son Jubal, “was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ."  We also know that Adam was given domain over the erets (776--see Jan. 17 post) so he no doubt had wisdom concerning music. The more we learn about God 's seven note creation the more we are drawn to the conclusion that a God this wise is capable of guiding us in developing a unified Christocentric music philosophy in the twenty-first century.  Praise God!

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Quote for the day

"One definition of a philosopher is a person who says what he does not know and acts like its your fault." (Rev. Richard Grimeon)

Who can we trust philososophically?-part 5

Certainly Christian musicians should walk “circumspectly” and reject any autonomous music philosophical basis that purports that music is amoral.  If it is amoral then church music doesn’t matter.  If church music doesn’t matter, then it is not an effective form of worship.  Therefore, it is not capable of being efficacious.  I believe that just as James 5:16b says, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” I believe that the effectual fervent musicing of a righteous man or woman also avails much.  Why?  Because just like prayer, sacred music is given as an offering unto God  for his glory.  Therefore, it is a means of grace to the believer just like prayer.  That is one of the reasons why Church Music Matters so much!

Because all Music Matters, it must be philosophically accountable to God.  Since Christians do not exist in an absurd purposeless universe, all music making has moral purpose. I'm not saying that secular music is sacred. I simply mean that it is not experienced  in some kind of autonomous bubble outside of the lordship of Christ. So, the fine art of music does not escape moral purpose or the Lordship of Christ and furthermore, there is nothing purposeless in the life of a Christian. 

Church Music Matters and so does all music in the life of a Christian (or for the unregenerate for that matter).  It is not hard for many Christians to conceptualize the fact that Church Music Matters, but it is often very difficult for some Christians to understand how or why secular music matters. One of my philosophical presuppositions is that when it comes to secular and sacred music it is not “either or” but rather “wise choices” of both.  A Christ centered music philosophy must include a unified system of philosophical beliefs concerning the nature and value of the whole of music that will serve as a praxis for all of a Christian's musicing..  This  music praxis must include wise choices of  both secular music and sacred music.

Thought for the day

God intends for us to use the power of music to help enhance our understanding of who He is and what he is like, and what he does.  Have a wonderful February!  May God bless you. 

Thank you for a great first month!

       Yesterday was the last day of January.  It marks not only the first month of this year but also the first month of my new venture called Music Philosophy In Christian Perspective.   Welcome to the second month of  our philosophical discussions of music which one of God's wonderful perfect creations and gifts to mankind!  We have received  over 1,781 page views from the following 14 countries:  United States of America, United Kingdom,Germany, Bolivia, Canada, Romania, Denmark, France, Croatia, Malaysia, Russia, Cayman Islands, India, and the Philippines.  Praise God!  It has been our prayer from the beginning that God would allow this music Blog to go many places where I will never have the opportunity to minister musically.
       I want to thank all of you for taking time out of your very busy schedules to view my music posts.  Please pray with me that God will guide every post and allow it to reach those that need encouragement to keep ministering for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
       I also want to thank my daughter Mrs. Deanna Mander who kept after me to take this step of faith and share my philosophy of music with others. She was the one who designed the Blog for me to get started.  She has also assisted me with  phone calls from Northern Ireland and has added travel pictures from our trip to France.  I also want to thank Mrs. Sarah Fry who has designed the gadgets and has entered pictures in each.  I would  be remiss if I did not thank my wife Sheila and my daughter Rachelle who have assisted me greatly in technical computer matters.
       Thank you again for demonstrating your trust by viewing my posts daily.  Again I am asking  you to pray for this Blog and the Blogger.  It is my belief that there is a great need for philosophical discussions of music for those who desire to retain God in their search for truth concerning the nature and value of the whole of music.
     P.S. I also want to thank those I call the "Perfect Seven" who became followers first .