Music began in heaven. When the foundations of the earth were laid, “the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy” (Job 38:7). Especially was Lucifer, the covering cherub in God’s presence, supremely entrusted with the gift of music. Of him it is declared that “the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created” (Ezekiel 28:13).
After Lucifer’s fall, a loss was felt. But God’s boundless resources were in no way crippled, and He is ever worthy to be praised by the angelic host. Inspiration describes a heavenly vision of “companies of angels, who stood in a hollow square, everyone having a harp of gold. At the end of the harp was an instrument to turn to set the harp or change the tunes. Their fingers did not sweep over the strings carelessly, but they touched different strings to produce different sounds. There is one angel who always leads, who first touches the harp and strikes the note, then all join in the rich, perfect music of heaven. It cannot be described. It is melody, heavenly, divine, while from every countenance beams the image of Jesus, shining with glory unspeakable.” 1
As a faith-boosting tonic in our pilgrimage here on earth, the apostle Paul mentions “speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:19). Likewise, from the early years of Adventism, in a letter of 1850, Ellen White states how she was specifically shown the benefit of music for God’s people in the spiritual battles of our time: “I saw we must be daily rising, and keep the ascendancy above the powers of darkness. Our God is mighty. I saw singing to the glory of God often drove [off] the enemy, and praising God would beat him back and give us the victory.” 2
In that same year (1850), one of the earliest publications of the Advent people was printed. It was a hymnbook compiled by James White, entitled Hymns for God’s Peculiar People Who Keep the Commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus. This collection of 48 hymns was chosen as being especially applicable to the distinctive faith and hope of Adventism, and some hymns we still enjoy today.
Over the years, vital instructions were given to E. G. White regarding the potential value and appropriate use of music. As mentioned by Paul, the first place for melody to thrive is in our hearts. The second place is in our homes. We are bidden: “Evening and morning join with your children in God’s worship, reading His Word and singing His praise. Teach them to repeat God’s law. Concerning the commandments the Israelites were instructed: ‘Thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.’ Accordingly, Moses directed the Israelites to set the words of the law to music. While the older children played on instruments, the younger ones marched, singing in concert the song of God’s commandments. In later years they retained in their minds the words of the law which they learned during childhood.
“If it was essential for Moses to embody the commandments in sacred song, so that as they marched in the wilderness, the children could learn to sing the law verse by verse, how essential it is at this time to teach our children God’s Word! Let us come up to the help of the Lord, instructing our children to keep the commandments to the letter. Let us do everything in our power to make music in our homes, that God may come in.” 3
“Let all take time to cultivate the voice so that God’s praise can be sung in clear, soft tones, not with harshness and shrillness that offend the ear. The ability to sing is the gift of God; let it be used to His glory.” 4
“Music can be a great power for good; yet we do not make the most of this branch of worship. The singing is generally done from impulse or to meet special cases, and at other times those who sing are left to blunder along, and the music loses its proper effect upon the minds of those present. Music should have beauty, pathos, and power. Let the voices be lifted in songs of praise and devotion. Call to your aid, if practicable, instrumental music, and let the glorious harmony ascend to God, an acceptable offering.” 5
“Those who make singing a part of divine worship should select hymns with music appropriate to the occasion, not funeral notes, but cheerful, yet solemn melodies. The voice can and should be modulated, softened, and subdued.” 6
“Display is not religion nor sanctification. There is nothing more offensive in God’s sight than a display of instrumental music when those taking part are not consecrated, are not making melody in their hearts to the Lord. The offering most sweet and acceptable in God’s sight is a heart made humble by self-denial, by lifting the cross and following Jesus. . . .
“Great improvement can be made in singing. Some think that the louder they sing the more music they make; but noise is not music. Good singing is like the music of the birds—subdued and melodious.
“In some of our churches I have heard solos that were altogether unsuitable for the service of the Lord’s house. The long-drawn-out notes and the peculiar sounds common in operatic singing are not pleasing to the angels. They delight to hear the simple songs of praise sung in a natural tone. The songs in which every word is uttered clearly, in a musical tone, are the songs that they join us in singing.” 7
“Music is acceptable to God only when the heart is sanctified and made soft and holy by its facilities.” 8
As mentioned earlier, the fallen angel who became Satan, the enemy of souls, was a master musician. Even now, he still retains much of that musical skill and employs it to incite men to fulfill his purposes of evil. In early Adventism, he was already using music to unsettle the faith of the youth. Sister White warned:
“I feel alarmed as I witness everywhere the frivolity of young men and young women who profess to believe the truth. God does not seem to be in their thoughts. Their minds are filled with nonsense. Their conversation is only empty, vain talk. They have a keen ear for music, and Satan knows what organs to excite to animate, engross, and charm the mind so that Christ is not desired. The spiritual longings of the soul for divine knowledge, for a growth in grace, are wanting. . . .
“The introduction of music into their homes, instead of inciting to holiness and spirituality, has been the means of diverting their minds from the truth. Frivolous songs and the popular sheet music of the day seem congenial to their taste. The instruments of music have taken time which should have been devoted to prayer. Music, when not abused, is a great blessing; but when put to a wrong use, it is a terrible curse. It excites, but does not impart that strength and courage which the Christian can find only at the throne of grace while humbly making known his wants and with strong cries and tears pleading for heavenly strength to be fortified against the powerful temptations of the evil one.” 9
“Angels of God are in tears as they write in the roll the words and acts of professed Christians. Angels are hovering around yonder dwelling. The young are there assembled; there is the sound of vocal and instrumental music. Christians are gathered there, but what is that you hear? It is a song, a frivolous ditty, fit for the dance hall. Behold the pure angels gather their light closer around them, and darkness envelops those in that dwelling. The angels are moving from the scene. Sadness is upon their countenances. Behold, they are weeping. This I saw repeated a number of times all through the ranks of Sabbathkeepers, and especially in ——. Music has occupied the hours which should have been devoted to prayer. Music is the idol which many professed Sabbath-keeping Christians worship. Satan has no objection to music if he can make that a channel through which to gain access to the minds of the youth. Anything will suit his purpose that will divert the mind from God and engage the time which should be devoted to His service. He works through the means which will exert the strongest influence to hold the largest numbers in a pleasing infatuation, while they are paralyzed by his power. When turned to good account, music is a blessing; but it is often made one of Satan’s most attractive agencies to ensnare souls. When abused, it leads the unconsecrated to pride, vanity, and folly. When allowed to take the place of devotion and prayer, it is a terrible curse. Young persons assemble to sing, and, although professed Christians, frequently dishonor God and their faith by their frivolous conversation and their choice of music. Sacred music is not congenial to their taste. I was directed to the plain teachings of God’s word, which have been passed by unnoticed. In the judgment all these words of inspiration will condemn those who have not heeded them.” 10
Just as most worldly music can subtly eat away our reverence for God, how much more dangerous is music which bears Satan’s fingerprints under a cloak of religion! In Sister White’s day, such music crept into an SDA camp meeting in Muncie, Indiana, to promote a deadly mixture of error mingled with truth. We read in an 1890 letter of S. N. Haskell:
“There is a great power that goes with the [deceitful ‘holy flesh’] movement that is on foot there. It would almost bring anybody within its scope, if they are at all conscientious, and sit and listen with the least degree of favor, because of the music that is brought to play in the ceremony.” 11 From this we can see the tremendous influence that music can have in swaying people to believe a lie as readily as the truth! From Haskell’s further description of the Indiana music, it appears to have been heavy in bass and drums, and terribly loud (and that was without the electronic amplifiers of today!) Sister White warned that such music would increase:
“The things you have described as taking place in Indiana, the Lord has shown me would take place just before the close of probation. Every uncouth thing will be demonstrated. There will be shouting, with drums, music, and dancing. The senses of rational beings will become so confused that they cannot be trusted to make right decisions. And this is called the moving of the Holy Spirit.
“The Holy Spirit never reveals itself in such methods, in such a bedlam of noise. This is an invention of Satan to cover up his ingenious methods for making of none effect the pure, sincere, elevating, ennobling, sanctifying truth for this time. Better never have the worship of God blended with music than to use musical instruments to do the work which last January was represented to me would be brought into our camp meetings. The truth for this time needs nothing of this kind in its work of converting souls. A bedlam of noise shocks the senses and perverts that which if conducted aright might be a blessing. The powers of satanic agencies blend with the din and noise, to have a carnival, and this is termed the Holy Spirit’s working. . . .
“The Lord showed me that erroneous theories and methods would be brought into our camp meetings, and that the history of the past would be repeated. I felt greatly distressed. I was instructed to say that at these demonstrations demons in the form of men are present, working with all the ingenuity that Satan can employ to make the truth disgusting to sensible people; that the enemy was trying to arrange matters so that the camp meetings, which have been the means of bringing the truth of the third angel’s message before multitudes, should lose their force and influence.” 12
Indeed, today we see this prophecy being blatantly fulfilled in the modern “celebration” movement. But besides the heavy drumbeat and rhythmic “rock” styles, there are now even more types of supposedly “Christian” or “gospel” music to avoid. These days we are confronted with jazz, country, “blues,” and hypnotic “rap” styles of songs being set to sacred words, as well as songs with Hollywood-style tonalities reeking of cheap, love-sick sentimentalism—all in the name of Jesus. It is difficult to explain these subtleties in writing, but suffice to say that we each need to seriously pray for spiritual discernment in determining the actual “flavor” and underlying message of the music we hear. Regardless of the words, if the sound is somehow mesmerizing, or if it makes you think of a disco, night club, or sensuous romance movie, something is wrong. If it makes you inclined to relax your moral standards in any way, beware. The only music which can truly honor the God of heaven is that which bears His noble and majestic characteristics, free from all that is “earthly, sensual, devilish” (James 3:15).
The Adventist era, as in all other periods of history, has seen music to be either a curse or a blessing. When blessed by pure, wholesome music, the remnant who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus will enjoy an experience similar to Christ when He was on earth: “With a song, Jesus in His earthly life met temptation. Often when sharp, stinging words were spoken, often when the atmosphere about Him was heavy with gloom, with dissatisfaction, distrust, or oppressive fear, was heard His song of faith and holy cheer.” 13 In the lives of God’s faithful few, even “amidst the deepening shadows of earth’s last great crisis, God’s light will shine brightest, and the song of hope and trust will be heard in clearest and loftiest strains.” 14
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John the Revelator was shown in vision the final triumph of this remnant: “I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest” (Revelation 15:2–4).
In eternity, “Heaven and earth will unite in praise, as ‘from one Sabbath to another’ (Isaiah 66:23) the nations of the saved shall bow in joyful worship to God and the Lamb.” 15 “As Jesus opens before them the riches of redemption and the amazing achievements in the great controversy with Satan, the hearts of the ransomed thrill with more fervent devotion, and with more rapturous joy they sweep the harps of gold; and ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands of voices unite to swell the mighty chorus of praise.” 16
May the Lord help us prepare our voices—but especially our hearts—to join in that glorious rendition! Amen.