The Facilitation of Music
But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him. —2 Kings 3:15
Elisha was agitated by King Jehoram blaming God for a problem he brought on himself by a bad decision he made. Jehoshaphat asked Elisha for a solution to their problem. Because Elisha had respect for Jehoshaphat, he would seek God’s counsel.
But Elisha was so emotionally perturbed, he requests a minstrel come play some music to sooth and settle his emotions so he could receive God’s instructions concerning the situation. This sets forth a great truth: The right kind of music helps facilitate communion with the Lord.
That is why music is such an important part of a church service. It prepares hearts for the preaching and receiving of God’s message. The reason some people never hear from God at church is because their hearts are not “in tune” with the music that is sung.
The Scriptures teach that music is closely connected with spirits and prophesying. “Jeduthun, who prophesied with a harp…” (cf. 1 Chron. 25:1-3). God told Saul he would “meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy” (1 Sam. 10:5).
The first activity mentioned in connection with being filled with the Spirit is “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Eph. 5:18-19). There is no fullness of the Spirit apart from this kind of music.
The right music can dispel evil spirits. When Saul was troubled by an evil spirit, David played his harp “so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him” (1 Sam. 16:23). (The opposite is also true: The wrong kind of music can attract evil spirits!)
I heard of one mother of twelve children who played classical music in her home each morning as her family was getting dressed and preparing for the day. She testified her family got together in beautiful harmony and rarely got into an argument during these times.
So next time you are angry or irritated, switch on some Bach or Mozart, and let the music minister to your troubled soul. You’ll be amazed how well it works.
