The Lost Worship of Heaven
Introduction
Following the apostasy of Hillsong musician Marty Sampson and the multiple (legal) addictions of Brian Houston, we Australians should heed Luther’s estimation of the power of music, “The devil, the originator of sorrowful anxieties and restless troubles, flees before the sound of music almost as much as before the Word of God…”. The sole remedy for “the evil spirit from the Lord” tormenting king Saul was David’s exorcistic lyre playing (1 Sam 16:14, 23). David, and so his musical psalms, was a prophet of Jesus (Mark 12:6=Ps 110:1; Acts 1:16=Ps 69:35; 4:25= Ps 2:1-2). Unsurprisingly then, the Levites he appointed for temple service, “prophesied with lyres, with harps, and with cymbals.” (1 Chron 25:1, 3). And when called upon to prophesy, Elisha summoned a musician, “when the musician played, the hand of the Lord came upon him. 16 And he said, “Thus says the Lord….” (2 Ki 3:15-16). In the New Testament Paul can say of interpreted tongues, equivalent to prophecy, “I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.” (1 Cor 14:15). Clearly, music should function in the Church with prophetic power. No wonder then when yesterday, someone sent me a Christ-centred a contemporary hymn (“For the Cause”) as I listened to the singing, I was instantly moved to confess a recent sin. Biblically normal (Acts 13:2), abnormal today!
Beholding the Centre
It is both natural and ungodly to look at the person up front during the singing as “the worship leader”. Yet Jesus has told us, “the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”” (John 4:23-24). Since he is “the Truth” (John 14:12; Eph 4:21) and giver of the Spirit (Matt 3:11), such worship must be his own. This is clearly what Hebrews teaches, “we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2 a minister in the holy places” in heaven (8:1-2). The word “minister” is Greek leitourgos, used of worshipping of angels and the end-times priestly community (Ps 103:21; Isa 61:6; Jer 33:21). Hebrews 2:12 is even clearer, “‘I (Jesus) will declare your name to my brothers and sisters; in the assembly/ecclesia/church I will sing your praises.’” When we read of the heavenly conquerors of the beast with “harps of God in their hands. 3 And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb” (Rev 15:3), we see the saints sharing in *Jesus own exalted singing*. This is a “new song” (Rev 5:9; 14:3; 15:3) celebrating God’s victory in a holy war (Ex 15; Ps 98:1-3; 144:9-10; Isa 42:10-13) with the power to lead nations into repentance (Rev 15:3-4). Clearly, most contemporary worship is not that powerful! The explanation for this is our failure to embrace the cross.
Perfected Praise
As the human sonship of Jesus was made “perfect through suffering” (Heb 2:10; 5:9), so this has always been true for us (Luke 24:26). David penned many psalms in the midst of life-threatening afflictions (Pss. 3;7;32; 52;54; 56-57; 59-60; 62; 142.). He became “the sweet psalmist of Israel” anointed and raised above human limitations (2 Sam 23:1) foreshadowing Jesus only because he faithfully endured countless trials. His adoration of God amidst hardship prophesies of the Lord who “sung a hymn” (Mark 14:26 likely Ps 113-118) on his way to the cross. This is God’s sole means of purifying how the hearts of those who would worship him from “the depths” (Ps 130:1). It is the secret of how Paul and Silas severely beaten and thrown into the darkness of a dungeon, i.e. into hellish conditions (Matt 8:12; 22:13; 25:30 cf. Mark 15:34), “at midnight…were praying and singing hymns to God” (Acts 16:25). (Reading the life story of John Newton will expound “Amazing Grace”.) Which our contemporary celebrity worship leaders could echo Job, “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him;” (Job 13:15)?? Who today worships God for God’s sake, rather than for some benefits? Perhaps the songs of quadriplegic Joni Eareckson Tada, or the worship in refugee ethnic communities. These are not minor matters.
Be Appalled
“Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the Lord, 13 for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.” (Jer 2:12-13). Strong language, but fitting for some of my experiences in “worship services” whose leaders were later exposed as adulterers, in a meeting led skilfully for 20 minutes without mentioning Father, Son or Holy Spirit, surely the work of the anti-Christ (1 John 4), or a leader crazily suggests, “the Holy Spirit is like a Sneaky Blue Genie”. (Jenn Johnson, Bethel Music.) The “famine…of hearing the words of the LORD.” (Amos 8:11) applies to a “worship movement” that has largely lost its way. We have forgotten that we are sharing in the worship the heavenly glorified lamb of God offers his Father. We have been deceived by the devil into receiving as “excellent” (cf. Phil 2:10 cf. Tit 3:8) high quality performance, rather than worship transformed by living encounters with the death and resurrection of the Lamb (Rev 5:6). The power of the gospel (Rom 1:16; 1 Thess 2:13) transforms ordinary heart-felt praise into an accompaniment of the worship of heaven where the Lamb integrates ordinary humanity (Rev 5:13) into his own perfect pitch and correct key.
We Become what we Worship
Only when we consistently apply the truth of justification by faith alone to musical talent will we share the anointing of our heavenly worship leader for crucifixion and resurrection (Mark 14:8; Rom 1:4; Phil 3:10). Our skilled “worship leaders” are spiritually ordinary because they lead ordinary uncrucified lives. Paul’s exhortation, “Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.” (1 Thess 5:20-22), must be applied to worship leaders. If the testimony of Jesus cannot be discerned in their words, a “different spirit” is at work (2 Cor 11:4). Yet in fellowship with the ascended Lord, we are above all evil powers (Eph 1:19-22) so the authority of our purified praise is immeasurably beyond demonic influence. Here we enter the rest of God which permeates the “silence in heaven” and releases divine judgment ushering in the End (Rev 8:1). Entering this rest is a precondition for lasting revival in the Church in Perth (http://cross-connect.net.au/a-prophetic-picture-for-perth/ )
Conclusion
The prophetically reconstructed “tent of David” (Acts 15:16) must include both 24/7 prayer and praise that participates in the heavenly order. Its glory peace cannot be realised other than through “many tribulations” (Acts 14:22). Christian political lobbying will never turn our culture around, neither will confident extraverted musical performances, it is unadulterated worship that brings heaven to earth through “broken contrite hearts and humble spirits” (Ps 51:17; Isa 66:2). This is the sort of revival for which we must pray.