I was having a discussion earlier today about how strange the power of music is. It’s can almost be like a drug whose primary affect is nostalgia. But more than simply reminiscent nostalgia. Like an intense nostalgia. Depending what you’re listening to, you can be instantly transported to a whole other era of life. You can feel just as you felt at another time.
There are times where a smart playlist on my iPod comes across a song from high school and, depending what I’m doing at the time, for those brief few minutes, I get to look at the world through eyes that have long since grown into something else.
It’s nothing short of bizarre. But after the conversation, it got me thinking about the time in Kings when Elisha couldn’t prophesy until they brought him a minstrel. When the music started playing, he was then able to prophesy (2 Kings 3:15).
“…Bring me a harpist."
While the harpist was playing, the hand of the LORD came upon Elisha”
Although it probably doesn’t matter and there’s no way to know for sure, I can’t help but wonder what song it was that the minstrel played for Elisha. I’m betting that in God’s sovereignty, it wasn’t altogether supernatural that the song affected Elisha the way it did.
Of course, that’s just my speculation. Who can know for sure?
Comment by Connor — June 30, 2009 @ 5:10 pm
I can tell you that, from the perspective of a kid who’s been in a boychoir for 10 years now, music can be much more even that that, especially when you make it yourself. I’ve had performances and services where the music we sang was so beautiful, or the acoustics so flawless, that it seemed like it wasn’t just 40 kids singing, it was indescribable, like angels were joining in. No wonder we’re commanded to use music in worship.
Comment by Chris Owens — June 30, 2009 @ 6:15 pm
Looking at that passage again from 2 Kings, I think it’s very likely that Elijah sang his prophesy. The Masoretic text of the Hebrew, which is the text of the Old Testament we have today is marked with vowel points and musical notation because in the synagogue, the Bible is always sung.
Imagine that, the power of both music and the Word of God working together to penetrate our souls! Good blog, Bill…
Comment by William — June 30, 2009 @ 6:58 pm
Bladowe! So cool.
Comment by Dad — July 1, 2009 @ 6:12 am
I well know the effect an old, familiar song can have. Some original recordings can send me back a half century to when I was a lot younger than you are now. They remind me of specific events and people that continue to hold a warm place in my heart.
The comments of others to your blog started me wondering….. what, if anything, did Jesus and those around Him sing? Synagogue music, I suppose, but anything secular?
Comment by William — July 1, 2009 @ 10:33 am
Yeah, I think that all falls into that interesting set of questions asking what Jesus was like as a kid. For his day, how normal of a kid was he? What did he enjoy doing? Did he enjoy the Roman’s music?