I've been reading in 2 Samuel for a little while now, and 2 Sam. 6 is the passage that is the topic of this post. But first the context:
My personal context is the fact that the most appropriate place here for me to attend Sunday services is with a group of people who are working here but are not IFBs. I see their worship coming from their heart and I see the work they are doing in a place that others have not gone, and it makes me wonder which is the greater issue. Is the issue some people who are passionate about proclaiming Christ among the nations and who use a drum each Sunday (and this week two electric guitars in the song service)? Or, is the issue those people who focus more on whether an electric guitar or drum is sin on Sunday than they do on the nations who are lost? That's my personal context.
2 Samuel 6 is the passage where the ark of the Lord is being brought back to Jerusalem by David and all the people of Israel. I am going to assume your knowledge of the story and just note some personal observations.
1. David dances before the Lord, and Michal rebukes him using the "stumbling block" or appropriateness arguments. (You're going to make the servant girls stumble./That's not appropriate to do in front of the servant girls./You're not being above reproach.)[Yes, I think these arguments have their place.] :)
2. Michael didn't get it because she wasn't out worshiping when she should have been; she was judging. Why was she not out bringing the ark back with the others?
3. The servant girls weren't stumbling because they were worshiping too; that's why they were there. In fact, they would hold David in honor for what he did, even if Michal's opinion deteriorated further (vs. 22).
4. The fact that they were "before the Lord" does not automatically prove that they were right. It is possible to be "before the Lord" and be wrong; David and Israel had just done that back in verse 5, the first time they tried to bring the ark back.
- Compare I Chron. 15-17 for more information about the situation.
I'm not drawing conclusions, just pondering. I think we would do well to consider where we would have been in the celebration of the return of the ark. Somehow I think that there is a strong possibility that I would not have wanted to associate with those people and might have even judged them. And I would have been wrong, not them. I would have been the one whom the Lord judged; and the reality is that the issue actually went to the core of who Michal was... this wasn't a one-time heart issue for her.
25 September 2007
rambling babbling thoughts about music and the heart
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Matthew,
ReplyDeleteTo me, music is not the main issue. It is a sub-issue. I cannot rightly worship to certain styles of music because I believe that these styles are displeasing to God. Also, being an IFB church is not an issue. I am currently a part of a Chinese church (not IFB) - but practices like they are IFB. The question with the "B" is an issue of doctrinal conviction. The question with the "F" is one of the gospel (Listen to some of Bauder's lectures for this one). Indifferentism (an unwillingness to say that the gospel [and doctrines that affect the gospel] is so important that they are willing to part company over it) is a serious problem.
hmm, food for thought... especially as I'm in 1st Samuel at the moment.
ReplyDeleteForgive my ignorance, but what does IFB mean?
The discussion was not really meant to be about music; it was really a question of whether we would let an issue like music take away the possibility of worshiping (in appropriate if unorthodox ways).
ReplyDeleteAs for IFB, (Ind. Fund. Bap.) that was just to point out that some of their practices may be different and from a somewhat separate tradition from mine. It was not saying anything about their doctrinal stands which (in basically every area that I'm aware of) seem to be very close to mine.
I would just like to take this opportunity to let you know that you are officially apostate. Electric guitars? What in the world??? And not IFB--well, I always did suspect you. I'm sorry Matthew, but to preserve my eminent standing as a reputable IFB, if you do not immediately repent of every last rum-pa-pum-pum of your little drum, I shall have to exercise every degree of separation known to human kind on your disgraceful person. :)
ReplyDeleteAbout Michal and the servant girls. (yes I know that's a fragment) Something that few people think about is where Michal is coming from. She loved David and they eventually got married. She really risked quite a bit to protect him. David fled and in his wanderings acquired several other wives. Saul gave Michal to another man. Eventually, David drug her from her second husband to take her home to a housefull of wives. Also, when Saul was still king, David would come back from battle and all the ladies would meet him singing his praises. Now David is bringing the ark back and again is met by crowds and rightly so. The ark of God is coming back to where it belongs. Now taking all that into consideration, what do you think your attitude would be if you were in Michals place? The man you love has abandoned you for other women, you are jerked from your second husband, all the ladies love David, and then David behaves himself in this "unkingly" manner. I'm not questioning David's heart, but just look at it from Michals perspective.
ReplyDeleteI definitely think you have a point, but I also think that somewhere Michal lost a proper focus. Thus, while it is very understandable, I don't think it was right.
ReplyDelete