Instrumental Music In Old Testament Times
For years the digressives ought to justify the use of mechanical instruments of music in worship by the fact that such had been used in Old Testament times. Of course such an argument will not stand, even if it could be proven that the use of such instruments in worship was approved under the law. Any one who respects the teaching of the Bible, would not make such an argument since the proper division of the word of God in regard to the Old and New Testaments would not allow it.
But if such an argument were made, it would have to first be established that the use of such instruments in worship was approved in the former dispensation. This writer once made the argument on Amos 6:5 that the use of instruments was not approved then. Later, we were questioned concerning this point and the argument was made on II Chron. 29:25 that the use of instruments was approved. Further, the argument was advanced on Amos 6:5 that the use of the instruments was not the thing which was condemned but the lives of the people who used them. If this last argument were accepted, one would have to ignore a part of Amos 6:5.
Let us examine this verse and try to comprehend the full import of the statement contained in it. "That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of music, like David". We will observe just here that a woe has been pronounced upon those who did the things set forth in the context. The import of this verse is qualified by the last phrase, "like David." What David did in regard to that which is contained in the verse was displeasing to God. That which was displeasing to God was to "chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of musick".
The exact opposite from the argument which was made concerning it being the lives of the people being condemned, was true in the case of David. Because of David's devotion to God, God tolerated his introduction and use of the instruments but this verse shows that their introduction and use were displeasing to God.
Let us now consider II Chron. 29:25. The context of this chapter has to do with the work of Hezekiah the king. "And he set the Levites in the house of the Lord with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king's seer, and Nathan the prophet: for so was the commandment of the Lord by his prophets." These things were set up in the house of the Lord by Hezekiah. They were set up by him according to the commandment of David, Gad and Nathan. These were the prophets and when the prophets commanded a thing, the people must heed it because this was the medium through which God spoke to the people.
Whether or not God was responsible for the command in the introduction of the instruments is beside the point. Amos 6:5 shows that God did not approve of what David did with regard to the instruments. David was the first to introduce, the use of such instruments in worship, I Chron. 23:5. Instruments of music were plentiful before this, but David was the first to introduce them into worship.
Let us consider some examples of other things God did not approve.
Divorce
In Mt. 19:3-8 we find the account of the question put to Jesus by the Pharisees in regard to divorce for any cause. Jesus pointed out that this was contrary to the will of God. The Pharisees then wanted to know why Moses commanded a writing of divorcement. Jesus told them that this was done because of the hardness of their heart "but from the beginning it was not so". In this we have a case of God even having Moses to give a command concerning a thing (Deut. 24:12) though God did not approve of the practice of the thing involved. Jesus gave the one and only reason for divorce which God ever approved.
An Earthly Kingdom
In I Sam. 8 we find the account of the demand of Israel for a king like the nations. We find that they were allowed to have an earthly kingdom and in many places we find where God gave commands in connection with this kingdom. David was the most outstanding of all the kings. There were many kings and of them, some were good and some were bad. But the fact that God gave commandments concerning the earthly kingdom and the fact that there were some good kings, does not prove that God approved the earthly kingdom. The fact is, he did not approve it. "I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath." Hosea 13:11. God said that in Israel's rejection of his government by judges, they had rejected him as their king.
God did not approve of divorce for every cause. God did not approve of an earthly kingdom for his people. And God did not approve of the use of mechanical instruments of music in worship. The record shows that God was displeased with them.