Meditations on 2 Chronicles 29:25, “And he stationed the Levites in the house of the Lord with cymbals, with stringed instruments, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, of Gad the king’s seer, and of Nathan the prophet; for thus was the commandment of the Lord by his prophets.”

How do we present our formal worship to God? I think it is easy to say, “Well if it pleases me, it must please God!” Or, “If God allowed it in the Old Testament, he will allow it today.” I have heard that kind of reasoning about music offered in praise to God.

But consider this verse, Hezekiah was restoring temple worship and all the instruments used were used for a reason. It was not because the king and the people would like it. It was not because they thought God wouldn’t care if they did or didn’t use them. It was because of “the commandment of the Lord.”

Since we love God and want to keep His commands we need to be sure we are behaving as God commands. Today that means following the commands in the New Testament. So with music or whatever we offer up to God as worship, it must be what He commands. Our sense of what feels good is not authority for worship to God.  – Joe