The Rock
IsaiYaH 6:1 “In the year that king UzziYah died, I saw also YaHVaH The Sovereign sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the tabernacle.
Exodus 33:21 Then YaHVaH said, “See, a place near Me—you will stand on the rock.
:22 While My splendor passes by, I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and cover you with My hand, until I have passed by.
Numbers 20:8 “Take the staff and gather the assembly, you and your brother Aaron. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will give out its water. You will bring out water from the rock, and you will give the community something to drink, along with their livestock.”
Deuteronomy 32:3 Because I will publish the name of YaHVaH: ascribe ye greatness unto our Elohim.
Deu 32:4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: Elohim of truth and without iniquity; just and right is he.
32:15 But Jeshurun.. He forsook ELOHIM who made him. He mocked the Rock of his salvation.
32:18 The Rock who birthed you, you ignored. You forgot ELOHIM who brought you forth.
2 Samuel_22:47 YaHVaH lives! And blessed be my Rock! Exalted be ELOHIM—the Rock of my salvation!
23:3 The ELOHIM of Israel has said, the Rock of Israel has spoken to me, ‘He who rules over men righteously, he who rules in the fear of ELOHIM—
Job_29:6 when my steps were bathed with butter, and the rock poured out for me streams of oil.
Psalm_19:15 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable before You, YaHVaH, my Rock and my Redeemer.
27:5 For in the day of trouble He will hide me in His sukkah, conceal me in the shelter of His tent, and set me high upon a rock.
61:3 From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
62:8 On ELOHIM, my salvation and my glory is the rock of my strength. My refuge is in ELOHIM.
71:3 Be to me a sheltering rock where I may always go. Give the command to save me—for You are my rock and my fortress.
IsaiYaH 26:4 Trust in YaHVaH forever, for YaHVaH, YaHVaH is a Rock of ages.
30:29 You will have songs as in the night when you keep a pure festival, and gladness of heart like one walking with the flute to go to the mountain of YaHVaH, to the Rock of Israel.
Mat_7:24 Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the Rock.
1Corinthians 10:3 And all ate the same spiritual food,
:04 and all drank the same spiritual drink—for they were drinking from a spiritual rock that followed them, and the Rock was Messiah.
As we joined Churches in the 1970's and 80's there were great Songs and Hymns of old. Many sermons were inspirational and brought spiritual strength. Little did we know that all this beautiful spiritual music would gradually disappear.
If we only had known that these would be replaced by modern pop music, rock and weak sermons.In fact, part of the reason why "Christian" Rock exists is that Christians are too scared to be different from the world. ***
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Consider your new musical choices to be an adventure, a process of discovery. Take time to define and refine your taste, to search out the musical gems in the pit of musical rot. Suddenly, you will discover that what you considered the only option in music was but a small fraction of the good music available. It may take some searching and prayerful listening, but in the end it will be worth it all.
What is the intention behind the music? Is it sending out a positive or negative message? When you listen to the music, do you find that it conforms to the criteria spelled out by Paul in Philippians 4:8 about thinking and listening to whatsoever is pure, lovely, gracious, and worthy of praise? Does the music elevate you spiritually or stimulate you physically? Answering these questions requires honesty and practiced listening.
The rock and roll of the 1950's would have shades of a finer culture.
Song worship leaders had been groomed to like the great faith songs of old, and most of them had played a musical instrument, not rock, ghetto guitar. They did not imitate pop, urban country or hippy music.
Listen carefully to lyrics to determine whether or not they are theologically sound. This is a very important exercise for it would be contradictory to have a lovely melody with lyrics that are totally unbiblical and insinuate an erroneous message.
Our challenge today is to follow the example of the three Hebrew worthies on the plain of Dura. They refused to bow down before the golden image at the sound of Babylonian music. May God grant us wisdom and courage to reject the music of Babylon and to worship with music that honors Him and ennobles our character.
Are we seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit in our choice of both secular and religious music? We must remember that spiritual things can only be discerned spiritually. This means that we need the Holy Spirit to guide us in our choice of music. This is especially true today when we have been exposed to so much information, musical and otherwise, that has desensitized us.
We cannot rely solely on our judgment or taste when it comes to making good musical choices. We must allow the Holy Spirit to enlighten us on whether the music we are listening to has a spiritually uplifting effect, or is making a rebellious, depressive impact.
Secular Rock and "Christian" Rock
In spite of contrary claims, no significant difference exists between secular rock music and its "Christian" version. Why? Simply because both share the same musical rhythm and are driven by the same relentless beat. Contemporary Christian Music in its rock, rap, rave, jazz, metal, or related forms shares the same accentuated, syncopated, and persistent rhythm of the "rock beat." Other aspects may also be shared, but the beat is the real heart and soul of it.
