Babylon Knows How to Worship
Scripture Reading: Daniel 3: 1 – 7
I’ve been alive forever
And I wrote the very first song
I put the words and the melodies together
I am music
And I write the songs
[Chorus:]
I write the songs that make the whole world sing
I write the songs of love and special things
I write the songs that make the young girls cry
I write the songs,
I write the songs
My home lies deep within you
And I’ve got my own place in your soul
Now when I look out through your eyes
I’m young again, even tho’ I’m very old
I write the songs that make
the whole world sing
I write the songs of love and special things
I write the songs that make the young girls cry
I write the songs,
I write the songs
Oh, my music makes you dance and gives you spirit to take a chance
And I wrote some rock ‘n roll so you can move
Music fills your heart, well that’s a real find place to start
It’s from me, it’s for you
It’s from you, it’s for me
It’s a worldwide symphony
I write the songs that make
the whole world sing
I write the songs of love and special things
I write the songs that make the young girls cry
I write the songs,
I write the songs
I write the songs that make
the whole world sing
I write the songs of love and special things
I write the songs that make the young girls cry
I write the songs,
I write the songs
I am music and
I write the songs
Scripture Reading: Daniel 3: 1-
Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, the height of which was sixty cubits and its width six cubits; he set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent word to assemble the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counsellors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
Then the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counsellors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces were assembled for the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
Then the herald loudly proclaimed: “To you the command is given, O peoples, nations and men of every language, that at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe and all kinds of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up.
“But whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire.” Therefore at that time, when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations and men of every language fell down and worshiped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
In moving forward from the first reference to the Tower of Babel in the Genesis record, there is no word or name in scripture that is more symbolic or descriptive of the world order than the name Babylon. In fact it carries through to the last book of the divine library where we discover the end of Babylon. And here is its end.
Rev. 14:8 – And another angel, a second one, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who has made all the nations drink of the wine of the passion of her immorality.”[1]
16: 19 The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath. [2]
17: 5 And on her forehead a name was written, a mystery, “BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”
18: 2 And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! Shehas become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird. “For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality.”
9-11 “And the kings of the earth, who committed acts of immorality and lived sensuouslywith her, will weep and lament over her when they see the smoke of her burning, standing at a distance because of the fear of her torment, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For in one hour your judgment has come.’ ”And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargoes any more-
21- 22 Then a strong angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “So will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down with violence, and will not be found any longer. “And the sound of harpists and musicians and flute-players and trumpeters will not be heard in you any longer;
I would not pretend to know what we may yet face before we graduate our place in
time, and I certainly would not predict what awaits the church of future generations in terms of persecution and suffering. What I do know this morning is that God has so designed it that His kingdom is being formed and shaped right in the presence of an opposing kingdom. That opposing kingdom is most frequently represented in scripture by the word Babylon.
In these verses we discover that Babylon is made up of three fundamental structures or systems. The reference to the kings of the earth is a reference to the political or governmental systems of the age. The reference to the merchants of the earth is a reference to the economic structures or systems of the age. But then we have this strange reference: ‘a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird.’
Depending upon the context, the word ‘bird’ or ‘birds’ in scripture very often refers to false religion. What we are looking at with this reference is the third structure of Babylon, and we discover that Babylon is highly religious. And we further discover that Babylon’s religious system is not static, nor neutral; it is spiritually alive and spiritually dynamic – it is spiritually empowered by a well defined and tightly structured demonic system.
And then we read this: “And the sound of harpists and musicians and flute-players and trumpeters will not be heard in you any longer.” Guess what? Babylon has its own music. Guess what? That music is not static; is not neutral. Guess what? That music is part and parcel of the religious structure of Babylon. Guess what? That music is spiritually driven and empowered. And just one more – Guess what? That music defines the worship of Babylon.
And to understand the nature or definition of her worship consider the following words
and phrases: the passion of her immorality; committed acts of immorality with her; the
wealth of her sensuality; lived sensuously with her
There is a political Babylon, an economic Babylon, and a religious Babylon, and what I can tell you this morning about those structures is that there is an end to it all. Its end is in the righteous judgement of God. And that judgement is so complete that even her music is going to disappear. If God is going to judge even the music of Babylon, then it seems to me we need to show some responsible judgement when it comes to music.
Do not be naïve about this: Babylon understands the power of worship. Babylon also understands the role that music plays in and the influence music has upon worship. In fact, Babylon understands this far better than the church does.
You do not have to spend very many nights in Haiti before you become aware of constant drumming. These are the drums of voodoo. That drumming is not just a physical exercise – it is spiritually alive. Very often the church’s response to this is to condemn the instrument. In fact there are some settings in which no musical instruments are allowed. That kind of response tells me that the world system knows more about worship than the church does. The issue is not the instruments; the issue is the spiritual reality communicated in and through the music coming from those instruments.
Let’s go back to Daniel. The picture presented here is packed full of meaning. I want to extract two words from the record: worship and music. This whole event is about one thing –worship. And I will say again, Babylon (the kingdom of the world – the kingdom of this present age) understands the power of worship. The second thing it understands is how music impacts upon worship. And yes, I will say this again also – the world order, the present Babylon understands this far better than the church does.
Let me illustrate that for you by inviting you to go right into a worship service in Babylon. It is not so much the music that I want you to regard, but please pay particular attention to the worshipers.
On this same DVD you have former and present high ranking political figures (including presidents) speaking about the Beatle’s music. The average monthly wage at that time was one hundred and fifty roubles. A Beatle’s album sold for 80 roubles; more than half a month’s wages. When their music first hit the world scene it was formally outlawed in the Soviet Union. If a university student was caught with the Beatle’s music in any form (including listening to it on radio) they lost their place in the education system. Workers found with it lost their jobs. Some even went to jail.
Here’s the question: Why did the leaders of such a powerful nation fear something as “silly” as music? They feared it because they knew music is not silly; it is powerful, spiritually alive and impacts upon the established values of a culture, bringing transformation to the entire social order. One of the Russian leaders put it this way: The music of the Beatles brought a revolution to the whole of our culture without the single shot of a gun.
And that’s the point in this: There is something far more powerful than military might – it is the worship of a nation’s corporate heart fuelled by the music that comes out of that worship and that defines and shapes that worship. If you want to understand the power of music do a google search of “Revolutions and Music.” What you will find is that every revolution had its music and very often it was the music that kept it alive and going when it seemed it was defeated.
Let me finish this by taking you to another worship service:
2CH 5:11 When the priests came forth from the holy place (for all the priests who were present had sanctified themselves, without regard to divisions), and all the Levitical singers, Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their sons and kinsmen, clothed in fine linen, with cymbals, harps and lyres, standing east of the altar, and with them one hundred and twenty priests blowing trumpets in unison when the trumpeters and the singers were to make themselves heard with one voice to praise and to glorify the LORD, and when they lifted up their voice accompanied by trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and when they praised the LORD saying, ” He indeed is good for His lovingkindness is everlasting,” then the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.
In the end this whole clash of kingdoms is coming down to a single issue – and that issue is worship. As the church becomes more and more a Kingdom of worshipers, Babylon will be exposed for all her falseness, and with that exposure she will shake and finally fall completely? And as she falls the government of the Kingdom of God, and the economics of the Kingdom of God, and the true religion / spirituality of the Kingdom of God will emerge. And then Christ, the sacred Head of that Kingdom will manifest as the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
To read of the end of Babylon is to understand we do not have to fear that disappearing kingdom. But between now and its final disappearance we need to grow and mature and become fully exercised in a pure and true worship of the one true God. And music is a vital and defining aspect of that worship.
Do we really understand the Kingdom potential that is in our midst when we come together corporately and strike the musical instruments and open our mouths in song? Do we understand the spiritual reality of that moment? Is it mere performance? Is it external excellence? Or is it the heart totally wrapped up in loving God, praising God and worshiping God? Every time we move into this level of spiritual reality in worship we are advancing the Kingdom of God and bringing down the kingdom of Babylon.
Listen carefully to the following music:
I then shall live as one whose been forgiven-
I’ll walk with joy to know my debts are paid.
I know my name is clear before my Father-
I am His child and I am not afraid.
So bravely pardoned I’ll forgive my brother.
The law of love I gladly will obey.
I then shall live as one whose learned compassion.
I’ve been so loved that I’ll risk loving too.
I know how fear builds walls instead of bridges.
I’ll dare to see another’s point of view.
And when relationships demand commitment-
Then I’ll be there to care and follow through.
Your Kingdom come, around and through and in me.
Your power and glory let them shine through me.
Your hallowed Name- O may I bear with honour.
And may Your living Kingdom come in me.
The bread of life- O may I share with others.
And may You feed a hungry world through me.
Amen! Amen! Amen!
I’ve been alive forever
And I wrote the very first song
I put the words and the melodies together
I am music
And I write the songs
[Chorus:]
I write the songs that make the whole world sing
I write the songs of love and special things
I write the songs that make the young girls cry
I write the songs,
I write the songs
My home lies deep within you
And I’ve got my own place in your soul
Now when I look out through your eyes
I’m young again, even tho’ I’m very old
I write the songs that make
the whole world sing
I write the songs of love and special things
I write the songs that make the young girls cry
I write the songs,
I write the songs
Oh, my music makes you dance and gives you spirit to take a chance
And I wrote some rock ‘n roll so you can move
Music fills your heart, well that’s a real find place to start
It’s from me, it’s for you
It’s from you, it’s for me
It’s a worldwide symphony
I write the songs that make
the whole world sing
I write the songs of love and special things
I write the songs that make the young girls cry
I write the songs,
I write the songs
I write the songs that make
the whole world sing
I write the songs of love and special things
I write the songs that make the young girls cry
I write the songs,
I write the songs
I am music and
I write the songs
Scripture Reading: Daniel 3: 1-
Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, the height of which was sixty cubits and its width six cubits; he set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent word to assemble the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counsellors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
Then the satraps, the prefects and the governors, the counsellors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates and all the rulers of the provinces were assembled for the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
Then the herald loudly proclaimed: “To you the command is given, O peoples, nations and men of every language, that at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe and all kinds of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up.
“But whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire.” Therefore at that time, when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations and men of every language fell down and worshiped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
In moving forward from the first reference to the Tower of Babel in the Genesis record, there is no word or name in scripture that is more symbolic or descriptive of the world order than the name Babylon. In fact it carries through to the last book of the divine library where we discover the end of Babylon. And here is its end.
Rev. 14:8 – And another angel, a second one, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who has made all the nations drink of the wine of the passion of her immorality.”[1]
16: 19 The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath. [2]
17: 5 And on her forehead a name was written, a mystery, “BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”
18: 2 And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! Shehas become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird. “For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality.”
9-11 “And the kings of the earth, who committed acts of immorality and lived sensuouslywith her, will weep and lament over her when they see the smoke of her burning, standing at a distance because of the fear of her torment, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For in one hour your judgment has come.’ ”And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargoes any more-
21- 22 Then a strong angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “So will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down with violence, and will not be found any longer. “And the sound of harpists and musicians and flute-players and trumpeters will not be heard in you any longer;
I would not pretend to know what we may yet face before we graduate our place in
time, and I certainly would not predict what awaits the church of future generations in terms of persecution and suffering. What I do know this morning is that God has so designed it that His kingdom is being formed and shaped right in the presence of an opposing kingdom. That opposing kingdom is most frequently represented in scripture by the word Babylon.
In these verses we discover that Babylon is made up of three fundamental structures or systems. The reference to the kings of the earth is a reference to the political or governmental systems of the age. The reference to the merchants of the earth is a reference to the economic structures or systems of the age. But then we have this strange reference: ‘a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird.’
Depending upon the context, the word ‘bird’ or ‘birds’ in scripture very often refers to false religion. What we are looking at with this reference is the third structure of Babylon, and we discover that Babylon is highly religious. And we further discover that Babylon’s religious system is not static, nor neutral; it is spiritually alive and spiritually dynamic – it is spiritually empowered by a well defined and tightly structured demonic system.
And then we read this: “And the sound of harpists and musicians and flute-players and trumpeters will not be heard in you any longer.” Guess what? Babylon has its own music. Guess what? That music is not static; is not neutral. Guess what? That music is part and parcel of the religious structure of Babylon. Guess what? That music is spiritually driven and empowered. And just one more – Guess what? That music defines the worship of Babylon.
And to understand the nature or definition of her worship consider the following words
and phrases: the passion of her immorality; committed acts of immorality with her; the
wealth of her sensuality; lived sensuously with her
There is a political Babylon, an economic Babylon, and a religious Babylon, and what I can tell you this morning about those structures is that there is an end to it all. Its end is in the righteous judgement of God. And that judgement is so complete that even her music is going to disappear. If God is going to judge even the music of Babylon, then it seems to me we need to show some responsible judgement when it comes to music.
Do not be naïve about this: Babylon understands the power of worship. Babylon also understands the role that music plays in and the influence music has upon worship. In fact, Babylon understands this far better than the church does.
You do not have to spend very many nights in Haiti before you become aware of constant drumming. These are the drums of voodoo. That drumming is not just a physical exercise – it is spiritually alive. Very often the church’s response to this is to condemn the instrument. In fact there are some settings in which no musical instruments are allowed. That kind of response tells me that the world system knows more about worship than the church does. The issue is not the instruments; the issue is the spiritual reality communicated in and through the music coming from those instruments.
Let’s go back to Daniel. The picture presented here is packed full of meaning. I want to extract two words from the record: worship and music. This whole event is about one thing –worship. And I will say again, Babylon (the kingdom of the world – the kingdom of this present age) understands the power of worship. The second thing it understands is how music impacts upon worship. And yes, I will say this again also – the world order, the present Babylon understands this far better than the church does.
Let me illustrate that for you by inviting you to go right into a worship service in Babylon. It is not so much the music that I want you to regard, but please pay particular attention to the worshipers.
On this same DVD you have former and present high ranking political figures (including presidents) speaking about the Beatle’s music. The average monthly wage at that time was one hundred and fifty roubles. A Beatle’s album sold for 80 roubles; more than half a month’s wages. When their music first hit the world scene it was formally outlawed in the Soviet Union. If a university student was caught with the Beatle’s music in any form (including listening to it on radio) they lost their place in the education system. Workers found with it lost their jobs. Some even went to jail.
Here’s the question: Why did the leaders of such a powerful nation fear something as “silly” as music? They feared it because they knew music is not silly; it is powerful, spiritually alive and impacts upon the established values of a culture, bringing transformation to the entire social order. One of the Russian leaders put it this way: The music of the Beatles brought a revolution to the whole of our culture without the single shot of a gun.
And that’s the point in this: There is something far more powerful than military might – it is the worship of a nation’s corporate heart fuelled by the music that comes out of that worship and that defines and shapes that worship. If you want to understand the power of music do a google search of “Revolutions and Music.” What you will find is that every revolution had its music and very often it was the music that kept it alive and going when it seemed it was defeated.
Let me finish this by taking you to another worship service:
2CH 5:11 When the priests came forth from the holy place (for all the priests who were present had sanctified themselves, without regard to divisions), and all the Levitical singers, Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their sons and kinsmen, clothed in fine linen, with cymbals, harps and lyres, standing east of the altar, and with them one hundred and twenty priests blowing trumpets in unison when the trumpeters and the singers were to make themselves heard with one voice to praise and to glorify the LORD, and when they lifted up their voice accompanied by trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and when they praised the LORD saying, ” He indeed is good for His lovingkindness is everlasting,” then the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.
In the end this whole clash of kingdoms is coming down to a single issue – and that issue is worship. As the church becomes more and more a Kingdom of worshipers, Babylon will be exposed for all her falseness, and with that exposure she will shake and finally fall completely? And as she falls the government of the Kingdom of God, and the economics of the Kingdom of God, and the true religion / spirituality of the Kingdom of God will emerge. And then Christ, the sacred Head of that Kingdom will manifest as the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
To read of the end of Babylon is to understand we do not have to fear that disappearing kingdom. But between now and its final disappearance we need to grow and mature and become fully exercised in a pure and true worship of the one true God. And music is a vital and defining aspect of that worship.
Do we really understand the Kingdom potential that is in our midst when we come together corporately and strike the musical instruments and open our mouths in song? Do we understand the spiritual reality of that moment? Is it mere performance? Is it external excellence? Or is it the heart totally wrapped up in loving God, praising God and worshiping God? Every time we move into this level of spiritual reality in worship we are advancing the Kingdom of God and bringing down the kingdom of Babylon.
Listen carefully to the following music:
I then shall live as one whose been forgiven-
I’ll walk with joy to know my debts are paid.
I know my name is clear before my Father-
I am His child and I am not afraid.
So bravely pardoned I’ll forgive my brother.
The law of love I gladly will obey.
I then shall live as one whose learned compassion.
I’ve been so loved that I’ll risk loving too.
I know how fear builds walls instead of bridges.
I’ll dare to see another’s point of view.
And when relationships demand commitment-
Then I’ll be there to care and follow through.
Your Kingdom come, around and through and in me.
Your power and glory let them shine through me.
Your hallowed Name- O may I bear with honour.
And may Your living Kingdom come in me.
The bread of life- O may I share with others.
And may You feed a hungry world through me.
Amen! Amen! Amen!