The following is a list of this month's articles.

Editorial - The World's Greatest Song Book

Exhortation - At the Lord's Table - Let a Man Examine Himself

The Real Hell Has No Tourists

This Month's Quiz

The Glories of the Kingdom

Music in the Ecclesia

Listen to the Music

Editorial
The World's Greatest Song Book

All people that on earth do dwell, Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice;
Him serve with mirth, His praise forth tell,
Come ye before Him and rejoice. (Hymn 2, Psalm 100)

The Book of Psalms is the greatest song book ever compiled. It has comforted and cheered and strengthened godly hearts as no other book in existence. Its musical touch of fellowship feelings has been experienced by thousands of God-fearing people. This puts the music in the Psalms into first place in the world’s lyrics.

Truly great poetry
To the child of God no music in the modern world can bring such joy and happiness as that entwined in the Psalms. The popular superstars in the world of music dare not challenge the deep meanings and comfort experienced, as the word of God reveals to believers the right type of songs, words and expressions that make up real good lyrics.

The Psalms are supreme as lyrical poetry. In them all the feelings of the human heart are shown and laid bare. There are songs of worship, hope and courage. Psalm 37 tells of waiting on the Lord, and doing His will while we wait. In adoring the Lord we think of Psalm 119. Repentance and faith are seen in Psalms 25 and 121, while prayer and praise reach a thrilling climax in Psalm 150.

Love songs
The Bible’s love songs are far different from what we hear around us today. The popular ballad, "How can it be forbidden if it’s love?" does not measure up to those in God’s word. Psalm 45 gives a splendid illustration of the love songs of the Hebrews, from which obscenity and coarseness are entirely absent.

Of course, the greatest love song anywhere is "the Song of Songs which is Solomon’s." It expresses true love between lovers of the opposite sex. Here is nothing coarse, nothing rude, nothing obscene. Here is loyalty to engagement vows, constancy of affection to the absent lover, and ardent feelings toward the prospective spouse. Surely, our Caribbean society today, where unemployment and migration fever are undermining the true meaning of love and affection between partners, would do well to acquire some of this kind of constancy. And this love song is more enhanced when we remember that it is a prophecy of the espoused love between Christ and his bride, his true and faithful church.

Sing out in gladness
It seems from the Bible that godly believers in those days were always singing, playing, dancing. Music dedicated to God was the natural and purposeful outlet for their joy and their sadness, their loves and their praises.

Very famous indeed are the lyrics of Moses given in Exodus 15, Deuteronomy 33 and Psalm 90. He was a poet and musician of no mean order, as well as statesman, leader and lawmaker. No doubt his Egyptian education included courses in music, for Egypt was pre-eminent for a time in that regard. The song of Deborah is certainly a fine specimen of a lyric in which many of the mechanics of Hebrew music are apparent. This stirring war song was well calculated to arouse into enthusiasm the low burning fire of godly patriotism in a downtrodden and oppressed people as Israel was during the period of the Judges.

Hannah, her prayer answered, thrilled through a song of majestic theme. David burst into wonderful lyrics, not to mention his gentler, sadder notes of longing, or when soothing his king. Others like Solomon, Asaph, Heman, and Ethan all join with David in singing and playing, under God, the beautiful, sublime and strong lyrics of which the Psalms consist. Hezekiah and Isaiah give us beautiful lyrics too, and in the New Testament, in which poetry stands comparatively far in the background, the songs of Zacharias and Mary reach a very high spiritual level. The magnificant song of Mary is clothed in poetic form, obviously intended to be sung, as is also the angelic chorus, "Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men."

"Awake, psaltery and harp" (Psalm 108:2).
Brethren and sisters, we need to sing Psalms of praise to our Maker. We are fighting a warfare. Not one that requires the M16, sword or spear. Our battle is against sin and evil. The economic conditions of the world today are frightening. Many Caribbean countries have been experiencing this trauma for years, and the pressures never ease. More recently, things have become almost unbearable for many of us. Changes sweeping through society, especially the spread of violence, with terrifying speed, try and test the strongest and stoutest hearts. We in the West Indies recall that it was music and song that sustained our peoples through the long centuries of the worst form of oppression that the world has ever known.

More than 20 different musical instruments are mentioned by name in the Bible. As now, the biblical orchestra comprised strings, woodwind, brass, and percussion sections. The most popular and versatile instrument was the guitar (usually translated "harp"). Psalm 137 indicates that it was usually used to express mirth (v. 3), while the "psaltery" was used mainly for more solemn religious occasions. "Timbrels" or tambourines were played by women at festive events, and two types of cymbals were used in the Temple orchestra (Psa. 150:5). The silver trumpets were used to summon the congregation together. It is evident that God thrills to the sound of music played with zeal and skill.

So this is the time to:

"Sing aloud unto God our Strength;
make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.
Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel,
the pleasant harp, with the psaltery.
Blow up the trumpet in the new week..." (Psa. 81:1-3)

Read this Psalm. If you have any lingering doubt that God listens to our songs and our music, in whatever national musical genre they may be, and wants to respond, this will dispel it. "This was a law of the God of Jacob!"

Let the Amen Sound!
Brothers and sisters, are we feeling down and out? Do we feel like giving up? Do we feel that the rest of our wonderful brotherhood has forgotten and forsaken us, heedless of our problems? Are the pressures of life and its demands getting too hard to bear?

Then turn to the word of God especially the Psalms, and find joy and comfort in true music. The lyrics and ballads will gently touch your heart as you "Sing unto the Lord, sing praises unto Him" (Psa. 105:2).

Let the Amen
Sound from His people again
Gladly for aye we adore Him.

Return to Top

Exhortation
At the Lord's Table - Let a Man Examine Himself

"Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup."As we prepare to take the "emblems" week by week, we usually hear our presiding brother read out these words to us. How seriously do we take them?

Meaning of "examine"
The original word Paul used for "examine" in I Corinthians 11:28 he used quite often in his letters in a number of different contexts. He wrote about the "trial of affliction" (II Cor. 8:2). He wrote that God "trieth our hearts" (I Thess. 2:4). He reminded the Corinthians that the fire of the last judgement will "try" every man's work of what sort it is" (I Cor. 3:13). He urged the Roman believers to carefully "prove" what God’s will is before doing anything at all (Rom. 12:2).

Clearly this self-examination is not something we can disregard. Especially as Paul’s meaning is: "Let a man examine himself, and after that let him eat."

You may say, "But isn’t God the judge?" and quote Paul himself: "I judge not mine own self" (I Cor. 4:3).

That is different. That is the final assessment, our worthiness or unworthiness to enter the Kingdom. We have no authority to make that assessment.

Checking up on ourselves
But we do have a conscience. The word in I Corinthians 11:28 has nothing to do with a courthouse or any ultimate decision. It has to do with the kinds of tests any of us can make, and do make every day. We are interviewed for a job. We are put on probation. We have to check on ourselves all the while if we are not to find ourselves outside the door after a few days. That’s what Paul means.

It’s like being sent to do a job in the country, and going through a check list before we set out. Have we got everything? Am I properly equipped for the job? Have I got spare cash? However many hours an airline captain has in his log book, he dare not skimp his checklist.

The foolish virgins of Jesus’ parable never "examined themselves." If they had gone through their check list, they would never have run out of oil. The foolish ones were, no doubt, just as beautiful as the wise ones, but deep down something was wrong. There was a careless approach to the truth, a lack of real concern. The difference was, when the call came, one set was ready. The other set could only say, "We’re getting ready."

Advance preparation
When the presiding brother calls us to the Lord’s table, are we ready or only getting ready? Let us not just be getting ready, but be ready, for our redemption draweth nigh. Let’s be quite clear what Paul meant: we are not just to rush to this holy table and take the bread and wine as if it is like any other event of the week. It is special -- extra-special. We are to prepare ourselves so that we can have peace and contentment within our own selves as we eat and drink.

Examine, partake
And notice Paul didn’t write: let us examine ourselves and then make up our minds whether we should eat or not! He does not let us off the hook so easily as that! He wrote: let us examine ourselves and after that let us eat and drink. There is a big difference.

So when we do that little test before the emblems come around, what does it show? Old quarrels still unresolved? Old grudges half buried? Old habits partially given up? We can come here Sunday after Sunday and have no love for our brethren, and no desire to serve. We can easily pass the cup to a brother whom we despise in our heart, and let us be very sure that such a thing is drinking condemnation to ourselves (I Cor. 11:29).

The standard
The standard we use for the test is God’s law. God’s law is perfect and converts the soul. No other way will work.

We may have to say, "God be merciful to me, a sinner" as the publican did, but we cannot simply say: "O God, You are the Judge," and leave it at that. It is a divine requirement that we exercise our conscience and our free will, and choose to be ready.

Stafford McFarlane (Kingston)

[There are some brethren who are naturally shy and shun prominence. You rarely see their names in our magazines. They do their duties when asked, and otherwise just give of themselves one hundred percent to their Lord and his ecclesia. They are up front when needed, and are quietly supportive with rocklike faithfulness. Where would the brotherhood be without them? Brother Stafford is such a brother -- of quite extraordinary courage and strength. Baptized in his youth, for nearly 40 years our beloved brother Stafford has lived in the violent heart of Kingston, just a couple of miles from the meeting hall -- alone. He is unmarried and has very few relatives, none in the truth. Yet through everything that has befallen Kingston over the years, through the "tribal war" of the seventies and eighties, right up to the killing of brother Glen Isaacs, Stafford has been right there, utterly serene and immovable in his faith. He enters the meeting hall, whatever the circumstances, in his invariably calm, confident and reassuring manner -- for the Lord is at his right hand. Brethren, please remember, honor and thank God for all such, for they are true men of God.]

Return to Top

The Real Hell Has No Tourists

Last Monday I went to Hell. And I posted some cards from Hell Post Office, and bought a key ring which reads "Welcome to Hell, Grand Cayman."

Alan Eyre

This Month's Quiz

Answers will be provided in next month's edition. 

Return to Top

The Glories of the Kingdom

A believer somewhere in the United States towards the end of the seventeenth century was asked about his faith and what his hope was. This is what he wrote. Reproduced from a manuscript in the Library of Congress, and published by permission.

The future promised kingdom of Christ is an event unspeakably happy and glorious. The Scriptures speak of that time as a time, wherein God and His Son Jesus Christ will be most eminently glorified on earth; a time, wherein God, who till then concealed Himself in the thick darkness, should openly shine forth, and all flesh should see His glory, and His saints made unspeakably happy in the view of His glory, the light of which should be much more glorious than the light of the sun or moon, so that "the moon shall be confounded and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of Hosts should reign in Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, before His ancients gloriously."

It is represented as a time of vast increase of knowledge and understanding, especially in divine things; a time wherein God would "destroy the face of the covering cast over all people, and the veil spread over all nations." A time wherein holiness should be, as it were, inscribed on everything, on all men’s common business and employments, and all the common utensils of life shall be dedicated to God, and improved for holy purposes. A time when true Christianity shall in every respect be uppermost in the world. A time of the most universal peace, love and sweet harmony, wherein the nations shall beat their swords into ploughshares and God will "cause wars to cease to the ends of the earth."

It is spoken of everywhere by prophets and apostles as a time when all heresies and false doctrines shall be exploded, and all superstitious ways of worship shall be abolished. The prophecies often speak of all God’s people gathered to one house of God to worship the king, the Lord of Hosts.

It is said to be a time of great and universal joy throughout the earth, with glory to the righteous, and "God’s people shall with joy draw water out of the wells of salvation."

Yea, the Scriptures represent it as a time of extraordinary rejoicing with Christ himself, the glorious head, in whom all things in heaven and earth shall then be gathered in one. "The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save; he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love; he will joy over thee with singing." And the very fields, trees and mountains shall then, as it were, rejoice and break forth into singing. "For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel."

Such being the state of things in this future, often-promised glorious day, surely it is worth praying for? "Thy Kingdom come: Thy will be done, on earth, as it is done in heaven."

Return to Top

Music in the Ecclesia

Music should vitalize and brighten the whole ecclesial atmosphere. If properly employed, music can and will do what mere exhortation can never achieve. Men have been moved by music as they have never been moved by logic.

The ecclesia therefore ought not to expel the trumpet, the organ, the cornet, guitar, cymbals or any other musical instrument. Psalm 150:3-5 tells us in no uncertain terms that we should praise God with these and other instruments. Unfortunately, in most of our ecclesias there are no musical instruments. A fraction may have an organ or piano. So if that is all we have, then we should use that to the fullest, in offering our praise to our God.

However, sadly, there are not many of us who are skilled in the art of playing musical instruments, but we all, or nearly all, have a musical instrument that surpasses all other instruments. That is our voice! There is no other instrument that can equal the human voice: it is of God’s fashioning; it is the manifold instrument; it is all instruments shadowed and glorified by one action.

It follows then that we are all responsible for the quality of music that we produce in our ecclesia. If we render our praises to God by singing with our whole heart and mind and with thanksgiving, with or without instrumental accompaniment, then our music will be joyful and melodious and pleasing to the ear -- and more importantly to our heavenly Father.

After all, the singing of hymns and spiritual songs is an express commandment of the New Testament. Its purpose is to "teach and admonish one another" (Col. 3:16). We are to "sing with grace in our hearts." This is usually the only time during the course of any meeting when everyone is actively involved. It is then that the spirit of fellowship is most strongly sensed, a feeling which then climaxes into that oneness as we partake of the emblems together. Meaningful music therefore must be a part of our ecclesial life. Without it our meetings become unstimulating.

Concentration should be placed on the words of the hymns as we sing them, because it is the words that set the mood of our performance. We must never degenerate into "vain repetitions," where only the sounds and not the meanings are heard.

The young ones among us in our Sunday schools, Youth Circles, and Youth Fellowships should be encouraged and taught to love and appreciate music and song so that they will bring this attitude over into the ecclesias, thus making ecclesial life far more musically enriched.

Let us therefore endeavor to exercise more musical interest by contributing our God-given abilities to make a joyful noise unto the Lord in singing and making melody to His honor and glory. Music that makes us feel most deeply is beautiful music. Music has meaning; music is important; music is powerful.

Together then let us "sing and make melody to the Lord" (Eph. 5:19) in music that will ring out to inspire and uplift us, thus making all our ecclesias more musically conscious places in which to worship.

Dorothy Isaacs, Port Maria, Jamaica

Return to Top

Listen to the Music

Listen to the music:
Listen to the birds that sing, and children as they play;
Listen to the breeze
As it rushes through the trees
It tell us to be happy as we go along life’s way.

Listen to the thunder
Of the mighty waves
As they hit the shoreline of every land.
Listen to the splendor
Of the calm after a storm;
In it you’ll find the glory of God’s almighty hand.

Then think how frail you are, man;
Your life is but a span;
And be kind and strong and true
Yet loving too
In all you say and do.
O, listen to the music!

Ruby Holland

Return to Top