Interview:

Is there a spiritual significance to music?, and if so what is the spiritual significance of music? As a lifelong musician I have to say without a doubt that yes there is a spiritual significance to music, and the following five points will hopefully serve to clarify what that significance is according to scripture.

1. Music in Creation: in Job 38:5-9 God asks Job where he was at the time of creation when “the morning stars sang together and the sons of God shouted for joy”. The implication is that at the time of creation there was music going on around the throne of God. Hebrew thought interprets this passage as God enjoying this music so much that at the climax of the music, He who is love, was so blessed that he spoke the words of creation “let there be light…” Science today has discovered that the planets have notes that they emit from there rotation in space. Rhythm and notes are part of the fabric of the created universe all of which comes from a God who loves music and sings [Zephaniah 3:17].

2. Music in The Wilderness: God has given us the gift of music to celebrate freedom from slavery and bondage. This was first revealed when Moses broke out into song after they had successfully crossed the Red Sea [Exodus 15]. In Isaiah 54 the Israelites are commanded by God to start singing in the midst of their Babylonian captivity. Their worship and music would keep them centered on the Redeemer who was to come and the deliverance that He would bring.

3. Music in Prophecy: Samuel and the School of the Prophets is a great example of music being used in the impartation and activation of the prophetic gift. This was the case of Saul who had just become king and had a radical encounter with Samuel’s prophetic musicians. The result of this encounter was that “the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them” [1 Samuel 10:5-10].

4. Music and Fellowship With God: Of the sixty-six books of the Bible all but one are primarily a prophetic revelation of God talking to man. The book of Psalms is the one exception whereby we have a prophetic book that primarily deals with man talking to God. It is highly significant that the one book that speaks of man talking to God was written by a musician!

5. Music in Eternity: Music was there in the beginning and it is also forever in eternity. After the Lamb of God steps forward to unseal the scroll it is recorded that “they sang a new song saying: You are worthy…” [Revelation 5:9-10]. Also John records that he “heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps. They sang as it were a new song before the throne…” [Revelation 14:2-3]. John apparently heard both the voice of God, instruments playing, and voices singing in Heaven!

Suffice it to say music has a deep spiritual significance because it is connected to God from creation to eternity. Somebody once said that music is prayer without words, I believe it is. Music has often been spoken of in terms of a joyful noise, but I prefer to see it in the ministry of the believer, as prophetic prayer that brings Heaven to Earth, and transforms the Earthly into its intended Heavenly state and significance.

“Music has a deep spiritual significance because it is connected to God from creation to eternity… music is prayer without words.”
– Caleb Quaye, guitarist and founder of New World Music Ministries