BRING ME A MINSTREL
Scriptural Text: 2 Kings 3
Music was an integral part of the spiritual reformations of the ancient Hebrews. During the reign of David, more than 4000 musicians were assigned to sing in the temple night and day (1 Chronicles 9:33; 23:5). When Hezekiah purged the nation of the paganism which Ahab and Jezebel had estblished, he "set the Levites in the house of Yah with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps. (2 Chron. 29:25) A similar thing took place under King Josiah. (2 Chron. 34) Following the restoration and dedication of the Temple, (Ezra 3:10) and the walls of Jerusalem, (Neh. 12:17) praise and worship music played an important part. In Nehemiah''s day, the descendants of the ancient choral guilds lived in prophetic communities and their support was paid out of public funds in return for their ministry.
THE RESTORATIVE PRESENCE OF GOD
He restoreth my soul... (Psalm 23)
When God had set David apart and confirmed his anointing as king by the Prophet Samuel, the youthful psalmist soon became a target for the angry fit's of jealous rage of Saul the King. But David was a worshipper that knew his God. His anointed harp playing had a significant impact upon the temperment of King Saul. His music touched heaven, and God waved the answer back to him, from the realm of the shekinah glory. It wasn't simply David's musical talent, or some mezmerizing influence that he just naturally possessed with human audiences, that was the thrill. His godly and reverencial worship music impacted the spiritual realm, and seriously impaired the abilities of the powers of darkness to perform their intended assignment.
"The Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him. Saul's servants then said to him: "Behold, now an evil spirit from God is harassing you. Let our lord now command your servants to seek a man who is skillful on the harp. When the evil spirit is upon you then he shall play the harp and you will be well. So Saul said to His servants, "Provide for me now a man who can play well and bring him to me."Then one of the young men answered and said, "Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is a skillful musician, a mighty man of valor, a warrior, one wise in speech and a handsome man; and the Lord is with him"...
Then David came to Saul and attended him...so that it came about that whenever the evil spirit from God came to Saul, David would take the harp and play it with his hand; and Saul would be refreshed, and the evil spins would depart from him. (I Samuel 16:14-23)
WHERE ANOINTING ORIGINATES
Young David acquired his love of musical expression during the years he tended his father's flocks, on the hillsides of Judea. Looking at the clouds drifting by, or the stars by night, in his precious lonely hours he composed songs of praise for the Lord. David's relationship with the Almighty grew as he walked, talked and played praise and worship to Him. The key to understanding David's musical success is found in the words: The Lord was with him. David's music transcended the natural ability of music to entertain, and penetrated walls of the human heart, as God gave the song.
The pleasant sound arising from David's harp became a strategic weapon of war which sent the enemy fleeing in seven directions, because the presence of the Lord was with him. (Deut. 28:7) God taught the psalmist's hands to war and his fingers to fight even while he rested on that selah or plucked the strings of his harp. Without the anointing of God's Holy Spirit, the world's finest and most accomplished musician could do little to bring about any lasting change in his or her hearers.
The word of the Lord was fulfilled in Messiah who promised: "In the midst of the congregation will I sing praise to Thee." (Heb. 2:12) Messiah yet stands among us to inspire the worshipper with strains of music from the heavenly realm, and anointed biblicly inspired lyrics, but a life of prayer must be the basis. Instrumental music is heavily influenced by a life of prayer, so that the hands of the musician are virtually guided by the hands of God.
God fills our hearts for compassion for the oppressed, and we groan within ourselves wanting for them to be released from the spirit of bondage. Through anointed praise and worship music, the "Spirit Himself intercedes for those groanings that are inexpressible. And he that searches the hearts, knows the mind of the Spirit because he makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God." (Romans 8:26) God anoints His minstrels hands on the musical instrument as a vehicle for His prophetic word. Our faith is affirmed and strengthened in the presence of the Lord. It prepares our hearts to receive all that God has for us through faith in the atoning work of calvary.
When the kings of Judah and Israel sought the word of the Lord from Elisha, he called for a musician. As the strains of the minstrel's harp filled the air, "the hand of the Lord came upon Elisa" (II Kings 3:15). The music quieted the mind of the prophet, and he was enabled to receive and deliver the inspired word of the Lord.
The prophetic psalms of David are recorded in God's word. And today as in the days of Saul, men, women and children are refreshed and made whole by anointed music."
THE PLACE CALLD ZIGLAG
"And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire; And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way. So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives" (I Samuel 30:1-3).
"Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep" (I Samuel 30:4).
This was an extremely distressing situation for David and his men, who returned to discover that the enemy had visited their city and burned their homes with fire. What had been familiar was now a desolate smoking pile of ruins. Their wives and children had been taken captive by the enemy troops. They lifted up their voices and wailed, crying out in their agony, weeping till there was no more power to weep.
THINGS CAN ALWAYS GET WORSE
"And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters..." (I Samuel 30:5,6a).
The grief of David's own personal loss, was compounded by that of his men, who were in a state of desperation over the capture of their families. As the leader, David made the most likely target. He'd faced Goliath trusting in the Lord who delivered him from the paw of the lion and the bear. Now he was staring into the angry faces of six hundred angry and aggitated, grief-stricken men--his own army who were discussing putting him to death.
Ziglag is that place in our lives where we find ourselves discouraged and exhausted. Everything we've worked for has been taken away or is being robbed from us before our very eyes. It's a trial appointed of the Lord, as Job's was. Job wrote how his adversaries wrote jeering songs with which to torment him. (Job 30:9) "And now am I their song: I am their byword." At times like these, we ponder the prophetic words we've been given, together with everything we've ever believed about our calling in the Lord, considering what we've done right, but especially where we fear that we may have missed it. And the accusor of the brethren is there to point his finger right in our face! Remind Satan of the finished work of calvary, of God's promises to you as a believer and of his own future. This is the time to lift up our heads, and to sing out a song of praise to the Captain of our Salvation.
"And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters. So David gave up, and the people stoned him, and tossed his body onto the burning rubble of Ziklag. And God was very displeased and began looking for a new king..."
BUT DAVID ENCOURAGED HIMSELF IN THE LORD
"...But David encouraged himself in the Lord His God." (I Samuel 30:6)When the pressures of life are looming like a proverbial mountain before us, and we feel our situation is crumbling and tumbling down, now is the time to lift our voice to God in song. Sing to him of your faith and hope in Him. Of the triumph of calvary over the powers of darkness. Of your belief in His word. When you hunger for God in a dry thirsty land, God will give you angels food in a song!
When you wish that you could quit the army, end the marriage, file for bankruptcy, or dry up that mouthy co-worker on the job, God still saves to the uttermost those who come to Him by Yeshua haMashiach/Christ Jesus. When tears are your bread day and night--When that healing tarries or you're called to the bedside of some in a coma, God is still on the throne and prayer changes things. When one bad news follows on the heels of another, and your heart cries: Tell me something good, Lord! Pick up that guitar, or get your harmonica out of your pocket and drive away the doom, gloom. Speak to that fear, despondancy, disillusionment and distress, in the name of the Lord. That valley of depression will be transformed by God's miracle. Sing unto the Lord: "I waited for you, and you heard my cry!" (Psalm 40:1) If it's not your problem, be a messenger of cheer and drive away somebody elses sorrows. Discover that place of rest in haMashiach/Christ. That wonderful sense of well being that is there simply because you dwell in the presence of the living God.
Nothing had changed and the situation looked as hopeless as ever, but as David encouraged himself in the Lord His God, he didn't feel the same, and things began to look different to him. One translation reads: "But David strengthened himself in the Lord His God." Another version says, "But David took courage from the Lord His God."
How did the sweet psalmist of Israel "take courage" at a time like this? David put his focus on the Lord lifted up his soul and poured out his heart to the God of gods. We don't know if he prayed, confessed, or wrote the Lord a special song. But through his song of praise and worship, he returned to that place where he could once again rehease the wonderful acts of the Lord. God had surely helped him to kill the lion and the bear that tried to steal his father's sheep, and had given him victory over the giant, and delivered the people of Israel.
Learn to lift your eyes from off of the discouraging and disparaging circumstances and to enter into the presence of the Lord through anointed praise and worship. God is forever the king over all life's circumstances. He gives us beauty for ashes. The oil of joy for mourning. He turns our mourning into dancing. When friends forsake you, and the devil tells you: "You're just not going to make it", you can rest your trust upon the one true object of worship --the God who always causes you to triumph! When your circumstances say, "You'll never make it out alive," you can triumph as never before because of Yeshua/Jesus. When you're in the midst of losing all you thought God has given you, trust and believe in the God of glory!
The Apostle Paul taught us to say, "When I am weak, then I am strong. Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice! Because it is GOD Who is working in you, and He will complete the good work He has started in you, and all things will work together for good according to God's marvellous purpose!"
PURSUE THE GOD OF LOVE IN A CHASE (1 Cor. 13)
When David encouraged himself in the Lord, he enquired of God what to do next, the Lord said:
"Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all" (I Samuel 30:8b).David dried his tears, took up his sword, and led his six hundred angry men into battle. By the power of God's might, they defeated the enemy, and made a full recovery of everything they had lost, by the prophetic word of the Lord.God turned David's tragedy into triumph. He won the battle. He passed the test. Take time to worship the Lord, no matter how bad things look. Rest in God and pour out your soul unto Him. Wait for His voice like Elijah on Mount Carmel, and remember that what occurs at Ziklag is not your label for life, unless you refuse to press on by faith in God to win the victory. Don't ever quit unless God says to "let it go." Then He will still have a remarkable plan for you. Encourage yourself in the Lord, pursue, recover, and go forward by faith. You are in possession of the very faith that overcomes. God has promised you that "Hope doesn't disappoint!" You are not alone for the Heavenly Father stands with you! And you are encompassed with so great a cloud of witnesses. (Heb. 11)
ELISHA USES MUSIC TO ENTER GOD'S PRESENCE TO RECEIVE A PROPHETIC WORD
1) Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. 2) And he wrought evil in the sight of the LORD; but not like his father, and like his mother: for he put away the image of Baal that his father had made. 3) Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom. 4) And Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster, and rendered unto the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs, and an hundred thousand rams, with the wool. 5) But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
6 And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and numbered all Israel. 7) And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab hath rebelled against me: wilt thou go with me against Moab to battle? And he said, I will go up: I am as thou art, my people as thy people, and my horses as thy horses. 8) And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom. 9) So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom: and they fetched a compass of seven days' journey: and there was no water for the host, and for the cattle that followed them. 10) And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab!
11) But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD, that we may enquire of the LORD by him? And one of the king of Israel's servants answered and said, Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah. 12) And Jehoshaphat said, The word of the LORD is with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him. 13) And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay: for the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab. 14) And Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee. 15) But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him. 16) And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley full of ditches. 17) For thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts. 18) And this is but a light thing in the sight of the LORD: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand. 19) And ye shall smite every fenced city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all wells of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones. 20) And it came to pass in the morning, when the meat offering was offered, that, behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water.
21) And when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them, they gathered all that were able to put on armour, and upward, and stood in the border. 22) And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood: 23) And they said, This is blood: the kings are surely slain, and they have smitten one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil. 24) And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites, so that they fled before them: but they went forward smiting the Moabites, even in their country. 25) And they beat down the cities, and on every good piece of land cast every man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped all the wells of water, and felled all the good trees: only in Kirharaseth left they the stones thereof; howbeit the slingers went about it, and smote it. 26) And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords, to break through even unto the king of Edom: but they could not. 27) Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall. And there was great indignation against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.
Jehoram, King of Israel and Jehoshaphat, King of Judah had consolidated to defeat their enemies. They believed this alliance would achieve the desired result. However, after several days, they'd run out of necessary water for themselves and their beasts.
Jehoram, said: "The Lord has brought us together to bring us into the hands of Moab." But Jehoshaphat knew the Lord so he answered his colleague out of his godly beliefs that God would give direction if they enquired of him: "Is there no prophet of the Lord here so that we may inquire of him?" The two kings went to Elisha the Prophet who enquired of the Lord and gave them an answer from heaven: "Make this valley full of ditches."
The word of the Lord through Elisha stated that they would see no wind, and no rain but yet that valley was going to be filled with water and their thirst would be quenched! We walk by faith and not by sight. God does not operate by natural laws, but He is the Creator of all things. Trust Him even you see nothing in the natural realm upon which to rest your hope. Believe solely in the promises of His word.
The two Kings made contact with the man of God because of a mutual need, and God not only mercifully promised to meet this physical need, but He gave them victory in the warfare with this foreign nations of Moab, prophesying to deliver the Moabites into their hands.
The next morning water water flowed into into the valley and filled the trenches, although there had been no wind nor rain. God commands His people not be be hard of heart and complaining because they do not see the immediate outweard visible evidence of their faith. Faith is the substance of things hoped for--the evidence of things not being seen. (Heb 11) Do not limit the Holy One! God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by haMashiach/Christ Jesus. Don't just "hope so!" But penetrate the barriers of unbelief and doubt through prayer today!
The Moabites saw the reflection of the sun in the water, and thought it was blood, so they ran into the camp of Israel and Judah, reasoning they had fought against each other! They wanted to plunder the spoil. But God was driving them into the hands of their enemies, where they were slain according to the word the Lord. God has good news for you on the morrow as ypou put your trust in Him. s you enter into God's presence through prophetic praise and worship, you will arise like Deborah and utter a song that will bring victory and loose the Lord's provision. Like Barak, you will lead captivity captive! (Judges 5)
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