Music no doubt takes important place in the heart of God of the Universe, the Lord Almighty.
God had ultimately created all things, both earthly creatures and heavenly beings to worship him, and music is a significant instrument he gave.
Apostle John saw in (his) revelation chapter 4 verse 8 to the end that “the four beasts had each six wings about them; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, ‘Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created’”.
These heavenly beings could not just being saying these words of praises with just ordinary vocal notes in form of speaking, but definitely in the most beautiful, prettiest and gorgeous musical notes that cannot be compared with any musical notes here on earth. No wonder the lyrics of the hymn,
“We speak of the realm of blest” in stanza 4 says “We speak of its anthems of praise/ With which we can never compare/ The sweetest on earth we can raise;/what must it be to be there?”.
A Choir ministering in music
God Almighty in His quizzing of Job also made reference to:
“The morning stars who sang together in the beginning of days”…while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy” (Job 38:7).
Music therefore and no doubt originated from God, and it has beautiful purpose: foremost, to minister to God Himself in forms of worship and His praise; secondly, to man, his precious creature. To minister healing, peace, and inspiration to His children.
Music is meant to ignite the heart with the presence of God and infuse it with the joys of His kingdom. Revelation 4:11 says that
“God created all things for His pleasure, and music is one of the most important ”.
Music is therefore indispensable in God’s worship, whether as an individual, group or congregation as it is meant to stir the hearts into action for God. Music is the refreshing drink of water that rejuvenates our passion for God to fight the good fight of faith and finish the course that God has set for our lives. Music plays a vital role in preparing the heart to worship God in spirit and in truth.
Brother Femi Adeyeye Nuel, an American based Nigerian gospel Artist
Music fills the courts of heaven with praises of the Lord God Almighty. Music was created to be an expression of celebration and reverence of the wondrous works and nature of our God.
God is so awesome and magnificent that the heart yearns for a way to express and proclaim His glory. Music is meant to be an outward expression of the awe-inspiring magnificence of our God. Music that blesses, inspires, and heals comes from hearts bubbling over with joy, love, and passion for their Creator. Music was intended to draw people closer to God and to place their hearts on the same pitch as God. True music is the song of a heart in love with God.
Renown Nigerian Gospel Artist, Evang. Tope Alabi
Music is for the glory of God. It is made first of all to the Lord and only secondarily to each other; It leads our thoughts toward God.
Apostle Paul in his letter to the Ephesians verse 19 of the 5th chapter says:
“Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord”.
This emphasizes the indispensable place of music in the worship of God and that the worship is to the Lord.
In Christianity and in Christian worship, music has a unique way of bringing our heart, soul, mind and strength together to focus entirely and completely on God, the center of our worship. In this age of many distractions, singing grabs the attention of all our senses and focuses us on God.
It is the role of the choir or the musical unit of Churches and fellowships to lead the congregation in divine worship, songs of faith, comfort, hope, forgiveness of sin, redemption of the world by Christ love and His second coming. The Gospel Musicians are also duty-bound to serve as a genuine tool for God to achieve the aforementioned.
Legendary American Gospel Musician, Pianist and Songwriter, Don Moen
The late American Country Musician and Songwriter who sang the popular music "This World is Not My Home", James Travis Reeves (Popularly known as Jim Reeves)
The role of choir in the Old Testament as laid down by Mosaic principles was so important that the musicians were regarded as part of the Levite order. The Role that Musicians played in the Victory God gave Judah in the time of Jehosaphat over the allied enemies; the Moabites, Amonites and Meunites as recorded in 2nd Chronicles chapter 20 emphasizes the wonders of singing worship and praises to God. When the Lord told the people of Judah to fear not as the battle was not theirs, but His. Jehosaphat and the people of Judah “appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of His Holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying, Give thanks to the Lord, for His love endures forever”. (2nd Corinthians 20 vs 21). Was it not a foolish thing thing to place musicians at the front blasting and singing beautiful musical notes to God while the fighting men, the soldiers with arms were kept at the rear. But the outcome showed clearly mighty and wondrous things that can happen through the worship of God through music . Verse 23-25 state the kind of victory God gave Judah through His worship as led by men of music. The bible both old testament and new testament are full of evidences of the mighty way in which God moves when we sing worship and praises. We read of how God delivered Paul and Silas as the two engaged in the praise and worship of God when they were kept in prison by the enemiesof the gospel. The importance of music in the hands of the Choir is still relevant till today.