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Subject: Dance In Praise/Celebration!
Replies: 48 Views: 1643
seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:24pm
It's a curious and intriguing thing the way we vigilantly limit our behavior, especially in church, often way beyond the bounds that Scripture might suggest. Nothing in Scripture prohibits dancing in church. In fact, it is commonly revealed in the Bible as a way that God's people celebrated His work and presence in their lives (some of those portions of Scripture follow shortly).
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seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:24pm
Of course, dance in the secular world can be pretty, well, worldly suggestive and even vulgar, a kind of public mating ritual. This is not new, of course. People have been dancing suggestively for millennia.
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seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:24pm
King Herod had the daughter of Herodias dance for him, and was apparently so worked up by her dance that he offered her virtually anything she wanted, and (at her mother's urging) she asked for the head of John the Baptist. You can read about this in Mark 6:17-29.
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seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:25pm
So it is obvious that dance can be suggestive and even overtly s*xual, and also used for ungodly purposes, but it is not always so.
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seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:25pm
The simple fact that something, like dance or song or poetry or art, can be used for ungodly ends does not mean that dance, song, poetry or art are ungodly, nor that Christians have to be protected from evil by prohibiting them completely.
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seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:27pm
It is just that sort of legalism from which the Gospel was meant to free us!
So here are some examples of dance from Scripture to celebrate God. Seems like we ought to be able to do that in church!
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seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:28pm
(All of these are from the New Living Translation) *
seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:28pm
Exodus 15:19 When Pharaoh's horses, chariots, and charioteers rushed into the sea, the LORD brought the water crashing down on them. But the people of Israel had walked through on dry land! 20 Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron's sister, took a tambourine and led all the women in rhythm and dance. 21 And Miriam sang this song: I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; he has thrown both horse and rider into the sea
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seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:29pm
2 Samuel 6:11 The Ark of the LORD remained there with the family of Obed-edom for three months, and the LORD blessed him and his entire household. 12 Then King David was told, The LORD has blessed Obed-edom's home and everything he has because of the Ark of God. So David went there and brought the Ark to the City of David with a great celebration. 13 After the men who were carrying it had gone six steps, they stopped and waited so David could sacrifice an ox and a fattened calf. 14 And David danced before the LORD with all his might, wearing a priestly tunic. *
seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:31pm
15 So David and all Israel brought up the Ark of the LORD with much shouting and blowing of trumpets. 16 But as the Ark of the LORD entered the City of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul, looked down from her window. When she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she was filled with contempt for him. *
seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:32pm
17 The Ark of the LORD was placed inside the special tent that David had prepared for it. And David sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings to the LORD. 18 When he had finished, David blessed the people in the name of the LORD Almighty. 19 Then he gave a gift of food to every man and woman in Israel: a loaf of bread, a cake of dates,1 and a cake of raisins. Then everyone went home. *
seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:33pm
20 When David returned home to bless his family, Michal came out to meet him and said in disgust, How glorious the king of Israel looked today! He exposed himself to the servant girls like any indecent person might do!
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seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:33pm
21 David retorted to Michal, I was dancing before the LORD, who chose me above your father and his family! He appointed me as the leader of Israel, the people of the LORD. So I am willing to act like a fool in order to show my joy in the LORD. 22 Yes, and I am willing to look even more foolish than this, but I will be held in honor by the girls of whom you have spoken! 23 So Michal, the daughter of Saul, remained childless throughout her life.
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seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:34pm
1 Chronicles 15:27 David was dressed in a robe of fine linen, as were the Levites who carried the Ark, the singers, and Kenaniah the song leader. David was also wearing a priestly tunic.
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seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:35pm
28 So all Israel brought up the Ark of the LORD's covenant to Jerusalem with shouts of joy, the blowing of horns and trumpets, the crashing of cymbals, and loud playing on harps and lyres.
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seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:35pm
29 But as the Ark of the LORD's covenant entered the City of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul, looked down from her window. When she saw King David dancing and leaping for joy, she was filled with contempt for him.
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seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:36pm
Psalm 30:1 A psalm of David, sung at the dedication of the Temple. I will praise you, LORD, for you have rescued me. You refused to let my enemies triumph over me. 2 O LORD my God, I cried out to you for help, and you restored my health. 3 You brought me up from the grave, O LORD. You kept me from falling into the pit of death. 4 Sing to the LORD, all you godly ones! Praise his holy name. *
seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:37pm
5 His anger lasts for a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may go on all night, but joy comes with the morning. 6 When I was prosperous I said, Nothing can stop me now!
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seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:38pm
7 Your favor, O LORD, made me as secure as a mountain. Then you turned away from me, and I was shattered. 8 I cried out to you, O LORD. I begged the Lord for mercy, saying. *
seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:39pm
9 What will you gain if I die, if I sink down into the grave? Can my dust praise you from the grave? Can it tell the world of your faithfulness?
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seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:40pm
10 Hear me, LORD, and have mercy on me. Help me, O LORD. 11 You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy,
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seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:40pm
12 that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever!
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seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:41pm
Psalm 149:1 Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song. Sing his praises in the assembly of the faithful. 2 O Israel, rejoice in your Maker. O people of Jerusalem,1 exult in your King. *
seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:41pm
3 Praise his name with dancing, accompanied by tambourine and harp. 4 For the LORD delights in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation. *
seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:42pm
5 Let the faithful rejoice in this honor. Let them sing for joy as they lie on their beds. 6 Let the praises of God be in their mouths, and a sharp sword in their hands --
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seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:43pm
7 to execute vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, 8 to bind their kings with shackles and their leaders with iron chains, 9 to execute the judgment written against them. This is the glory of his faithful ones. Praise the LORD!
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seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:44pm
Psalm 150:1 Praise the LORD! Praise God in his heavenly dwelling; praise him in his mighty heaven! 2 Praise him for his mighty works; praise his unequaled greatness! 3 Praise him with a blast of the trumpet; praise him with the lyre and harp!
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seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:44pm
4 Praise him with the tambourine and dancing; praise him with stringed instruments and flutes! 5 Praise him with a clash of cymbals; praise him with loud clanging cymbals. 6 Let everything that lives sing praises to the LORD! Praise the LORD!
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seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:46pm
Jeremiah 31:1 In that day, says the LORD, I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they will be my people. 2 I will care for the survivors as they travel through the wilderness. I will again come to give rest to the people of Israel.
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seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:46pm
3 Long ago the LORD said to Israel: I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself. 4 I will rebuild you, my virgin Israel. You will again be happy and dance merrily with tambourines.
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seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:47pm
5 Again you will plant your vineyards on the mountains of Samaria and eat from your own gardens there. 6 The day will come when watchmen will shout from the hill country of Ephraim, 'Come, let us go up to Jerusalem1 to worship the LORD our God.'
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seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:47pm
7 Now this is what the LORD says: Sing with joy for Israel1 ! Shout for the greatest of nations! Shout out with praise and joy: 'Save your people, O LORD, the remnant of Israel!' 8 For I will bring them from the north and from the distant corners of the earth. I will not forget the blind and lame, the expectant mothers and women about to give birth. A great company will return!
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seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:48pm
9 Tears of joy will stream down their faces, and I will lead them home with great care. They will walk beside quiet streams and not stumble. For I am Israel's father, and Ephraim is my oldest child.
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seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:48pm
10 Listen to this message from the LORD, you nations of the world; proclaim it in distant coastlands: The LORD, who scattered his people, will gather them together and watch over them as a shepherd does his flock. 11 For the LORD has redeemed Israel from those too strong for them.
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seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:48pm
12 They will come home and sing songs of joy on the heights of Jerusalem. They will be radiant because of the many gifts the LORD has given them -- the good crops of wheat, wine, and oil, and the healthy flocks and herds. Their life will be like a watered garden, and all their sorrows will be gone.
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seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:49pm
13 The young women will dance for joy, and the men -- old and young -- will join in the celebration. I will turn their mourning into joy. I will comfort them and exchange their sorrow for rejoicing.
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seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:49pm
14 I will supply the priests with an abundance of offerings. I will satisfy my people with my bounty. I, the LORD, have spoken!
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seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:50pm
Finally, is this wonderful parable Jesus tells about the prodigal son, who had squandered his inheritance but who eventually came to his senses and returned home to his father. The father in this story is obviously God, and we are the prodigals He welcomes home with open arms - that he runs to, and embraces and kisses. *
seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:50pm
The father throws a celebration party for his returning son. In the section of this story below, the older son, who never ran away, is angry about the celebration for his younger brother, and the father speaks to his older son to help him understand his joy. *
seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:51pm
The main point of this section of the story is about hardness of heart, but it is interesting to note that in a story about a prodigal returning, the house of the father is filled with music and dancing. Jesus, too, understood godly celebration and the singing and dancing that went with it.
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seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:51pm
Luke 15:20 So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long distance away, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.
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seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:53pm
21 His son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.1 ' 22 But his father said to the servants, 'Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger, and sandals for his feet.
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seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:53pm
23 And kill the calf we have been fattening in the pen. We must celebrate with a feast, 24 for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.' So the party began.
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seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:54pm
25 Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, 26 and he asked one of the servants what was going on.
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seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:54pm
27 'Your brother is back,' he was told, 'and your father has killed the calf we were fattening and has prepared a great feast. We are celebrating because of his safe return.' 28 The older brother was angry and wouldn't go in. His father came out and begged him,
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seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:54pm
29 but he replied, 'All these years I've worked hard for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends.
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seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:55pm
30 Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the finest calf we have.' 31 His father said to him, 'Look, dear son, you and I are very close, and everything I have is yours.
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seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:55pm
32 We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!'
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seastarr 12.08.08 - 09:57pm
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