Daniel 3 and worship of the Image with Music = 666

In Daniel 3, the image was of a man 60 cubits high, six cubits wide worshiped with 6 musical instruments. The six is repeated three times to represent 666. See Abomination Which Causes Desolation: The Music of Satan Worship?

From: "Jonathan Clark" <quiet@earthling.net>

To: <ksublett@piney.com>

Jonathan's notes are in black. My response is in Red and other quotations are in blue.

Jonathan Clark wrote:

Ken

In Daniel 3 the Image that must be worshipped upon the sound of the 6 instruments, to the End Time, when Satan has used worldly music to captivate the End Time church-the ENTIRE church, now given over to the "modern" sound, heavy, throbbing beat, syncopation, back-beat, etc...have you ever noticed that of the 4 lists of these 6 instruments in Daniel 3, one of the instruments is MISSING in one list? The final number of these carefully named instruments in Daniel (Hebrew: "God is my judge") chapter 3 of these idol worship instruments thus becomes 23 (TWENTY THREE), the number of Judgment. What think ye (you) of this?

Jonathan then directs us to two passages:

The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us? none evil can come upon us. Micah 3:11

And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. Revelation 18:4

I have made this table to show you what Jonathan is referring to. Note also that 6 instruments are listed three times as 666. The image or pillar with the king's image. The king as the glorified man is the meaning of 666. This image is not like the "man" of Daniel chapter 2 from God who has various parts and meanings: nebuchadnezer had perhaps 20 years to forget God's revelation so that his image is the sum total of meaning: 6 is the number of man. You worship him or you burn.

It is widely held that at least the king's head was on top of the pillar. The illustration below is that of the Jehovah's Witnesses.

Someone has said that all idolatry is self worship or it is the worship of another human. In the worship of music and musician it has been called "the idolatry of talent." The golden image is that which elevates any man or performer above their brethren.

Bowing to Baal has always been to the beat of instrumental music.

Dr. Randall E. Radic notes that: It is generally recognized that three is the number of Deity; that seven is the number of perfection, and that six is the number of mankind. This is because man was created on the sixth day. Commentators note that Goliath was six cubits in height, his spear's head weighed six shekels and he has six pieces of armor. Furthermore, Nebuchadnezzar's dream Image was 60 cubits in height, and six cubits wide and 6 musical instruments are used in its worship.

NEBUCHADNEZZAR the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. Dan 3:1

That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: Daniel 3:5

In addition, the instruments are defined as:

The Coronet:

Qeren (h7162) keh'-ren; corresp. to 7161; a horn (lit. or for sound): - horn, cornet.

The horn is often used as a symbol of the power of a man.

Qeren (h7161) keh'-ren; from 7160; a horn (as projecting); by impl. a flask, cornet; by resembl. an elephant's tooth (i. e. ivory), a corner (of the altar), a peak (of a mountain), a ray (of light); fig. power: - * hill, horn.

NOW will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: Is.5:1

God continues to sing his song or burden of judgment on Israel as He did in Amos 5 and 6. God made Israel as a vineyard and they turned their religious festivals into rituals of wine, women and song and lost the Word and God's grace:

Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them Isaiah 5:11

And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the Lord, neither consider the operation of his hands. Isaiah 5:12

Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst. Isaiah 5:13

Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it. Isaiah 5:14

The pipe or flute here is the:

Chaliyl (h2485) khaw-leel'; from 2490; a flute (as perforated): - pipe.

Chalal (h2490) khaw-lal'; a prim. root [comp. 2470]; prop. to bore, i. e. (by impl.) to wound, to dissolve; fig. to profane (a person, place or thing), to break (one's word), to begin (as if by an "opening wedge"); denom. (from 2485) to play (the flute): - begin (* men began), defile, * break, defile, * eat (as common things), * first, * gather the grape thereof, * take inheritance, pipe, player on instruments, pollute, (cast as) profane (self), prostitute, slay (slain), sorrow, stain, wound.

Flute in Daniel:

Mashrowqiy (h4953) mash-ro-kee'; from a root corresp. to 8319; a (musical) pipe (from its whistling sound): - flute.

ALL musical instruments are derived from evil roots. As good instruments were made from brass as the NACHASH or serpent in the garden means the whispering of magical spells and of brass instruments, the flute here is:

Sharaq (h8319) shaw-rak'; a prim. root; prop. to be shrill, i. e. to whistle or hiss (as a call or in scorn): - hiss.

Soreg (h8321) so-rake'; or 7796 so-rake'; and (fem.) soreqah so-ray-kaw'; from 8319 in the sense of redness (comp. 8320); a vine stock (prop. one yielding purple grapes, the richest variety): - choice (-st, noble) wine. Comp. 8291

Saruq (g8320) saw-rook'; from 8319; bright red (as piercing to the sight), i. e. bay: - speckled. See 8291.

Saruwq (h8291) sar-ook'; pass. part. from the same as 8321; a grapevine: - principal plant. See 8320, 8321.

The pipe in Psalm 150:4 was the Uwgab invented by Jubal and used "without warrant" or authority:

"It (the pipe meaning 'to love passionately') was apparently a secular instrument and is never listed in the temple orchestra; only in Ps. 150:4 it is mentioned in a religious (but not ritual) function. Its ethos was not blameless at all, ase we see from Genesis Rabbah 50: 'The angels said to Lot: 'There are players of the pipe (organ) in the country, hence it ought to be destroyed'." Its rabbinical identification with the aboda, the flute of the notorious Syrian bayaderes, emphasizes the erotic element which already the Hebrew name suggests." (Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, p. 460, Abingdon).

Harp:

qÓytaÇroÇc (h7030) kee-thaw-roce'; of Gr. origin (kitharis); a lyre- harp.

Sackbut

cıabb˙kaÇ· (h5443) sab-bek-aw'; or sabb˙ka· sab- bek-aw'; from a root corresp. to 5440; a lyre: - sackbut

Cabak (h5440) saw-bak'; a prim. root; to entwine: - fold together, wrap.

What do ye imagine against the Lord? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time. Nah 1:9

For while they be folden together as thorns, and while they are drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry. Na.1:10

There is one come out of thee, that imagineth evil against the Lord, a wicked counsellor. Nah 1:11

Thus saith the Lord; Though they be quiet, and likewise many, yet thus shall they be cut down, when he shall pass through. Though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more. Nah 1:12

Anah (h6031) aw-naw'; a prim. root [possibly rather ident. with 6030 through the idea of looking down or browbeating]; to depress lit. or fig., trans. or intrans. (in various applications, as follow): - abase self, afflict (-ion, self), answer [by mistake for 6030], chasten self, deal hardly with, defile, exercise, force, gentleness, humble (self), hurt, ravish, sing [by mistake for 6030], speak [by mistake for 6030], submit self, weaken, * in any wise.

When God sings to people you had better watch out:

THE burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite. Nah 1:1

A burden is:

Massa (hy4853) mas-saw'; from 5375; a burden; spec. tribute, or (abstr.) porterage; fig. an utterance, chiefly a doom, espec. singing; mental, desire: - burden, carry away, prophecy, * they set, song, tribute.

Psaltery:

p˙cıant©eÇrÓyn (h6460) pes-an-tay-reen'; or p˙cıantheryn pes-an- tay-reen'; a transliteration of the Gr. yaltherion , a lyre: -- psaltery.

"The psaltery (psalterion, saltere, sauterie, Psalterium, Psalter, salterio) is an ancient intstrument seen in many forms. Early versions were simply a wooden board with gut strings stretched between pegs. The strings were plucked with fingers or by plectra (the name might have derived from the Greek psallein meaning plucked with fingers).

"The name of psaltery entered Christian literature in the 3rd century B.C. translation of the Old Testament called the Septuagint where, in the Psalms, nebel was translated psalterion. Thus, Nebuchadnezzar's idolatrous ensemble included the Aramic psantria. Notice, also, that the book of Psalms has also become known as the Psalter (or psalterium), from the hymns sung with this harp. Source

The Dulcimer:

cıuÇwm˙phoÇwn˙yaÇh (h5481) soom-po-neh-yaw'; or cıuwm˙phonyah (Chald.), soom-po-neh-yaw'; or cıyponya· (Dan. 3:10) see-fo- neh-yaw'; of Greek origin #; a bagpipe (with a double pipe): - dulcimer

In the Aramaic portions of Scripture, we read of the wind instruments found in the famous ensemble of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon (Daniel 3:5, 7, 15): the qarna' (horn), mashroqita' (flute or pipe), and sumfonyah (bagpipe, reed-pipe or Pan's pipe,

if not simply the whole ensemble playing together).

The sabkha', translated "sackbut" in the KJV, apparently is not a wind instrument, but a stringed instrument

In the New Testament, we find the Greek salpinx mentioned as the trumpet used by the angels to announce the "seven trumpet plagues" (Revelation 8:2). It is back-translated as shofar, not as chatsotserah, in Hebrew New Testament versions (presumably because of verses such as Isaiah 27:13 and Joel 2:1).

"It is altogether surprising that the Anchor Bible commentary reverts to the discredited view of sumponeyâ as a "bagpipe" in the light of clear evidence that this was a very late sense of the word. The earliest meaning of the Greek word sumphonia was "sounding together," that is, the simultaneous playing of instruments or voices producing a concord. Jerome, commenting on Luke 15:25 where the word occurs, noted: "The sumphonia is not a kind of instrument, as some Latin writers think, but it means concordant harmony. It is expressed in Latin by consonantia." Coxon concludes as follows [p. 36]:

"Though the Greek psalterion was a harplike instrument, Sendry [Alfred Sendry, Music in Ancient Israel, p. 297] suggests that Daniel's pesanterîn was more akin to a dulcimer. He further suggests that it had been one of a number of musical instruments originally imported from the east, improved by the Greeks, and re-exported to the east. Resource

So, you can take your pick. In the NT the only "musical" word is sumphonia. The voice and instrument together was appropriate for a secular party and is used of the end-time Babylon Harlot's music.

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I asked Jonathan for his information about the number twenty three as a number of Judgment and permission to post his notes. He responded:

Ken

Greetings in Christ Jesus. I will get the concordance out and point to some passages relating to the number 23 were God uses it in settings of judgement.

No problem using the name, looking forward to directing my browser to the link.

Your efforts online have been a huge encouragement, but no matter what we faithfully witness there will always be those who cannot understand that paying a hypocritical "doctor" (quack) or musician to preach is akin to getting an ethics lesson from the mafia!

I'll be in touch hopefully within the next few days, Lord willing as always.

Jon

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As very quick follow up Jonathan wrote the following article:

Good Morning Ken

Here are some scripture references where God seems to use the number 23 as a spiritual portrait of judgement:

And Nadab and Abihu died, when they offered strange fire before the Lord. Numbers 26: 61

And those that were numbered of them were twenty and three thousand, all males from a month old and upward: for they were not numbered among the children of Israel, because there was no inheritance given them among the children of Israel. Numbers 26: 62

And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir. Judges 10:2

IN the three and twentieth year of Joash the son of Ahaziah king of Judah Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned seventeen years. 2 Kings 13:1

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom. 2 Kings 13:2

Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. And his mothers name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 2 Kings 23 31

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his fathers had done. 2 Kings 23 32

And Pharaoh-nechoh put him in bands at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem; and put the land to a tribute of an hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold. 2 Kings 23 33

And Pharaoh-nechoh made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the room of Josiah his father, and turned his name to Jehoiakim, and took Jehoahaz away: and he came to Egypt, and died there. 2 Kings 23 34

Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. 2 Chronicles 36: 2

And the king of Egypt put him down at Jerusalem, and condemned the land in an hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold. 2 Chronicles 36: 3

Then were the kings scribes called at that time in the third month, that is, the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth day thereof; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews, and to the lieutenants, and the deputies and rulers of the provinces which are from India unto Ethiopia, an hundred twenty and seven provinces, unto every province according to the writing thereof, and unto every people after their language, and to the Jews according to their writing, and according to their language. Esther 8: 9

And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus name, and sealed it with the kings ring, and sent letters by posts on horseback, and riders on mules, camels, and young dromedaries: Esther 8: 10

Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey, Esther 8: 11

THE word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that was the first year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; Jeremiah 25: 1

The which Jeremiah the prophet spake unto all the people of Judah, and to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Jeremiah 25: 2

From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, even unto this day, that is the three and twentieth year, the word of the Lord hath come unto me, and I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye have not hearkened. Jeremiah 25: 3

And the Lord hath sent unto you all his servants the prophets, rising early and sending them; but ye have not hearkened, nor inclined your ear to hear. Jeremiah 25: 4

They said, Turn ye again now every one from his evil way, and from the evil of your doings, and dwell in the land that the Lord hath given unto you and to your fathers for ever and ever: Jeremiah 25: 5

And go not after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, and provoke me not to anger with the works of your hands; and I will do you no hurt. Jeremiah 25: 6

Yet ye have not hearkened unto me, saith the Lord; that ye might provoke me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt. Jeremiah 25: 7

Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Because ye have not heard my words, Jeremiah 25: 8

Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the Lord, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations. Jeremiah 25: 9

Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the candle. Jeremiah 25: 10

And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. Jeremiah 25: 11

This is the people whom Nebuchadrezzar carried away captive: in the seventh year three thousand Jews and three and twenty: Jeremiah 52:28

In the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar he carried away captive from Jerusalem eight hundred thirty and two persons: Jeremiah 52 :29

In the three and twentieth year of Nebuchadrezzar, Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard carried away captive of the Jews seven hundred forty and five persons: all the persons were four thousand and six hundred. Jeremiah 52 :30

Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 1 Corinthians 10: 7

Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. 1 Corinthians 10: 8

Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. 1 Corinthians 10: 9

Jonathan: Now you asked:

[What do you make of the fact that the dulcimer or bagpipe is missing from just one account?]

The bagpipe or ducimer, missing would bring the total count of musical instruments in Dan.3 to 23 = 6+5+6+6. I just thought God may have done this to parable the deep, spiritual meaning that points to judgement and in this case, last days mark of the beast, musical, judgement upon the corporate church (Babylon of Rev.18).

Hope that makes sense.

But, now the problem I have here (and why I brought this to your attention) is that this is according to the KJV. In the NASB they use horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltry and bagpipe in all four verses. The NKJV uses horn, flute, harp, lyre and psaltry in vv. 5,10,15 yet omits psaltry in verse 7; so now I don't know if it's just these new versions that are incorrect because I am not a Hebrew scholar.

Ken's Comments: Jonathan, I am not sure about the correct names but here are two verses paralleled. As I have noted above the "dulcimer" in our mind is a string harp. However, the Hebrew word the KJV references means something like a bagpipe with a double flute.

It is difficult to determine its meaning but the common possiblitity is that the word sumphonia meant that everything and everyone was sounding together. Thus, in the 666 passages the word meaning "music" often included singing, playing instruments and dancing. The church fathers and the classics note the particular unseemly nature of people playing instruments and singing or reciting someone's poetry or song at the same time. Singing and playing at the same time was the arena of secular drunken parties and was usually performed by slave prostututes, male or female.

This double flute is often seen in the classics and in the Greek vases as the instrument of the naked, Dionysus-like men whose drunken "music" forced you, like they did Jesus, to sing and dance the Dionysus (Bacchus) choral dance. This, as in Daniel, would be proof that they TRIUMPHED over you and forced you to worship the pagan "gods."

Remember that Psalm 41 prophesied that Judas would NOT ultimately triumph over Jesus where triumph meant to play the loud instruments and "make a joyful noise before the Lord." This was not "worship music" but the warrior's chant:

But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, Matt 11:16

And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. Matt 11:17

The word 'piped' in Hebrew is:

Chalal (h2490) khaw-lal'; a prim. root [comp. 2470]; prop. to bore, i. e. (by impl.) to wound, to dissolve; fig. to profane (a person, place or thing), to break (one's word), to begin (as if by an "opening wedge"); denom. (from 2485) to play (the flute): - begin (* men began), defile, * break, defile, * eat (as common things), * first, * gather the grape thereof, * take inheritance, pipe, player on instruments, pollute, (cast as) profane (self), prostitute, slay (slain), sorrow, stain, wound.

With Jesus it is the Greek auleo which Paul (1 Cor 14:7) identifies as a lifeless instrument.

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Jonathan's further commentary:

As far as Micah 3:11,12 and Revelation 18:4, I believe they are pointing to the last days church. (I believe Nahum 3 and Isaiah 47 also do and I've enclosed some related references below because I noticed you don't have as much on this as the many, many other OT references you address). Likewise, I also hold the position that the two witnesses in Revelation 11 are the NT church (compare Rev.11:3,4 with Revelation 1:20).

But you see, many in the corporate church are blinded (2 Thess.2:11) to the fact that the OT offers many spiritual types or portraits of our day. The Bible was written for us today (2 Tim. 3:16,17), but they'll tell you "that was then, this is now" but that's not the case, and if it were I'm sure many would be like in Amos' day, loving and looking for that platform on which Apis could land. Reading Isaiah thru Malachi the similarites are countless. Yet, they expect you to pay them to "teach" because they refuse to work (couldn't run a 2 car cab company anyway). I have visited many sites and have yet to find one where a preachers salary is disclosed. You would think they would at least attempt so show some accountability to the poor suckers they are milking. All that scratch and virtually no accountability. Now I don't want to seem bitter, because I'm not. But you understand that musical instruments will always draw the carnival like money, crowds and especially clowns. Coupled with the instruments almost every church is women leading in prayer, (at least in this neck of the woods).

You know, just like "the OT was written for the Jews", they will tell you 1 Cor. 14 refers only to the Corinthian church,

so next week when 'ol preach goes to 2 Cor. 9 and asks you to be a cheerful giver, it's best to say I'm not giving you a nickle because that was written only for the Corinthians.

The Indians called folks like ol' preach "forked tounge" Jesus just called them hypocrites, Paul said the epistles were written for Christians everywhere (1 Cor. 1:2).

Notes on Nahum 3 & Isaiah 47

"Woe to the bloody city! it is all full of lies and robbery; the prey departeth not;" (Nahum 3:1).

Extortion [GROTIUS].

"The noise of a whip, and the noise of the rattling of the wheels, and of the pransing horses, and of the jumping chariots." (Nahum 3:2).

"The horseman lifteth up both the bright sword and the glittering spear: and there is a multitude of slain, and a great number of carcases; and there is none end of their corpses; they stumble upon their corpses:" (Nahum 3:3).

[It is all full of lies; truth is banished from among them; there is no such thing as honesty; one knows not whom to believe nor whom to trust. 3. It is all full of robbery and rapine; no man cares what mischief he does, nor to whom he does it:

The prey departs not, that is, they never know when they have got enough by spoil and oppression.

They shed blood, and told lies, in pursuit of the prey, that they might enrich themselves. 4. There is a multitude of whoredoms in it, that is, idolatries, spiritual whoredoms, by which she defiled herself, and to which she seduced the neighbouring nations, as a well-favoured harlot, and sold and ruined nations through her whoredoms. 5. She is a mistress of witchcrafts, and by them she sells families... These were her whoredoms, like those of Tyre, Isa. 23:15, 17. These were her witchcrafts, with which she unaccountably gained dominion.] - Matthew Henry.

Remember, Jonathan, as you note below, that the king/queen of Tyre as a type of Lucifer who was in the garden of Eden equipped with musical instruments as an already-fallen enemy of God seeking the worship for himself, is called the harp-playing prostitute. Tyre used music as a Revelation-like device to seduce the people out of their wealth and even to sell Jews into captivity. The story of Wen-Amon, a cedar merchant from Egypt, is a real historical record of how they used musical women to steal that which they had already sold to the Egyptian. Click for the story.

"Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the wellfavoured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts." (Nahum 3:4).

"And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication." (Revelation 17:1,2).

"Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground: there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate. But these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: they shall come upon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries, and for the great abundance of thine enchantments. For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me. Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know. Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail. Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee." (Isaiah 47:1,9-13).

"For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." (Revelation 18:3,4).

"Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts; and I will discover thy skirts upon thy face, and I will shew the nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame." (Nahum 3:5).

"And I will cast abominable filth upon thee, and make thee vile, and will set thee as a gazingstock." (Nahum 3:6).

"Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee. How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;" (Isaiah 14:11-16).

"And it shall come to pass, that all they that look upon thee shall flee from thee, and say, Nineveh is laid waste: who will bemoan her? whence shall I seek comforters for thee?" (Nahum 3:7).

"Art thou better than populous No, that was situate among the rivers, that had the waters round about it, whose rampart was the sea, and her wall was from the sea?" (Nahum 3:8).

"Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength, and it was infinite; Put and Lubim were thy helpers." (Nahum 3:9).

"Yet was she carried away, she went into captivity: her young children also were dashed in pieces at the top of all the streets: and they cast lots for her honourable men, and all her great men were bound in chains." (Nahum 3:10).

"Thou also shalt be drunken: thou shalt be hid, thou also shalt seek strength because of the enemy." (Nahum 3:11).

"All thy strong holds shall be like fig trees with the firstripe figs: if they be shaken, they shall even fall into the mouth of the eater." (Nahum 3:12).

"And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind." (Revelation 6:13).

"Behold, thy people in the midst of thee are women: the gates of thy land shall be set wide open unto thine enemies: the fire shall devour thy bars." (Nahum 3:13).

"The mighty men of Babylon have forborn to fight, they have remained in their holds: their might hath failed; they became as women: they have burned her dwellingplaces; her bars are broken." (Jeremiah 51:30).

Heredotus shows how to "break down the walls" and how to turn males into women:

Grant, then, forgiveness to the Lydians, and to make sure of their never rebelling against thee, or alarming thee more,

send and forbid them to keep any weapons of war, command them to wear tunics under their cloaks, and to put buskins upon their legs,

and make them bring up their sons to cithern-playing (Kitharizein), singing (psallein), and shop-keeping (Hucksterism). (Or translated lyre playing and harping which is redundant)

So wilt thou soon see them become women instead of men,

and there will be no more fear of their revolting from thee."

"Draw thee waters for the siege, fortify thy strong holds: go into clay, and tread the morter, make strong the brickkiln." (Nahum 3:14).

"There shall the fire devour thee; the sword shall cut thee off, it shall eat thee up like the cankerworm: make thyself many as the cankerworm, make thyself many as the locusts." (Nahum 3:15).

"Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the stars of heaven: the cankerworm spoileth, and fleeth away." (Nahum 3:16).

"Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth? The LORD of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth. Pass through thy land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish: there is no more strength. He stretched out his hand over the sea, he shook the kingdoms: the LORD hath given a commandment against the merchant city, to destroy the strong holds thereof. And he said, Thou shalt no more rejoice, O thou oppressed virgin, daughter of Zidon: arise, pass over to Chittim; there also shalt thou have no rest. Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up the towers thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; and he brought it to ruin. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish: for your strength is laid waste. And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot. Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered." (Isaiah 23:8-16).

"Thy crowned are as the locusts, and thy captains as the great grasshoppers, which camp in the hedges in the cold day, but when the sun ariseth they flee away, and their place is not known where they are." (Nahum 3:17).

"And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men." (Revelation 9:7).

"Thy shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria: thy nobles shall dwell in the dust: thy people is scattered upon the mountains, and no man gathereth them." (Nahum 3:18).

"His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant." (Isaiah 56:10-12).

"Because the LORD hath spoiled Babylon, and destroyed out of her the great voice; when her waves do roar like great waters, a noise of their voice is uttered: Because the spoiler is come upon her, even upon Babylon, and her mighty men are taken, every one of their bows is broken: for the LORD God of recompences shall surely requite. And I will make drunk her princes, and her wise men, her captains, and her rulers, and her mighty men: and they shall sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken, and her high gates shall be burned with fire; and the people shall labour in vain, and the folk in the fire, and they shall be weary." (Jeremiah 51:55-58).

You remember that churches of Christ "in bed' with Promise Keepers were put into dissociation or schizophrenia in Atlanta in 1996. They all came back screaming: "Break down the walls" meaning to the denominational world. Music has always been a majority way to abrade the enemy and break down their walls. Unfortunately, there are stories in Heredotus of the king's "daughter" opening the gate to the enemy because she watched from the walls and fell in love with the enemy. Of course, when the enemy slips in through the gates opened by the traitor, she is put to death because no one honors traitors.

"There is no healing of thy bruise; thy wound is grievous: all that hear the bruit of thee shall clap the hands over thee: for upon whom hath not thy wickedness passed continually?" (Nahum 3:19).

To deny that the Old Testament offers types or portaits of judgement on the religious leaders of this generation is in essence calling Jesus a liar:

"For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation. The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here." (Luke 11:30-32).

[That ruin is here, in this chapter, largely foretold, not to gratify a spirit of revenge in the people of God, who had been used barbarously by them, but to encourage their faith and hope concerning their own deliverance, and to be a type of the downfall of that great enemy of the New-Testament church which, in the Revelation, goes under the name of "Babylon.''] - Matthew Henry

Adam Clarke, the Methodist theologian noted:

[almost all the imagery of this chapter is applied in the Book of Revelation, (in nearly the same words)] - Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Holy Bible, Baker, p.599.

"Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground: there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate." (Isaiah 47:1).

[Woe to those on whom God comes to take vengeance; for who knows the power of his anger and what a fearful thing it is to fall into his hands?] - Matthew Henry

"Take the millstones, and grind meal: uncover thy locks, make bare the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers." (Isaiah 47:2).

In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened, Ec.12:3

Tachan (h2912) taw-khan'; a prim. root; to grind meal; hence to be a concubine (that being their employment): - grind (-er).

"Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen: I will take vengeance, and I will not meet thee as a man." (Isaiah 47:3).

"As for our redeemer, the LORD of hosts is his name, the Holy One of Israel." (Isaiah 47:4).

"Sit thou silent, and get thee into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called, The lady of kingdoms." (Isaiah 47:5).

"I was wroth with my people, I have polluted mine inheritance, and given them into thine hand: thou didst shew them no mercy; upon the ancient hast thou very heavily laid thy yoke." (Isaiah 47:6).

[while he "profanes" his Church, that is, abandons her, and gives her up as a prey to her enemies, still the elect do not perish, and his eternal covenant is not broken. And yet, in the midst of anger, the Lord remembers his mercy, and mitigates the strokes by which he punishes his people, and at length even inflicts punishment on those by whom his people have been cruelly treated. Consequently, if for a time the Lord "profanes" his Church, if she is cruelly oppressed by tyrants, let us not lose courage, but betake ourselves to this promise, "He who avenged this barbarous cruelty of the Babylonians will not less avenge the savageness of those tyrants."] - John Calvin.

"And thou saidst, I shall be a lady for ever: so that thou didst not lay these things to thy heart, neither didst remember the latter end of it." (Isaiah 47:7).

[I have no doubt that he speaks of the "end" of Jerusalem, which is the opinion most commonly received. The Lord often speaks of the Church, by way of eminence, katj ejxoch n without mentioning the name, as we do when our feelings are powerfully affected towards any person. Now, wicked men do not know the "end" of the Church, and the reason why the Lord chastises her. They mock at the calamities of good men, because they would wish them to be utterly destroyed and ruined, and do not consider that God takes care of them.] - John Calvin

"Therefore hear now this, thou that art given to pleasures, that dwellest carelessly, that sayest in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children:" (Isaiah 47:8).

"How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her." (Revelation 18:7,8).

"And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come." (Revelation 18:9,10).

[A state, represented as a female, when it has fallen is called a widow, because its king is no more; and childless, because it has no inhabitants; they having been carried off as captives (Isaiah 23:4, 54:1,4,5, Revelation 18:7,8).] JAMIESON, FAUSSET & BROWN

"But these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: they shall come upon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries, and for the great abundance of thine enchantments." (Isaiah 47:9).

The loss of children and widowhood point to the fact that the true children of God have fled and Christ has put the candlestick out on the corporate aspect (hypocritical phonies) of His bride.

"Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the wellfavoured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts." (Nahum 3:4).

"Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts; and I will discover thy skirts upon thy face, and I will shew the nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame." (Nahum 3:5).

"Behold, I am against you," declares the LORD of hosts; "And I will lift up your skirts over your face, And show to the nations your nakedness And to the kingdoms your disgrace." (Nahum 3:5) nasb.

"And I will cast abominable filth upon thee, and make thee vile, and will set thee as a gazingstock." (Nahum 3:6).

"I will throw filth on you And make you vile, And set you up as a spectacle." (Nahum 3:6) nasb.

Vile: Nabel (h5034) naw-bale'; a prim. root; to wilt; gen. to fall away, fail, faint; fig. to be foolish or (mor.) wicked; causat. to despise, disgrace: - disgrace, dishonour, lightly esteem, fade (away, - ing), fall (down, -ling, off), do foolishly, come to nought, * surely, make vile, wither..

Nebel (h5035) neh'-bel; or nbel nay'-bel; from 5034; a skin- bag for liquids (from collapsing when empty); hence a vase (as similar in shape when full); also a lyre (as having a body of like form): - bottle, pitcher, psaltery, vessel, viol

The nebel has the same basic meaning as the "familiar spirit" of the witch of Endor as her INSTRUMENT for contacting the dead. It is also the same meaning as the "sounding brass" of 1 Cor. 13

"And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived." (Revelation 18:23).

"For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me." (Isaiah 47:10).

The wisdom and knowledge is a pre-tense for those who suddenly become qualified to speak on scripture. This happens in the corporate church like wildfire because emotional people will always be impressed by someone's "educational level" regardless of if they are blindly leading them with antichrist doctrine!

"Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know." (Isaiah 47:11).

""But evil will come on you Which you will not know how to charm away; And disaster will fall on you For which you cannot atone; And destruction about which you do not know Will come on you suddenly." (Isaiah 47:11) nasb.

The "charming" is done through hypocritical paid preachers who tickle the ears of the paying audience.

"For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape." (1 Thessalonians 5:1,2).

[Witchcraft is a sin in its own nature exceedingly heinous; it is giving that honour to the devil which is due to God only, making God's enemy our guide and the father of lies our oracle. In Babylon it was a national sin, and had the protection and countenance of the government; conjurors, for aught that appears, were their privy counsellors and prime ministers of state. And shall not God visit for these things? Observe what a multitude, what a great abundance, of sorceries and enchantments there were among them. Such a bewitching sin this was that when it was once admitted it spread like wildfire, and they never knew any end of it; the deceived and the deceivers both increased strangely.] - Matthew Henry.

Strabo Geography [10.3.9] "But I must now investigate how it comes about that so many names have been used of one and the same thing, and the theological element contained in their history.

Now this is common both to the Greeks and to the barbarians,

to perform their sacred rites in connection with the relaxation of a festival,

these rites being performed sometimes with religious frenzy, sometimes without it;

sometimes with music, sometimes not; and sometimes in secret, sometimes openly.

And it is in accordance with the dictates of nature that this should be so, for, in the

first place, the relaxation draws the mind away from human occupations and turns the real mind towards that which is divine; and,

secondly, the religious frenzy seems to afford a kind of divine inspiration and to be very like that of the soothsayer; and,

thirdly, the secrecy with which the sacred rites are concealed induces reverence for the divine, since it imitates the nature of the divine,

which is to avoid being perceived by our human senses; and,

fourthly, music, which includes dancing as well as rhythm and melody,

at the same time, by the delight it affords and by its artistic beauty,

brings us in touch with the divine, and this for the following reason;

for although it has been well said that human beings then act most like the gods when they are doing good to others,

yet one might better say, when they are happy; and such happiness consists of rejoicing, celebrating festivals, pursuing philosophy, and engaging in music;

"Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail." (Isaiah 47:12).

Kashaph (h3784) kaw-shaf'; a prim. root; prop. to whisper a spell, i. e. to inchant or practise magic: - sorcerer, (use) witch (-craft).

The "serpent" in the garden is a NACHASH. He is not a snake but a musical enchanter. The king of Tyre as a type of Lucifer was in the garden of Eden and came equipped with musical instruments as the natural opponent of God to test mankind.

The profit comes from the selling of CD's, books, paid speaking engagements in the guise of "free will offerings". Salem Communications is still worried their value is only $564,000,000 on the NASDAQ from selling "christian music".

"Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee." (Isaiah 47:13).

"Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it." (Isaiah 47:14).

"Thus shall they be unto thee with whom thou hast laboured, even thy merchants, from thy youth: they shall wander every one to his quarter; none shall save thee." (Isaiah 47:15).

["That is, wherever each person can depart, they disperse and wander, so that every person pursues his own road, for rescuing himself from danger, by fleeing to the farthest boundaries of the kingdom of Babylon. -- Rosenmuller.]

The merchants are the same merchants of Revelation 18, Babylon is a spiritual portrait of the church. Note FOUR times in Revelation 18 merchandising the gospel is condemned - vv. 3, 11-12, 15, 23; see also 2 Peter 2:3ff. Again, deny that the Old Testament offers types or portaits of judgement on the religious leaders of this generation is in essence calling Jesus a liar:

"And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men. And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all. The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate. Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her. And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. And the

voice of harpers,

and musicians,

and of pipers,

and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee;

and no craftsman,

of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth." (Revelation 18:11-24).

[They wandered every one to his own quarter; each man shifted for his own safety, but none would offer to lend a helping hand, no, not to a city by which they had got so much money. Every one was for himself, but few for his friends. The New-Testament Babylon is lamented by the merchants that were made rich by her, but they very prudently stand afar off to lament her (Rev. 18:15), not willing to attempt any thing for her succour. Happy are those who by faith and prayer deal with one that will be a very present help in time of trouble!] - Matthew Henry

Albert Barnes wrote:

[that is, with whom thou hast trafficked from thy earliest history, the foreigners sojourning in Babylon for the sake of commerce (Isaiah 13:14, Jeremiah 51:6,9, Nahum 3:16,17) [BARNES].

That's the corporate church; they will try to sell your soul (Revelation 18:13) and always do it for a price.

Ephraim Syrus notes of the musical idolatry at Mount Sinai:

19. But when Moses came down, he saw their heathenism revelling in the wide plain with drums and cymbals.

Speedily, he put their madness to shame by means of the Levites and drawn swords.

So likewise here, our Lord concealed His knowledge for a little when the sinful woman approached Him, that the Pharisee might form into shape his thought,

as his fathers had shaped the pernicious calf.

This musical idolatry MARKED the people so that the avenging Levites knew whom to slay:

For the sons of Levi ran upon them, those who ran to [help] Moses and girded on their swords. [Exod. xxxii. 26, 27, 28.]

For the sons of Levi did not know whom they should slay, because those that worshipped were mingled with those that worshipped not.

But He, for Whom it was easy to distinguish, distinguished (MARKED) those who were defiled from those who were not defiled;

so that the innocent might give thanks that their innocence had not passed [unseen by] the Just One; and the guilty might be convicted that their offence had not escaped [the eye of] the Judge.

But the sons of Levi were the open avengers. Accordingly Moses set a mark upon the offenders, that it might be easy for the avengers to avenge.

For the draught of the calf entered those in whom the love of the calf was dwelling, and displayed in them a manifest sign, that the drawn sword might rush upon them. The congregation therefore which had committed fornication in [the worship of] the calf, he caused to drink of the water of ordeal, that the mark of adulteresses might appear in it.

I don't know, Jonathan. Perhaps the totality of organized religionists will be engaged in a grand, ecumenical TRUMPET QUARTET when the trumpet-voice of Jesus sounds and they will just play on as Isaiah 30 shows how Egypt, Israel and especially the Assyrians went into captivity to the beat of musical instruments which were really stripes laid on.

Responses to an e-mail from "Jonathan Clark" <quiet@earthling.net>

Jonathan, I will be happy to add any further commentary you have on the music as idolatry and MARK of the end time.

 

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