The fall of Babylon brings an end to the sounds and sights of urban life. In particular it means the end of music (Revelation 18:22). Music once spread to the four corners of the city; when she is tossed into the cease, all four orchestra sections cease \u2013 harpists, musicians, flutists, trumpeters.<\/p>\n
But it\u2019s not just music that ceases. Music was integral to the religious and political life of the city, and when it goes silent civic life grinds to a halt.<\/p>\n
Various instruments, for instance, are associated with temple worship: harps or lyres are played in the temple (2 Chronicles 9:11; Psalm 32:2; 42:4) and trumpets are played before the ark (1 Chronicles 15:24). If the orchestra ceases, it means that worship has ceased.<\/p>\n
Harps, flutes, and trumpets are also used in political ritual. One of the signs of Saul\u2019s election as king was an encounter with musicians playing instruments (1 Samuel 10:5), and flutes and trumpets were used at the coronation of Solomon (1 Kings 1:34, 39, 40) and trumpets announced the coronation of Joash (2 Kings 11:14). A ram\u2019s horn announced Yahweh\u2019s arrival at Sinai (Exodus 19:13), and silver horns announced the enthronement of Yahweh\u2019s prince, the king of Israel. No music in Babylon means no more coronations, which means no more kings.<\/p>\n
Prophecy is also connected with music. The musicians that Saul encounters are \u201cprophesying\u201d (1 Samuel 10:5), and in 1 Chronicles \u201cprophesying\u201d is what the Levitical singers and musicians do when they make music. The end of music means the end of prophesying.<\/p>\n
In sum: When music ceases, priests, kings, and prophets cease.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The fall of Babylon brings an end to the sounds and sights of urban life. In particular it means the end of music (Revelation 18:22). Music once spread to the four corners of the city; when she is tossed into the cease, all four orchestra sections cease \u2013 harpists, musicians, flutists, trumpeters. But it\u2019s not […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3021,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[65],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17396","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bible-nt-revelation"],"yoast_head":"\n