Ancient Bible Instruments Flute/Pipes (part one)

 As is today, music was very important part of the Old Testament. And the instruments used were probably inspired by God himself. They were used in everything God's people did almost, from celebrating to mourning, to worshiping to prophesying. 

Perhaps you remember playing the flute when you were in school.

In Bible days they looked similar to this:

The Bible mentions four types of lutes or pipes

And are mentioned in 1 Kings 1:40, Isahia 5:12 and 30:12 of Isahia. during those celebrations.

But they were also mentioned in 1 Samuel 10:5 when King Saul prophesied, and its sound were compared to the moans of mourning over Mohab's judgement in Jeremiah 48:36. 

(see: gotquestions/what types of instruments are mentioned in the Old Testament)

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Flutes. A beautiful sounding instrument or a sound of mourning. That is the purpose they held back in the day, many years ago.

More on this amazing instrument tomorrow. 

Thanks for coming by Friends. Have a blessed day!

Winds

Pipe: The Old Testament mentions four different types of pipes or flutes:

Halil is translated “pipe” or “flute”; it was double-reeded and played vertically like an oboe or horizontally like a modern flute. The name is taken from the Hebrew for “perforated” or “pierced,” as the tube is pierced with fingerholes. Two of these pipes may have been played at the same time. It was mostly used during celebrations (1 Kings 1:40; Isaiah 5:12; 30:29) but also when King Saul prophesied (1 Samuel 10:5). Its sound is compared to the moans of mourning over Moab’s judgment (Jeremiah 48:36).

The ugab was similar but used for less formal purposes. Bible versions translate ugab variously as “pipe,” “flute,” or “organ.” The name comes from the Hebrew for “breathing.” It is one of the first instruments mentioned in the Bible (Genesis 4:21) and was used for worship (Job 21:12; Psalm 150:4). Some believe it was a primitive type of bagpipe with a pipe for fingering below, a bladder in the middle, and the mouthpiece coming up above.

Two different types of Aramaic pipes, the sumpponeya and the masroqi, are mentioned in connection with the worship of Nebuchadnezzar’s statue (Daniel 3:5, 7, 10, 15). The masroqi made a whistling sound; it was probably similar to panpipes. The identity of the sumpponeya is not as clear. It is translated as “bagpipe,” “tambourine,” “pipe,” and “sackbut,” which is a type of trombone.

 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Psalms 100:1-2

God has created all good things. And just one example of that is music, not only for our own enjoyment but for the praises that we offer up to him. And with that in mind, starting tomorrow (7/25) I want to start looking at some of the instruments that his people used in their day and see what we can learn about them. I hope you will join me and come back to this interesting study. Thanks for coming by, and may God bless your Sunday. 

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Just Do IT (My Tip)

How to Pray without Ceasing

• Kelly O'Dell Stanley
• Crosswalk.com Contributing Writer

Start Praying Now

Dear Lord, I believe that prayer matters, but I also think that we shortchange ourselves by limiting our definition of prayer. Open my mind to all that it can be. Help me become aware of Your nearness and abide in Your presence. Teach me to talk to You—and remind me to listen. Overflow my heart with gratitude for all that You’ve done and who You are. Let my life become a never-ending prayer to You. Amen.

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Praying does not have to be a big production. In fact, Jesus himself gave us some tips on how to pray and who better to teach us than our Savior himself:

5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. Mathew 6:5-13

This prayer can be whispered to God, at any time and anywhere. Sometimes we just do not know what to pray. But if we have memorized it, then we are at no loss for words that we can send to his ears. For he is always waiting for us talk to him. 

Thanks for coming by today, Friends. Have a blessed Saturday!

Sometimes We Talk to Much (Tip 9)

 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:1

How to Pray without Ceasing

• Kelly O'Dell StanleyCrosswalk.com Contributing Writer

9. Stop talking once in awhile. Instead, just listen.

“And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words” (Matthew 6:7). 

The number (or quality) of words you use in prayer doesn’t matter, because prayer is about God, not about us. Allow yourself to contemplate the nearness of God. Trust that He is your constant companion. Don’t monopolize the dialogue, but spend some of your time just being, simply sitting and resting in His presence. And keep in mind that the best conversations are two-sided, but you won’t hear anything if you never stop to listen.

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Let's face it. Sometimes we talk too much. And sometimes we just need to shut up and listen for God.

He has important things he wants to tell us. And too often we are too busy or maybe just not interested in listening to him which can make us miss a blessing or something else that he wants to say to us. 

So we need to remember to give him our time in the quiet of our day, to hear what he has to say to us.

Thanks for coming by, Friends. Have a blessed day!

Don't Even Think It! (Tip 8)

  Therefore, take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, what shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. Mathew 6: 31:32

How to Pray without Ceasing

• Kelly O'Dell StanleyCrosswalk.com Contributing Writer

8. Give up worrying.

Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” 

We’re not meant to worry, and we waste too many minutes doing just that. Next time something weighs heavy on your heart, envision yourself extending it up to God and letting Him hold it for you. Ask Him what your role is and if there is something you need to do; if so, do it. But don’t take back the weight of the worry. Then start thanking God for who He is and what He has already done for you, and you’ll feel the weight lifting off your shoulders as the words co

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It is a known medical fact that worry does harm to our bodies.  Not only that, but it does not do one thing to solve whatever it is we are worrying about.

Thats why Jesus said: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Mathew 11:28-30

When we stop worrying and lay our worries at the feet of Jesus, he gives us rest. For our minds. For our souls. For our bodies.

Easy? I am here to say: not usually.

Possible? Yes

Thanks for coming by, Friends. Have a blessed afternoon!

Confession. Always Good for the Soul (Tip 7)

 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

How to Pray without Ceasing

• Kelly O'Dell Stanley

  Crosswalk.com Contributing Writer

7. When you mess up, admit it.

I don’t know about you, but I could spend most of my praying-without-ceasing time simply confessing a litany of my sins and failings: I just yelled at my kids; I’m jealous of the perfect little family one my friends posts about daily on Facebook; so-and-so is a real jerk and I don’t like him… and so on. Luckily, when we confess, God forgives us, so we don’t need to dwell there. That in itself is another reason to praise Him.

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Wow, do I agree with that! I go through the day every day, having to ask for forgiveness for things that make me mad or upset. I really went through this the day we had gotten home from our vacation last week. Someone did something that I didn't like. It had been a long night and when we arrived home that morning, we were exhausted. And I couldn't even go right to bed because I was so angry. But I finally settled down enough to know that nothing would be solved the way I was feeling. So, I needed to go to sleep for a while.

When I got back up, I was still angry but not like I had been. And for the first few days being home, I contemplated over letting this person know how I felt. But God's word spoke to me that week. And this is what it said.

Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: Luke 6:36-37

I decided not to confront her. And later in the week I found our why that was a good decision. But I won't say what that is, here. 

My prayer that day was "Forgive me Lord. And thank you that I chose to not confront her." 

In fact, after that, I gave this person a gift. And you know what, it was so freeing that with my anger gone, I could share something with her.

Jesus forgave us our sin when he died on the cross and I sure don't compare this thing I did with that. Not at all. However, because he did and does forgive us our sin, how can I not forgive her for what she did. I came to realize that she probably didn't even mean to. 

Forgiveness is not always easy. Ask any married couple that live together 24/7 in their retirement. That can be another bone of contention. And I spend a lot of my time every day asking God for forgiveness. But don't tell my husband that. Because:

"Love keeps no record of wrongs." 1 Corinthians 13:5

and I am sure he gets angry with me too.

Thanks for coming by today, Friends. May God bless you

Sing Praises to the Lord (Tip 6)

 

How to Pray without Ceasing

• Kelly O'Dell StanleyCrosswalk.com Contributing Writer

6. Sing a song of praise.

“Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise” (James 5:13). 

Often, we think of prayer as what to do when we need God to fix something or when we’re unhappy. But the Bible encourages us to pray at all times. Remember the idea of prayer being like a radio playing in the background all the time? Make that literal by listening to worship music. As you sing along, offer it to God as your prayer. Or, better yet, make up your own song along the way. Nobody is listening but Him, so don’t worry if you’re out of tune.

Photo courtesy: ©Thinkstock/Vespie

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To go along with what Kelly O'Dell Stanley gave in this tip, I would like to add to it an experience I had many years ago.

As a young family in the early 80s, we took a vacation to Florida one year, to visit family. When we got home we found that the refrigerator had completely stopped working, probably not long after we had left.

Someone had to clean it out though until we could get another one. And that someone was me. I didn't cherish the job. Because basically everything had turned to green mush.

 So, I put on a cassette (Remember those days?) of some worship and praise music and some rubber gloves and got busy.

All the while, singing praises to God. 

To my surprise, I got through it. lol more quickly than what I thought I would. Because I took my focus off the thing I was doing and put it on God. 

I had learned a lesson that day that I have held on to a lot over the years. Sinding praises and prayers to God, helps us through the tough things we go through. It actually lessens our load.

Because God inhabits the praises of his people. (Psalm 22:3)

Thanks for coming by today, Friends. God bless!