Question 318736: Does God have angelic music in heaven? What would it sound like if we could hear it? Would it be the angels playing a harp? Can God or Jesus show his face to us in our mind while we are in prayer? Answered by: Anthony Answer: Hello and thanks for your questions! Ill try to be as helpful as possible in giving you Biblical answers. As for angels, the closest thing to singing is found in Isaiah 6:1-3 which reads, In the year of King Uzziahs death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called out to another and said, Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory. While its not specifically stated that the angels are singing, we can assume its not monotone or unpleasant to hear. As for what it would sound like I suppose itd be more beautiful than any music weve ever heard, or will hear, on earth. It s also safe to say that it will prompt us to glorify the Lord, as everything we do in heaven will be to glorify Him and enjoy His presence. The popular idea of angels playing harps perhaps comes from a couple places in Revelation. Revelation 5:8 When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. Revelation 14:2-3 And I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder, and the voice which I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps. And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased from the earth. In the first scripture, we see the four living creatures, who a re the Seraphim (Isaiah 6:1-3; Revelation 4:8) and the elders with harps and incense. Some have asserted that only the elders are holding the harps, which is certainly possible, but were not told exactly. From the context, its safe to assume they all are. As for the second scripture, while it mentions harps, it is merely describing the sound. We also read in the next verse that only the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased from the earth were singing, so that obviously excludes the angels (Revelation 14:3). Lastly, as God said to Moses, You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live! (Exodus 33:20). We are told that God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth (John 4:24). The point being that God is not a man with a face to show us (Numbers 23:19). As He Himself says, For I am God and not man, the Holy One in your midst (Hosea 11:9). So if not God, can we see Christs face when we pray? One things for certain, the Lords power is not limited (Numbers 11:23). Of course He could show us His face if He desired. We must consider a couple things though. What a lot of people dont know is that Christ wasnt a strapping and handsome white male with wavy brown hair. On the contrary, Isaiah tells us that, He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him (Isaiah 53:2 cf 52:14). Most likely, the image of Christ weve had in our heads is far from His actual appearance. The fact is, to imagine God or Christs face is impossible, as nothing in our minds could even attempt to picture their glory. Anything we could dream up would be an inferior representation, and the habit of which would draw us closer and closer to worshiping a graven image (Exodus 20:4). The Father draws people to Him by His word and spirit, not by Christs impressive looks. Also, until we are changed, we cannot see Christ as He is. 1 John 3:2 tells us, Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. A final, and perhaps most important point, is that seeing His face is unnecessary. Christ Himself tells us in John 14:23, If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. The Lord is already in our hearts, we dont need to attach a questionable image to Him (Exodus 20:4), for we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). As we read in Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Paul puts it perfectly in 2 Corinthians 4:18 saying, While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal (cf Hebrews 11:1). While it would no doubt be amazing to see Christs face when we pray, its simply unnecessary, as His very spirit rests in our hearts (Ezekiel 36:27). In Hebrews we are told to fix our eyes upon Him (Hebrews 12:2), but not in a strict, literal sense. Rather, we are to fix our eyes upon Him as the the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross (Hebrews 12:12), who caused us to be born again to a living hope through His resurrection (1 Peter 1:3 cf Colossians 1:5)! Theres nothing wrong with the desire to see Him, as we all wish to, even Paul (Philippians 1:21-24; 2 Corinthians 5:8). But we must remember that our faith doesnt lie in extravagant visions or otherwise. It lies in the Word of God, that is Christ (John 1:1, 5:39), and the promise and sealing of His spirit (Ephesians 1:13). Our hope is bigger than a face in our prayers, it is the Holy One of Israel (Isaiah 12:6; 43:15; 47:4), whos presence fills the heavens and the earth (Psalm 139:6-10; Jeremiah 23:24)! In closing, I pray Ive been helpful and again thanks so much for your questions! 1 Peter 1:17-19 If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each ones work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. --------------- GotQuestions.org seeks to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by providing Biblical answers to spiritually-related questions.
Posted on: Sun, 10 Nov 2013 02:11:12 +0000
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