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Michael Jackson-Tragic death-Even more tragic life! Music, life, death and after that...
Michael Jackson seemingly had everything, money, power, status, fame, fortune, though Saturday's headline in the Daily Telegraph describes him as 'The Loneliest Man On Earth'. He may have been described as revolutionary and music is an incredibly powerful tool for good and bad, but what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and yet loses his own soul? (Matt 16:26)
Music is imperative to society and has been with us since the dawn of time. Way back in Genesis 4 we hear about Jubal who was the father of those who play the flute. Music is the language of the soul and we would be wise to never underestimate its power for good or bad. Furthermore Lucifer was created as an angelic musical being in Ezekiel 28:13 and in Daniel a great amount of instruments are played simultaneously when mighty king Nebuchadnezzar is to be worshipped! On the more positive side though, Psalm 150 is stuffed with encouragement to praise God joyfully with instruments and Revelation 4 and 5 gives us a prelude of worship in heaven!
I used to listen to Jamiroquai and R.Kelly. Apparently innocent though, the former is New Age and the latter humanistic and godless! How do I figure that one? 'Use the force, I am the wind, I am the sea, I can be anyone.' No! Only the Lord Jesus Christ is the great I AM, who was and is and is to come. Buddha, Mohammed, Confucius have all come and gone. Jesus had a unique virgin birth, death and resurrection. And what about 'I believe I can fly' If you just believe it there's nothing to it. Believing something does not necessarily make it real. Faith is founded on fact not on fiction! 'Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.' (Hebrews 11:1 NKJV) True faith is in the God of the Bible, not in one's ability to conceive an idea in their imagination!
True Christian music should be Christ centred, should glorify God and either be derived from Scripture or meaningfully expound Biblical principles. The content should not be so vague that it could be sung without contradiction by a proponent of a different worldview!
Not surprisingly people are in mourning for Michael, their iconic king of pop! Others are making profit from merchandise in a typically perverse manner, capitalising on the death of a superstar.
But what happens next? We can all be certain that we will die sooner or later. Like Maximus from Gladiator I truly believe that what we do today echoes in eternity... Paul wrote to Timothy reminding him that we are born with nothing and materially speaking we die the same also. Paul's valedictory speech confirmed that he had fought the good fight, finished the race and that a crown of righteousness was laid for him also. (2 Tim 4:7-8) 'Jesus said that in heaven there are many mansions in His Father's house and that He has gone to prepare a place for you' (John 14:2) MJ's mansion will pale away in comparison to true spiritual riches where moth and rust cannot destroy!
Let the Psalmist have the final word then...
'For a day in your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of My God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.' (Psalm 84:10) |
