The Influential Power of Music
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Have you ever noticed how a single song can take you back in time, evoking vivid memories and emotions? Take a moment to think back when a particular song brought back vivid memories. Perhaps your wedding day, a special occasion, your birthday, or a farewell to a loved one. I’m sure each of us can think of that specific song, and guess what? It probably excites a specific feeling in each of us. The lead singer of U2, Bono once said: “Music can change the world, because it can change people.”. The truth is that music has a very powerful influence over our lives. We listen to certain songs when we are feeling up and when we are feeling down. Often in a way to escape the feeling or hold onto the feeling we are currently experiencing. Johann Sebastian Bach famously stated that "the aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul". Music has the power to change our feelings and our mood, whether for the good or the bad.
To understand music and it’s origins we must first go back to the beginning, like a bit before the beginning to gain a greater context to the origins of music.
11 Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, 12 Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. 13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.
Who is the bible talking about here in this passage?
The King of Tyre.
The prophet is lamenting the fall of the King of Tyre in this passage after he prophesied against the King of Tyre.
The prophet is comparing the fall of the king of Tyre to the fall of who?
Lucifer/Satan/Devil.
It should be mentioned here that the ‘name’ Lucifer is a Latin translation of the Hebrew phrase: “morning star” or “star of the morning”.
Isaiah 14:12-19
Anyone know what planet is associated with Lucifer?
Venus, when appearing as the morning star before sunrise, is called Lucifer, meaning "light-bringer" in Latin
In Roman folklore, "Lucifer" was the name for the planet Venus, often personified as a male figure bearing a torch. The Greek name for this planet was variously Phosphoros (also meaning "light-bringer") or Heosphoros (meaning "dawn-bringer").
The term "Lucifer" is indeed linked to Venus in ancient texts and mythology. In Isaiah 14:12, the Hebrew word "hēlēl," translated as "Lucifer" in some versions, refers to the "light-bearer" or "shining star," which is commonly associated with the planet Venus[1][2]. Venus, when appearing as the morning star before sunrise, is called Lucifer, meaning "light-bringer" in Latin[2][3]. This association stems from Venus's brightness in the sky, making it a prominent celestial object[1][2]. However, it's important to note that in Christian tradition, the term "Lucifer" later became erroneously connected with Satan, stemming from a misinterpretation of the Isaiah passage and its linkage to Jesus' statement in Luke 10:18 about Satan falling from heaven[3][4][5].
[1] E. W. Maunder, “Astrology,” in The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, ed. James Orr et al. (Chicago: The Howard-Severance Company, 1915), 299.
[2] E. Cobham Brewer, ed., Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (London; Paris; Melbourne: Cassell and Company, Limited, 1895), 778.
[3] Paul J. Achtemeier, Harper & Row and Society of Biblical Literature, Harper’s Bible Dictionary (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1985), 582.
[4] James M. Efird, “Lucifer,” in The HarperCollins Bible Dictionary (Revised and Updated), ed. Mark Allan Powell (New York: HarperCollins, 2011), 572.
[5] John D. Barry et al., eds., “Lucifer,” in The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016).
Venus, known for its brightness in the sky, is visible as both a morning and evening star, appearing before sunrise or after sunset depending on its position in its orbit[1]. As an inner planet, Venus has a maximum elongation (angular distance from the Sun) of 48°, which allows it to be seen in the sky for months at a time[1]. During its morning apparition, Venus can be observed rising before the Sun, making it visible in the eastern sky before sunrise[1]. Interestingly, Venus has a unique rotation, spinning in the opposite direction of most planets, which results in the Sun rising twice during its 225-day year, traveling from west to east[2]. However, the articles do not explicitly state whether Venus always rises before the Sun, as its visibility depends on its current position relative to Earth and the Sun[1][3].
[1] Govert Schilling, The Astronomy Handbook: The Ultimate Guide to Observing and Understanding Stars, Planets, Galaxies, and the Universe (New York, NY: Black Dog & Leventhal, 2024), 130.
[2] Christopher G. de Pree and Sarah Scoles, Astronomical Mindfulness: Your Cosmic Guide to Reconnecting with the Sun, Moon, Stars, and Planets (HarperOne, 2024), 163.
[3] Will Kalif, See It with a Small Telescope: 101 Cosmic Wonders Including Planets, Moons, Comets, Galaxies, Nebulae, Star Clusters and More (New York, NY: Ulysses Press, 2022), 58.
If you were to Google the god of Venus, you would probably see the Roman goddess Venus which would be the Greek goddess Aphrodite's. This is because Venus in the Greco Roman culture was depicted as the ‘evening star’ where as Lucifer is depicted as the ‘morning star’.
Venus is usually visible in the morning between April 1 - November 20. This year, they estimate that around April 21,2025 Venus is be the most visible in the morning.
All this information may sound strange, but know that Jesus is called the bright and morning star in Revelation 22:16
16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
Satan is always a counterfeit, and lacks the glory of the LORD. Lucifer may be the morning star, but Jesus is the bright and morning star!
This passage is very difficult, and the Hebrew here is not certain to some extent.
What does this have to do with music?
What is a tabret?
It is a hand drum, or a tambourine.
It should be noted that the 17 times this verse is translated it means drum or tambourine. So it would not make much sense to change it’s translation here.
I do think the word for ‘pipes’ means gem socket as the Hebrew seems to indicate. Some render the word ‘tabrets’ as a ‘setting’ or ‘frame’ which would be the only time it is rendered anything other than timbrel, or tabret.
The root word here means hand drum or tambourine. The Hebrew word here for ‘pipes’ is more like a gem socket. Some scholars believe that Satan had a role in music before his fall.
According to this passage:
Did God create Satan?
No. He created the anointed Cherub.
Many scholars believe that Lucifer was the highest ranking angel before his fall, powerful enough to convince more than 1/3 of the angels to rebel against God.
In fact most will agree that satan had a prominent role in his previous position, many believe that he led the worship of God and the reference here of him being in the mountain of God refers to that holy place of worship and where God’s presence would be.
To me, it would make sense that the one leading the worship would soon desire the worship for themselves.
In fact he is so feared that even Michael the archangel would not stand against him Jude1:9.
9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
This speaks to the power satan has and even to his previous position.
I want to make it clear that we are not bragging about Lucifer or making him a highlighted character for the sake of exalting him, but to show how far he truly fell and how that fall caused so much corruption.
This is important as all that God has created was perfection.
What happened to all of the perfection?
It was corrupted.
If satan was corrupted and he had some participation in music, then the music he once played has been corrupted.
If the music that Lucifer once played to worship God is corrupted, then what music does he now produce?
Music to exalt himself, or music that is in rebellion towards God, God’s character, or anything pertaining to the worship of God.
All of the music he now produces is about exalting self, violence, or all forms of immorality.
Notice that we started by remembering a song that brings us to a moment or memory?
Music is powerful. It changes how we think and feel.
