The Spiritual Song - Exploring Prophetic Worship by Mike Herron

‘...one who speaks (sings) a word (song) of prophecy strengthens the entire church.’ (14:4)

A public prophetic song should have a positive effect upon the whole gathered congregation. When Jahaziel, the descendant of Asaph, prophesied in the days of Jehoshaphat the whole nation was strengthened and comforted. ‘Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.’ (2 Chron 20:15) The primary focus of a prophetic utterance (and song of the Lord) is not predicting the future but encouraging God’s people in their present circumstances. ‘Even lifeless instruments like the flute or the harp must play the notes clearly, or no one will recognize the melody. And if the bugler doesn’t sound a clear call, how will the soldiers know they are being called to battle?’ (14:7,8) ‘If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.’ (13:1) All four families of instruments are used to describe the realm of the prophetic; the woodwinds, the strings, brass and percussion. Paul is showing the close association between music and prophecy as well as appealing for harmonious, intelligible sounds. Sometimes the prophetic will be rhythmic like the percussion, sometimes happy and melodious like the flute, deeply emotional like the strings or alarming