Heavenly Music

What kind of music will we hear in heaven? With so many personal preferences when it comes to music, I have often wondered this. As far as we know, the Disciple John and the Apostle Paul are the only two people who have seen heaven. In 2 Corinthians 12:2 (NIV) we read that Paul “was caught up to the third heaven1.” In the book of Revelations we can read about the visions of John concerning the new heaven2 and the new earth. But neither of these men took the time to describe the style of music that they heard in heaven.

Most theologians agree that humans are the only creations of God that sing. Many people assume that the angels sing because Handel’s Messiah and carols which indicate that the angels sang “Glory to God in the highest.” But what does the Bible say? The angels spoke the greeting, they did not sing it. “Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.’" Luke 2:13-14 (NIV).

John does indicate the four creatures in Revelations 4:8 (NIV), “Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come." So we know that God does not mind repetition. But He also likes new songs.

Paul instructs us to “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord,” Ephesians 5:19 (NIV). Psalms would have been the old traditional songs. Hymns were the songs that have been proved to have lasting quality and had become part of their worship time in the synagogues. Spiritual songs were the newer songs which people would have been writing or composing during Paul’s life. God does not want us to only remember the songs of our past. We are to continue creating and singing new songs. Six of the 150 Psalms mention that we are to sing a new song. Twice in Revelations John mentions that we will sing a new song to God, that it will be loud like thunder and we will be using stringed instruments.

This brings us back to my original question, what about music in heaven? I believe that the music in heaven will be comprised of songs that our many thousands of years old as well as music from our time and even new songs. What style will the songs be? I believe it will include virtually every style of music. God created us to be creative beings and He delights in all of our creative music: songs of Jubal3, King David, Paul and Silas, Bach, Handel, John and Charles Wesley, Bill Gaither, David Clydesdale and Chris Tomlin. I personally hope to hear lots of Big Band jazz music in heaven. I plan to join King David in dancing down the streets of gold. And the great thing is that we will enjoy all of the music there. We will never have to hear people complain that they do not like that song or that they wish we would sing more of this type of music. Now that will be heavenly.

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1 The Bible mentions three heavens: 1.) the heavens containing the sky; 2.) the heavens containing the stars; and 3.) the “heaven of heavens” (Nehemiah 9:6, KJV) or third heaven which indicated the place where God dwells.
2 The new heaven found in Revelations refers to the place that God is preparing for us. It is also the place where God dwells, so could be referred to as the “heaven of heavens.”
3 The first musician mentioned in the Bible. “His brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play the harp and flute.” Genesis 4:21 (NIV)

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