All right, we're in Ecclesiastes chapter number three and
I just wanted to put your attention down to verse number four where the Bible says a
Time to weep and a time to laugh a time to mourn and a time
To dance and the title of my sermon this morning is dancing in light of the Bible dancing in light of the Bible
I've been preaching through a summer vice
Series and dancing is one of those things that kind of seems to increase
During summer now, I'm not talking
basically
Whether dancing is good or not
You know in the Bible, of course is based upon the context of what's what kind of dancing it is
So now dancing, you know
Baptists are historically known for not dancing who's heard that before
That's Baptist. Just don't dance. I'll just tell you one thing. I don't dance
All right, it's not a pretty thing to see even if I did try so I just don't dance but
I've never been good at it. Even when I did try it. So I could just it's not something that's you know
It's not something I struggle with of the desire to just get out and dance. Okay, but
I I've seen some people asking questions about this lately and I preached about this a long time ago
But
That's how I want to cover what the Bible actually says about it because that's what's what's truly important is people could say well
Dancing is always wrong. But what does the Bible say? That's what we need to go by
so it's one to look at the positive mentions of dancing in the Bible and
Also kind of the negative aspects when it comes to dancing and this may or may not be my last advice sermon
It's not quite summertime being over yet. The 20th of September is technically the end of summer. So
Anyway, so and so like I said, it's kind of it's like wine in the Bible wine
Depends upon the context of what type of wine it is
Wine isn't always alcoholic wine is either it could be freshly squeezed grape juice
Which I've proven in times past very easily when the Pharaoh's butler squeezed the grapes into Pharaoh's cups
Cup it was he was squeezing wine into it. So, you know, what does that tell you?
It was it didn't turn alcoholic as soon as it hit his cup. So it was freshly squeezed grape juice
So it's the same thing with dancing like what type of dancing is happening here depends
What type of dancing you would do is dependent upon whether it would be?
Sinful or not. So
And dancing for reasons of joy, you'll see in the scriptures
that's what it's connected to and I'll show you that here just a minute, but
Dancing in the setting of worship and or in a believers personal home
I believe our purse or permissible as we'll see and even in like a feast you'll see in the Feast of the Lord
There was some kind of dance that happened
David danced before the Lord with all of his might and again, we don't know what that dance looked like
that's the problem with the whole incorporating it into worship is that
We don't know what that looked like and we don't know what it does look like or what exactly that means
So I think that airing on the side of caution when it comes to like now you're like pastor
Are you gonna just start incorporating dance moves into the our song service? And the answer that is no
All right in the in the great
Church that's gonna be in heaven the Church of the Firstborn where we're all together and the Lord Jesus Christ can teach us
What dance moves are acceptable then I dance?
Okay, and maybe it will be okay at that point for me to do that
But I'm just gonna err on the side of caution. I'm not gonna incorporate something that I don't know
Whether it's the right thing or not. So
But if you want to dance privately in your own home then go ahead and do it
But if you're dancing to some mosh pit music
You know you and your family just push each other and doing crowd surfing or something like that
That's not I don't think the Bible dancing that it's talking about. Okay, or if you're like breakdancing like that one, you know
Kangaroo chick or whatever from Australia. I don't think that's the dancing in front of the Lord that it's talking about
You know, I'm talking about ray gun or whatever
so
There's some classic memes if you haven't seen who ray gun is you got to check that out
First you got to see the full uncut video of every dance move that she does. It's the most bizarre thing you'll ever see and
You know if you've ever seen breaking or breaking to back in the 80s, they would put her to shame in a heartbeat
but anyhow, so
now of course you got sensual dancing where it's you know,
People could be perfect strangers and they're touching each other and
dancing in a way that is not appropriate or
Revealing too much of their body which is also not appropriate or just revealing every part of their body
Which is definitely not appropriate and you know people nowadays just anything goes when it comes to the realm of dancing
people are putting poles in their houses and just
Teaching these things as if it's just okay, and I'll tell you what God
That's not what God's talking about here and dancing
So there's not a time ever to do those kinds of dances. So when it says that there's a time to dance
That's not what he means. All right
So growing up, of course
Dancing is a big deal
I mean dancing today in this world every every year the Super Bowl has some satanic Baphomet worshiping
You know freaks come out that some are retired from long past, you know
They'll have Snoop Dogg roll out in his wheelchair and you know bow Wow Wow or whatever and then some other new satanic
You know person that they roll out and in the background you got all these people just dancing and you know
You know doing all these kind of crazy moves, right?
And it's just like what is this the satanic halftime show is what it usually is and every year they like try to just up
The anti more and put more satanic imagery in it
So, I mean there is definitely connection with that but I mean in high school they had dance team
They had it in middle school
You know where women are just not leaving much to the imagination and that's the outfits that they have to wear to do these things
You know cheerleading is not really dancing, but it kind of is a little bit
Ballet people say what's wrong with ballet? Well, I mean
You're not leaving much to the imagination
Right, and then figure skating is not really dancing, but it kind of is I mean they're flipping each other through the air
They're dancing in some kind of a rhythmic
style but you know again, you know women are
you know exposing their nakedness and
So those types of dancing and just like dancing that people do
Professionally a lot of times is not
Appropriate for a Christian like if a Christian wife was to dance with some
Professional dancer you're gonna have to get up close and personal like if you're taking private dancing lessons or something
You know, they're gonna teach you stuff or show you things that you have to get up close to another man
That's not your husband and they're gonna have to show you things and do things with you that you know, it's just not appropriate. So
again, there's
Definitely, I know all the sinful types of dancing that there are but the godly types of dancing are a little more difficult to
Frame out. So I think Jack Howells called it hugging standing up is
is what he calls dancing or whatever, but
So the first thing I want to show you let's look back in our text again where you're already there
It says in verse 4 so in Ecclesiastes is talking about there's there's all these times to do different things
He's just you know, he's explaining, you know, all these different things that you do under the Sun
He's giving some examples and it says a time to weep and a time to laugh
So those things are the opposite ends of the spectrum, right? You're either really sad, you know, it's really sad or you're laughing and
Then it says a time to mourn and a time to dance. So what does that tell you?
Well when you're mourning that's not the time to dance
But
When you're what joyful then that would be the time to dance
So it is it's kind of helping us define what dance is there, isn't it?
It's something that you would do when you're happy or something to do when you're joyful or rejoicing in something
So it's I mean that's pretty interesting how it defines it for you like that, but that's what it says
It's giving you kind of the opposite end of the spectrum there a time to mourn and a time to dance
And you'll see in the Bible when dances were done that it's usually at a time of great victory
Like I didn't put this in my notes, but if you think about Miriam in the Bible
I think it was when they crossed the Red Sea then she came out with timbrels and dances with the ladies and
I guarantee you it wasn't some kind of dance team where they're flipping and doing cartwheels and throwing each other up in the air
Okay, and exposing their nakedness. That's not what it was. What was it?
I don't know what it was does the Bible doesn't say the exact moves and steps that they were doing
But to me
I don't think it was some kind of sensual worldly dancing why because it's something that the Lord was good with the Lord was okay
with that and
so
There is a time to rejoice and dance and most people get really excited like if there's favorite team scores a touchdown or hits
You know a game-winning three or you know in sports people cheer
And they'll you know you'll see people dancing when they you know something exciting happens
I'm sure you've seen commercials where people are just like you know jumping around and doing like the happy dance who you know
I'm sure you know what the happy dance is someone wins the lottery or something or you know just some great thing happens
And you're really excited you're jumping up and down and running back and forth and high-fiving everybody
That's kind of like a happy dance right and you know I see
Children do it so when you see innocent children
Jumping around and being excited about stuff to me. That's probably
What an unorganized dance? That's not sinful would be you know children are it when they're innocent
You know they haven't you know done a bunch of sinful stuff and when they just naturally do
Some kind of running around and skipping and you know they're kind of just frolicking around to me
That's what I feel like is probably
The type of dancing that God's talking about the hat you know a joyful happy dance that you're doing
Look what it says in verse 5 it says a time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones together
So see it's the opposite things that are being done there a time to embrace
So like a time to hug right and a time to refrain from embrace
Kind of tied to what I'm talking about because
You know and when it comes to dancing that would be the time to not embrace other people
You'll never see in the Bible when people are dancing that they're
Hugging each other that men and women are are like doing some kind of dance where they're
First of all just touching it all and then secondly where it's a woman
That's not that's married to another man is is dancing closely with another man. That's not her husband
It's just not you just don't see that in there, so let's turn to Jeremiah chapter 31 though
Jeremiah chapter 31 so got some other scriptures here
And these are the positive mentions here, so
Jeremiah chapter 31 verse 12 the Bible says therefore they shall come and
Sing in the height of Zion and shall flow together
to the goodness of the Lord for wheat and for wine and for oil and for the young of the flock and
Of the herd and their soul shall be a watered garden, and they shall not sorrow any more at all
So the context is that that is that Israel's been cursed and now they're beginning to be blessed again
And then it says and then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance
so see how it's connected to
Rejoicing and great happiness because of the blessings and it says both young men and old together
So it says for I will turn their mourning into joy so again
It's connected to you know not being in mourning anymore
But it's turned into joy therefore
They're dancing right and it says and I and and will comfort them and make them rejoice from their sorrow
And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness
Sayeth the Lord so a positive mention of dance
Connected to the blessings of God not connected to you know it's connected
It's it's basically defining again that it's based upon
Rejoicing in God's blessings to look at Isaiah chapter 13 verse 21 Isaiah chapter
13 verse 21 and this might give a little more precedence to the
Maybe the disorganized
Skipping and you know playfulness back and forth or whatever the kind of like how kids dance you know
When they're you know obviously just dancing for two because they're happy about something now look at Isaiah 31 13 verse 21
It says but wild beasts of the desert shall lie there and their houses shall be full of doleful
creatures and owls shall dwell there and satires shall dance there, so
Dance there, and you know when animals have you ever seen animals
Just kind of wrestling around with each other, and they're like dancing back and forth trying to like you know get the other one
You know what people do that, too
You know and so that's kind of the picture that I get when it's talking about that here
That's talking about animals that are doing this now
Look at
Lamentations 5 Lamentations 5
One more connection to the joy why why their dance
It's connected to that
Now this one is kind of a negative
I guess but look it says
Lamentations 5 14 says the elders have ceased from the gate the young men from their music
The joy of our heart is ceased our dance is turned into mourning so so again the joy of
Dancing the the being rejoicing and God's blessings is turned into mourning instead so again defining it for you in another verse
So definitely deeply connected there to being happy being joyful
We would say happy, but being joyful or rejoicing in the fact that our lives are going good
Something great has happened in our life, and therefore you do some kind of a dance
But I'm not I don't think that it's talking about some organized
Step dance or the river dance you know where you're just like
You know plant you know what I'm talking about like it's not some boot scoot boogie
That they're that they're breaking into or something you know we stopped doing the boot scoot boogie because we're all sad
You know it's it's not talking about that
So now I want to look at some verses where it's incorporating it into praise and worship of God look at Psalm
150 verse 4 Psalm 150 verse 4
Psalm 150 verse 4
The Bible says
praise him with the timbrel and dance
praise him with stringed instruments and organs, so
What's the Bible saying well when we praise God?
You know dance is something that we can include in that but again
Entails so I've never seen any Baptist break out into any dance when it comes to worship and again
I think that this is probably
You know some sort of a public thing where maybe some victory happened or it's a feast
Or something to that effect or when David's doing it some great thing is happening. What's happening?
Well, they're bringing the Ark of the Covenant to the house of God where it belongs or you know he's bringing it from Obed
Edom, and then he's bringing it in to the tabernacle and
David is dancing before the Lord with all of his might
Because some great thing is happening and it was remember the Ark of God was captured at that time and then
Uzzah touches the ark because they bring it the wrong way and
And then a breach is made in Uzzah and Uzzah drops dead right there on the site
So he's killed and David is afraid and then he's afraid to bring it back
And then obviously reads the Bible and realizes the Levi's are the only ones that are supposed to be
Taking it and they're supposed to be carrying it upon their shoulders on the staves and so then when David brings it back
Then he's dancing before the Lord again. What does that look like?
I don't know, but it does say it and we're gonna go to those passages soon
But now look at Psalm 149 you're right there in Psalm 150
You should be able to find it real easy easily, excuse me Psalm 149 verse 1 the Bible says praise you the Lord
Sing unto the Lord a new song and his praise in the congregation of the Saints let Israel
Rejoice in him that made him let the children of Zion be joyful in their King
Let them praise his name in the dance
Let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp and so both times you've seen
It's it's connecting them to these musical instruments the timbrel and
the dance the is connected to the timbrel and the harp here and
So that's also what it's connected with when you see Miriam do it and that's before the congregation
of the Lord after a great victory so
Again, it kind of seems that that's the connection to it
Maybe this is just not in every service or some sort of dance of going on
But it's like maybe a special occasion
But it says for the Lord taketh pleasure in his people
He will beautify the meek with salvation let the Saints be joyful in glory
Let them sing aloud upon their beds, and so when I say that that's something that you can do at home
It's like most people don't bring their beds to church
I know some of you would like to but most people don't bring their beds to church, so
You know it's it's taught you know because obviously
In in church is not the only place where we should worship God
I mean people have been encouraged to you know take take a hymn book home so that you can sing
Hymns at home or study you know learn the hymns at home
but you know you can sing songs with your family hymns with your family and
You know the Bible is saying here let the Saints be joyful in glory let them sing aloud upon their beds
You know so is
You know is the church the only place where we can worship word of course not we can worship him wherever we're at
They were there you know Miriam is is doing that dance and with the timbrels and song and all that in
the outside
Second Samuel chapter 6 verse 12, and we'll look at David's
Account where he dances before the Lord with all his might second Samuel chapter
6 verse number 12 will begin there give you a second to turn there
And these are basically just a lot of the positive mentions so does the Bible condemn all dancing
No, it doesn't as a matter of fact the Bible says there's a time to dance doesn't it so I mean
Just because it's been taught or you've heard
Baptists don't dance BAM Baptists have never agreed with dancing or whatever
You know if you're talking about the kind of sensual and worldly dancing. I would agree with you
I don't agree with that either, but to say that the Bible just condemns dancing altogether. That's also not true
We've looked at several passages here already
But look at second Samuel chapter 6 verse 12 it says and it was told King David saying
The Lord hath blessed the house of Obed-Edom, so he sees the blessings of Obed-Edom
when the ark was resting there and
David you know sees he like it seems like he
Perceives that the blessings of God are back upon it says and all that pertaineth unto him because of the ark of God
So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom
Into the city of David with gladness so again
This is a time of joy isn't it and it says and it was so that when?
They that bear the ark of the Lord had gone six paces he sacrificed oxen and fatlings and
David danced before the Lord with all his might and David was girded with a linen ephod
So he's wearing the garments that a priest would wear not the high priest
But he's wearing the garment that a priest would wear of course he pictures the Lord Jesus Christ
David does and he's called the son of David even though Jesus of course was from
before from everlasting
But again, he's picturing you know it's picturing this triumph
It almost seems like it's picturing the triumphal entry into Jerusalem
But it is picturing that David is also you know of you know that David represents
You know the Messiah as a priest
But what does this look like though David's dancing before the Lord with all of his might? What does this look like I?
Don't know I mean
What do you like just because we picture in our mind what it's like?
Doesn't mean that's how it was because we picture a lot of things in our minds when we read Bible stories
You know I'm sure we have our own
You know thoughts of what it might have looked like but he does have you know he's there's this kind of you know like almost
Parade type process probably going through and you know you get the ark of God being hauled by these Levites
They go six paces and they stop he
Sacrifices oxen, and then you know he's wearing the linen a fog
They said I see auction and the fatlings and then David's dancing
You know so whatever that means whatever that looks like I'm guessing
That and I'm guessing this is my opinion that he's probably running back and forth and jumping up in the air and skipping and stuff
Like I don't think again that it's some you know secret
Dance that nobody else knows about because it's lost to the annals of time
I just think that it's just probably random. You know rejoicing of some sort anyway
That's just my opinion because the Bible doesn't actually say what he was doing does it when the Bible says
To you know what it's talking about
Dancing it never
Mentions what what those what those moves are like okay?
It just doesn't mention it so look at verse 15
It says so David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark with the Lord
Of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet and as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David
Michael Saul's daughter looked through a window and saw King David leaping so he is leaping isn't he and
Dancing before the Lord and she despised him in her heart
She looks out she sees her husband
Jumping around he says he's leaping right and dancing before the Lord so that why do I think that he's just leaping and jumping around
Because that's what the Bible says right. That's really the only description we have of the moves. He's doing okay
I don't know if he had a great vertical leap or not, but you know he was probably in pretty good physical condition
and
So anyway
She despised her his own wife looks out sees him doing this and despises him in her heart
Which of course is a wicked thing for her to do?
But it says and they brought in the ark of the Lord and set it in the place in the midst of the tabernacle that
David had pitched for it and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord and as soon as David had made an end
of offering burnt offerings and peace offerings
He blessed the people in the the Lord of hosts and he dealt among the all the people
Even among the whole multitude of Israel as well to the to the women as men to everyone a cake of bread and a good
Piece of flesh and a flag and of wine so all the people departed everyone to his house
So I mean this is a day of great blessing
This is what's happening there rejoicing and who's not going to be happy when you get a big fat hunk of steak
You know to take home you get a big thing of nice
freshly squeezed grape juice to take home whenever you know most people are just drinking water and
Then you also get a big fat loaf of bread, which is also nice
You know people have been living on bread for many many thousands of years, and I'm sure it was the good stuff
I'm sure it was all of fine ingredients and and all that so it's a great blessing
it says and David returned then David returned to bless his household and
My call the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said how glorious was the king of Israel today who?
Uncovered himself today in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants as one of the vain fellows
shamelessly uncover of himself
So she's upset because apparently he's taken some of his clothes off
I mean, that's exactly it kind of seems like that's what she's upset about and she's jealous
Because he's taken you know he's obviously uncovered himself
More than he was you know he was covered up and then uncovered himself right and that what it says
And in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants so other women
You know that have seen him have seen maybe things that she doesn't want him to see that's her
That's his wife, and so that's what she's really upset about and then it seems like she's upset that he's dancing around
And she probably thinks he looked like a fool or something
I don't know, but she's upset about it
And she's saying that he's being shameful when he uncovered himself now the Bible doesn't say he was naked or you know that he
Stripped off more than he should have or anything like that, but she does compare him to people to vain fellows that
shamelessly uncover
Themselves or himself
so
There she's talking about men that just want to show off their their beach bods and their and their guns and their six-packs
And you know that they're just out to show
Shamelessly show their bodies to people and to women you know because you know women get a lot of flack for you know
Taking off more than they should and not covering up and stuff, but men you know they could be pretty vain also
And that's what she's talking about and David said unto Michael it was before the Lord
Which chose me you know for let's just take that first statement first
It was before the Lord so whether this statement is you know I I don't think that David had any ill will whatsoever
I don't think that he's even wrong for what he did
but
Let's just take this the statement though. There's a lot of people that do things and they say it was for God
That really isn't for God that really God would not be happy about it's like these Christian rock bands
Christian rock bands that are
Saying that they're just doing it for God when none of their lyrics mention God in them one time
How are you a Christian rock band and none of your songs?
Say Jesus or God or preach any kind of message in them whatsoever, and then you say you're a Christian band
They're so vague because really they just didn't make it in Hollywood or whatever
They didn't make it in them in the music industry, and so they're like the leftovers that are pretty good
But just didn't get good enough to be you know completely in Satan's like top ten or whatever
And
You know they say, but they people go they're they're serving the Lord they did it for the Lord, and it's like well, how so
How is it for the Lord and I'm again? I'm not saying that David
That David is like doing something wrong, but his excuse you know what he says first off is it was before the Lord
And he's probably right. He is right. I think that what he did is right
But there's also that side of him where he's lashing out at his wife right here all the other stuff
He says but just because you think that you're doing something for God
You have to check whether that's right or not because the last time he brought the ark of the Lord
To the house tried to bring it to the house of God one of his friends one of his servants one of his main soldiers
Got killed and then he was afraid of the Lord because of that it says he was afraid of the Lord that day
Because and he was he was kind of angry that God would kill Uzzah because why and why did he kill him?
Because he touched he reached force to stop it from falling on the ground
Doesn't that seem like a good thing like you don't want the ark to come crashing down on the ground and break
That's a good deal. Why would God kill him because they didn't do it after the due order
See God does want us to do things right and he wants us to do things for the right reasons
But just because you think it's right and just because you think you're doing it for God
Or just because you think that that person or that thing is some godly thing to do
Doesn't mean that it actually is
so this is something that we really do have to be careful with because
Just because you haven't got to the point in the Bible where it teaches against that specific thing
It doesn't mean that it's not wrong. So
I'm just you know pointing that out
But let's look at the rest of what he says here because she's mad that he you know
Maybe showed his his guns or maybe got down to his tank top or something. I don't know anyway
his efad tank top but
It says it was before he says it was before the Lord which chose me before my father and before all his house
To appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord over Israel therefore will I play before the Lord?
It's kind of a rude thing. It's like, you know, he chose me before my father before his all his house
you know, it's not too bad, but
Again, you know, he's he's fighting back with her
He comes home to bless his house and his wife is just nagging him right when he walks in the door
That's pretty annoying too, right? You know, he's just like I just blessed everybody. Everybody's happy
You know the the the carts come back, you know
Everybody's gotten all the all the vittles all the vittles that they could
Carry home the big fat steaks and all that and then he comes home and his wife's like David, you know
and she's all just mad at him right and
And you know, that's just not what you want to walk home to
When and you're like, hey, I'm home. There's just like she's like staring him down, you know
Just you know
So I get to understand why he was a little irritated but
You know sometimes
It's better it's best to just leave those things for later, you know
Let David come home and bless you and you know
It's wrong for a for a woman to for a wife to despise her husband in her heart. It is
You know just because they do something that's annoying
Just cuz they're chewing the way that they you don't like or they have some odd habit that you don't like
you know you guess what you probably have some habits that they don't like to and
We don't always say something. Maybe we maybe you do
but we just have to learn to
dwell together with annoying habits and
If it's so bad that you just can't handle it
Maybe just nicely bring it up or something
But you know some people just have tics people have weird things about them annoying things
But just remember you have annoying things about you, too. So
But she despised him in his heart because she probably thought he looks like an idiot dancing out there in front of everybody
It's probably what it was. She despised him in his heart in her heart and it's just wrong to despise your husband
And that look this this little dance routine
Really ended their relationship
And I'm not so again, I'm not saying that David was wrong because the Bible doesn't say David was wrong
The Bible, but the Bible just records what happened, so it doesn't really
Help it
you know I think that there's wrong done on both sides when it comes to their interaction at the end because she never has children with
David and
You know he fought pretty hard to win this woman to be his wife. You know Saul asked for a hundred
Foreskins of the Philistines and
He gave him 200. He's like you know let's give him 200
I just want to make sure that the dowry is you know correct or whatever, but
You know she this ruined their relationship
But maybe David did take off more than he should have I don't really know, but she's saying that it happened
He doesn't deny that it happened, but you know when you're dancing around and jumping around you can get kind of sweaty
You know I'm not wearing my jacket right now because I'm you know
I was wearing it. I was just like I already know I'm a
nuclear you know
Whatever, and so I'm already sweating with the jacket on I know it's just gonna get worse
I just took it off, but you know I'm covered okay. I didn't take it off and my tank
It's just my tank top right
So I'm not saying that he did that either. I'm just saying that we should be mindful about
Things like that so maybe he should have been mindful about those things, but you know maybe she just I don't know
It's hard to know who was right with that part of the situation
But I overall I think David was not wrong to do what he was doing
So I don't think he was dancing in some wrong like sensual way or something like that so
you know it just might it may seem like a
You know as a back sometimes
It's just my I don't know this subject and some of the subjects that I've covered in this series
It's like sometimes. I just wonder like are people like pastor is any can we do anything? That's fun
Are we allowed to do anything fun
Because sometimes it seems like people kind of push back and feel that way sometimes
Like can we is just there are we just supposed to only do?
Stuff for church, and you know of course we can do other things
There's plenty of other things we can do
But you know just because you want to keep doing something that God doesn't want you to do doesn't mean that we can't do anything
Else maybe you should just find some new hobbies that aren't sinful
You know, but it does feel that way sometimes
It's like are you just against everything pastor Thompson you just hate everything anything that's fun
Well, I mean first of all again dancing is not the thing that I find fun, but I guarantee you there'll be comments
Or something or emails where it's like well sir didn't you know that you know the Egypt the ancient Israelis?
You know they did this well
I know I've seen their mazel tov dances and stuff that they do still
But just like everything else that the that the modern Israelis do I doubt that that is
Some kind of tradition that's really brought forward, but is their little dance
Sinful looking not really I mean maybe that is what it was
I don't know well
They're just dancing a jig or whatever and grabbing each other's arms and spinning around
I don't know it doesn't seem super sinful, but you know they are Jews, so
They're doing a lot of other bad stuff, so I don't know it doesn't look inherently sinful
But you know maybe that's the one thing that they're not wrong about I don't know but
Anyway, so I just say this that
Have you just considered that maybe some things that you're doing?
You know things that you just need to find new hobbies to do you know instead of just focusing on the thing well
I don't want to go to this church anymore because I just can't do any fun stuff. You mean like
fornicating you know dancing at clubs and getting tattoos and drinking alcohol, and you know all these other things like
Well you can't are you are you just that uninteresting that you just can't find anything better to do
Like that shouldn't be the way that you think
Because if you want to please God
Then you should want to do the things that are pleasing to him and not just kick back on everything that he says to do
So let's look at verse 22 it says and and here's where David really kind of goes downhill
He says I'll be more vile than thus and will be base in mine own sight and
Of the hand of the maidservants which thou has spoken of I shall of them shall I be had in honor
Now there's where he's going way too far because it sounds like he's saying
Something that he shouldn't be saying there, right
Not cool not a cool thing to say to your wife
I don't know if he took them as concubines later and just because like they don't have you know
This is the end of their happy marriage right here
So and and here's the thing
Most marriages can get over little tiffs like this
This really isn't that big in the grand scheme of things that happen in a marriage, but for whatever reason
This was the end of their happy marriage
Even though he made her come home later on when she's married to another person
This other guy and then she's like taking care of this guy's other kids and but she never has children of her own
And he still makes her come back later on just to prove a point or whatever. You know, he's he
He really doesn't deal with her very well. I just think that this is a bad
Marriage situation totally on both their parts. She was wrong for the way she addressed him
But he was also wrong for the way that he was talking to her and again David doesn't say he danced wrong
The Bible doesn't say that
but how he danced did upset his wife and did make her jealous and
It seems like he did take some clothes off and revealed himself a little bit apparently
But you know one thing I know that David didn't do when he danced. I know that he didn't dance the polka. I
know that I
Know he didn't moonwalk
I know he didn't do the mashed potato or the boot scoot boogie or any of those other dances when he was dancing
He wasn't dancing in some worldly fashion
You know, there's just there's a song by this Baptist group called the darts that we've had for a long time
And our like we just CD that for a long time ago and that was the name of the song
I wonder if David danced the polka
Because that's like this. I don't know
It's just a style of dance that you do to like what is it a Midwestern thing brother bill?
You know about these things you're from there. Do you know what the polka is and they play that like that? What is that?
Yeah
See so like you guys might not know because that's not a thing over here
but like at Oktoberfest or something there probably would be something but
the polka is just like a style of dance, but
You know again the point is is that David was not just doing some worldly dancing so now let's turn over to job
chapter 21 job chapter 21
So
I mean the one instance where you see Dave, I mean just clearly a
Man after God's own heart King David. He's dancing before the Lord with all his might again. I think that what he's doing is fine
And again, it's in a situation and a joyous situation. It kind of matches everything
we've already seen of the positive mentions of
Dancing in the Bible except for the fact that his wife and him never talked to or never have children because of it
But you know again who's to blame
That's up to you to decide, but the Bible just tells us what happened so anyway job chapter 21 verse 11
Says they send forth their little ones like a flock and their children dance
They take the timbrel and harp and rejoice at the sound of the organ that might be the polka, but no I'm just kidding
But so here again is just another mention of you know now. It's talking about little children
Dancing and then it again mentions the timbrel and harp. You know so again. It's probably some sort of I
Don't know. It's maybe it is there was some kind of organized dance to it, but again not sinful so
you know we have
grandchildren now, and you know it's nice to see little children growing up around us again, and
So sissy she'll dance to anything
She'll just like she'll be bumping to him. She's just like
You know she'll just like boogie and get down to him and all that stuff
And I see a lot of kids do that stuff when you know and it's cute. I don't see anything wrong with it, so
when
We were we were in England
I didn't even ask for permission about this, but like the girls were watching something
It was like some kids show or something and Nia had sent us a couple videos
I hope I'm not gonna get in trouble for saying this
But they she just sends videos of the kids like dancing to this these little kids songs or whatever
It was just really cute Hannah's just kind of like just going up up and down like this
And you know they're just it was just really cute. It wasn't sinful though. You know it's not like they're you know doing some kind of
Sinful wicked dance. It's just them dancing nobody's teaching them anything. They're not learning some dance moves somewhere
It's just kids just dancing to some
benign song it's not you know
Justin Timberlake or
You know some pop song some popular pop song or something so
you know it was just cute and children love to rejoice at the sound of music and
You know dance their little dances, and this is what I am though, which again
It's my imagination that God loves though. This is my opinion
It says people rejoicing and being joyful and jumping around and skipping the music is basically what he's talking about so
And then you know maybe some organized choreographed dance with modest clothing being dumb would be acceptable
But again, we're not gonna do this if you come to me next week. You're like pastor
I have the choreographed things that we're gonna do in the next service. I'm gonna be like yeah, probably not
but in heaven you can take this to Jesus and
Present it before him. Maybe he'll let you do it. I don't know I just you know
You're like well, you're just saying everything that you're saying that the dancing is okay, you're just dismissing
I'm just like well. I just you know maybe I just need to learn more about this okay, but I just
Is it with my mic off I
Just want to show you the first of what it says so but
My belief as the pastor of sure foundation Baptist Church is that I'll just enjoy
children
dancing and
Singing hymns and skipping around and I'll just vicariously live through their worship because didn't Jesus say that out of the mouth
Mouth of babes and sucklings. I was perfected praise like so maybe
You know he's perfected praise through their little dancing too. You know maybe that's what God really likes
I don't know, but obviously people adults did it before or whatever
But I just you know I don't want to do something that I don't know for sure is the way it's supposed to be done
So and I just take again take the position that Christ will lay out exactly what we're supposed to do
And I'll just dance then so and people are like well pastor. I think you should do it now well
You're the priest of your own home. You're the king of your own home, so you do whatever you want to do at home
You know but knock yourself out. I mean I'm not gonna judge you so just don't video it and send it to me okay, so
Let's move on I get I don't have a lot of time to go through the rest of this but
Let's see
Well turn to judges chapter 21. This is kind of like a who knows whether this is right or not kind of passage
but
Judges chapter 21, it's like the children of Benjamin
You know they refused to give up the sodomites that had killed this woman this this priest
wife or I mean concubine and
chopped and he chopped her up sent her off and then
The children of Belial that they refused to give up and so basically the children of Benjamin have almost been completely wiped out as a tribe
And they don't want them to be wiped out as a tribe and so they they devised this plan
On and to build back up their population by
Allowing them to take wives, but they had already sworn that they would not give their daughters to them to be wives
So like they're kind of in this pickle where they're like
to
Be
Our daughters to be wives to them, so how are you know how they gonna live on so look at verse 19?
It says then they said behold
There's a feast of the Lord in Shiloh yearly in a place
Which is on the north side of Bethel on the east side of the highway that goeth up from Bethel to Shechem and on the south
of La Bona
Therefore they commanded the children of Benjamin saying go and lie and wait in the vineyards and
See and behold if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances
So it's the daughters of Shiloh they come out to dance and dances then
Come ye out of the vineyards and catch you every man his wife of the daughters of Shiloh and go to the land of Benjamin
so I've never
Seen this kind of way of getting wives before I've never experienced this or seen this in
Input to use in America. I'm pretty sure that you'd probably go to prison for doing that if you try to do that right now
But this is the plan that they came up with so only these women if they came out to dance
you know they're they're hiding in the vineyard like waiting to jump out and
Catch their wives and take them take them to Benjamin. Okay sounds weird, right?
But just because the Bible records something doesn't mean it's right
So this is just one of those examples and in the book of Judges every man did which was right in their own eyes a
lot of times right and it actually says that at the end of this chapter, but
You know it seems to me that they're at a feast of the Lord
They're at Shiloh, and then so it's a special occasion
You know and God wanted people to enjoy the Feast of the Lord and so they have these
These ladies that came out to dance, but what does that tell you though? They're probably not married. They're probably maidens
You know obviously they're not gonna say hey grab that married woman and take her to Benjamin
These are obviously not women that are married so and it says
verse 22
And it shall be when their fathers or their brethren come unto us to complain that will say unto them be favorable unto them
For our sakes because we reserved not to each man his wife in the war nor you did not give
Unto them at this time that you should be guilty and the children of a Benjamin did so and took them wives according to their
Number of them that danced whom they caught and they went and returned unto their inheritance repaired their cities and dwelt in them
So I mean the moral of the story is we don't know what I mean
How do you discern whether this is right or not you really?
How I would
Way is you know she goes out to dance and some dance and then
You know all sudden some dude jumps out of the bushes and says you're my wife now and then takes her home like I don't
Know but that's why you know it's it was just one of the instances of dancing in the Bible and I
Just felt like I needed to
Add that in there so of course we have a couple really negative aspects
we barely got time to keep going here, but
You
Know there's always this push though against
Mike just come up and just make me do it all right
I kept thinking that the mic was going out you guys got to say something like
Anyway, just give me some sign language. Okay, all right, so
but there's always this push to push back against the traditional things and
And
This movie's been made like dirty dancing
You know where they're pushing back against social norms and even though that movie was made in like the 80s
It's set in the 50s where you know that kind of
Dancing was of course very forbidden and very you knows look down upon
And then you know of course you got the famous line
Where's like nobody puts baby in the corner, and you know this he like stands up for her even though. She's a hoe
and
You know they're doing like these abortions
They're hiring this doctor to do abortions at the at the camp and all this other stuff, and you know I mean
It's it's those kind of things. There's what brainwashes people into thinking that that kind of stuffs, okay?
Including the dancing and then you got the movie footloose which I've never actually seen before
Amazingly enough. I'm an 80s kid that never saw footloose or or the new one apparently there's a newer one, but
From what I understand
It's like a pushback against like Baptists that don't allow dancing who's seen that movie like you don't have to raise your hand if you
Don't want to but you can I'm not gonna like kick you out of church
Just wink wink once if you've seen it not
Completely close your eyes and then open
but
Apparently you know from what I've seen heard about the movie
That's just like basically just saying Baptists are a bunch of you know no fun
People and it's really best if you just let your foot loose or whatever and then you just you know all these choreographed
Dances or something like I've seen the commercial for it or whatever like when it came out
It's just not something that interested me so again. I don't like dancing that much so not a big deal, but
these kind of stories though they they they they
Strip rebellion in people's hearts and make people think that religion is just wrong or bad
Or I can't believe that they wouldn't allow dancing like what's wrong with it. Well. I mean
There's a lot of things that could go wrong at a dance club where people are taking ecstasy and Molly or whatever
Kind of drug that's making people
hallucinate and and have these sensual feelings and you're dancing and you're the rhythm of the music and
Some you know rave clubs were some big you know fad at the time when I was growing up
I'm glad I never went to one
Again, I don't dance, but I just wasn't my scene you know, but that was a big thing when I was growing up
but I just never went to him, but
you know it's
It is something that you know you can get wrapped up in and the next thing you know
You're losing your mind over it or you're losing your virginity over
Losing your purity over it or you're getting some kind of disease from it
Or it's wrecking your mind. You know it's it's not just you know God is going to judge sin
He really is and and and and so you're like well. Are you saying that dancing is sinful?
I'm saying that world the dancing is sinful
The type of dancing that we see in the world today is not the type of dancing
It's talking about in the Bible that much. I do know you're like well
How do you know because the type of music that we listen to isn't the same type of music that the world listens to?
When's the last time you saw someone bumping Amazing Grace down the street?
Or how great thou art, and it's like you pull up to somebody. It's just like and they're like then sings my soul
And then it's like hold on this is the best part and they crank it up my say you know
What's the last time you saw that?
You know why they don't do that because it doesn't sound like the world. That's why and
You know maybe you've done that because you're a Baptist. I know I've done that we've rolled up playing our greatest hits
And and it wasn't Eminem, and it wasn't you know Snoop Dogg. It was some song that we like that's Christian
so there's I'm just saying that there's a difference between
God's music and the world's music. There's a difference between what God
Deems okay in dancing and what the world is okay with dancing, but God does condemn
Worldly dancing there's no doubt about that
So in in Mark chapter 6. I won't have you turn there, but
The story of how John the Baptist got his head cut off. It's Herod's birthday
He makes a feast for his Lord's and then his stepdaughter
Dances you know which is I think his brother Philip's daughter
Which might I don't know it just says you know it's his wife's daughter, which may or may not be his brother's daughter
Because he stole his brother's wife right. That's why she wants to kill him
And so she dances in front of him and his Lord's do you think that she was doing some kind of traditional religious dance?
Or do you think that she was dancing in a way that pleased him and pleased everybody else to them up to?
To the point where he's like I'll give you half my kingdom
This guy's a wicked person you know at the time
He was kind of okay with John, but remember that Jesus Christ refused to keep talking to him
Herod mistreated Christ and and for you know
But this is of course this is before
Christ you know that all that happened, but once
Once you know this happened, and she pulled in you know she asked hey what he's like
What can you give me and then he she asked her mom and she said the head of John the Baptist?
on a charger by and by
And so John the Baptist had his head cut off because this little floozy dance in front of them and mama
Who was a wicked person asked for the head of the greatest man born among women?
In this whole world John the Baptist so I mean
And you're like well, how do you know that was worldly dancing?
Come on
Do you think that these were like godly people that are just at some feast or something?
Like Herod's like having a praise and worship, and then all of a sudden his stepdaughter comes out no
This is worldly
Wicked style dancing and then the last thing of course and I will have you turn here though
Let's go to Exodus chapter 32, and this is just clear-cut that
This type of dancing is sinful it's one of my favorite you know stories of Moses
You know he gets angry a few times in the Bible
but this is my favorite part when he comes down from Mount Sinai and the people have already played the fool and
He has to clean up the camp here, but what's interesting though to me
You know and here's the thing one thing can lead to another
Because nobody's gonna dance without music because have you noticed that everything in that it was good when it came to dancing
Music is involved in it, and it's God's music so the Psalms are God's music isn't it so when they're dancing
They're dancing to something to God's music, so if it's God's music
They're not dancing in a wicked sinful way, but when you're listening to the world's music
Then what's the dancing gonna be like it's gonna be some kind of?
Heavy rhythm you know this is where rock and roll came from
rock and roll was like a heavy rhythm and blues and
You know it was known as the devil's music when it first came out. I mean
Robert Johnson
was was said to have made a deal with the devil to be the best guitar player in the world and
He left like these are people's testimony. He left, and he couldn't play the guitar worth it worth anything
He comes back, and he could play like nobody's ever seen before this is like way back
And like I think it was like in the 20s or something
but
Anyway, the point is is that?
You know bad music
Bad dancing one thing is gonna lead to the other so look at Exodus 32 verse 17
It says and when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted because they've been up on Mount Sinai
Joshua hears this he says
When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted he said unto Moses
There is a noise of war in the camp
So I mean just just picture this you hear something. It sounds like war like people are fighting right and
It says and he said it is not that this Moses repel replying to him
It's not the voice of them that shout for mastery
Neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome, but the noise of them that sing do I hear?
So why?
Why is Joshua thinking that the singing that he's hearing sounds like war maybe because it's like
Sorry kids sorry babies
That woke you up all right, so maybe that's what it sounded like maybe that's why Joshua. You know
Sorry, I just want to wake you all up before the end of the service so anyway
For the narcoleptics in here
But maybe that's why
Joshua you know thought there was a voice of war in the camp because Pantera was playing
You know down in the camp or something because it was some kind of I don't I don't know exactly
What was what they were singing, but most of the time when I hear singing?
I don't assume that there's some kind of war happening when I walk in here
And I hear music of God's people
It doesn't sound like there's a battle going on where people are fighting and shouting for mastery
You know where they're like you know swinging swords and and things like that and and it says they're shouting right?
So this is what they're this is what Joshua's hearing he mistakes it for war
Just like you're gonna mistake any any like death metal band
I'm not saying it was because they obviously didn't have the amps and all that stuff
But it's something that doesn't sound like God's music
And it says and it came to pass as soon as he came nigh unto the camp
That he saw the calf so they this has come from idol worship
They chose themselves other gods that they that God you know he just left and just went up to get God's commandments
And they come back, and they already got another God
it's calves these golden calves that are worshiping and it says he saw the calf and what what's the next thing he saw and
The dancing
and the dancing
So he sees the dancing and and what that's the last straw right because then what's the next thing it says and Moses anger
waxed hot and he cast the tables out of his hands and
Break them beneath the mount he takes the original manuscripts
Smashes them into a million pieces now. We'll never know what the Bible actually said
No, I'm kidding of course. We know what the Bible actually said because God had him rewrite him later, but
The point is is that that's how mad he was and because he saw what the dancing first
It was the music though, and so they're not dancing to nothing
They're dancing to something that doesn't sound like God's music
and they're dancing in a way that Moses saw that made him really upset and
It's so upset that you know people die after this right God says for them to kill
You know the people that are responsible for this probably not for the dancing, but probably for the idol worship obviously
but it says he took the calf that they had made and burn it in the fire and
Ground it in powder and straw it upon the water and made the children of Israel drink of it
Yuck, that's not the milkshake you want and Moses said unto Aaron
What did this people unto thee that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them and Aaron said
Let not the anger of my Lord wax hot thou knowest the people that they are set on mischief
And he said unto me make it and they said unto me make us gods
Which shall go before us for as this for this Moses the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt
We want not what has become of him, and I said unto them whosoever hath any goal let him break it off
So they gave gave it me and I cast it in the fire and there came out this calf
Yeah, like it just magically just you know materialized out of nowhere
So and then it says and when Moses saw the people were naked
For Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies
So that's part of the day
You know that's the other part that slips is you know the worldly dancing then comes the nakedness, right?
So and Moses stood in the gate at the camp and said who's on the Lord's side
Let them come unto me and all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto them
He said unto them thus saith the Lord God of Israel put every man his sword by his side and go in and out
from the gate and
from gate to gate throughout the camp and slay every man his brother and every man his companion and every man his neighbor and
The children of Levi did according to the word of Moses and there fell of the people that day about 3,000 men
so I
mean
the dancing the music the idol worship all these things combined
I mean because you know really if someone just has this attitude that's especially someone that's saved that you know
I'm just gonna do whatever I want
Well, you know, that's what this their attitude was too as soon as Moses is gone as soon as the the the the boss
You know of the of the camp is is gone
They just do whatever they want and look we ought to not as Christians
We have to not have this attitude that whenever we're not at church and we can just kind of live our life however we want
God's not okay with that and when Moses saw the dancing that's when he flipped out. That was the last straw, wasn't it? And
Again, so certain types of dancing are not wrong. We've already seen we've already seen that this morning
But you know, there are certain types of music that are ungodly
That's why Moses was angry because that music also led to the dancing which of course was started by the idolatry
just a few verses and I'm gonna end but
You know the Bible talks about in James good turn to what's let's actually just look at first John
Just turn to first John chapter 2. I'm gonna read James 3 13
It says who was a wise man and dude of knowledge among you. Let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of
Wisdom, but if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts glory not and lie not against the truth
you know don't be bitter and have strife in your heart about the things of God and
You know because that will you know a lot of times when people have these this bitter
Envy, you know, they lie they want to lie about the truth, you know
They want to just make excuses of why it's okay and that they don't believe that anymore
But in reality, that's not true. You don't really feel that way. You just want to a reason to do what you want to do
This the Bible says this wisdom descent is not from above but is earthly
Sensual and devilish
So when we lie against the truth, the reality is it's devilish wisdom. It's earthly and it's sensual now
What if you're like the person that says but I love dancing to worldly music. I love playing just dance, you know
I love that video game. I love going to the arcade and playing it, you know, and whatever
Well, the Bible says where I had to turn says first John 2 15 love not the world
Neither the things that are in the world
If any man loved the world
The love of the Father is not in him for all that is in the world the lust of the flesh
the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but as of the world and the world passed the
Way in the luster of but he that do it the will of God abideth forever
So, you know what? We're not supposed to care about those things because they're gonna they're gonna go away
You know all that is in the world is the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes the pride of life
That's not of God
And so if you're choosing those things over what you know, the life of God wants you to lead then it's wrong
The Bible says not to despise prophesying prove all things like how am I supposed to you know, how do I know?
What's worldly pastor? How do I know what type of dancing is worldly?
Well prove all things hold fast to that which is good. The Bible will tell you what is wrong and what is right
It says to abstain from all appearance of evil and the very God of peace sanctify you holy and
You know God God, you know, how do you know it's right read the Bible and be led by the Holy Spirit
That's how you know
You know, should I?
Go out and take dance lessons where I'm gonna have to have another man touch me if I'm a if I'm a woman
Well, what is the you know, you should already know that that's not something that God wants you to do. So just to close it off
Dancing for joy or in worship is clearly okay in the Bible. The Bible says there's a time to there's a time to dance
And there is a time for it. So and and then also worldly dancing and music should be avoided
one leads to the other number and then the last thing is that
Let the Word of God and the Spirit guide you so and you know
If you need help to prove what's good and acceptable in God's eyes
You know
try try not to just fit in what you think but try to change your mind and think what God thinks and that's
The thing that's gonna help you the most. So let's pray Lord. We thank you so much
For the Word of God and how much it it can guide us and teach us Lord
I pray that we just have good hearts about whatever it is that we struggle with and Lord
And people struggle might not be with dancing, but it might be with something else
I pray Lord that you just help us with the vices that we that have a hold of our heart and the high places
that maybe nobody knows about but I pray that you would just help us with those things Lord help us to get victory and
Help us to overcome as Christians the things that are besetting sins
And I pray that you just bless our soul in and out today and our return to church in Jesus name we pray. Amen