By Robert J. Hawkins, Jr., General World Missions Coordinator
“And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed” (Acts 16:25, 26). But what if singing in the jail was banned? What if the great apostle and his fellow minister of the eternity-changing gospel of Jesus Christ had remained silent? Oh, what a miracle that all the prisoners, and the jailer, and his family would have missed! This testimony that millions upon millions, for thousands of years, have rejoiced and hoped in, would have never been heard to encourage us in our darkest moments! Yet, thank the Lord, those godly men of old proclaimed, “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). Amen!
To sing corporately unto the LORD is a commandment of the Scripture. “O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation” (Psa. 95:1). What would have happened if the saints of ages past remained silent when they were supposed to lift their voices in praise to our Mighty King? “And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever. And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten” (2 Chron. 20:21, 22).
We live in spiritually and physically dangerous times, the likes of which most of us have never seen. We need more of God and He wants more of us, not less. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, some of our local, state, and perhaps federal governments, are forbidding our congregational worship in song for fear of disease spread. Certainly, as good citizens of the countries we live in, we want to do everything we can to follow the instructions of our governments as well as follow wise health and hygiene practices, but what do we do when these restrictions clearly go against the Word of God?
“Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree. Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king’s decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day” (Dan. 6:9-13).
Current governmental limitations may be intellectually reasoned as innocent enough, but we must remember that Satan often causes us to compromise slowly. What if we are next told that we cannot pray together? Lay hands on the sick? Preach? Congregate at all? To disobey in these matters may have consequences, but we must remember that to disobey God has greater consequences. This is a difficult situation we’ve found ourselves in, but God will guide us and cheer us, and each particular pastor and local congregation will have to make their own decisions about compliance. Who will we choose to serve? Fear or Faith? Both require us to believe in something. Who will you believe? In such a dark and uncertain time as this, let us shine and proclaim with faith and confidence to all men, O come, let us adore Him! Jesus Christ the Lord, our Saviour and Healer! Amen! Hallelujah!