Breaking The Jewish Code Perry Stone

In the early days of Israel there were three places where the sound of singing could be heard: in the home, in the synagogue, and in the temple. The home was the place for daily prayers, the synagogue hosted weekly worship, and the temple was the site of yearly gatherings when all men over twenty traveled to Jerusalem three times a year. In the home, hymns were sung, as illustrated by when Christ sung with His disciples after the supper (Mark 14:26). In the synagogue, the cantor led the chanting as the Torah was read, and in the temple, the priests directed the choirs of Levites in praise. After a.d. 70, the Jewish dinner table became the altar of the temple. Once seated, the family sang songs ( zimrot ) replicating the choirs in the ancient temple. Paul mentions that believers should be “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Eph. 5:19). The psalms were words accompanied by musical instruments, hymns are songs of praise to God, and the spiritual songs are songs the Holy Spirit births in our hearts. The New Testament reveals three places where songs can be and will be sung: 1. In the home: In the first century, worship was conducted in the homes of believers (Philem. 2). These were the first churches. 2. In the church: Believers united for weekly gatherings for fellowship, study, and worship (Acts 20:7).