Praise Break (part 7)

Welcome back to part 7 in our series on this thing called Praise Break.

In the previous posts, we had a "brief" look at judging and the purpose of the church.

This, hopefully, has given us a foundation that will enable us to look at Praise Breaks biblically.

What is Praise Break?

The term basically defines when you stop doing something in order to give God praise in some way.

But you have to actually stop whatever your doing.

For example… let’s say you’re at work typing. If while you're typing, you said under your breath, 'thank you Jesus for your grace and mercy', that is not a praise break.

Why? Because you didn't stop typing.

This is why it’s called Praise Break.

When you search YouTube for Praise Breaks most of the videos will be of people "dancing" (if you can call it that), or moving their legs frantically. This is not a Praise Break, but what is called Praise Dance. Although some people use the terms interchangeably, they are not the same. 

Sometimes you’ll see people shouting, running, being “slain in the spirit”, or a bunch of other random things. You’ll even see little children doing what they see the “adults” do. 

And all of this is usually done in the midst of the congregation. 

This begs the question though... what is being stopped, in order to “praise”? What are you taking a break from, in the midst of the congregation, in order to give God praise? 

Have that at the back of your mind as we continue.

What scriptures are used to defend this?

The main verse that everybody uses is found in 2 Samuel.

2 Samuel 6:16

And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter looked through a window, and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.

People will mainly point to that verse and say, ‘see - there it is right there’.

What should we do here? Look at the context.

2 Samuel 6:1-9

Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.   

And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the LORD of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims.   

And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new cart.                                                                  

And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab which was at Gibeah, accompanying the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark.   

And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals.   

And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his handto the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.   

And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon Uzzah: and he called the name of the place Perezuzzah to this day. 

And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and said, ‘How shall the ark of the LORD come to me?’   

Before we continue, pay attention to what is going on. The ark of the covenant has been in the house of Abinadab for 20 years. We see this happen in 1 Samuel 7:1, and we see when the ark was first taken in 1 Samuel 4. 

So Israel has been without the ark of the covenant for over 20 years. Remember, the ark of the covenant was where the glory of God was (between the wings of the cherubim), so it wasn't like an ancient artefact or something like that to be put in the museum. It was where God's presence was. 

So, everybody was very happy to get back something that was so important, the physical representation of their covenant with God and His presence with them. 

As soon as they start on their journey back to the city of David, they started celebrating. 

And then… someone goes and gets himself killed. 

Let's continue...

2 Samuel 6:10-23

So David would not remove the ark of the LORD unto him into the city of David: but David carried it aside into the house of Obededom the Gittite. And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obededom the Gittite three months: and the LORD blessed Obededom, and all his household.   

And it was told King David, saying, The LORD hath blessed the house of Obededom, 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 Obededom into the city of Davidwith gladness.   

And it was so, that when they that bare 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 David and all the house of Israelbrought up the ark 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, Michal Saul's daughter looked through a window, and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.   

And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in his 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 name of the LORD of hosts. And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men, to every one a cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. So all the people departed every one to his house.   

Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israelto day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!   

And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me before thy 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. And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.   

Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.

What's going on here?

Because God killed someone, David thought that maybe He wasn't meant to bring the ark back and left it at another person's house. God started to bless that person, so David went back to get the ark thinking that it must be alright since God is blessing the person. 

Now we get into the heart of the matter. 

Just like before, everybody is rejoicing. It is not just David alone but the entire city of David. Everybody is glad that the ark is back. Everybody is celebrating. There are burnt offerings and peace offerings. The people of the city are being blessed. There's food and wine being given to everybody. 

What would you call that? They’re having a party. Think of New Years Eve… what do you see? Everybody is celebrating. 

Now, before we continue... look at this picture. This is the picture that people want to say is where Praise Break comes from. 

Yet if a group of people, in the middle of a praise break in the congregation, took out food and drinks - what do you think people would think about them? 

But that's exactly what David and all in the city of David did. They danced, they sung songs, they played music, they ate food, and they drank wine. They were celebrating the return of the ark of the covenant into the city. The ark that had been away from the people for over 20 years. 

As we continue, we see that the party is over, and everybody goes home. 

David goes home, and his wife, Michal, comes to make fun of him at how he was dancing and going on in front of everybody. 

Some people take this to mean that David danced so hard that he came out of his clothes. 

That's not what the scripture says. Michal is talking about how he acted before the people... with no shame, going on as if he wasn't a king at all, but someone that loves to be vain and show off in front of people. 

Now, if David did lose his clothes and was nude in front of the people, he would have been sinning before the Lord for showing his nakedness to people. But notice that the bible says that David was girded with a linen ephod... after he danced with all his might. So he didn't lose his clothes at all. 

Now, what was David's response to his wife? 

He told her that it was God that chose him over her father and all in her father's house to rule over Israel... why even say that? 

It's because her problem with David had nothing to do with him dancing or celebrating with the people. She was bitter against David because her father, Saul, was no longer king. Saul was dead, and none of his sons ruled in his place, but David. 

Don't forget that this is the same David who Saul was chasing after for a good while to kill him for no reason. 

And this is the daughter of Saul who was promised to anyone who killed Goliath. 

Do you think she was happy to stay married to someone who her father was trying to kill? Obviously not. She clearly held a grudge against david. 

But David continues and says because God has chosen him, he will play before Him. He goes on to say that he will be more vile than that, meaning he will embarrass himself even more. He says he will be base in his own eyes. In other words, he will do whatever it takes to keep himself humble. 

With that said, I ask you, is that the spirit that the praise break dancers have in them? 

Are they purposefully embarrassing themselves in public before the Lord in order to make themselves base in their own eyes? Do they even think that they are doing something embarrassing? 

What is the response from people that defend them? You can't judge their praise. 

What was David's response? That he is purposefully embarrassing himself in order to be low in his own eyes. 

He doesn't want himself to be puffed up with pride. 

When we bring this entire thing into the church today, it is starkly different than praise breaks. 

There is food and wine involved. David is embarrassing himself to keep himself humble. 

Here is something else to note though... when did all this happen? We don't know, but what we do know is that it wasn't on the sabbath. It wasn't on the day when everybody consecrates themselves and goes to worship God at the temple. 

Did you catch that? So if we brought this into the today, this wouldn't be happening on Sunday. It would be any other day of the week except sunday (or whatever day it is that your church gathers together to hear preaching). 

This is the scripture that proponents of praise breaks go to, and as we can see, when you look at the entire context, it doesn't hold water as what is happening in the scripture is vastly different from praise breaks.

Let's end it here for today. Meditate on what we've learned. Join us next time as we continue our investigation into this thing called Praise Break