The prophet Isaiah lived in an age similar to contemporary society, one of great spiritual and moral decay; kings, priests and pagans could not be distinguished, as they served gods of their own forming! Though the peoples of Israel (Northern Kingdom) and Judah (Southern Kingdom) were called to be theonomous (God-ruled), covenant-keeping servants of the Living God, they succumbed to the sway of evil inclinations that permeated the culture of their day.

They were unified, not in submission and worship of the God of Israel, but in idol worship and overt rebellion to the commandments of the Lord!

Isaiah 52 prophesies of a time when God would restore Jerusalem to the spirit of evangelism, unity, prayer and worship of the One True God. Verse 8 says, "Your watchmen shall lift up their voices, with their voices they shall sing together; for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord brings back Zion." The watchmen are the pastoral leaders (five fold ministry leaders of Eph. 4: 11) and the intercessors who are heeding the voice of God that urges us to prophesy in unified worship over our cities; to sing with one voice to King Jesus, petitioning Him for deliverance from impending judgment and for a releasing of the captives, both in and out of the Body of Christ! Instead of inflicting eye-poking accusations at our brethren, we are to begin to ascend to "see-level," which is a level of equality, edification and exhortation in gender and ethnicity.

As the nation of Israel has always been a people of song, the city of Los Angeles (or your city?) is a multicultural epicenter of the music industry featuring diverse rhythms, beats, and singing styles. The music industry has birthed world renown superstars that have influenced our mindset, our wardrobes and especially, our value system. The echoes of this influence still reverberate internationally, even though many of the vocalists, who popularized the songs, are now deceased! Some of these artists in the last fifty years proclaimed untruths that became the prophetic declarations of the day, weaving falsehoods into our belief system in the Christian and secular arenas, seriously impacting our morals, perspectives and social structures.

Idols of song have shaped the inheritance of our nation in such vocal declarations as "I Did it My Way," and "I Can't Get No Satisfaction," promoting autonomy and self-gratification. These and other persuasive pronouncements have caused confusion, division, and contentions in marital and other relationships, yielding unstable people and families. The Church is to be the prophetic voice to the world, but, sadly, we have deferred that role to musicians, filmmakers and artists who don't yet know the way of the Lord!

Karaoke sing-a-longs have become a popular pastime in bars, restaurants and community gatherings, encouraging willing individuals to lift their voices and sing in harmony with various others. An ageless endeavor, sing-a-longs invite the participants to unify and experience a sense of fellowship with like-minded individuals, purporting a atmosphere similar to the Biblical concept of "fellowship."

Unfortunately, the secular forums appear to manifest unity and harmony more readily than which has been exemplified by the greater Body of Christ in recent years, as denominational barriers, prejudices and fear has discouraged the necessary "eye to eye" communication that will "bring back Zion!"

Ephesians 5: 19 says, "Speak(ing) to one another in psalms and hymns and songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord." Have not many of our melodies as a Church become "parodies," a ludricrous imitation and a feeble representation of song? 1 Chron. 6: 15-25 tells of the musicians and singers that were chosen and anointed to minister to the Lord, to prophesy through singing and playing their musical instruments! Could it be that lifting our voices in song is not only an avenue of worship and praise but a vehicle for prophesy, intercession and prayer? Can the song of the Lord also be a weapon against the encroachments of the enemy upon the territory of Los Angeles (your city) and surrounding areas? Should we not consider, as a Church, to hire staff that would minister in song before the altar of the Lord throughout the day?

As we, the priests of the Lord, sanctify ourselves and allow Him to dress us in His chosen garments, arrayed in the splendor of His Majesty and come together with surrendered, repentant hearts, lay down our man-made swords and lift up our voices in one accord, then, we will see the glory of the Lord fill our tabernacles! Indeed, as in the days of the prophet Isaiah, God's heart is resilient to the voice of His people, in an ever-consistent willingness to redeem His children and deliver them from the captivity of the ages; that we may become the intended instruments of praise, proclamation and power to this chosen generation.

{In reprinting this article, (I made some minor changes), I feel a sense of delight to see that the Lord is hearing our prayers and unity is beginning to happen throughout the Church of the Lord Jesus, the Christ! Experiencing the national and international traumas produced by September 11, 2001, wars, famines, pestilence (disease), and the pervasive threat of terrorism in our world, the Body now recognizes that we need one another! Hallelujah! May we continue to learn to "sing with the same voice," love one another and bless one another in the power of the Holy Spirit in Jesus' Incomparable Name, Amen!}

Pastor Lorraine D. Coconato
Leaves of Healing Tabernacle
Phone: (818) 700-7810
www.LOHTabernacle.com

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