I will address the second part of the issue first.
Just because something is seen in the Old Testament does not necessarily
mean it was carried over into the New Testament. Bear in mind one
of the fundamental principles of the New Testament, and a theme of the
book of Hebrews is that when Christ died, the Old Testament, which was
imperfect (Hebrews 8:7), lost its effect. That is, it was eliminated
and replaced by a new and better system (Hebrews 8:6). Colossians
2:14 repeats this very fact, “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances
that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way,
nailing it to his cross.”
Since God took it out of the way, and made it ineffectual,
then what it teaches is void. The only time when something from the
Old Testament can be carried over to the New Testament, and hence our age,
is when the New Testament authorizes it. Some examples follow:
1. All but one of the ten
commandments are found repeated in the New Testament. The other concerns
the Sabbath
day (the seventh day or Saturday). The New Testament authorized worshipping
on the first day of the week (Sunday)
(Acts 20:7).
2. Though incense was burned
in the Old Testament the New Testament does not authorize such for worship
today.
3. The Old Testament age
was marked by burnt offerings (which effectively pushed the sins of God’s
people toward the
cross) but such is not authorized in the New Testament (and few are yearning
to return to that practice).
4. It follows then that
unless instrumental music is authorized in the New Testament it is not
necessary in our worship, in
fact it is out of place. This is true whether the Old Testament mentions
it in passing or authorizes it on every page.
The question then is simply this: Does the
New Testament authorize instrumental music? The answer is no and
verse upon verse deny its use by showing what is accepted. Let me
illustrate that last sentence thusly: If I go to a fast food restaurant
and order a burger with ketchup only what should I receive? What
do you think I would do if it included onions? I would take it back
because I did not authorize their putting onions on that burger (this is
called the law of exclusion). Now see what is authorized in each
of the verses (space permits only the reference): Matthew 26:30;
Acts 16:25; Romans 15:9; I Corinthians 14:15; Ephesians 5:19; Colossians
3:16; Hebrews 13:15; James 5:13. Now I challenge anyone to send me
a verse, just one even, where anything other than singing (instrumental
music, clapping, humming, etc.) is authorized after the Old Testament is
taken out of the way. It won’t happen. Not because I said it,
but because God didn’t authorize it.