Stones Shout Praise

Even the Stones will Cry Out

I often wondered what Jesus meant by these words. Luke 19:30-40 (MSG) “But he said, "If they kept quiet, the stones would do it for them, shouting praise."  So I did a little research to see if I could find out.

Paul speaks of this in Romans 8:22 (NIV1984) “ We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.”

Stones shouting praise, creation groaning – what’s going on? First we need to know that the Bible speaks of this apparent ‘impossible’ form of praise and worship in other places too. In fact it seems to be an important point that God does not wish us to miss.

Listen to this for a moment

1 Chronicles 16:33 “Then the trees of the forest will sing, they will sing for joy before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth.”
Psalm 96:12 “let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy;”
Isaiah 44:23 “Sing for joy, O heavens, for the LORD has done this; shout aloud, O earth beneath. Burst into song, you mountains, you forests and all your trees, for the LORD has redeemed Jacob, he displays his glory in Israel.”

So, it appears that praise and worship is quite important to God wouldn’t you say? Well, David thought so too. In 2 Samuel 6:5 “David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating with all their might before the LORD, with songs and with harps, lyres, tambourines, sistrums and cymbals.” And again in 2 Chronicles 29:25 (NIV1984) “ He stationed the Levites in the temple of the Lord with cymbals, harps and lyres in the way prescribed by David (in 1 Chron 25:6; & 28:19) and Gad (in 1 Samuel 22:5 ) the king’s seer and Nathan the prophet; this was commanded by the Lord through his prophets.”

Are you getting the idea yet? Praise and worship are essential parts of our whole relationship with God. As Jesus said, if you don’t do so, then the very stones, (trees, forests and even the heavens) will do it anyway. Isaiah 55:12 puts it this way. “The mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.”

Strange language, strange word pictures, but all of it pointing towards the incredible importance of praising and worshipping our God. Everything we do needs to include praise and worship - everything. When we pray; when we wake; when we sleep; when we eat; when we drink; work; when we read; when we shop; and so on. Some of our best meetings in church are those when we get together for the sole purpose of praising and worshipping and giving Him glory. There is singing of course, and there is clapping and dancing too. One week, an older but fairly fit couple started jiving to the praise and worship – the joy and applause was incredible and so was the tangible presence of God.

Praise and worship is totally biblical – including musical instruments and dancing before the Lord. If we don’t do it, then trees, stones, and mountains will !!

Think what a sight and sound that could be.