Miriam - Her Life And Times

Miriam - Her Life And Times

DANCING

In biblical times, people danced to celebrate happy events and to praise God. Dancing in Scripture is always linked to joy and happiness. The presence of mourning means the absence of dancing (Lamentations 5:15), and there is a time for both (Ecclesiastes 3:4).

The very first mention of dancing in Scripture is when Miriam led the Israelite women in a dance that celebrated God’s miraculous defeat of the Egyptians at the Red Sea. Imagine, if you can, the emotions of these women as they walked (perhaps ran?) between the walls of water of the Red Sea, Egyptian chariots right behind them. Fearful for their lives, they breathlessly reached the eastern shore, turning around to see the waters come crashing in to drown the Egyptians and their horses — a narrow, frightening escape.

Then, quickly, fear gave way to a thrill of excitement. They were free! When Miriam went by with a tambourine, singing a song of praise to God, the women’s feet moved to her rhythm, their voices joined her song, and they danced!

The Hebrews danced in worship, often in praise of God for his deliverance from enemies (1 Samuel 18:6; Psalm 149:3). They danced to celebrate happy events, like weddings and the return of loved ones (Luke 15:25). Hebrew men and women didn’t dance together. The men usually danced alone, as David did before the ark (2 Samuel 6:14), while the women danced together.

There is some evidence that dancing was a part of the worship of the early Christian church. But according to several early Christian writers, it soon degenerated and no longer expressed a pure praise of the Lord. Before long it was banned.

Just as Miriam and the women couldn’t help but dance with joy, so when God does a wonderful work in our lives we sometimes respond in much the same manner: Our faces break into smiles, our hands are lifted up, and our feet can’t remain still! Certainly the God who created the human body delights in the pure use of that beautiful instrument to offer praise to him.