Dancing in the Bible

There is a form of dancing that is Scriptural and a form of dancing that is sinful. 

William Wilson in his Old Testament Words Studies indicates that there are four Hebrew words associated with dancing in the Old Testament:

1. Chagag - 1 Sam 30:16 And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad upon all the earth, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.

Wilson defines this word to mean: moving with various turns and agitations in token of joy. 

2. Chowlah - Ex 15:20 And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.

He defines this word to mean: to turn or to twist, perhaps with music in distinction from that without music.

3. Karar - 2 Sam 6:14-16 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 Israel brought 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. 

He defines this word to mean: to move nimbly.

4. Raqad - Job 21:11 They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.

He defines this word to mean: to leap, to skip. to dance for joy.

W. E. Vine in his expository dictionary of New Testament words indicates that there are two words associated with dancing in the New Testament. 

1. Orcheo - Matt 14:6 But when Herod’s birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.

Vine defines this word to originally probably to mean: to lift up as of the feet, to leap with regularity of motion. 

2. Chorus - Luke 15:25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.

Vine defines this word to mean: an enclosure for dancing; hence a company of dancers and singers. 

1. Scriptural dancing

There is the dancing of Miriam and David, Ex 15:20; 2 Sam 6:14-16.

i. This type of dancing involves a rejoicing before the Lord. It is a jumping for joy. It says David leaped and danced before the Lord. 

ii. You never read of men and women dancing in this fashion together in the Bible. In fact the first place where dancing is mentioned in the Bible [Ex 15:20] it emphasises that Miriam led the women out to sing the same song that Moses had led the men in singing a little earlier. This also happened when David was returning from the defeat of Goliath, 1 Sam 18:6. It was single sex jubilation before God. 

iii. In one place it is a person dancing on their own, Jud 11:34.

iv. In some places it is the unmarried women who danced, Jud 21:21-23.

This is a long way short of what passes for dancing today among the ungodly.

2. Sinful dancing

This is the dancing of the Israelites at the foot of Mt Sinai when they were worshipping the golden calf, Ex 32:19 And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing…. This dancing was accompanied with nakedness, Ex 32:25 and denounced by Moses as sin, Ex 32:21. The Egyptians performed some of their religious rites in this indecent manner and the Israelites were now imitating them. 

This is the revelling of the Amalekites as they celebrate the conquest of Ziklag, 1 Sam 30:16 And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad upon all the earth, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.

This is the dancing of Herodias' daughter before Herod that pleased that wicked man and his male companions so well, Mark 6:22 And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee.

There are certainly times when God so blesses His people that they leap for joy. However, the dancing that is associated with immodesty, revelry, lust and for entertainment ought to be avoided by the Christian as a manifestation of the pleasure crazes of this world. The Bible exhorts us to flee from the appearance of evil, 1 Thess 5:22.

Pleasure crazes of the world:

1. What is wrong with the Christian attending the cinema or the theatre?

2. Dancing

What is wrong with a Christian attending the Cinema or the Theatre?

Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away, Proverbs 4:14,15.

When recently registering by phone with a company I was asked to select a security question. The first suggestion made by the telephone operator was: what was the first film I had ever seen at the cinema? I had to tell her that I have never been in a cinema in my life and therefore needed a different question.

This made me stop and rethink: what is wrong with a Christian going to the Cinema or the Theatre?

At our ministers' week of prayer in January past one of the men when preaching lamented that in days past when someone came to know Christ as Saviour there was never an issue about whether it was right or wrong to go to places like the cinema. Converts knew a Christian should not be found in such places.

One of the questions that Free Presbyterian ministers are asked at their ordination or installation to affirm is:
Will you publicly denounce the great public vices of drinking, dancing, gambling and the pleasure crazes of this present evil world and by example live righteously, soberly and godly before all men?

Attending the cinema falls into the category of the 'pleasure crazes of this present evil world'. Yet sadly today more and more professing Christians see nothing wrong with going to the cinema.

Here is an outline of what is wrong with a Christian attending the Cinema or the Theatre.

I. It is wrong because of the concept.

The Cinema/Theatre is a place of worldly entertainment. That is why it exists and that is how it is advertised. It is a place to be amused and entertained by the ways, habits and practices of the world.

Is it right for a Christian to seek entertainment? Is it right to seek entertainment in what is a pleasure craze of the world?

Surely it is not. The Christian finds all their joys in Christ and in Christ alone. The Saviour is not to satisfy only part of the deepest longings of the human soul and not others. Christ is all that a Believer wants or needs. As Charles Wesley said in his hymn: Jesus, Lover of my soul:

Thou, O Christ, art all I want
More than all in Thee I find

Christ is found in the means of grace and not in a cinema or theatre! Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them, Proverbs 24:1.

II. It is wrong because of the company.

The Cinema/Theatre is a place where the ungodly resort. Like the pub, club, discotheque or dance hall, it is a place which attracts a certain type of people. The world love their own company. The unconverted would hardly be attending the cinema/theatre in their droves if it was anything else.

That is hardly surprising. What is surprising is that a Christian would want to be among this type of company.

The Christian is to be separate from the world. We may be in the world but we are not of the world as to its spirit. What does it say about a Christian who feels at home among the unconverted as they go about seeking their pleasures?

III. It is wrong because of the content.

There is hardly a film produced today that is not objectionable in some way. Whether it is bad language, immorality, anti-scriptural views of the family, or extolling the liberties of sin it would be difficult to find a film that is watchable.

The Word of God instructs us what we are to set before us:
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things, Phil 4:8.

It also warns about the harm that is done when setting sin before our eyes:
Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners, 1 Corinthians 15:33.

The Psalmist made a covenant with his eyes to set no wicked thing before them:
I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes…, Ps 101:3.

May the professing Church return to the old paths, wherein is the good way. Let our prayer be that of Jeremiah: renew our days as of old.