“And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing:
and Moses’ anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.”
Exodus 32:19
Dancing has saturated almost every television commercial, television show, and public event. With the onslaught of ungodly music, dancing feels very natural. Whether dancing is right or wrong is not even questioned today.
2 Samuel 6:14, “And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.”
Some compromising Christians argue that since David danced, it is all right for us to dance today. They miss the meaning and reason for his dance. It was a victory dance of praise to God. It was much like the jumping up and down at a football game after a touchdown is scored. David was not doing a modern day dance.
There are two major passages in which dancing is mentioned:
1. Mark 6:21-29, “And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee; 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. And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom. And she went forth, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptist. And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou give me by and by in a charger the head of John the Baptist. And the king was exceeding sorry; yet for his oath’s sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her. And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison, And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel: and the damsel gave it to her mother. And when his disciples heard of it, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.”
For everything God has, the devil has a counterfeit. A dance of praise to God can be distorted into a lustful ungodly movement. Because of this one dance, John the Baptist lost his life!
2. Exodus 32:6,19,25, “And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play. And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses’ anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:)”
The Israelites rose up to play, danced, and became naked. It was the first rock concert ever. Joshua said it sounded like the noise of war or shouting. What he was describing actually sounds like today’s modern rock-n-roll groups!
WHAT IS WRONG WITH DANCING?
1. Dancing puts you in bad company.
Drugs, lustful people, etc. are usually present at dances. It is hard to win souls at a dance. Their mind is elsewhere.
2. Liquor is usually present.
Proverbs 23:31, “Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.” A Christian should not be at a place where liquor is in the forefront.
3. The world’s music is present.
Whether it is a live, taped, or on the radio, it is ungodly. A person is praising the musicians and music if they dance to it. It is a form of worship.
4. Jealousies occur.
There have been many murders caused by dances. No man should let another man touch his wife.
5. Dancing stirs lusts.
Dancing stirs up emotions and desires that cannot righteously be fulfilled. A man cannot writhe his body next to or across from a woman and his passions not be stirred! Would Jesus go to a dance?
6. Dancing and nudity go hand in hand.
When people get warm during dancing, they take more clothes off. The strip tease, belly dancing, go-go, and chorus girls dancing began from just a regular dance.
7. Some people excuse dancing as exercise.
There are better and more effective forms of exercise today.
