Beliefs about the Afterlife (LXXII)

"Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; 

Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes! 

Praise Him with loud cymbals; 

Praise Him with clashing cymbals! 

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD." 

(Psalm 150: 4-6 (nkjv)

Many Christians condemn all dancing; And, dancing in church would be abhorred. Other Christians, especially among "Pentecostals," do dance when they are engaged in celebratory worship. For the former, the idea that there will be any kind of dancing in heaven or in the ages to come is strongly opposed. They think all dancing is unholy. The latter, however, think that dancing can be holy and non sensual and not only dance now in worship but expect to dance throughout eternity. 

Well, obviously the above scriptures show that there can be dancing that is pleasing to the Lord. Anything can be abused and it is an old axiom in law and philosophy that says that "abuse does not take away (or nullify) use." Music has been abused and made to serve the devil but such abuse does not invalidate all music. David says he will praise the Lord in the dance. That settles the question. If a Christian has never been that happy in life that he did not want to leap about and dance, then something is not as it should be. In fact, many texts that speak about "rejoicing" carry the implication of leaping or dancing with joy (as we will shortly see). Think about how fans in a sports arena get happy and jump for joy when their team scores or wins a game! 

There are many Christian happy songs about life in heaven that says "we will sing and shout and dance about" (that rhymes) while the endless ages roll on and on. As we will see, the dancing will be the result of being jubilant and full of joyful excitement.

Dancing In Eternity?

"For the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he. Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the LORD, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all. Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow." (Jer. 31: 11-13 kjv)

These verses describe the joy that will be present in the ages to come, in the new heavens and earth. We know this because the text describes the time period when the things said to be occurring are during a time when "they shall not sorrow any more at all." That puts the fulfillment in the eternal state (albeit once again the prophet seems to blur the millennial age with the ages that follow as we have pointed out in earlier chapters). That being so, we see how dancing will still be occurring. Though the text deals with dancing that happens in most wedding receptions, yet it cannot be limited to that reason alone. King David's dancing was done in a religious context. So was the dancing of Miriam. Exodus 15:20-21 tells us: 

"Then the prophet Miriam, Aaron's sister, took a tambourine in her hand, while all the women went out after her with tambourines, dancing; and she responded to them: Sing to the Lord, for he is gloriously triumphant; horse and chariot he has cast into the sea."

Further, the Isaiah text connects dancing with rejoicing, dancing being one way of rejoicing. Of course, not all rejoicing is religious, but holy rejoicing may include the dance.

Further, David in the above Psalms exhorts all worshipers of Jehovah to praise him in the dance. Here is one of the texts that speak of David's dancing "before the Lord":

"And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod...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." (II Sam. 6: 14, 16)

David was in priestly attire (linen ephod) when he danced. So, it was in a religious sense. Wrote one bible commentary on the meaning of the Hebrew word translated "danced": "The word used means the springing round in half circles to the sound of music." (Pulpit Commentary) Wrote another Commentary:

"David danced before the Lord—The Hebrews, like other ancient people, had their sacred dances, which were performed on their solemn anniversaries and other great occasions of commemorating some special token of the divine goodness and favor." (JFB Commentary)

This was not the only time that David was connected with dancing for joy before the Lord. Notice these words:

"Now it had happened as they were coming home, when David was returning from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women had come out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with musical instruments." (I Sam. 18: 6 nkjv)

There is every reason to believe that the saints will likewise dance for joy and for pleasure in the eternal ages to come. Of course, though we have examples of dancing for religious reasons, the question remains as to whether the immortal saints, in their glorified bodies, will dance for simply fun and for pleasure. We have every good reason to believe that "the nations" will continue to enjoy this pleasure, although dancing in a worldly or sensual fashion will not be, with few exceptions. This question connects with another question, one which concerns the kinds of pleasure the resurrected and glorified saints will be able to experience. I see no reason to think that any pleasure, with the exception of sexual pleasure, that was enjoyed on earth may not be enjoyed in the eternal ages. But, in regard to the pleasures of that eternal state we will have much more to say in a future chapter.

Dancing & Rejoicing

The wise king Solomon said that there is "A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance." (Eccl. 3: 4)

Here we see how "to dance" is the opposite of "to mourn," showing us that dancing is what people do because they are happy and what they do for fun. It is a way to rejoice, celebrate life, to do what is fun or pleasurable. The idea that people among the nations or among the glorified saints will no longer have "fun" is not scriptural. However, I do think that the resurrected saints will be mostly involved in higher pleasures. Another verse that shows how dancing is a way to be joyful is this: "The joy of our heart is ceased; our dance is turned into mourning." (Lam.5: 15; see also Psalm 30: 11)

People dance because they are happy. People who are sad or grieving do not want to dance. People dance so they can enjoy and celebrate life. And one thing is for sure; everything about the eternal state for the redeemed teems with life, for as we have seen there is the river of life, the water of life, the fountain of life, the light of life, the tree of life, etc. What better way to celebrate such life than by rejoicing and dancing with joy?

Not all the dancing is done in precise choreography, as we see in the various styles of dancing, as in the Tango, Tap dance, Ballet, etc. In the bible there is a close connection between leaping for joy and dancing. As we will see, some of the Hebrew words for "dancing" show this to be true. Notice this text:

"Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets." (Luke 6: 23)

Here leaping for joy may be translated as "jumping for joy" or "dancing for joy." We see this same type of dancing in this text, dealing with the healing of the lame man: 

"Leaping up, he stood, and began to walk. He entered with them into the temple, walking, leaping, and praising God." (Acts 3: 8)

Again, this man was so happy he simply began to dance about, not that he was dancing in a formal religious way, as did king David, nor for pleasure as at a wedding celebration, but he was simply jumping, spinning, whirling about, for he was so happy to be able to do so. In the old testament we have this prophecy:

"Then the lame man will leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute will sing; for waters will break out in the wilderness, and streams in the desert." (Isa. 35: 6)

Again, this is a prophecy of what will occur when Christ comes and ushers in the millennial kingdom on earth. Again, this leaping is not formal dance, but the kind of dance that people do who are extremely happy. We see this occurring when fans get happy when their favorite teams win a game. They dance about. Another verse that affirms that this will happen when Christ comes again is this text:

"But to you who fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings. You will go out, and leap like calves of the stall." (Mal. 4: 2)

Leap like deer or like calves of the stall because the joy is so great it must be vented in this manner. Notice these words from the love story of the Song of Solomon:

"The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills." (Song of Solomon 2: 8)

Again, this is dancing that is done automatically when a person is overjoyed. When people are this happy they shout, they sing, they leap and dance for joy, they clap their hands, their faces light up, etc. 

Now let us notice a verse that speaks of God himself dancing and a verse that shows that the word "joy" or "rejoice" may include the idea of dancing.

"The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing." (Zeph. 3: 17 kjv)

Wrote one commentary on this text:

"The word rendered ‘rejoices’ in the first verse of our text is not the same as that so translated in the second. The latter (joy over thee) means literally, to move in a circle; while the former literally means, to leap for joy. Thus the gladness of God is thought of as expressing itself in dignified, calm movements, whilst Zion’s joy is likened in its expression to the more violent movements of the dance. True human joy is like God’s, in that He delights in us and we in Him, and in that both He and we delight in the exercise of love." (MacLaren's Expositions)

Strong's concordance has these notes on the Hebrew word: "gîyl, gheel; or (by permutation) גּוּל gûwl; a primitive root; properly, to spin round (under the influence of any violent emotion), i.e. usually rejoice, or (as cringing) fear:—be glad, joy, be joyful, rejoice." 

We might even say that the word may mean, in the language of our day, to "twist and shout"! This Hebrew word is used several times in the bible and they carry the idea of rejoicing through bodily movements.

Wrote the great London preacher Charles Spurgeon (emphasis mine):

"Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp. Thus let them repeat the triumph of the Red Sea, which was ever the typical glory of Israel. Miriam led the daughters of Israel in the dance when the Lord had triumphed gloriously; was it not most fit that she should? The sacred dance of devout joy is no example, nor even excuse, for frivolous dances, much less for lewd ones. Who could help dancing when Egypt was vanquished, and the tribes were free? Every mode of expressing delight was bound to be employed on so memorable an occasion. Dancing, singing, and playing on instruments were all called into requisition, and most fitly so. There are unusual seasons which call for unusual expressions of joy. When the Lord saves a soul its holy joy overflows, and it cannot find channels enough for its exceeding gratitude: if the man does not leap, or play, or sing, at any rate he praises God, and wishes for a thousand tongues with which to magnify his Saviour. Who would wish it to be otherwise? Young converts are not to be restrained in their joy. Let them sing and dance while they can. How can they mourn now that their Bridegroom is with them? Let us give the utmost liberty to joy. Let us never attempt its suppression, but issue in the terms of this verse a double license for exultation. If any ought to be glad it is the children of Zion; rejoicing is more fit for Israel than for any other people: it is their own folly and fault that they are not oftener brimming with joy in God, for the very thought of him is delight." (Treasury of David, commentary on Psalm 149)