II Kings 3:15 “But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.” 

Many, many studies have found the effects of music on life around us. A survey as recent as 2014 was done with Mozart’s Sonata for Two Pianos in D major and posted online by National Institute of Health. They tested children with epileptic seizures. Almost all of the children showed significant decreased epileptic fits after listening to the music for 8 minutes once a day right before bedtime for 6 months. 

Music is extremely powerful. We have already seen in “The Spirit Realm” how music works through the spiritual side of things. In this article, it is important that we notice the physical realm. It has been said, “Music is a part of us, and either ennobles or degrades our behavior.” In our text, for instance, the prophet Elisha is assisted in prophecy by a minstrel’s musical playing which Elisha specifically asked for. Music set the tone for Elisha’s prophesying. This is one main reason why most churches today provide congregational singing and special music before the preacher preaches. Music sets the tone both spiritually and physically. 

Music’s effect on life is the reason for the famous statement, “Music soothes the savage beast.” But music doesn’t just “soothe the savage beast.” Bad music can stir the savage beast. Maybe you have heard or read of various studies concerning music and plants? Repeated tests have found that classical and/or spiritual music helps speed healthy plant growth while rock, country, pop, etc… hinder or even kill certain plants (One publication that details such studies is The Secret Life of Plants by Peter Tomkins and Christopher Bird, HarperCollins, 1989). 

Music has been scientifically proven to affect our bodies. Music can increase or relieve pain; it can increase or decrease blood pressure. Music can improve or hurt the heart; it can speed up or slow down recovery. Music can help or increase chronic headaches and migraines. Music can boost or lower our immune systems. Music has been found to help or hurt many health conditions including: seizures; childbirth and postpartum well-being, insomnia, etc…. The list goes on and on. 

Music has also been proven time and time again to affect our moods and emotions (Alternative Therapies, Volume 4, No. 1, January 1998). Rock, country, pop, etc… music has consistently produced rage, anxiety, tension, bitterness, and even violence in lab tests. Classical and spiritual music consistently produce calm, peace, joy, and happiness. Music has been proven to either increase or decrease crime. Music has also been shown scientifically to improve or hinder intelligence and alter brainwaves (Dr. Francis Rauscher, Neuroscience Letters, #185, 1995). Music can cause increased alertness or decreased attention span; even hypnosis leading to Satanic oppression. 

A number of experiments have been done with rodents running mazes with different types of music in the background. One such study was done by a Virginia high school student, David Merrell. He divided his mice into three groups: a set that had no music to run to, a group that ran a maze with Mozart playing in the background, and a third group of mice that ran while Anthrax heavy metal Stomp 442 was playing. On the mice’s first speed run through a maze, all groups finished the maze averaging about 600 seconds. After one week, the control group and the Mozart mice improved to 450 seconds while the Anthrax mice slowed to 900 seconds. By the third and final week, the Mozart mice sped through the maze at 106 seconds, the control group finished at about 307 seconds, and the mice with Anthrax heavy metal music averaged 1,825 seconds. It took them 30 minutes to complete what had the first time taken them 10 minutes! You want to know another fascinating fact? Rodents can’t hear pitch. The heavy metal’s syncopated rhythm harmed and even “dumbed down” the mice (see Satan’s Music Structure)! 

Music is either a manipulative beast or a refreshing beauty depending on how it is written and performed. It is up to you to purposely choose good music that affects you, your family, and your church for good.