The Letter I
Israel
Genesis 32:28 (Jacob's name changed to Israel)
"Then the man said, 'Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.'"
Deuteronomy 7:6 (God's chosen people)
"For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession."
Exodus 19:5-6 (Covenant with Israel)
"Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation."
Isaiah 49:6 (Israel as a light to the nations)
"He says: 'It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.'"
Psalm 122:6 (Praying for Israel's peace)
"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: 'May those who love you be secure.'"
2 Chronicles 7:14 (God’s promise to Israel)
"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
Romans 11:25-26 (Salvation of Israel)
"I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved."
Exodus 3:7-8 (God delivering Israel from Egypt)
"The LORD said, 'I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey.'"
Jeremiah 31:31-33 (The New Covenant with Israel)
"'The days are coming,' declares the LORD, 'when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors... I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.'"
Isaiah 66:8 (The rebirth of Israel)
"Who has ever heard of such things? Who has ever seen things like this? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children."
Instruments
Psalm 150:3-5 (Instruments in worship)
"Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals."
1 Chronicles 15:16 (David appointing musicians)
"David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their fellow Levites as musicians to make a joyful sound with musical instruments: lyres, harps, and cymbals."
2 Samuel 6:5 (David and the Israelites celebrating with music)
"David and all Israel were celebrating with all their might before the LORD, with castanets, harps, lyres, timbrels, sistrums, and cymbals."
Ephesians 5:19 (Singing spiritual songs)
"Speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord."
Psalm 33:2-3
"Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy."
Amos 6:5 (Instruments in Israel)
"You strum away on your harps like David and improvise on musical instruments."
Revelation 5:8 (Harps in heavenly worship)
"And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people."
Exodus 15:20-21 (Miriam’s song with timbrels)
"Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing. Miriam sang to them: 'Sing to the LORD, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea.'"
1 Corinthians 14:7 (Instruments in communication)
"Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the pipe or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes?"
Isaiah 38:20 (Songs of praise to God)
"The LORD will save me, and we will sing with stringed instruments all the days of our lives in the temple of the LORD."