I’ve always heard that before Satan/Lucifer fell from grace he was “minister of music” and that’s why he has a strong influence in music but I’ve never seen that in Scripture. Is this true?
There are not a few commentators who refer to Lucifer (Satan’s name BEFORE he rebelled against God) as “the leader of the heavenly choir.” They base this on one verse in Ezekiel. I will quote the passage in which that verse is found so we can see God’s description of Lucifer:
“Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering: the sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with god. THE WORKMANSHIP OF YOUR TIMBRELS AND PIPES WAS PREPARED FOR YOU ON THE DAY YOU WERE CREATED. You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; you were on the holy mountain of God; You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you” (Ezekiel 28:12-15….NKJV).
In the first part of this chapter God describes “the prince of Tyre,” a mere man who ruled over the city of Tyre. But in our verses he speaks of “the king of Tyre” and it is obvious that no mere man meets this description. I say this because a man is never called a “cherub,” which is another name for one of God’s “angels.” Some may argue that this could be describing Adam who did indeed live in “Eden, the garden of God,” but Adam is never called a cherub, nor does God ever speak of him as “full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.” This passage undoubtedly refers to Lucifer who was God’s greatest creation.
I put in bold the words which have led some to ascribe to Lucifer the title, “the leader of the heavenly choir.” The words “timbrels and pipes” are indeed “musical instruments” and thus it would seem that he was created for the purpose of bringing glory to God by leading the angelic hosts in heaven in praise to God. We know that the nation of Israel used musical instruments in their worship of God. 1st Samuel 10:5 reads, “After that thou shalt come to the hill of God….thou shall meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret (i.e. timbrel), and a pipe, and a harp” (KJV). Psalm 149:3 states, “Let them praise His name with the dance; Let them sing praises to Him with timbrel and harp” (NKJV). One commentator writes this of Lucifer, “His entire being was an instrument of praise.” Yet this was only true BEFORE his fall, for we read “You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, TILL INQUITY WAS FOUND IN YOU.” We can be sure that the day Lucifer sinned against God his praise for God ceased! From that day on his chief desire and goal was to rob God of His glory and to be worshipped as if he were God. We see this in another description of him in Isaiah 14:12-14, “How are you fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning….For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God…I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’”
You refer to him now as having “a strong influence in music.” I know of no scripture that speaks of this directly. But we do know that he has a “strong influence in the world” and thus I have no doubt it includes an influence in music. In Ephesians 2:2 he is called “the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience.” The apostle John echoes this sentiment in 1st John 5:19, “…the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.” His chief ambition is to keep men and women from coming to God through the Lord Jesus Christ and thus he uses anything he can to blind them to the gospel (see 2nd Corinthians 4:3-4). His influence began with Cain who “went out from the presence of the LORD” and “built a city,” (Genesis 4:16). His desire was to BUILD A WORLD WITHOUT GOD. It is instructive to read in verse 21 that his descendant (Jubal) “was the father of all those who play the harp and flute.” In other words, musical instruments were first invented in a world without God. Satan’s influence is seen here, for he was “behind the scenes” leading men and women to entertain themselves without any thought of God whatsoever. Let’s be clear, there is nothing inherently wrong in musical instruments, for as we saw from 1st Samuel 10:5 they were used to worship God. But when men have no regard for God they become an instrument in Satan’s hand to keep men blinded to their lost condition and to their need of Christ. (325.1) (DO)