Where does Scripture mention this activity and what did it entail? What were the occasions? The Bible makes no mention of the romantic, male-female dancing that is well-known in our contemporary western world. In the Old Testament dancing is an expression of great joy. It was the opposite of mourning and wailing (Psalm 30:11; Ecclesiastes 3:4; Lamentations 5:15). Dancing was therefore associated with especially happy events. This article will therefore concentrate on this type of dancing and for the most part ignore the dancing influenced by or associated with pagan rites and practices (e.g. Judges 21: 19-23; 1 Kings 18:26; Matthew 14:6).

Dancing and Praise⤒🔗

What event could bring more joy than to experience God's deliverance from evil? Small wonder that dancing is associated with the Lord's great deeds of deliverance. Here are some examples. After God's victory over the Egyptians whom he drowned in the sea,

Miriam the prophetess, Aaron's sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her, with tambourines and dancing. Miriam sang to them: 'Sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea.'

Exodus 15:20-21

When Jephthah's army returned victoriously after defeating the Ammonites, his daughter rejoiced by going out to meet him "dancing to the sound of tambourines" (Judges 11:34). After David's triumph over the Philistines, the women came out "with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with tambourines and lutes. As they danced, they sang" (1 Samuel 18:6-7). When David brought the ark of the Lord into Jerusalem he danced "with all his might ... leaping and dancing before the Lord" in celebration of the Lord's favour to him (2 Samuel 6:14-21). It is clear that dancing was not done for social amusement. It was to praise God for his wondrous acts. The psalms therefore exhort, "Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the people of Zion be glad in their King. Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with tambourine and harp" (Psalm 149:2-3; also Psalm 150:4).

The fact that dancing and praise to God were related in Old Testament times did not prevent an abuse of dancing and sinful conduct. The prime example is the dancing that accompanied the worship of the golden calf at the foot of Mount Sinai. Under the guise of this being a festival to the LORD, they danced and "Aaron had let them get out of control" (Exodus 32:25). They had indulged in revelry (Exodus 32:6) which Moses subsequently condemned most severely. He ordered the Levites to kill the offenders. Three thousand died (Exodus 32:25-28). The sin was so grievous that the Lord struck the people with a plague and refused to accompany them further (Exodus 32:35; 33:3).

A Liturgical Dance Today?←⤒🔗

Since the Old Testament speaks of dance in the context of praising God, some churches, including Reformed ones, are including a liturgical dance in their liturgy. Should we do so as well? When you think about this issue, it is really quite a leap of logic to go from the occurrences mentioned above to suggesting that these incidents justify incorporating a liturgical dance into our regular worship services.

First, there is no evidence that regular Old Testament worship as mandated by the Lord God included dancing. Furthermore, there is no mention of dance in the context of worship in the New Testament. The response of dancing as a spontaneous token of gratitude to God was apparently widespread in Old Testament times. We may not be as exuberantly inclined as people from the (ancient) Middle East, but who does not sometimes wish to jump for joy because one is so happy and excited by the blessings God gives? Praise him with dancing (Psalm 145:3)! Such spontaneous shows of joy can still be exhibited (cf. Acts 3:8). But to incorporate them into formal worship is an entirely different matter.

Second, if what I saw on YouTube is indicative (and I watched a number of movie clips), the type of liturgical dances currently presented in worship services are a far cry from what we read about dancing in praise to God in the Old Testament. Today carefully choreographed dances take centre stage and this performance, along with the talented and beautiful dancers or actors, very quickly become an important and possibly sensual focus for the service. The result is that the proclamation of the Word is no longer central. Unlike Old Testament worship which had many outward and physical elements in the elaborate temple service, our worship is to be in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24). It takes place in the congregation, God's dwelling place (2 Corinthians 6:16), and is focused on the Word. A liturgical dance, along with all the trappings that come with it, is a harsh and foreign intrusion into this milieu. In the sixteenth century, the Reformed churches rightly rejected the morality plays and other theatrical aids to worship and we do well to continue to follow suit.

In Conclusion←⤒🔗

Dancing and leaping for joy were wonderful spontaneous expressions of gratitude to God for his wondrous acts of mercy and love. This is the type of positive dancing that the Old Testament deals with. We do well not to forget that child-like joy and exhilaration that makes children leap and jump out of sheer gladness. After all, do we not remain all through life little children of our great and awesome Father above who has given to us riches and blessings beyond our wildest imagination!?