Question from a reader:
I am a music producer, and I compose music for the Lord. My biggest dream is to be in His kingdom, composing music for Him in person. However, I have one fear. I produce music on a computer, meaning I rely on modern technology as my instrument. Is God anti-tech? I can’t really find anything in the Bible that says yes or no. God seems to use technology throughout the Bible, and Jesus presumably used tech as a craftsman. There will have to be SOME kind of technology in the New Jerusalem for us to build anything. But I am wondering about things like electronics. Are they redeemable?
Answer from Stephanie Anderson, EPM staff:
You asked, “Is God anti-tech?” The simple answer is “No, He’s not.” Technology is a result of the God-given sense of creativity and ingenuity that is part of being made in His image. However, as you know, all technology can be used for good or for bad, and sadly, in a fallen world, it has often been used for sinful purposes. The wonderful news is that in Heaven, we’ll never use it for bad purposes—only to glorify God.
Here’s a video from Randy related to this.
And this is a collection of quotes from Randy and others related to art, culture, and technology in Heaven.
Randy writes in his Heaven book: “Some people expect the New Earth to be a return to Eden, with no technology or the accomplishments of civilization. But that doesn’t fit the biblical picture of the great city, the New Jerusalem. Nor is it logical. Would we expect on the New Earth a literal reinvention of the wheel?”
And: “Will the new planets be mere ornaments, or does God intend for us to reach them one day? Even under the Curse, we’ve been able to explore the moon, and we have the technology to land on Mars. What will we be able to accomplish for God’s glory when we have resurrected minds, unlimited resources, complete scientific cooperation, and no more death?”
On the subject of music: we know there will be music in Heaven, as Revelation makes clear. I love what Psalm 150 says:
Hallelujah!
Praise God in His sanctuary.
Praise Him in His mighty heavens.
Praise Him for His mighty acts;
praise Him for His excellent greatness.
Praise Him with the sound of the horn;
praise Him with the harp and lyre.
Praise Him with tambourine and dancing;
praise Him with strings and flute.
Praise Him with clashing cymbals;
praise Him with resounding cymbals.
Let everything that has breath praise Yahweh!
Hallelujah!
How much better will we be able to praise Yahweh than in Heaven, where we’ll have time, resources, and the ability to write and create and perform more God-glorifying music than ever? Of course, we can’t say for sure, but it certainly seems possible that you’ll be able to use electronic technology to compose and produce music to praise Jesus. (And perhaps in Heaven, you and others will invent new and greater technologies to do so, that we can’t even imagine now!)
Anthony Hoekema says, “The possibilities that now rise before us boggle the mind. Will there be ‘better Beethovens’ on the new earth? . . . better Rembrandts, better Raphaels? Shall we read better poetry, better drama, and better prose? Will scientists continue to advance in technological achievement, will geologists continue to dig out the treasures of the earth, and will architects continue to build imposing and attractive structures? Will there be exciting new adventures in space travel? . . . Our culture will glorify God in ways that surpass our most fantastic dreams.”
I hope this encourages your heart, as you look forward to your eternal home.
Photo: Unsplash
