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While asking this question on music at Christianity Stack Exchange, I had simply assumed that Job 38 described music as more primordial than matter, but then I realized I wasn't sure whether the phrase "foundations of the earth" in Job 38:4 referred only to the earth or not. If so, then I do not know if the Bible supports the idea that music is more primordial than matter. (It may be, but one wouldn't know if the Bible says so.)

Does Job 38 support only the idea that music precedes the creation of our planet, and not suffice to support the idea that it precedes the creation of matter? If only the former, is there any other Biblical justification to support the possibility that music precedes matter?

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The first half of your question is right on target here. I'm wondering if the second half of this might need a doctrinal focus on Christianity. There is probably something to be pursued along the lines of Satan having one been the choir master of heaven before his fall, which we also believe to be before creation. Combine that with any textual evidence from this question, and maybe... – Caleb Sep 23 '12 at 17:39
@Caleb Yes, I think there are two questions here. – Kazark Sep 24 '12 at 1:17
I think the Hebrew compound word refers to "founding of the earth" rather than the "foundation of the earth". – Blessed Geek Oct 3 '12 at 6:16
As music is part of the worship prescribed in the original temple, and we know that that worship is a shadow of the things patterned in Heaven (Hebrews 9), it is quite reasonable that our music is quite similar, though obviously not as good, as that in heaven. – stephen Dec 17 '13 at 23:54
There is no account in scripture of the creation of a planet, just the making of the sky and land and population thereof. – WoundedEgo Sep 28 '15 at 17:30

To answer the first part of your question, the foundations and pillars of the earth were thought to be distinct from the earth itself. These were the structure which actually held up the earth. It may be helpful to visualize the Ancient Middle Eastern conception of cosmology to better understand:

enter image description here

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I basically agree with the diagram though the foundations are a bit more mysterious than that since they exist in a bottomless sea. Hence when they are mentioned it is with awe of their mysteriousness. Some ancients believed they were on the back of an ever-swimming turtle! – WoundedEgo Sep 28 '15 at 16:53

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