I’ve sung it since I was a child. It’s a happy little tune about the second coming of Jesus. But this time I really heard it for the first time, and it shocked me!
A couple of weeks ago I was in New York with some incredible folks. One afternoon afteroon a group of us were in a home in New York together. A couple of people grabbed guitars and soon we were singing our way through some familiar choruses. That’s when this one came up.
Jesus is coming soon, morning or night or noon,
Many will meet their doom, trumpets will sound;
All of the dead shall rise, righteous meet in the sky,
Going where no one dies, heavenward bound.
As we sang it one line jumped out at me and seemed so incongruous with the celebration the song was evoking. “any will meet their doom??!?!?!” Unfortunately, that’s true enough at the end of the age, but why were we singing with such joy over that? I’m sure it breaks our Father’s heart, rather than sending him out on the dance floor skipping a jig?
When I pointed that out most people in the room hadn’t even realized what they were singing. They were into the happy beat and the larger message of the song of Jesus’ return. But we all learned something in that brief moment—how much religious passion can blind us to the love Father wants us to share with everyone around us. How can others facing doom ever be a source of joy or frivolity for us. Jesus showed us something so different when he wept over Jerusalem…
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Thanks Wayne – I need to hear this message to clean my palate after spending a few minutes exposing myself to the hatred of Fred Phelps and the “Westboro Baptist Church”. After hearing of their plans to protest at the funerals of the amish girls I did some research and I still am sitting here in shock.
Later,
Rob
I’m trying to remember to be careful to not sing those songs. Sunday morning when I was with the institutional group I spend some time with, we began to sing, “We have come into this house and gathered in his name to worship him.” I was singing rather mindlessly, when I realized that the “house” we were singing about was the building we were in. I immediately stopped singing because I know that the house the Bible is referring to is the people of God.
We forget that music is powerful and the words have a subtle but powerful ability to brainwash. The next day, I caught myself singing that song again and I had to stop myself once again. I need to remember when I’m in a religious setting to be alert to what I’m participating in so I won’t participate in something that does not glorify God. Thanks for the reminder.
Aida
Thanks Wayne – I need to hear this message to clean my palate after spending a few minutes exposing myself to the hatred of Fred Phelps and the “Westboro Baptist Church”. After hearing of their plans to protest at the funerals of the amish girls I did some research and I still am sitting here in shock.
Later,
Rob
I’m trying to remember to be careful to not sing those songs. Sunday morning when I was with the institutional group I spend some time with, we began to sing, “We have come into this house and gathered in his name to worship him.” I was singing rather mindlessly, when I realized that the “house” we were singing about was the building we were in. I immediately stopped singing because I know that the house the Bible is referring to is the people of God.
We forget that music is powerful and the words have a subtle but powerful ability to brainwash. The next day, I caught myself singing that song again and I had to stop myself once again. I need to remember when I’m in a religious setting to be alert to what I’m participating in so I won’t participate in something that does not glorify God. Thanks for the reminder.
Aida
Proverbs 11:10 says, “When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices; when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.”
There is lots of evil in this world, and I’ve even contributed to some of it. But I will be delighted with joy when Jesus returns and Father set all things right. I don’t think the joy is in many meeting their doom but in fulfillment of the kingdom.
Also, as an aside, some of “TheChurchYouKnow.com” was rather funny. In saying that though, and in light of this blog post, shouldn’t be weeping over this rather than poking fun at it? Does our poking fun at it come from an inner sense of superiority and pride?
I can’t answer for anyone else, but there sure are times where I get my place in the world confused with God’s and vice versa.
I will be most joyful when the King of Glory visibly reigns in power and authority, regardless of what evil is destroyed, in me or others. I may not like it because of what it may “cost” me, but even though he slay me, in him will I trust. To quote Mayo from An Officer and a Gentleman, “I have nowhere else to go.”
OK Here’s another one our friend Scott caught at our Omaha Vineyard Fellowship. “Holiness, holiness is what you want from me.” We tried singing “for” instead of “from”. Now I noticed we aren’t singing it so much anymore.
Proverbs 11:10 says, “When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices; when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.”
There is lots of evil in this world, and I’ve even contributed to some of it. But I will be delighted with joy when Jesus returns and Father set all things right. I don’t think the joy is in many meeting their doom but in fulfillment of the kingdom.
Also, as an aside, some of “TheChurchYouKnow.com” was rather funny. In saying that though, and in light of this blog post, shouldn’t be weeping over this rather than poking fun at it? Does our poking fun at it come from an inner sense of superiority and pride?
I can’t answer for anyone else, but there sure are times where I get my place in the world confused with God’s and vice versa.
I will be most joyful when the King of Glory visibly reigns in power and authority, regardless of what evil is destroyed, in me or others. I may not like it because of what it may “cost” me, but even though he slay me, in him will I trust. To quote Mayo from An Officer and a Gentleman, “I have nowhere else to go.”
OK Here’s another one our friend Scott caught at our Omaha Vineyard Fellowship. “Holiness, holiness is what you want from me.” We tried singing “for” instead of “from”. Now I noticed we aren’t singing it so much anymore.
There’s no doubt that music has a powerful emotional impact that acts independently of the lyrics. It’s praiseworthy that you arec noscious of the words you and your group are singing, as well as the emotional lift the music can provide.
There’s no doubt that music has a powerful emotional impact that acts independently of the lyrics. It’s praiseworthy that you arec noscious of the words you and your group are singing, as well as the emotional lift the music can provide.