Hymnbook Eschatology

American Vision ^ | 1/26/2007 | Brandon Vallorani

[topcat54]

One of my favorite hymns, Onward Christian Soldiers, was written and composed by Arthur S. Sullivan in 1871. Arthur was born in London in 1842 to a musically gifted family. By the time he was eight years old he was already composing music. By the age of 10 he had mastered all of the wind instruments in his father's band. Receiving scholarships for his talent, Arthur received formal training. He went on to lead a distinguished career and become the leading composer of his day composing several major choral works. From 1871 to 1896 he collaborated wtih W.S. Gilbert to produce over 14 comic operas, including Trial by Jury (1875), The Pirates of Penzance (1879), and others. He was knighted by Queen Victoria in 1883. Despite his excursion into comic work, however, Arthur believed his best work was serious music.

Inspired by Psalm 72:8, "His dominion shall be also from sea to sea and from the river unto the ends of the land," Arthur composed another powerful hymn in 1871. The hymn was appropriately called Christ Shall Have Dominion (#439 in the Trinity Hymnal). I have included the four verses of this hymn because, like many hymns, the words are potent with Kingdom language:

Christ shall have dominion, over land and sea,
Earth’s remotest regions shall His empire be;
They that wilds inhabit shall their worship bring,
Kings shall render tribute, nations serve our King.
Christ shall have dominion, over land and sea,
Earth’s remotest regions shall His empire be.

When the needy seek Him, He will mercy show;
Yea, the weak and helpless shall His pity know;
He will surely save them from oppression’s might,
For their lives are precious in His holy sight.
Christ shall have dominion, over land and sea,
Earth’s remotest regions shall His empire be.

Ever and forever shall His Name endure;
Long as suns continue it shall stand secure;
And in Him forever all men shall be blest,
And all nations hail Him King of kings confessed.
Christ shall have dominion, over land and sea,
Earth’s remotest regions shall His empire be.

Unto God Almighty joyful Zion sings;
He alone is glorious, doing wondrous things.
Evermore, ye people, bless His glorious Name,
His eternal glory through the earth proclaim.
Christ shall have dominion, over land and sea,
Earth’s remotest regions shall His empire be.

The words of this hymn would probably offend a large number of Christians today. Words like "empire," and "dominion," express a type of robust Christianity that is foreign to modern and emasculated evangelical ears. That's because many Christians are too caught up in self-help theology or because they are waiting for the Antichrist and the end of human history as we know it. Dispensationalism, the theological system that believes Christianity will shrink from the earth until the "Rapture," is mostly to blame for this condition. Standing in stark contrast to contemporary theology, the words of Arthur's hymn glorify Christ and ascribe power and majesty to him on heaven AND on earth. Arthur recognized the culture-transforming power of the Gospel and how it affects the future of civilization.

Have you ever noticed that Dispensationalism cannot be found in the pages of the hymnbook? We shouldn't be surprised because it cannot be found in the Scripture either! Dispensationalism does not inspire the Church to greatness. Neither does it inspire great hymns. Even in the most dispensational churches you'll find hymns which speak of the advancement of the Gospel and the Kingdom of Christ on the earth.

You can bet that at least two of Sullivan's hymns, Onward Christian Soldiers and Christ Shall Have Dominion, will be sung at our Worldview Super Conference in May. I trust you will be there to join with the Church in celebrating His advancing Kingdom on this earth. "His dominion shall be also from sea to sea and from the river unto the ends of the land." (Psalm 72:8 — 1599 Geneva Bible).

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Brandon Vallorani is the Executive Vice President of American Vision.

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Permission to reprint granted by American Vision P.O. Box 220, Powder Springs, GA 30127, 800-628-9460.

[topcat54]

Reformed Eschatology Ping List (REPL):

Greetings, all.

[TomSmedley]

Worth repeating:

Dispensationalism does not inspire the Church to greatness. Neither does it inspire great hymns.

Apparently, an embarassingly large percentage of God's people prefer impotence and irresponsibility to real-world victory in Jesus.

I love the Christmas carol Joy to the World, the Lord is Come, with its exuberant proclamation of the blessings turned loose upon earth by the first coming.

When I get into my personal time machine and tune in the Bible Broadcasting network for a peek into the emotional world of a century ago, give or take fifty years, I note such themes as self-pity, wimpering sentimentality, and the degradation of the King of the Universe to a personal salvation appliance.

[nmh]

I's too bad MOST people shun hymns in favor of dumbed down and repetitive and shallow thoughts. It's also been said that they can't "sing" to hymns because of the scale. It's easier to sing to the "praise" type songs. Indeed it may have taken some effort and even some practice to sing hymns but it was worth it, imo.

Contemporary "Christian praise" doesn't compare in any way shape or form with hymns and those that wrote them.

[HarleyD]

Dispensationalism does not inspire the Church to greatness. Neither does it inspire great hymns.

Hmmmmm, somehow I can't see world conflict and the total destruction of mankind being a rather cheery thing to sing on Sunday morning. I don't think I'd be in the mood to sing the Anti-Christ Is Coming To Town.

[cdcdawg]

I have to admit, I did not know this about Sullivan. You really do learn something new every day. Interesting stuff.

[Quix]

Sorry, Tom.

Not my reality.

Not my focus.

Not my experience.

Self pity is in the history of hymns from every era if one wants to look for it. WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS can be seen as a self pity wail.

I think your point is a straw dog, from my perspective.

[Quix]

I don't think I'd be in the mood to sing the Anti-Christ Is Coming To Town.
== =

I'd hope not! But I bet you could get

Scuba Teddy, Puhlousey and HARXIST GRITCH SHRILLERY to sing along with gusto, if you did.

[blue-duncan]

MIDNIGHT CRY
Words and Music by Greg Day and Chuck Day
I hear the sound of a mighty rushing wind
It’s closer now that it’s ever been
I can almost hear the trumpet Gabriel sounds the call
At the midnight cry we’ll be going home

CHORUS
When Jesus steps out on a cloud to get His children
The dead in Christ will rise to meet Him in the air
Those that remain will be quickly changed
At the midnight cry when Jesus comes again

I look around me I see prophecies being fulfilled,
yes I do
Signs of the times are appearing everywhere
I can almost see the Father saying, “Son, go get your children”
And at the midnight cry the bride of Christ will rise

REPEAT CHORUS

[topcat54]

You sing this in your church?

The context of Matt 25 doesn't even support the theology in the song:

"But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all (the virgins) slumbered and slept." (v. 5)

"And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!'" (v. 6)

"Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming." (v. 13)

The prevailing dispensational interpretation of Matt 25 is that it is speaking about Israel during the so-called great tribulation period. It is not speaking about the church. Note that it starts off describing "kingdom of heaven". The "kingdom of heaven" is not the "church age" according to dispensationalism. The "wise virgins" are tribulation saints. The church is already raptured, according to the dispensational theory.

The song seems to be mixing metaphors, or is just not consistently dispensational.

"I look around me I see prophecies being fulfilled" Only because you're listening to Jack Van Impe and watching movies like "Left Behind".

[blue-duncan]

This is the context of the song.

1Th 4:15-18, "For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive [and] remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words"

[blue-duncan]

Here's another old favorite.


It may be at morn, when the day is awaking,
When sunlight through darkness and shadow is breaking,
That Jesus will come in the fullness of glory
To receive from the world His own.

Refrain
O Lord Jesus, how long, how long
Ere we shout the glad song?
Christ returneth, Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Amen, Hallelujah! Amen.

2
It may be at midday, it may be at twilight,
It may be, perchance, that the blackness of midnight
Will burst into light in the blaze of His glory,
When Jesus receives His own.

3
O joy! O delight! should we go without dying,
No sickness, no sadness, no dread, and no crying,
Caught up through the clouds with our Lord into glory,
When Jesus receives His own.

[topcat54]

Then it's mistitled. "Midnight cry" is from Matthew 25. It seems to be a smashing together of several ideas rather than a "rightly dividing" of the texts.

A self-consciously discriminating futurist/dispensationalist would never sing such a song since it confuses a core aspect of their theology; the distinction between Israel and the church.

[blue-duncan]

Here is another one.

1. The Church's one foundation
Is Jesus Christ, her Lord;
She is His new creation
By water and the Word.
From heaven He came and sought her
To be His holy bride;
With His won blood He bought her,
And for her life He died.

2. Elect from every nation,
Yet one o'er all the earth,
Her charter of salvation
One Lord, one faith, one birth.
One holy name she blesses,
Partakes one holy food,
And to one hope she presses,
With every grace endued.

3. The Church shall never perish!
Her dear Lord, to defend,
To guide, sustain, and cherish,
Is with her to the end.
Though there be those that hate her.
False sons within her pale,
Against both foe and traitor
She ever shall prevail.

4. Though with a scornful wonder
Men see her sore oppressed,
By schisms rent asunder,
By heresies distressed,
Yet saints their watch are keeping;
Their cry goes up, "How long?"
And soon the night of weeping
Shall be the morn of song.

5. Mid toil and tribulation
And tumult of her war
She waits the consummation
Of peace forevermore,
Til with the vision glorious
Her longing eyes are blest
And the great Church victorious
Shall be the Church at rest.

[blue-duncan]

"A self-consciously discriminating futurist/dispensationalist"

Wanna bet?

[topcat54]

"A self-consciously discriminating futurist/dispensationalist"

Wanna bet?

Do you know any? :-)

[gobus1]

"A Mighty Fortress" is one of the greatest hymns of the Faith.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

In studying the various eschatologies, I've been drawn to postmillennialism because it affirms the power of the Gospel. For that one fact, I believe it true.

And it's funny some of us "frozen chosen" are the ones who believe most in the Great Commission and the power of the Gospel to fill the earth with the glory of Jesus Christ.

"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature." -- Mark 16:15

"...to every creature..."

"So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." -- Isaiah 55:11

The world is in strife, and men deceive and kill and enjoy the darkness. But throughout it all, God is in control and His will be done. I have confidence in Him who began a good work in us. The earth belongs to Jesus Christ, whether the earth knows it or not.

"But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.

For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,

This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;

And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

And having an high priest over the house of God;

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." -- Hebrews 10:12-25

What postmillenillists most fervently believe is that without a theology of confidence in the power of the Gospel, we are admitting defeat from the outset and conceding to the darkness of this world. And that's just not Scriptural. Christ has overcome the world. His glory reigns forever by the will of God and the work of the Holy Spirit on earth.

Should all the world believe in Jesus Christ?

Yes! So tell them the Good News, in order that none is without excuse.

[blue-duncan]

"Do you know any? :-)"

I've seen them I think. I'm kind of a sentimental covenant type with a Kingdom Theology bent but of the pre trib persuasion.

[Quix]

Dear Heart, I can't imagine that you or any Calvinists believe any

MORE in the power of The Gospel

or even in God having everything IN HIS HANDS

than us dispies do.

Implying or asserting otherwise is contrary to facts as I know them . . . and, I think, a gross misunderstanding of our perspective and of us as logical Biblical persons.