Have You Heard the Voice That Speaks? (Revelation 1b)
Resources
- Sheet Music: Download
- Audio:
When I’ve located the tune for this song that I have in mind – one of Bob Dylan’s I think! – I’ll edit this post with a link to it (on Youtube). In the meantime, enjoy. The text is found in the closing paragraphs of Revelation 1. Phil Mauro’s commentary [Things which must soon come to pass] has thrilled my own heart & I commend to you my reader a detailed study of this book. The overriding message is quite simple: Christ, having purchased the redemption of the world through His life, death and resurrection, is now in receipt of all power and authority and is gone out to conquer His enemies. We who follow Him and seek His kingdom & dominion must look beyond the puzzles & apparent disappointments of our present experience and apprehend that He IS king and He shall put all things (rule, power & authority) under His dominion. So faithful Christians pray daily, ‘Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven’. Sadly, too many Christians imagine this is a pipe-dream. They are resigned to defeat & pessimistically entertain no prospect of Christ’s victory this side of the grave. They are mistaken. The psalms are FULL to overflowing with the prospect of Christ’s victory over the nations. The wicked will pass away (Ps 37:1,2 & 9-11) & the earth shall be set a liberty when the sons of God shall be revealed (Rom 8:18-25). May the Lord raise up a new generation of Calebs & Joshua’s valiant for the Lord and who, like the children of Issachar, know what they must do in order to participate effectively in this great struggle.
(tune Bob Dylan ??)
Have you heard the voice that spoke to John of old?
Do you need, like him, to turn around and see
Seven candlesticks of finely tempered gold
Circumscribing One of regal majesty?
As the Son of Man there stood the Son of God
In a flowing robe that reached down to the floor
His hair was wool; both eyes were flames of fire…
To suggest He knows what He is looking for!
His feet were like the burnishing of bronze
As He spoke echoes of water filled the air
Seven stars in His right hand each signified
Seven churches which enjoyed His special care
From His mouth emerged a double-edged sword
To discern the secret thoughts of all mankind
His countenance so fair shone like the sun
Shedding light and life to we who are so blind
Overwhelmed I fell as dead before His feet
Till a kindly hand reached downwards to the floor
‘Fear not’, said He, ‘though dead I have been raised
And behold am now alive for ever more!’
The Alpha and Omega thus disclosed
These solemn wonders clothed in mystery;
Mark this, my word and testimony, well –
He shall dwell with His true saints eternally!
Steve Layfield
