A New Song

There was a multitude of people standing on the seashore, happy, smiling and rejoicing. A little earlier they had been in cruel bondage, hated and exploited. Now they were free, safe and happy. As they stood on the eastern bank of the Red Sea, they were singing a song that no one had heard before. It was a new song, a song of their experience, a song of victory, a song of joy.

Their affliction and seemingly sure death had turned to deliverance and to a complete victory; and the Egyptian army perished to the last man.

How was it done? Were they a match to the well-trained army of Egyptian soldiers? No, they were completely helpless.

They were traveling with their belongings, little ones and the aged. Now they realized that someone mightier than man and his armies had taken compassion and pity on them. Someone loved and cared for them. This gave them the words and the melody to their new song.

Would you like to learn this New Song? It is possible to learn it even today. Our experience will be much similar to the experience of ancient Israel.

“And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with Him an hundred and forty and four thousand, having His Father?s name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder; and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: and they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.” Rev. 14:1-3

“And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of saints.” Rev. 15:2, 3.

The hundred and forty and four thousand had gained the victory over the mighty beast and over his image also over his mark.

Their victory is similar to the victory gained by Moses at the Red Sea, and also by the Lamb of God in the garden of Gethsemane and at Calvary.

Now they realized that they had contributed to their victory no more than the people of Israel in the time of Moses. Someone mightier than all the host of evil had taken compassion and pity on them and saved them from their enemy.

What would happen to a Christian who wants to go to heaven but has not learned this song of Moses and the Lamb? Could he join this heavenly choir?

No, he would not fit into this company of the singers, and we cannot learn this song in heaven, we must learn it here. Daily we are learning the words of this song, and also the melody, as we are making experiences with God. Verse by verse we are learning until we know the whole song; and the others in the company of the hundred and forty and four thousand are passing through the same experiences and learning the same words and the melody, so that one day we can all unite in singing this song in perfect harmony.

The first verse of this song we learn as we leave the world behind and cross the Red Sea. Our exodus from the world is not any easier than that of the ancient Israel leaving the land of Egypt.

The world does not give us up easily. As we flee the temptations, sin and the evil influence of the world our enemy will pursue us trying to get us back to our old life and to sin.

Then we need to depend on the power of God as much as did the ancient Israel. When all seems hopeless and lost then a way is opened before us, a way of escape, and we can sing with David, “Blessed be the Lord, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth. Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we are escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” Ps. 124: 6-8.

After learning the first verse we go on to learn the next one. If someone smites us on the right cheek, we must learn to turn to him the other also. We must also learn to love our enemies and to bless them that curse us. These are not easy lessons to learn and to put into practise, but they are part of the new song that we will one day sing in heaven.

Can you already love the worst person in the world, the most sinful so much that you could give your life for him? Jesus did this; His love was extended to the greatest sinner.

Another difficult verse that we must learn is self-denial.

“Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after Me, Let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” Matt. 16:24.

When you are looking to the tree of the forbidden fruit and a desire is aroused in your heart to touch and to taste it, then you must decide against it and say a firm ?No? to the temptation.

We do not have only one forbidden tree, but hundreds of them all around us.

This is the hardest battle that we are asked to fight. It is a war against ourselves.

You must deny to yourself foods and drinks that you may be craving for. You must deny to yourself the worldly music, also worldly books and shows. Paul writes, “Make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” Rom. 13:14.

God is teaching us the words and the melody of this new song. We must listen and follow after our Choir Leader. If we stop learning them He will stop teaching us. He also denied Himself and left us an example to show us how it is done. His example shows us fasting and praying, even the whole night through.

This new song has also notes in a minor key. There are times when we pass through utter soul anguish. We will experience sorrow, heartache, and disappointments. There will be times when death seems preferable to life.

We may see only darkness around us, and our prayers have not been answered. Then our faith is tested to the utmost. But this all has a purpose to purify and to sanctify us.

If we put a grain of sand inside an oyster shell, it will irritate and rub against the sensitive skin of the oyster, but the result is a beautiful pearl.

A painful thorn was put into the flesh of Paul, and a faithful apostle was created.

If there is something painful in your life, it may have a purpose to create a beautiful character, fit for heaven in you.

We read of Jesus. “He is despised and rejected of men; a Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.” Isa. 53:3.

Jesus learned this new song during His stay in this world.

Does this verse in the minor key appeal to you? Can you see something beautiful in it? Are you willing to be also a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief? Then you can sing this song with Jesus and those who did learn these verses.

Another verse of this song we learn from John the Baptist. “He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:30. I must become smaller, and be more unnoticed. I must be put aside.

Paul writes, “Let each esteem other better than themselves.” Phil. 2:3. This is a verse of utter humility, and one of the most beautiful verses in this new song.

“I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” Isa. 57:15.

Peter tells us of the most beautiful ornament that we can wear. “Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.” 1 Peter 3:3, 4.

Many, especially educated and talented persons fail to learn this verse and therefore they cannot join the heavenly choir.

Also we must learn another beautiful verse, which also Jesus learned. “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34.

This verse is of forgiveness. The Lord will forgive us in the same measure as we forgive others. What our world would be if this attribute would be practised. We need to practise this in our homes and also in the church. This is the secret of a happy, and united family.

In our new song there are verses of unselfish love, that no worldly love song can equal.

There are verses of patience similar to the patience of Job; when there seem to be no end to our trials and sorrows.

Then there are verses of praise and thanksgiving. We need to learn to praise and adore our Saviour, Lord Jesus. This is really the main theme of the whole song, because it is through Christ that we can overcome and be victorious in our battle against sin and evil.

There is not even one verse about defeat or failure.

Also, you may think that your life is harder than that of other people. But when you listen to them singing the same song with you, then you realize that they went through the same trials and sorrows as you went through. Then it will be a mighty chorus, as the voice of many waters and the voice of great thunder.

If there are still some verses that you have not yet learned, then you must hurry and learn them quick, before it will be too late. Only those who have learned all the verses of the song of Moses and the Lamb will be part of the 144,000 in heaven. May the Lord help each one of us to learn it.
AMEN.

Timo Martin