The New Song.
"And they sung a new song." - Rev. 5:9.
John, the beloved disciple, though an exile on a lonely island, was most wonderfully blessed. The veil that hides the beauties of the celestial realm from mortal view was drawn aside, and the eyes and ears of this favored apostle were permitted to feast upon the grandeur of that glory world and the perfect harmony of its music. He beheld its multitudes of worshipers, heard the accents of their eternal hosannahs, witnessed their profound adoration and the ardor of their love for God. He seemed especially impressed with the sweet music of the "new song" announced in our text. As the apostle listened to the divine accents of this heavenly song his soul must have overflowed with emotions of inexpressible delight. To him, in his lonely longings to be with Christ, any song sung to the glory of his dear Redeemer's name would have been exceedingly enchanting. How charming, then, must have been the melody of the "new song" he heard!The theme of this song is new. Amidst all the themes of earth and heaven there is no other like it. It must ever remain new, because its inestimable value will ever be felt by all who are able to sing it. "And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation." The book mentioned here is supposed to be the purposes and counsels of Jehovah regarding the salvation of his people in particular, and the hidden events of the future in general. John had wept when it was announced that no man was found who was worthy to open and read the book, neither to look thereon. How joyful to him must have been the further announcement of one of the elders, "Weep not; behold the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof!" It will be observed that it is the infinite excellencies of Jesus Christ, as the great medium of God's communication with man, the wise expounder of the "deep things" of the divine administration of justice and mercy, which constitutes the theme of this song. It is a new theme, and must forever remain new. No personage ever did share the honors of Christ's position in this respect, and none ever will share those honors. In peerless dignity and glory he stands alone as being worthy to take the majestic book of his Father's counsels and purposes from his hand and loose its seals. What a new theme for the celestial song. It embraces the glory, the worth, the dignity of Jesus Christ as he unfolds the eternal purposes and grand principles of Jehovah's administration over his church. There is but one Mediator between God and man, but one great expounder of his infinite counsels, but one book of eternal decrees, and but one worthy to take that book and loose the seals.
This song is new because it celebrates completed redemption. "Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood," was given as the very reason of his being worthy to take the book and open the seals. When Christ poured out his life's blood he then redeemed his people. Every one who will ever sing his praise in heaven was then redeemed by his blood. He obtained eternal redemption for them, because he finished their redemption, paying all that was required to that end. This is necessarily personal and special. Such a thing as a redemption being made for every body in general and no body in particular is so absurd! There can be no such thing as a redemption that fails to redeem the thing intended to be redeemed. Redemption is the act of redeeming certain persons, the very persons that are intended to be redeemed. No other view of the matter can be supported by reason. It is a buying again or the payment of a ransom price required to liberate a captive. Hence the church is said to be purchased with the blood of Christ. Acts 20:28. The idea of a purchase is inseparably associated with the idea of some definite object or objects purchased. This is clearly expressed in the new song we are considering: "For thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us." It is essential to the work of redemption that all the required price be paid. This Jesus did when he shed his blood. Redemption is necessarily enduring, so that the thing redeemed can never come under the obligation or state from which it is redeemed. Redemption once performed is forever. By Christ's "own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us." The sweet notes of this new song, bursting on the air of heaven, was borne down to earth to greet the ear of the exiled disciple in the solitude of his island abode. O glorious music! Its harmonies are imperfectly sounded by the redeemed on earth, but in heaven they all blend in unison of sound that makes the hearts of its inhabitants rejoice.
This song is new in respect to the vast numbers that cordially join in it. Only a limited number can sing together on earth, and there is sure to be some discord in the music made by these. But on a far grander scale is the music of heaven written. The beloved disciple had a view of the vast multitude that united in singing this new song. What a thrilling description he gives of this celestial choir! "And I beheld and heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the beasts, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands." These numbers are not given to convey the idea of a definite number that united in that heavenly song, but to give an overwhelming impression of the vastness of the multitude. Surely it is proper to consider this song new in respect to the unnumbered and innumerable myiads that chant its immortal harmonies. What must be the music of such a song!
This song is new because it celebrates the blending of the justice and mercy of God in the salvation of his people. The infliction of the punishment due their sins upon Christ was just, because as their voluntary surety he had engaged to die for them. He voluntarily laid down his life for his own sheep (John 10:11). It was through this channel that the mercy of God could be extended to them, and yet his justice was not tarnished. It was because Christ had died for them that God could be merciful to their transgressions. Thus it is declared that it is "not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Lord." Is there any other song like this? Will it not be forever new? Those of the Arminians who reach heaven will have to sing the Old Baptist doctrine there, but they will love it then, and it will be a new, sweet song to them sure enough.
This is a new song, from the fact that its harmonies are absolutely perfect. What we call harmony here is but discord compared with the music that John heard. The voices of mortals present a variety of differences, and besides the states of the singers' minds are necessarily so various as to interfere with a full and perfect harmony, for it is an acknowledged fact that the state of the mind greatly influences the voice. The tones of grief, anger, fear, love, and other emotions, are peculiar and easily distinguished. But in the song we are considering there is not a discordant note. Every mind is filled with the same pure emotions, supreme love, adoration, and praise to the Lamb that was slain. No sin is there to unstring the heart and put it out of tune, no sorrows to sadden the soul and bring from it the wail of distress, no fears to damp the ardor of the spirit and make the voice tremulous, no domestic trouble to mar the flow of sound, no wave of death to chill a single heart or stop one voice of the innumerable through, no sigh, no sob, no groan to mingle with the music and mar its heavenly numbers. This new song is befitting the high and holy sanctuary of Jehovah. He is pleased with it, for it is the song of the people he chose and gave to his Son. He is pleased with it, furthermore, because his own listening ear can detect no discords.
This is a new song, because it is the only one that will be sung forever - it will never end. The sweetest song of the Christian, while here below, must soon be brought to a close. Every joyous melody on earth is but short-lived. "The fashion of this world passeth away" in this respect as well as all others. How different is the song, the new song sung in heaven. The voices are all immortal, the hearts that delight in its melodies are all undying hearts. Its bliss is essentially the bliss of heaven. The inhabitants of that holy city will enjoy that bliss by chanting the new song of praise on and on, in a duration of existence that is unmeasured by the flight of time.
Oh! Is it possible that such sinners as we are will ever enjoy the bliss of that song? It is not only possible but certain. None but sinners can ever say, "Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation." You who love the name of Jesus here will join that grand hallelujah chorus over there. Dear reader, is your heart enmity against him, or is there sweetness in his name to you? You either love him or you hate him. If you love him, it is because he first loved you. If he ever loved you, he loves you still, and will ever love you. All those whom he loves will praise him forever in heaven. Can we devote too much time to the service of him here? May we not patiently endure the trials that befall us, since it will be well with us when we reach the end of the way? Love and joy and praise will thereafter employ our powers and fill our utmost desires. Then let us have as much as possible of the foretaste of these on our journey.
Dear Lord, accept the praise
Of these, our humble songs,
Till tunes of nobler sound we raise
With our immortal tongues.
J. R. D.
Copyright c. 2003. All rights reserved. The Primitive Baptist Library.
