the new song

The new song

It's the Bridegrooms song, carried out by His bride...
NBS 242

Can you sing The new song?

And only they could learn the song.....

"Then I saw the Lamb standing on Mount Zion and with Him 144 000 people who had His name and His Father's name written on their foreheads. And I heard a sound from heaven like the noise of many waters and of loud thunder. The sound I heard was also like the singing of musicians playing their lyres. They were singing a new song before the throne, before the four living beings and the elders. And only the 144 000 who had been bought from the earth could learn the song. (Rev.14:1-3).

In this magnificent sight, the holy apostle John, had come to see, and afterwards produced it for our eyes; "the congregation of Christ on earth." Because "Mount Zion" here, means, as it usually also does, "the congregation here on earth."

The same thing when it comes to Hebr.12,22, were it's written: "No, you have come to Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem..."" and those, to whom, this was spoken, still lived here on earth. John saw the Lamb that stood on Mount Zion, surrounded by the great flock of those who were bought free from bondage, and had the name of the Lamb, and His Fathers name, written on their foreheads, and he heard a sound from heaven, like the noise of many waters, and of loud thunder. And he heard musicians playing on their lyres.

But what we in particular shall notice, is the song he heard. He heard "a new song" that was sung before the throne of the Lamb. And it's about this song, that he points out, this peculiar sign, that no one could learn the song, except the flock, that was bought from the earth. And if anyone then asks, what song this might be; "this song that no one but the bought ones, could learn," we find the answer in the same revelationbook 5, 6-10: "Between the throne (with the four living beings) and the elders, I saw a Lamb standing as though it had been slaughtered….. When He had taken the scroll (the sealed book, see v.1), the four living beings and the twenty- four elders bowed down before the Lamb.... And they sang a new song: "You are qualified to take the scroll and open the seals on it, because you were sacrificed and with your blood, you bought them from every tribe, language, people and nation to be God's own.

Here we see that the new song, no one but the bought ones could learn, is a song about the Lamb only. About what it has done. The very deep message itself, and the power of the blood of the Lamb, and it's death for sinners.

But now we shall try, to take a closer look, into what it means, that no one could learn it, except the bought ones. The Scripture itself, explains the Scripture. Therefore, we once again will quote some bibleverses. In Jer.31,31-36, it is spoken about the "new covenant" (the covenant of mercy) that should be established and what the difference should be, between that and the old "covenant of the law." Among the things that should mark the new covenant, was also this, that nobody could come in under this covenant without having received this "new law" of God Himself in their minds and in their hearts. And no man, neither ones brother nor ones neighbour, should even with the clearest message, be able to pass this on to each other. "

And so we read this: "And no more will anyone have to teach his neighbour or his brother, and say: "Know the Lord"; because they will all know Me, from the least to the greatest of them says The Lord., because I will forgive the wrong they did and not remember their sins anymore." (v.34). What peculiar thing is this? Shall we stop preaching the gospel? No,the Lord says: "Go...and preach the good news.." (Marc.16,15.)

But, He says here, firstly, when they know me, they have come in under the covenant of mercy. And this happens when I forgive their misdeeds, when the great grace and forgiveness are revealed unto them. Then they get a new light, so they all know me, both the least and the greatest of them, says the Lord. Christ repeats the same, only with these simple words: " God will teach everyone." (Joh 6:45). And in Luk.10,22, He says: "Only the Father knows the Son. And only the Son - and anyone to whom the Son wants to reveal Him - knows the Father." Is it then so, that He doesn't want to reveale it for everybody? Yes, He will not reveale it for the "wise and intelligent people" (Mat 11:25), that is, for those who think they've got the necessary knowledge, that's not like children, who are not poor in spirit, who are not miserable in their own eyes, blind, naked, and don't bow themselves before God and must ask for all they need, but will force themselves with might, to light, power and righteousness.

But you'll never become a humble child, before you experience the conversions distress, caused by your sin. When you not only understand and talk about conversion, but you, yourself, experience that it carries on so badly in this, that you've given up all your own possibilities to contribute with anything in that case. But even when it comes that far, you can't just by yourself, take the gospel before you, and then take the light of salvation into your heart. It depends on whether Christ "will reveale it" unto you, or not. Yes, it's really a kind of revelation, or sight - but not as a totally detached experience, without the Word. But, only by the word. Not as a dream, "out of the air," but in the gospel of Christ.

Luther says: "When God gave us His word, He said: "I will provide that it's written and preached, explicit and clear. But though, allways provide that it shall be dependent of my Spirit, who shall comprehend it." As we mentioned, Jesus said: "anyone to whom the Son wants to reveal..." Isaiah says: "And to whom has the Lord's mighty working been revealed?" (Is.53,1). ...by unveiling the mystery veiled in silence for long ages." (Rom.16,25).

It's really only a new view of the truth's of the gospel, that separates the true knowledge from the false one.

The form and the words can be completely the same, but the aim is different. It's also created a separation because of the fruit and the power the living knowledge gives: the peace, the delight, the love and humility. Just take one example: Two people are so alike in nature as they possibly can be. They've been given the same spiritual teaching, have been awakened and are seeking, and now both profess their faith in Christ. But the one can be a foolish virgin, the other a wise (Mt.25). The one has gained life, the other hasn't. But they can have exactly the same profession about conversion, about faith and about sanctification. But the difference is, that the one's talking about it with life and warmth. He's talking either with delight or with anxiety about his salvation or about his sin. He's talking like we do about a great heritage we have received, but now someone trys to take from us through legal procedure and that we, for that reason, now and then, are afraid we shall loose it, and then again hope that we shall regain.

The other one, on the other hand, certainly speaks right and plain, pure and true, and is zealous for the pure teaching and dogmas. But he speaks just as level-headed and coldly about the most glorious treasures of grace, like it was someone elses heritage and property he was speaking about. And though he can clearly and explicit show from the Scriptures that it also belongs to him. I f he really believed what he says, it should truly set his heart on fire and give him peace, joy and life.

You who are reading this, and that believes all, that the new song contains, about the Lamb - the song that for those who are saved and free, home in the heavens, are eternaly new, and delights them in all eternity - but for you, this has never made you so happy, as when someone gives you a real great gift - Don't you even now understand that your faith is dead? You believe that God in Christ has reconciled the world with Himself. You believe that we were reconciled with God, by His Son's death when we were enemies. You believe that this reconcieling, that took place "when we still were enemies," witch also includes you - who also are a part of "the world." You believe all this, but you have never been really comforted or happy about this? Nor gained real peace in your conscience. Can you still mean that your faith is right? You have maybe read hundreds of times, heard and believed it was true, that God so loved the world, when it still not yet, was reconcielled, that He gave His only-begotten Son, who took on Himself the guilt the world had obtained, because of it's sin, the wrath and the curse, and fulfilled the demands of rightiousness so that God was reconceiled, and now invites all to come to His embrace. You have read and heard that it wasn't prayers or anything else that moved the Father of the prodigal son, - but that, when the son still was a long way from home, his father's heart was burning of love. so he ran towards him. This you have heard, but it hasn't dawned more upon you than that you're still only "hoping" when it's quoted that God is no longer angry towards the fallen family of Adam, after the Son stepped down in flesh.

A thousand times you've heard that it's only the disbelief, or that we deliberately don't want to come to the "wedding," that causes condemnation - this condemnation in itself, precisely is "God's wrath"- and that, there in God's heart is no loger any wrath that condemns us. Still you believe that God Himself hardens in wrath when you are sinful and unworthy!

In this way you can maybe through your own experience, understand the difference between the knowledge that the one brother, had about God, and that he was able to speak about it to others, - and that knowledge that's called, "to be learnt by God." Now you might understand what it means that, "no one else could learn that song except for those who were bought from the earth.

C.O.Rosenius

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