And they were singing, as it were, a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders, and no one was able to learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. Rev. 14:3.
I'll never forget a dream I had as a teenager. I was at my parents' house near New York City. It must have been a fairly deep sleep, because, as I started dreaming, I was totally unaware of reality and was totally immersed in the dream. In it I found myself in the New Jerusalem. Looking around, I saw the streets of gold crowded with happy people and an aura of glory shining out of everything around me. As it sank in that I was actually there--that the battle was over and that my salvation was secure--the first emotion that swept through me was a sense of total unworthiness. "I can't believe God accepted me--me of all people! Unworthy as I am!" A sense of amazement that this could actually happen to me washed over me.
Then a more powerful emotion replaced the sense of unworthiness. An overwhelming sense of joy and gratitude filled me. Wanting to shout and sing praises to God, I felt as if I would burst with thankfulness. I couldn't imagine doing anything else for all eternity! I just wanted to pour out my gratitude to Jesus, who made it all possible. Jesus, what a wonderful name! What a wonderful person. And I praised the glory of His grace until I woke up! Now I'm learning to praise Him in advance of heaven--for what He has already done for me.
The concept of a "new Song" does not begin in the book of Revelation. It is a common theme in the psalms. But the interesting thing is that wherever the concept of a new song appears, it is always a response to God's great salvation.
Psalm 40:3 declares, "He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God" (NIV). But in verses 1 and 2 he tells us what inspires the new song: "I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand" (NIV). That is what promoted the new song.
Psalm 98:1, 2 says, "Sing to the Lord a new song." Why "For he has done marvelous things....The Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations" (NIV). The psalmist sings a new song because of the wondrous things the Lord has done--particularly, making his salvation known throughout the world.
The psalms often repeat this pattern. Whenever the concept of a new song appears, it is always motivated by the mighty saving actions of God. When we arrive at the New Jerusalem, it is God's salvation that will inspire a new song. And we will sing that song with power because we will finally realize just how much we have been saved from.
May Your mighty works for me inspire the first notes of my "new song" today.
I'll never forget a dream I had as a teenager. I was at my parents' house near New York City. It must have been a fairly deep sleep, because, as I started dreaming, I was totally unaware of reality and was totally immersed in the dream. In it I found myself in the New Jerusalem. Looking around, I saw the streets of gold crowded with happy people and an aura of glory shining out of everything around me. As it sank in that I was actually there--that the battle was over and that my salvation was secure--the first emotion that swept through me was a sense of total unworthiness. "I can't believe God accepted me--me of all people! Unworthy as I am!" A sense of amazement that this could actually happen to me washed over me.
Then a more powerful emotion replaced the sense of unworthiness. An overwhelming sense of joy and gratitude filled me. Wanting to shout and sing praises to God, I felt as if I would burst with thankfulness. I couldn't imagine doing anything else for all eternity! I just wanted to pour out my gratitude to Jesus, who made it all possible. Jesus, what a wonderful name! What a wonderful person. And I praised the glory of His grace until I woke up! Now I'm learning to praise Him in advance of heaven--for what He has already done for me.
The concept of a "new Song" does not begin in the book of Revelation. It is a common theme in the psalms. But the interesting thing is that wherever the concept of a new song appears, it is always a response to God's great salvation.
Psalm 40:3 declares, "He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God" (NIV). But in verses 1 and 2 he tells us what inspires the new song: "I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand" (NIV). That is what promoted the new song.
Psalm 98:1, 2 says, "Sing to the Lord a new song." Why "For he has done marvelous things....The Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations" (NIV). The psalmist sings a new song because of the wondrous things the Lord has done--particularly, making his salvation known throughout the world.
The psalms often repeat this pattern. Whenever the concept of a new song appears, it is always motivated by the mighty saving actions of God. When we arrive at the New Jerusalem, it is God's salvation that will inspire a new song. And we will sing that song with power because we will finally realize just how much we have been saved from.
May Your mighty works for me inspire the first notes of my "new song" today.
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