The National Anthem of the Kingdom of God

Each summer in the Royal Albert Hall in London, England, the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus team up with the classical music world’s finest instrumental and vocal soloists for a remarkable eight week series of daily performances, called “The Promenade Concerts” – affectionately known as “The Proms.”

The final concert of this series – “The Last Night of the Proms” – is always something very special to British classical music lovers.  The audience dresses in patriotic costumes with bowler hats, suits, dresses, etc. adorned with the British flag – the Union Jack.

During the first half of the concert, the audience is deceptively quiet and attentive – which, of course, is very right and proper behaviour for most classical music concerts.  But in the second half, they are encouraged to let their nationalistic juices flow freely as they join the huge choir in performances of rousing, patriotic, nationalistic songs such as:

• Sir Hubert Parry’s “Jerusalem” which sets to rousing music the words from William Blake’s poem, “And did those feet in ancient time walk upon England’s mountains green?”

• Sir Edward Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance March, Number 1 which concludes with A.C. Benson’s tears-inducing poem, “Land of Hope and Glory.”

• A medley of traditional Sea Songs arranged by Sir Henry Wood, featuring the well-known patriotic song, “Rule Britannia, Britannia rules the waves, Britons never, never, never shall be slaves”

The concert concludes with a raising of the rafters with the singing of the British national anthem, “God save the Queen.”

In this article, I would like to compare the patriotic, nationalistic songs of modern times and of Bible times with some other biblical songs, one of which might well be the National Anthem of the Kingdom of God.

Nationalistic songs of modern times

Although these patriotic British Songs, when they are sung at the Last Night of the Proms, are sung somewhat tongue-in-cheek and are laced with a good deal of humour, the nationalistic pride of the singers really does shine through.  Every year, the words of these anthems and the enthusiastic voices of the singers never fail to bring a lump to my throat and a tear to my eye.

As I was doing some research for this article, I looked up the words to the national anthems of many of the countries where we have church members:

• Trinidad & Tobago

• South Africa

• The Netherlands

• France

• Australia

• Zambia

• Namibia

• The Philippines

• Germany

• The U.S.A.

• Canada

It would be nice if we had space hear to include recordings of these rousing anthems; or even to just to list their words.  But unfortunately, we do not.  However, I found two interesting threads that are common to the words of many of these anthems.  One is that many of them have militaristic undertones, and the second is that many of them call on God.  Let us take a quick look at these two common threads:

Militaristic undertones 

Most of these militaristic undertones are quite low-key.  One example is the Zambian anthem which declares that our Zambian friends are “Victors in the struggle for the right; we have won freedom's fight.” 

Another is in our own Canadian national anthem which proudly concludes, “O Canada, We stand on guard for thee.” 

There are others, like the French “Marseillaise” which are (with apologies to our French brethren) out-and-out ferocious!

With that, let us move on to our second common thread:

Calling on God

Many national anthems call on God, and ask Him for His protection, victory or might.   But even here, we perceive militaristic undertones! 

Many of these anthems were composed during eras when the citizens and leaders of the countries had at least some more fear and respect for God than ours do today.

Yes.  The words of our anthems are grand, and their performances are wonderful, magnificent and stirring.  But in calling on God, we may be sure that most modern singers lack true sincerity when they sing them.  Of course they must!  At least for the time-being, they do not know God!  They may call on Him in the words of their anthems; but they refuse to honour and obey Him.  The prophet Ezekiel was inspired to foresee this trait in the people of Israel – both ancient and modern:

Nationalistic songs of Bible times

Like their modern descendants, the ancient Israelites were very proud of their nation, and they often expressed their pride in song.  In Exodus chapter 15, Moses led the Israelites in a marvellous song of thanksgiving and praise to God after He had brought them through the Red Sea.  For now, let us just read two of the song’s eighteen verses:

Here we see the same ingredients as in our modern national anthems: God and war.  The difference, though, is that in this case, it was God who did all the necessary fighting.

Shortly after the singing of Moses’ song, later in the same chapter, we read of another song (and a dance) by his sister Miriam and a choir of Israelite women, in which they echo Moses’ words (Exodus 15:20-21).

Other scriptures contain both happy nationalistic songs, and more serious ones.  Here is one example of the serious songs.

Just before Moses went up Mount Nebo to die, after giving his final instructions to the children of Israel, he sang a duet with Joshua.  It was a very long song which was actually written by God and, far from being joyous, it contained some serious, dire warnings to Israel:

This second Song of Moses is 43 verses long! – way too long for us to reproduce here.  It appears that God and the Israelites liked long songs! 

Another example of a long patriotic song is the thirty-verse Song of Deborah, in which she gives thanks to God for the deliverance of Israel from the Canaanites.  When you have time, you can read it in chapter 5 of the book of Judges. 

As Moses sang a long song just before his death, so shortly before David’s death, after God had delivered him from various enemies, David sang a long, inspiring, fifty-verse song to God.  You can read its words in II Samuel, chapter 23.

From our regular, weekly hymn-singing, we all know that the book of Psalms is filled with marvellous songs – some written by David – some written by others.  Many of them are both patriotic for physical and spiritual Israel and filled with praise for God. 

At the times in which the Psalms were composed, the Israelites’ nationalism and praise of God were considered to be one and the same thing.  As Old Testament Israel was – at least for part of its history – making some attempt at being the people of God, its nationalism and patriotism was inseparable from God’s tabernacle and, later, His temple. 

Singing and instrumental music were both very important in God’s house.  Whole families of musically-talented Levites were set apart just for these responsibilities:

There were 288 temple musicians!  That is a pretty good sized orchestra and chorus, even by modern standards!

After Judah’s return from exile in Babylon, the restorers of the temple thought it important also to re-establish the musical services.  We can read of this in the twelfth chapter of the book of Nehemiah.

So we see that the people of Israel – both ancient and modern – have continued singing their proud anthems and nationalistic songs throughout the centuries.  But God warns us that, because of our nations’ sins, a time is coming when He will put a stop to the singing of our proud songs and anthems:

Note the term “your songs.”  Many of the patriotic songs of Israel were not – and are not – God’s songs. 

Through the prophet Amos, God tells our nations:

• Take away from me the noise of your songs  (5:23)

• The songs of the temple shall be howlings in that day  (8:3)

• I’ll turn your songs into lamentation  (8:10)

God’s new songs

But happily, that dreadful, music-less era will be very short-lived.  As God restores the people of Israel to their homeland, new songs of national joy will be composed and sung:

The joyful and soothing words of these new anthems will relegate the old vainglorious, war-like topics to where they belong – firmly in the past!  The accent will no longer be on human military strength.  Rather, the songs will encourage and emphasize trust in the might of God, His salvation and righteousness, His truth and peace.

When that time comes… the wonderful time that the people of God’s church anticipate and celebrate each year at the Feast of Tabernacles – that time when war will finally be a thing of the past (except, of course, for Satan’s final attempts at the end of the Millennium) – the newly-Spirit-born children of God will give a “repeat performance” of one of the Songs of Moses:

Are you perhaps worried that you may not have a good enough singing voice for that performance?  Don’t worry.  I’m sure that God will give you one!  The scriptures indicate that, at Christ’s return, all of us will be specially chosen and given the ability to be part of a very elite chorale.

But which “Song of Moses” will we sing then?  Will we sing the joyous one from Exodus 15?  Or his song of dire warning from Deuteronomy 31?  I would think that, in all probability, it would be the first one – the joyous one.  As God gave ancient Israel a great, miraculous victory over Egypt’s might, so He will give spiritual Israel an even greater, an even more miraculous victory – this time, over the Beast and the dragon which empowers it.

But John’s God-inspired vision tells us that, in addition to the song of Moses, we will also sing the “Song of the Lamb.”  As we have seen, God tells us the words of this Song of the Lamb; but just imagine how incomparably fabulous the music will be!  We may wonder if both of these songs will be sung together – with different words, yes, but both in total harmony with one another – like a vast and magnificent, multi-part fugue by Johannes Sebastian Bach.

Now, what about God’s “new song”? – or rather, new songs?  There are seven mentions of “new songs” in the Old Testament.  But these two songs mentioned in the book of Revelation appear to be extra-special ones:

These words remind one of the glorious choruses in the closing pages of Handel’s “Messiah.”  Here is the second of God’s new songs:

This one seems to be a different “new song” to the other one.  Revelation 5 quotes the words to its new song.  But in this one in Revelation 14, only the elite choir of the “144,000 redeemed” may learn its words and music.

Perhaps one of these new songs will be the official National Anthem of the Kingdom of God!   In that day, God's National Anthem will not be sung out of haughty, militaristic nationalism.  Rather, it will be sung in true worship and honour to the great God and to His Firstborn Son, Jesus Christ.

If it really is a “National” Anthem, what will the “Nation” be?  Yes, physical Israel is to be restored.  But the foremost “nation” will be spiritual Israel – which will be made up of the Family of God – the very Kingdom of God!

It is inspiring for us to use our God-given imaginations in a proper way, and to speculate on subjects such as this.  Perhaps God will choose the very best singers from among all His holy angels.  Perhaps, like the organizers of The Proms, He will team them up with the best singers and musicians of His human and resurrected children!

And, again, what might the words be to that National Anthem of the Kingdom of God?  Will they be the words to the Song of the Lamb?  Or one of God’s new songs?  Or will they perhaps be similar to the wonderful songs of praise in “The Messiah” the words of which Handel took from various verses in the book of Revelation?:

Still with the closing bars of Handel's “Messiah,” we’ll finish on these inspiring, exciting, and wonderful words:

So be it!   Amen!

December 5, 2010

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