Battle Hymn of the Republic

1 Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord;

He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;

He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword:

His truth is marching on.

Refrain:

Glory! Glory! Hallelujah!

His truth is marching on.

2 I have seen Him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps;

They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps;

I can read the righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps;

His day is marching on. [Refrain]

3 He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat;

He is sifting out the hearts of all before His judgment seat;

O be swift, my soul, to answer Him; be jubilant, my feet!

Our God is marching on. [Refrain]

4 In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,

With a glory in his bosom that transfigures you and me;

As He died to make us holy, let us die that all be free!

While God is marching on. [Refrain]

Today we sang this hymn in church. It is stirring and moving. The lyrics are filled with meaning. It is a great work of art. As such; the meaning and even value of this hymn is hotly debated. Some even call for the hymn to be banned from public singing!?!? Some say it incites violence. And encourages people to think of war as a battle of good vs evil.

I think we need to get our head on straight. This hymn was written in relation to the Civil War. From the Northern side and the Abolitionist prospective. We need to see that as the side of good. The Civil War was horrible, but it had to be fought to hold the United States together and put an end to the inhumane practice of slavery. It was a tragic price to pay but it made our country and the world a better place.

We need to learn to discern good from evil. We need to pray and study GOD'S word so we can know what God's will is. And, we need to strive to be on God's side. Otherwise our world will become a place no one wants to live in.

Comments

obedient unto death

Philippians 2:8 "And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." Are you offended? The creator of the universe became incarnate and walked with people. He served people. He sacrificed Himself for you and me. Was this work beneath Him? Did He have to do this? Why is THIS God's plan? Who am I to question GOD'S plan? In this letter, Paul's Holy Ghost inspired writing tells us to put others’ interests ahead of our own. Paul tells us to live from a spirit of selflessness, compassion, and unity, reflecting the character of Christ and His love for humanity. A love that is truly "MIGHTY!" "MIGHTY" is one of the names the prophet Isaiah recorded for the Messiah. This is NOT the typical way to be "MIGHTY." Jesus is GOD, and all the glory and majesty that comes with that. And God came down from heaven to be born into the family of people. GOD lived with us and died for us. ...

the donkey

Luke 19:32-34 "32 And they that were sent went their way, and found even as He had said unto them. 33 And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt? 34 And they said, The Lord hath need of him." God's Grand Plan is your REDEMPTION! Since GOD can make that happen, getting a donkey to ride into Jerusalem is easy! Before the celebratory crowd is shouting "HOSANNA!" Jesus sent 2 Disciples to get a donkey. What is described in today's verses is exactly the way Jesus said things would unfold. Here we can see Jesus is in charge of ALL creatures. The people and the donkeys! In the verses leading up to here we can read that the Disciples are not getting it. They are thinking the Messiah was going to take David's throne. Take Israel back from the Roman occupation. People did not understand God's Grand Plan. Even though Jesus told them all. On their way to Jerusalem they pass through Jericho. Zacheas was there, the...

encouragement

Ephesians 6:10 "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might." We continue our study of the Lord's Prayer. This week, "Deliver Us From Evil." is also translated as "Deliver Us From The Evil One." We need to remain "sober" and "vigilant." A big part of this is studying the Holy Scriptures, like we are doing. We want to form a solid united front against Satan. For the heart of our studies we turn to Paul's letter to the Ephesians. It was one of four letters Paul wrote while in prison in Rome. Paul cared deeply for the Ephesians. He lived with them for three years as this church was forming. He wants to encourage them and help them become successful. His words can help you and me today.

Sermon Notes; a Daily Devotional

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