adminEdgar Moyana Christian Entertainment
The Bible prophesy that says Jesus Christ will return to earth for the second time to redeem His loved ones and to judge the world, is one message in the Bible that will continue to inspire and instil hope in people across generations. It’s a message that will always shape the whole aspect of worship and prayer since the faith of Christians is centred on the belief that Christ will come again.
Due to the centrality of this message or Bible prophesy, many Christian books and songs have been authored by different writers to teach this good news from the bible.
Looking at songs, I am reminded about one song-writer who may be hardly known but whose song on the subject inspires and motivates many in the world today.
The name Jessie E Stroutmay sounds unfamiliar to many but the song she wrote titled “Lift up the trumpet” sometimes known as “Jesus is coming again” may probably ring a bell.
Penned way back in 1872, the song teaches that Christ Jesus who once lived on earth before returning to heaven, would make a second appearance on earth at the end of time.
The song has a tone of urgency to it, meaning the news it proclaims, that Christ was coming again, is a very important piece of information urgently needed by a people of today’s world who are tired of the ravaging effects of sin and corruption.
It’s a song about a world spectacle soon to take place and whose message is directed at both sinner and the right living, to observe signs of the times since the soon coming of Jesus, which was to be preceded by certain signs and events was around the corner.
I have every reason to believe that Jessie Strout must have been deeply moved by God’s spirit to compose this hymn, which today is sung in many churches across the world.
Her song has a deep spiritual meaning which requires deep thinking with prayer is one is to fully grasp its message.
It hinges on the promise made by Jesus while still on His earthly ministry that He would return to earth to judge the world and to take His own together with Him to heaven, John 14:1-3.
To the faithful believer, the message of Christ’s second coming is treated in Jessie’s song as a message of hope and one that calls for jubilation because Christ promised to redeem and reward all those who waited for Him, Hebrews 9:28.
In its first stanza, the song-writer urges for a world-wide and speedy proclamation of the happy news that says Jesus was coming again.
“Lift up the trumpet, and loud let it ring; Jesus is coming again!”
According to the song, this message of Christ’s coming completes the faith of Christians and it fills them with a renewed sense of hope.
These Christians are also described as pilgrims who are understood to be on a journey of faith which will see them progressing from this mortal existence to immortality.
“Cheer up, ye pilgrims, be joyful and sing; Jesus is coming again!”
The urgency of this message is highlighted in subsequent stanzas, for example in stanza two where she instructs that the message be proclaimed on hilltops and plains, while in stanza three she instructs that the message be preached to countries across oceans.
In the last stanza, Jessie talks about how conflicts among nations coupled with the continued increase in knowledge, both biblical and scientific, are sure indicators of Christ’s soon coming, as taught in the Bible.
“Nations are angry – by this we do know Jesus is coming again! Knowledge increases; men run to and fro; Jesus is coming again!”
She quotes Daniel 12:3 which says “Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased” to illustrate the idea that the wide spreading of knowledge of God’s word together with the continued reliance on human scientific knowledge and wisdom by the world today would signal the soon coming of Christ.
There is no doubt that even as the world today may entertain thoughts of giving up its faith or grow tired from waiting for the fulfilment of the prophesy one thing that is certain is that Jesus will return at some point without fail.
More song writers should therefore emulate the example of Jessie Strout and compose similar songs so that the world may stay informed about the soon coming of Jesus, and also that it may be warned against habits of sin and corruption.
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