"Forever (We Sing Hallelujah)" was released by Kari Jobe in 2014 on her album titled "Majestic". She co-wrote this song with Brian Johnson and a few others. This song has become widely known, performed, and led in churches across the country. It's a fantastic song that clearly paints a picture of the gospel, the sacrifice Jesus made for us on the cross, and the victory He now holds as the Conqueror of death, hell, and the grave.
Jobe and the other writers based this song on Revelation 5:13, "And I heard every creature in Heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, 'To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!'"
As I have listened to and led this song over the last couple years, I continue to see what Scripture teaches about Jesus' accomplishment on the cross and the victory through His resurrection. In Revelation 1:17-18 the apostle John writes, "When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as though dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying, 'Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living One. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.'"
"The moon and stars they wept. The morning sun was dead. The Savior of the world was fallen. His body on the cross. His blood poured out for us. The weight of every curse upon Him"
The song begins to paint the picture of Jesus hanging on the cross in His final moments of life. While we don't read in scripture about the moon and stars actually weeping, we do read that creation was impacted and devastated by the death of Jesus. As Jesus died, we read in Mark 15:33, "And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour." Later in the song, Matthew 27:51 is referred to. That passage tells us that, "...the earth shook and the rocks were split." Creation was impacted and devastated by the death of it's Creator. What about us today? Are we truly impacted by the death of our Creator?
"One final breath He gave as heaven looked away. The Son of God was laid in darkness.
A battle in the grave; The war on death was waged. The power of hell forever broken."
Matthew 27:46 says, "And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice saying, 'Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?' that is, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?'" As the weight of every curse was laid upon Jesus, bearing our sin, dying in our place, God the Father, in His holiness, had no choice but to turn His back on His Son and the sin that He bore. John 19:30 says, "When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is Finished," and He bowed His head and gave up His spirit." It is finished, Tetelestai in Greek, is such a powerful statement of completion. The sacrifice was made. Jesus, the lamb of God, was dead. Literally dead. His heart stopped beating. He stopped breathing. He was dead. Joseph of Arimathea was given persmission to take His body, prepare it for burial, and place it in a tomb. The stone was rolled in front of the tomb by the order of the government and Jesus' body remained there 3 days. But praise God, He didn't stay there...
"The ground began to shake; The stone was rolled away! His perfect love could not be overcome! Now death, where is your sting? Our resurrected King has rendered you defeated!"
If Jesus had remained in that tomb, if He died like anyone else and stayed dead, then His death is no more significant than any other claimed "god". Many others have walked this earth and claimed to god or a god. They die just like everyone else and you can visit their graves today. We can't visit Jesus' grave! Now sure, you can visit the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem. But, honestly, that is just speculated to be Jesus' tomb. You know why? Because He isn't there! By Jesus rising from the dead, we now have the proof that Jesus' sacrifice on the cross was sufficient for us! Jefferson Bethke says, "The cross said, 'payment given', the resurrection says, 'payment accepted!'" Jesus truly defeated death, defeated hell, and defeated the grave! As those who put our faith and trust in Jesus and the good news of the gospel, we no longer have to fear death, hell, or the grave. Paul tells us in Philippians 1:21, "...to die is gain." We no longer have to fear death because when we die, we get to start to our eternity with Jesus! 1 Corinthians 15:54-57 says, "...'Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?' The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord, Jesus Christ."
Forever He is glorified! Forever He is lifted high!
Forever He is risen! He is alive!
It is Finished! It's over! It's done! Jesus is forever risen! He or anyone else will ever have to die for our sins again. He proved that it's over and displayed His victory over sin by rising from the dead. Now, He is forever glorified and lifted high! Revelation chapter 4 paints a picture for us of those in Heaven worshiping the risen Savior. Verse 8 tells that, "...day and night, they never cease to say, 'Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!'" Verse 10 and 11 go on to tell us that they, "...fall down before Him who is seated on the throne and worship Him forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 'Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they existed and were created.'"
"We sing hallelujah, the Lamb has overcome!"
Matthew 27:51a says, "And behold, the curtain of the the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom." As Jesus died, the veil in the temple that separated the Holy of Holy's (where the presence of God literally dwelt) from the common places that people could access, was torn in two. This miracle was God displaying that we now have open access to Him and His presence through the blood of Jesus. So, as we accept Jesus as our Savior and believe that His sacrifice was sufficient as the atonement for our sins, we now can join the songs of Heaven we read about in Revelation.
"Hallelujah" means "praise Yahweh". So as we remember the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross, the victory He displayed at the resurrection, and the victory we now have through Him, let's celebrate our Savior! Let's sing Hallelujah, praise Yahweh, because the Lamb, our Savior, Jesus has overcome!
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