Nineveh EP: Justice and Mercy in Jonah

NOTE: This post catalogs the thought process behind our Nineveh EP. The following represents my own thoughts on Jonah. For a brief overview of major scholarly interpretations on Jonah, see this page.

Jonah was right to believe that the citizens of Nineveh deserved destruction because they disregarded the commands of God and acted with total lack of respect for human life. He knew it was possible, however, that if he prophesied God’s imminent destruction of their city, the Ninevites would repent. And, as Jonah noted, God had repeatedly shown himself to be merciful to repentant sinners. Jonah knew, therefore, that his mission might very well end in the pardon of a bloodthirsty people who were notorious for oppressing the smaller people groups around them, including his own. 

Rather than becoming an instrument of salvation for the wicked Ninevites, Jonah chose to run from God by boarding a ship headed into the Mediterranean Sea. In doing so, Jonah brought upon himself the same divine judgment that, in his estimation, should have been visited upon Nineveh. He made himself a vessel of wrath in order that the Ninevites might also be destroyed. To put it more succinctly, he sacrificed himself in order that others might die, demonstrating the antithesis of God’s love.

But God would not allow his plan to be co-opted. He sent a storm to intercept Jonah’s flight. The Gentile crew members rightly assumed that an angry deity had ordered the storm to pursue them, but they didn’t know which god to appease. Jonah told them that Yahweh, the God of Israel, had sent the storm to prevent Jonah’s flight. To prevent the Gentile crew members from perishing in the storm, Jonah ordered them to cast him into the sea. God calmed the storm, and the crew members feared God. 

Ironically, while Jonah refused to facilitate the salvation of Gentiles in Nineveh, he became the facilitator of salvation for the Gentiles aboard the ship. God’s plan of salvation for all peoples could not be thwarted, and was indeed aided, by Jonah’s actions.

Still, God would not let Jonah escape his path. Instead of allowing Jonah to drown, God sent a giant fish to swallow Jonah and keep him alive. The language indicates that God “had appointed” this fish for such a task, giving another indication of divine control over the entire saga.

Nineveh EP: Background on Nineveh and the Assyrian Empire

NOTE: This post catalogs the thought process behind our Nineveh EP. The following represents my own thoughts on Jonah. For a brief overview of major scholarly interpretations on Jonah, see this page.

Nineveh was one of the largest and most important cities in the Assyrian Empire, which dominated the Middle East during the time of Israel’s greatest power. The spread of Assyria’s influence and military presence was alarming to the Jewish people, as is indicated by the prophets’ fixation with Assyria. (See, for example, Isaiah 10).

History records the brutality and cruelty of Assyrian military conquest. For example, a record found in the city of Nineveh depicts the impaling of victims in Judah (the Southern Kingdom of Israel) about 100 years after Jonah’s lifetime. The Assyrian kings were known to display victim’s severed heads and appendages as ornaments and reminders of their conquests. Additionally, the prophets of Israel and Judah, including one of Jonah’s contemporaries, Amos, foretold the Assyrian captivity of Israel long before it actually occurred. Amos wrote, “the days are coming upon you, when they shall take you away with hooks, even the last of you with fishhooks” (Amos 4:2). Consider that passage’s similarity to the practice of Assyrian king Ashurbanipal: “When Ashurbanipal didn’t kill his captives he ‘pierced the lips (and) took them to Assyria as a spectacle…’” Nahum described Nineveh as “the city of blood, full of lies, full of plunder, never without victims!” (3:1).

During his life, Jonah watched, certainly with horror, the growing terror of Assyria’s reign. He must’ve taken to heart the words of contemporary prophets. He would’ve witnessed the terror of the nations around Israel being decimated by Assyria, being led away from their homes in blood and tears. He would’ve anticipated this same fate for his family and friends in Israel.

In short, he must’ve felt great hatred for Assyria.

But what did God call him to do? To preach God’s judgment against Nineveh. At first glance, this would seem to be exactly what Jonah wanted: preemptory vengeance. Before the Assyrians could destroy Israel, God would destroy them. Perhaps this was God showing mercy to Israel by destroying their enemies.

But Jonah also knew Yahweh as “a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster” (Jonah 5:2). These words echo a common refrain of God’s merciful character throughout Scripture (Ex: 34:7, Num. 14:18, Ps. 145:8, etc.). Jonah knew Scripture, and he knew that God would have mercy on Nineveh if its inhabitants humbled themselves.

When God asked Jonah to preach to Nineveh, perhaps, to Jonah, the message sounded something like this: “Go to the city of hatred and lies, to those who will carry your children away. Through you I will show mercy and love to those who will make your people slaves.” (These are the opening lyrics to the Nineveh EP.)

Song Meanings: Ashes

You can download this song for free by clicking the download link above. (Just put 0.00 as your purchase amount. If you want to give more, we'll certainly accept it.)

Lyrics

The modern telling of an ancient curse
A new soul twisted in the timeless roots of arrogance
Driven by madness to be the first in line
To subjugate my brothers and chain them all to my unfettered pride

Everything I've gained
I count it all as loss
For the sake of knowing Christ my Savior
I've never been so alive
As when to myself I died
Rising from the ashes inside

What is the nature of freedom, human?
To sate your carnal appetite?
To take and twist and break in your fist
Any semblance of righteousness?
The passion that compels you has enslaved your will
The vice squeezing tighter each time you've had your fill

I vow to live and love and hope
Because I have no second chance
I vow to shed the cloak of ritual
And honor your desire to enchant
Every passing moment
  

Nothing New

I wrote this song in just a few minutes back in early 2012, with the exception of the bridge ("I vow to..."), which is borrowed from a song I wrote with a band called Rhinelander back in about 2003. (For more on Rhinelander, click here.) "Ashes" describes a continual self-realization: no matter how hard I try, the root of my personality seeks personal gain through the domination of others. Some part of me always wants to humiliate others (however subtly) in order to put myself in a position of greater influence.

This is no new thing; selfishness and oppression are as old as humanity. As the opening lines state, this is simply the "modern telling of an ancient curse / a new soul twisted in the timeless roots of arrogance." We want all want to be God, to rule over others.

I Sense a Trap

But the sickening part is that, even when I have achieved greater status and influence through my actions, I am never satisfied. In fact, the more success I taste, the more I find myself entangled in the desire to succeed. That's what the second verse of this song describes. As an example, consider the all-consuming desire to accumulate wealth described in Ecclesiastes 5:10–12: “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes? Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep.”

As Paul put it, "Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?" (Rom. 6:16) To continually return to the same mistake is to allow it to control you. You are no longer your own; you are the pawn of your animal instincts.

Time is Short

We only have so much time on this earth. Since our purpose is to pursue the presence of our Creator and emulate His character, any struggle with selfishness is, beyond all else, a distraction from the truth. I think that's what bothers me the most. (I have written about this before.) God has given me the chance to transcend my own selfishness, and I am nonetheless perpetually mired in it. I am wasting time, precious time to love those around me and work diligently in the tasks He has given me, both great and mundane. 

The only way for me to transcend my own selfishness is to view the world like Paul did, forsaking the chance for earthly greatness in favor of the pursuit of God. That's why the chorus of "Ashes" is a near-direct quote of Philippians 3: "But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord" (Phil. 3:7–8).

The promise of the outro ("I vow to live and love and hope") is one I should repeat to myself with each new morning. It is a desire to recognize that every minute is saturated with the holy presence of I Am, every second pregnant with hope and joy. If I am distracted by my animal instincts, how can I possibly fully experience this life?

Song Meanings: Time Untold

You can listen to and purchase this song at http://undertheroseband.com/track/time-untold.

Every Moment, Every Decision

I wrote the chorus for “Time Untold” years before the rest of the song materialized. These lyrics reflect my frustration with the temporal desires faced by all humanity and my growing boldness to defy them.  

Every moment is a chance to choose that which glorifies God. No matter the sinful decision I made in the previous moment (and I certainly make sinful decisions daily), the Spirit of God within me purifies me from all unrighteousness and allows me to carry on. God would be completely justified to destroy me at any moment in my life, but instead, He not only withholds judgment but also empowers me to transcend depravity and perform righteous acts.

God allows me to trade a single moment’s pleasure for the glorious and eternal. Ironically, in order to transcend a single moment and take hold of the eternal, I must view life as a series of moments. If I tried to view my life in light of all the choices I have made in all the moments of my life, that is, as the balance of “good deeds” versus “bad deeds,” I would focus completely on my own ability to be righteous. And of course, I have no ability to be righteous in and of myself. Instead, I must fix my eyes on the author and perfecter of my faith and run straight ahead, focusing only on His presence within me. This small view of life somehow affords an eternal perspective.

Two Perspectives

At a loss to complete the lyrics to the song, I asked Jason to weigh in on the topic. In writing the verses, he provided some insight into this spiritual balancing act, highlighting the struggle against complacency in the Christian life. For many American Christians, in any given moment, it is easier to pursue a higher paying job, a bigger house, and a more luxurious lifestyle than to seek God’s heart. It is easy to choose our life’s path based on our own comfort and not on God’s plan. For me, the questions are these: Do I seek God in every moment, or do I rest in my own decisions? As the moment of crisis arrives, do I watch and pray, or do I fall asleep? Do I choose the fleeting moment or a time untold?

Knowing Thyself

My ability to navigate this labyrinth requires great trust in God’s revelation of my own identity. I must believe that, before the creation of the world, God already knew He would save me, and He already knew every one of my days before one came to pass. For me, the only conclusion is that I am completely and perfectly qualified to make the correct spiritual decision in every situation I will ever face, not because I am an amazing person, but because God dwells in me and has promised to never take His presence from me. This is summed up in Ephesians 2 (ESV), one my favorite biblical passages:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, ⁴even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love ⁵he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. ⁷In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, ⁸which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight ⁹ making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ ¹⁰as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

 ¹¹In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, ¹²so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. ¹³In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”

Biblical References: Ephesians 2

--Aaron

Song Meanings: All Things Foolish

Lyrics

I’ve filled my human mind so full

Of wise men’s philosophy

My wisdom gives me room to move

Authority to speak

But still I’m empty to the core

And I can’t sleep at night

Not thriving, I’m running and hiding

Instead of taking flight

No one really knows the truth

History shows

We’re programmed to create a God

To explain all we see

Where are the wise men?

Where are the scholars?

Where’s the philosopher of this age?

All things foolish

A God who’s there, a God who cares

A God who dwells inside of me

A God who knows, a God who chose

To reveal Himself in all we see

Who are we?

Surely we speak of things we don’t understand

Knowledge and Meaning

This song is written from the perspective of someone who is pursuing meaning and truth through knowledge. He defines himself through this pursuit. He possesses authority and the admiration of others. But, in private moments, he laments his inability to grasp the truth, the meaning behind his existence and the universe in general. He feels bound by his intellectual pursuits. As the song progresses, the words of the Apostle Paul come aggressively to the fore, questioning the ability of humans to learn truth through their own efforts. The song concludes with an assertion that the personal God of Truth who dwells inside His people has already revealed the truth of His presence through creation.

These lyrics arose from my observation (and personal experience) that great learning cannot bring absolution and solace. This is not a new idea. Solomon’s writings in Proverbs and Ecclesiastes are much more eloquent than my own. But the prevalent philosophy in our post-Enlightenment world is that humans are able to discover truth through their observation of the universe, with the implication that as technology allows us to observe more and more, we will become progressively more enlightened. Besides being utterly unable to bring us salvation, the empirical pursuit of knowledge, I believe, can potentially be idolatrous.

Whom Do I Worship?

Humans are programmed to worship. If I believe that God does not exist because I cannot observe Him, I am essentially stating that my own observational powers are sufficient to answer the ultimate question of human history. However, in a generous lifetime of 80 years, I will be able to encounter only a fraction of a percent of all human learning (or at least that which has survived in written records), which itself represents only the things humans have been able to observe. Also, human learning is mostly limited to the earth and its surrounding space, which represents one iota of one scintilla of all matter in the universe. In addition, we are physically unable to observe objects that exist on infinitely small or infinitely large scales, and we can be sure that our ability to accurately understand the physical makeup of our world is limited. My assertion that God does not exist would be a claim of omniscience, which I obviously do not possess. To state that I have proven God does not exist would be equal to worshiping my own mind. To state that I believe God does not exist would be no more “reasoned” than believing that He does.

And again, knowledge of God is not limited to the intellectual realm. The chorus in the second part of “All Things Foolish” describes the relational knowledge of the God who holds all things together and makes His home inside His people. He interacts with me. Knowledge cannot do that. Having grown up with a scientific, intellectually driven curiosity, my own belief in God was solidified not by reason but by relationship. God spoke to me, lifted me out of my sin, rescued me from judgment, and allowed me to live a life that is meaningful, satisfying, and eternal. His desire to relate to me was the lynchpin.

In the end, I have let go of the idea that I can fully understand God. His thoughts are unsearchable. As high as the heavens are above me, so much higher are His ways than mine. And I can rest in that.

Biblical References: 1 Corinthians 1–2, Job 38–42, Isaiah 55:8–11, Romans 1

--Aaron

Song Meanings: End of End

You can listen to and purchase this song at http://undertheroseband.com/track/end-of-end. 

Puritan Metal (Puri-Core?)

This song was my attempt at writing Anne-Bradstreet-style poetry about the end of the world. In fact, I originally intended to include some direct quotes from Bradstreet’s poem “Spirit.” I love the way she eloquently expressed her thoughts about living with her Creator.

Awesome in Wrath

“End of End” is a retelling of several passages from Revelation, including chapters 1 and 20–21. When read as a dry, Sunday School story, Revelation 20 loses its full impact. But when I imagined what it might actually be like to witness the events described, I was overwhelmed. The earth and sky will flee from the awesome presence of God. The dead will be lifted from the earth and the oceans and asked to answer whether or not they sought God during their lives. What would that look like? If you saw it, how would you react? Would you fall on your face as though dead, like the Apostle John?

I would without a doubt be filled with terror as God tore apart His creation in preparing for its restoration. Have you ever considered the sheer scale of the universe? Have you considered that it takes nine full minutes for the light from the sun to reach the earth, even at a speed 186,000 miles per second? Have you considered how vast the sun is to power our entire existence? The sun is a medium-sized star, and there are countless trillions of stars in the universe.

Now consider that God will in an instant rend His creation apart and fashion NEW heavenly bodies. What sheer force! What control! What sovereignty!

Awesome in Grace

But while witnessing the end of all temporal things, I hope I would also remember that God plans to eliminate death, pain, and suffering: God “will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new’” (Rev. 21:3–5).

Like many songs on this album, “End of End” represents the juxtaposition of life and death, judgment and mercy. It is the thunder of war and the beauty of eternal peace. It is a cry for mercy and a bold declaration of victory. For me, it is both difficult and hopeful to process. If nothing else, this song is a pale attempt at explaining the grandeur of the God who saved me.

--Aaron

Song Meanings: Behold the Wicked Man

Lyrics

Behold the wicked man

He is always at his ease

He speaks oppression from on high

And his pleasures never cease

Behold his wicked words

Clothed in the violence of his lips

Surely goodness is in vain

If this is the payment that he gets

Flesh and heart may fail

And soul grows bitter from this strife

But God is the strength of my heart

And my portion in this life

The wicked, they pass away

The unrighteous will perish in ruin

But for me, by Your grace I am near You

I have made You my Rock and my Refuge

Historypeats 

In the year leading up to the recording of this song, I read a lot of history, including Jonathan Hill’s Zondervan Handbook to the History of Christianity and Melvyn P. Leffler’s For the Soul of Mankind: The United States, the Soviet Union, and the Cold War. It's no secret that throughout history, people have sewn evil and reaped power. This injustice happens all around us today. But until recently, my comfortable existence shielded me from the all-consuming nature of human wickedness. It is only through study, the advance of years, and personal loss that I now understand the pervasive nature of the Fall.

David the Honest

People have endured injustice for all human history. Reading through Scripture helps me remember I am not alone. I feel safe knowing that David, the king who was hunted by enemies, betrayed by his children, and subjected to God’s just wrath, expressed his dismay to God in honest terms: “For [the wicked] have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek. They are not in troubles as others are; they are not stricken like the rest of mankind… They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression. They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue struts through the earth… Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches…” (Ps. 73).

David expressed his anger honestly. And, in the process of pointing out the sins of the wicked, he realized his own wickedness: “But when I thought to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task… When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you.”

Like the enemies he condemned, David lived a life that was often violent and corrupt. In fact, when David wanted to build a temple for God, the Lord told him, “You may not build a house for my name, for you are a man of war and have shed blood” (1 Chron. 28:3).

The Answer Is...

In the same way, when expressing anger toward powerful people who oppress others, I find that I am no different than any oppressor throughout history. I desire to put myself above others, too. In my life, I have often advanced my own interests at the expense of others. The same toxins run through my veins. The only reason I still breathe is that God decides I should. That is why “Behold the Wicked Man” ends with these words. “But for me, by Your grace, I am near You. I have made you my Rock and my Refuge.” Like David, this is the only conclusion I can come to.

In my lifetime, there will be no solution to the problem of evil. I will never escape wickedness, whether in the world or in my own damaged heart. For me, the only answer to any question is God. God will deal with evil in His time and in His way. By His grace, He has spared me. That is all I need to know to carry on.

Biblical References: Psalm 73, 1 Chron. 28

--Aaron

Song Meanings: Proclaim

You can listen to and download this song at http://undertheroseband.com/track/proclaim. 

Lyrics

 

Out of the depths I cry unto You

In my anguish

For no other name could ever set me free

When I am with You I am not afraid

I hide under Your wings

I lift my voice, You hear my cry

You turn Your ear to me

When they surround me like a swarm

(What can man do to me?)

And push me back ‘til I am falling

(They will surely be cut off)

You are my strength and my song, God

(You are my salvation)

And I will not die on this day

I’ll proclaim what you have done

Let the sound of joy and victory

Resound in my tent

For Your right hand has done this mighty deed

I look in triumph on my sin and death

By the wonder of Your love

I trust in You and not in man

In You who set me free

Glory after glory chasing me in waves

You crawl under my skin

You’re running down my face

You hold my heaving chest

You shut my eyes with gentle touch

Here in the place You made for us

I am the place You made for us

Turning Point

“Proclaim” marked a huge turning point in the way I write songs. For years, I had wanted to use heavy music to describe my relationship with God. But, it seemed that many Christians around me preferred to write only “pretty” songs with “happy” lyrics. For some time, I felt guilty about my own musical tastes. Was I dwelling on dark thoughts and dark music? Was I not experiencing the full joy of God's presence? It didn’t help that some Christians were horrified by the sheer volume of my music and the amount of seemingly unmusical noise I produced when performing it.

But Psalm 118 encouraged me to pursue my musical tastes further. “Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me free. The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” These are powerful words of violent deliverance. These words boast in the God that defies nations. He cuts them off. His sense of eternal justice does not allow evil to escape. In his despair, the psalmist cried to God, and his God destroyed evil.

When I think about a divine army descending to crush evil, I don't think of acoustic guitars and light melodies. I think of pummeling drums, roaring guitars, and anthemic choirs. To me, this is the sound of victory. So, I tweaked the words of Psalm 118 to fit a heavy but reflective piece of music I had begun writing a few years before. The combination became “Proclaim,” the first heavy song I wrote to describe my relationship with God.

The Temple

The bridge of the song contains a few lines I wrote in a journal to describe the experience of being in God’s physical presence. He touches my skin, He moves me to tears, He holds me. The Bible makes numerous assertions that God makes His home inside His people. “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? ... For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple” (1 Cor. 3:16–17). Knowing I am in His presence is a comforting, empowering experience. It is an unparalleled wonder to be able to say, “God, I am the place You made for us to live together.”

The almighty, conquering Warrior God is one with the personal Friend.

Biblical References: Psalm 118, Psalm 103, 1 Corinthians 3, 6

--Aaron

Song Meanings: Light Amassing

You can stream and download this song at http://undertherose.bandcamp.com/track/light-amassing.

Lyrics

Stumbling blindly, never drinking deeply of the

Enriching, cleansing, healing Spring of Life

Lifetime bleeding, never reaching toward the ever

Forgiving hand you claim to hold in yours

Don’t just look forward to the eternal inheritance

For the deposit is already within you

Children of promise

From freedom to bondage

The struggle of history

We’d rather be enslaved to a system

And serving religion

Than living the mystery

And it’s killing me

Dark is passing, light amassing in the chosen

A world enchanted by this love divine

Release your fear, the time is here to walk in step

With the God who overcame the evil one

No worldly teacher gives you eternal significance

The Holy Spirit is already within you

I’ve tried living the curse of the Law

Such pride to think I could transcend the Fall

The fool rests in the wisdom of man

True faith rests in the power of God

Trust God or Trust Man?

Western culture places great value on knowledge, empiricism, and test scores but often neglects the application thereof. I think this problem sometimes exists in Christian spirituality. I certainly struggle with it.

It is easy to believe we must memorize the entire Bible in order to be spiritual. It is easy to believe we must rely on the writings of seminarians in order to be spiritual. It is easy to believe we must rely on our local Bible teachers for all wisdom, guidance, and life direction. There is great value in all these things. My life has certainly been enriched by Scripture, but at times, I have spent so much energy trying to memorize it that I was distracted from the fact that God is already inside me. My life has certainly been enriched by Christian writers and theologians, but they gleaned their knowledge from the same God who already lives inside me. I have been guided and encouraged by pastors of local churches, but they are instructed to equip me for Christian life and protect me from false doctrine, not to dictate my every decision.

But people want to put their hopes in human beings. We want to believe that spiritual leaders, heads of state, and American idols can tell us the meaning of life and lead us to our ultimate destination. But the truth is, as Christians, the ultimate destination is already inside us. The Bible says we can know God’s thoughts, that we actually have the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 1–2), that we don’t need anyone to teach us (1 John 2:27). The Bible tells us not to put our hope in princes but in God (Ps. 146), who directs the hearts of kings like a channel directs water (Prov. 21:1). The Bible says God does not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear (1 Cor. 10:13).

I am not advocating the dissolution of church authority or the contradiction of pastoral teaching that closely follows Scripture. I am not saying Christians should defy civil authorities. I am simply saying that when a new situation or decision makes me fearful, I must say to myself, “God has empowered me to face every situation I will encounter in my life. He knows what I need before I ask. He has given me divine authority to navigate this world. Why would I give that authority to someone else?”

Every day, I must remember that God interacts with me not only as a holy being who will always be infinitely greater than me but also as a Father and Friend who guides me through the details of every situation. The time is here for me to embrace this life.

--Aaron

Song Meanings: Say the Same

You can stream and purchase this song at http://undertheroseband.com/track/say-the-same.

Lyrics

As you stare at your TV all alone
While you’re hiding inside your gilded home
Take a look at the comfort you know
It will never be what it’s claimed to be

Are you here to fulfill the call of Truth?

Or just to follow the wealth you’ve known since youth?

None of it will come to any use

Such a life to lose

Such a path to choose

He defends the widow and the fatherless

He relieves their pain

He’s not afraid of the cripple on the street

Can I say the same?

Or am I to blame?

Take a look at the neighbors down the street

The broken family that you never tried to meet

It’s so easy when your life is complete

There’s no need to look out your own front door

Now decide; face the light before you run out of time

Take your cross, give your life

Before you bow to the lie

Are you ready to say that you lived like Him?

Do you live like Him?

My Life as a Spoiled American

The Baby Boomer generation experienced an average standard of living unparalleled in our nation’s history. Housing, cars, and technological conveniences became available to the masses, and arms races of gadgetry began in middle-class neighborhoods all over the United States. As a child of Baby Boomers, I am the beneficiary of this luxury. In addition, there have been no military drafts during my lifetime. And until 2008, the economy had been pretty stable during my 27 years.

I am thankful for all this. However, in my high school and college years, I often looked forward to my adult life through the lens of my childhood living standard. I expected to continue in and even exceed the wealth of my parents’ generation. In my middle-class, white, Christian bubble, it was impossible to understand the depth of poverty and crime that existed in the world. I ignored these things instead of exploring them. I wanted to pursue advanced college degrees and high salaries for the sole purpose of comfort. I would have my nice house, nice yard, and nice school zone, and I would spend all my energy, time, and money maintaining these luxuries. (And of course, there was my parallel and incongruous pursuit of rock stardom…)

The Ongoing Questions 

By itself, wealth is not evil. First Timothy 6:17–19 and Matthew 6:19–34 both say that each individual should devote himself to God above all else. Then, if God decides to bless an individual with wealth, the individual should be generous with it and understand that it is a gift from God. For me, this leads to a difficult series of questions. Am I pursuing God or my own desires? Why do I live in my current home? Why am I working my current job? I don’t mean to say that people should all sell their possessions and live in communes. (If God directs a certain group of people to do that, more power to them. He has not led me to this conclusion for my life.) This is something each person must work out with God.

“Say the Same” is a simple record of this ongoing conversation with God. Am I serving God or money? Am I tuning out the world or trying to love the people around me? Does my worship consist only of church services and “quiet time,” or is it a lifestyle of personal devotion and obedience, following the pattern established by Isaiah 58 (spoken during the song’s bridge)? 

“Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?”

Biblical References: Isaiah 58, Matthew 6, 1 Timothy 6

--Aaron

Song Meanings: Divide and Be Conquered

You can stream this song at http://www.undertheroseband.com. 

Lyrics

How can we walk with no feet to tread the earth?
How can we hear with no ears to take in sound?
The weak must not be denied
To their care we pledge our lives 
Greaer honor to brothers cast aside
We lay down our pride

One faith and one hope and one Spirit
Divide and be conquered
One love, one body, one Father
Divide and be conquered

How can we see with no eyes to take in light
How can we touch with no hands to feel the world
When you're honored, I'll rejoice with you
It is my honor, too
When you suffer, I will suffer, too
I will bleed with you

Brothers live as one
Love as one
Bleed as one

Brothers live as one

Love as one

Die as one

Forever

Meaning

The song began with some lyrics Jason had written about the need for Christian churches to pursue the unity described in biblical passages like Ephesians 4. I found the words “divide and be conquered” to be effective and catchy, and my own recent experience with church conflict drew me to the message Jason was conveying. Jason’s chorus makes reference to Ephesians 4:4–6: “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

Interestingly, the Bible simultaneously stresses the importance of both unity and diversity to the Church. While we are all united by the one Messiah who rescued us from ourselves and granted us eternal salvation, we are not instructed to deny all the characteristics and personality traits that make us individuals. The biblical metaphor of the Church being Christ’s body works well because each individual corresponds to a different body part. Each part has its own function and expertise, and when these parts work together, they contribute to the effective functioning of the Body as a whole. The verses of the “Divide and Be Conquered” refer to this metaphor, as described in 1 Corinthians 12.

The Bible also admonishes each individual to care for other members of the Body in the same way he would care for himself: “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together” (1 Cor. 12:26). The pre-chorus lyrics (“If you suffer, I will suffer, too”) reference this passage.

The bridge lyrics further reinforces the lifelong commitment believers should make to their fellow Christians. We live as one, love as one, bleed as one, and die as one. With everything that Jason and I have been through together, we strive to take this oath seriously in each other’s lives.

--Aaron

Song Meanings: A Spirit of Burning

Lyrics

By the river of Babylon I sit and weep

Among the willows I remember my home

My captors ask me to sing them a song

Demanding joy from my broken bones

In smoke and in flame

In a spirit of burning He’ll come

To heal this bloodstained land

Bringer of Hope

Through the centuries we will sing

The praises of Your mighty hand

What joy lies waiting in this foreign land

Where unending sin destroys my soul?

I cannot lift my voice here in this pit

For true song transcends my earthly role

Rejoice not over me, my enemy

When I fall down, I shall rise again

When I sit in darkness and cry out in gloom

Yahweh will cast His light into my eyes

Then you, yes you, will see Him, too

You who boast in my defeat

You will be trampled down into the mud

Down like the mire of the streets

Meaning

I wrote this song during a difficult year of my life. My family and I had moved into a new neighborhood that some outsiders are afraid to visit, and we felt isolated. My former church (into which I had been baptized and with which I had celebrated my marriage and the birth of my first child) had dissolved. I had faced other personal tragedies that many of you have also experienced. I won't list them here.

During this eye-opening time, my reading included the Major Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel), the Cold War (For the Soul of Mankind: the United States, the Soviet Union, and the Cold War), and Church History (the Zondervan Handbook to the History of Christianity). Studying the history of nations reveals one predominant theme: human beings are capable of enacting horrendous violence. And paradoxically, we argue and curse and war over how we might perfect ourselves and our society. The victors attempt to bend people to their philosophy, in some cases oppressing and murdering millions of people for the sake of “the greater good.” 

We are forever bound to toil in failed self-deification unless we can admit that the only path to absolution is the one God laid out centuries ago. But the act of this salvation was not beautiful. The Messiah willingly allowed His body to be broken, enduring insults and whips, spears and nails, biting words and demoralizing betrayal. And while His return will bring ultimate glorification, it will not be beautiful to human eyes. It will also be terrifying.

This violent rescue inspired the lyrics for “A Spirit of Burning.” Christ will return in smoke and flame, terrifying His enemies and ravishing His beloved. His justice will bring death and destruction but also joy and peace. It is difficult to hope for these things because I do not share God’s divine understanding of true justice. And, though I bear Christ's righteousness and am therefore saved from God’s wrath, I still commit the same sins that incited His wrath to begin with. I have done nothing to exempt myself from this terrifying end. It is only by God’s divine providence, not any good within me, that I will escape.

Perhaps that is why “A Spirit of Burning” sounds desperate and pained even as its lyrics proclaim the glory of God’s mighty hand.

In some ways, I identify with the Jewish exiles in Psalm 137. I long for the promise of redemption laid out in Isaiah 4. The Jews cried out for the restoration of their former home, the beautiful Jerusalem where they had forsaken the loving mercy of their God. God promised to restore them, to lead them in a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, just as He had led the Israelites out of Egypt. I identify with their anger and frustration. Yet, in these moments of anger, I must recognize that God alone has the righteousness and eternal perspective required to carry out judgment on evil and to eliminate sin from the world. I must rest that He will reveal His justice at the time He has decided.

“A Spirit of Burning,” in the vein of Psalm 137 and Isaiah 4, laments my temporary exile in a fallen world and looks forward to the restoration of all things by a loving but jealous God. It will be beautiful and terrifying, merciful and just.

-Aaron

Biblical References: Psalm 137, Isaiah 4, Revelation 19–22

Song Meanings: Give Me Something Real

Lyrics

I searched all around me to find something real

But lost myself in vodka and pills

Adrenaline rushes, knowledge, and skills

Empty as the sin inside me

But You give me something real

Something I can feel

I am astounded by You

Now I’m putting off the old

And putting on the new

I beg you: Make me like You

Became my own idol, serving myself

To the pain of everyone else

There is a way that seems right to man

It only takes you six feet under

Meaning

One of my biggest weaknesses is a deep-rooted need for acceptance. I used to spend a lot of time shaping an image for myself and trying to understand my true identity. The lyrics to "Give Me Something Real" describe just some of these misguided attempts and their destructive results.

At one point, I spent hours each day working out so people would be impressed by my appearance. But after a broken (nearly shattered) arm, countless sprained ankles, a broken hand, and two ACL repairs on the same knee, I lost the will (and ability) to define myself by my appearance.

I achieved a 4.0 GPA through college despite heavy drinking and much traveling to play in a rock band. I believed I was intellectually (and therefore holistically) superior to everyone I met and that I could somehow transcend life through knowledge. But what did being "smart" get me? A job that pays the bills. I'm incredibly grateful for it, but it certainly doesn't represent spiritual transcendence. 

I honed my musical skills so I could impress others. I believed my expression of emotion through music and poetry allowed me to transcend the issues I wrote about. It didn't. (If it had, I wouldn't still be writing about those issues.)

I sought intimate relationships, billing myself as an athletic, deep (read: “smarter than you”), charming, musical, transcendent young man but never allowing anyone access to my true insecurity, pride, and depravity. I hurt a lot of people, and it grieves me that I can never take back the pain I caused.

As you might've guessed, my attempts to define myself and transcend the mundane really didn't amount to much except heartache and grief.

Everyone is asking the question, "Why am I here?"  I looked in the wrong places for the answers and conceded to the inner animal. But when I finally turned my eyes away from myself, I found that the answer is not an activity, an enlightened understanding, or a mortal human. It is the God of the Bible.

In His arms lay my transcendence, redemption, and meaning. In His eyes, eternity awaits. But even now, when I understand the depths of salvation more than at any other time in my life, it is impossible to experience the depths of His love without also acknowledging my own brokenness. So, while “Give Me Something Real” stands as a marker of sins I can never forget, it also allows me to view myself in the proper light when I approach God. I will never be proud of my transgressions, but I will boast in God’s grace to forgive them.

Biblical References

Ephesians 4:19–24, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Philippians 3, Proverbs 14:12, Ecclesiastes