Essay Seven
A New Song
“And I looked, and lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred and forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads. And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.” (Revelation 14:1&3)
The Goodness of God leads to Repentance
Perhaps never before in the history of God’s people, has there been a greater need to hear the comforting, faith building song of the new covenant. Yet the shepherds of Israel continue to sing the disquieting words of condemnation and judgment which we so richly deserve under the administration of the old covenant. Certainly our sin is great, and the cleansing fire of God’s judgment burns in our midst, but it is at just such a time that we need to be reassured of God’s grace and mercy. “knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.” (Romans 2:4)
Maybe the reason the song of the old covenant is so popular is its appeal to the flesh. The natural man is attracted to self-improvement programs, and exhortations to self-righteousness. It was at the inauguration of the old covenant that Israel in their own ignorant self-confidence, uttered those fearful words, “All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient.” (Exodus 24:7)
The Confirmation of the Old Covenant
Henry W. Soltau in his book, The Holy Vessels and Furniture of the Tabernacle, describes the consequences of Israel’s zeal without knowledge. “And then Moses sprinkled both the book and all the people, and the covenant was confirmed, so that no one could disannul it; a covenant which bound them to obedience, and bound God to punish disobedience; a covenant that rested for the performance of its terms on their own faithfulness and strength; and in which God had, so to speak, nothing to do Himself, but to watch the results of their actions, and to deal with them accordingly. And what were they? Poor lost sinners at their very birth, children of wrath by nature – without strength at the very outset, save that they had the strength of the flesh, which could only act in the way of sin. Doubtless, it sounded well in the ears of men when they uttered the resolution to obey God. It doubtless gratified their own hearts, and seemed like humble obedience; but what was it in reality, but the expression of their own ignorance of God’s righteousness, and their own helpless and ruined condition? What was it but a proof that sin had so blinded their eyes that they were unable to discern their own state, and supposed themselves competent to obedience, when in reality they were in the helplessness of death? And does not many a good resolution, even at the present day, manifest the same ignorance of self – the same dream of strength when there is really none – the same thoughtlessness as to God’s holiness and man’s incompetence?”
In the book of Romans, the apostle Paul expresses his grief at Israel’s unwillingness to cast off the old covenant, and find peace and rest in the new. “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness, to every one that believeth. For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.” (Romans 10:1-5)
Our Righteousness is as Filthy Rags
Those who trust in their own righteousness, which is of the law, should take heed to Ezekiel’s warning. “The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression . . . When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness and commit iniquity, all his righteousness shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.” (Ezekiel 33:12&13)
What a woefully inadequate covering is our works of righteousness! No wonder Isaiah exclaimed, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” (Isaiah 64:6)
We like to imagine that this admonition only applies to our works of righteousness before we became Christians. Afterward, we like to think our works are endowed with some merit whereof we can boast. In Paul’s epistle to the Romans, he warns us not to fall into this delusion. “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ, Yea doubtless, and I count all things loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ. And be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.” (Philippians 3:7-9)
The Pharisees took great delight in advertising their works of righteousness in the ornamentation of their garments. During the administration of the old covenant, the Lord spoke unto Moses saying, “Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribbon of blue: And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord, and do them: and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring: That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.” (Numbers 15:38-40)
As with everything associated with the old covenant, the natural man managed to corrupt it, so that when Jesus spoke of this practice of the Scribes and Pharisees he admonished them; “But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments.” (Matthew 23:5)
The Lord is Our Righteousness
Why do we still insist upon being clothed in filthy rags, when Christ has provided us a garment, without spot or wrinkle. Christ said, “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matthew 7:22&23) These individuals laboring under the burden of the old covenant had not yet learned the song of the new.
Rather, let our song be, “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness.” (Isaiah 61:10) Jeremiah 23:6 says, “He shall be called THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS,” and we are to have no confidence in the flesh.
Cast off the Old Covenant Garment
We are not to take the garment of Christ’s righteousness and use it to sew patches on our own righteousness. In Luke 5:36, Christ spoke the following parable. “No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old.” How many Christian’s lives are torn and rent because they are trying to wear the garments of both the old and new covenants. Paul tells us in the fourth chapter of Galatians that we are to cast off the old covenant garment and put on the new.
In Revelation 14:3 we are told that no man could learn the song of the new covenant save them which were redeemed from the earth. For, “the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
(I Corinthians 2:14)
He has put a New Song in My Mouth
Let us pray that God would put a new song in the mouth of his people that they might show forth his praise. For it is a song of good tidings and great joy which shall be to all people. “And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord. Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to usward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.” (Psalm 40:3-5)
“O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth. Sing unto the Lord, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people. For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods. Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously. Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fullness thereof. Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice before the Lord: for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with truth.”
(Psalm 96:1-4&10-13)
“O sing unto the Lord a new song; for he hath done marvelous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory. The Lord hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen. He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice and sing praise.” (Psalm 98:1-4)