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Imagine getting a repetitive message wherever you go or don’t go in this time of Coronavirus. Sermons and sermonettes listened to and delivery viewed, scriptural passages read, and then there is the song made famous years ago when disco was popular. Boney M sang “By The Rivers Of Babylon” in the late 1970s as we all sang along to this popular tune, with happy smiling faces while bouncing around dancing oblivious to the real message, not even knowing this came directly from God's word. That time was a very different stage in my life without marriage or children, already living without parents, free to do “my own thing” and yes I made some monumental mistakes before God rescued me from myself. The point is I had no idea just how meaningful these words set to music were until recently while meditating on Psalm 137. When devouring these inspired words, the people almost came to life for me, seeing them sitting on the steep banks of the Euphrates River in Babylon far from their beloved home in the Holy Land of Zion. What an image to behold and yet it only gave me a glimmer or transient glance of how heavy their hearts were. The anguish, the despair of some.
As I pondered how the people felt, what they may have said, their thoughts and attitudes towards their captors, one thing was for sure...they were mourning the loss of all they ever knew and held dear to their hearts. Now they faced a different culture with many challenges. We have freedom thanks to the blessings God gave to Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3) and take it for granted at times, but imagine if we were bundled up suddenly against our will and taken by force surreptitiously to a strange looking place and told to conform, adapt, change your name, be happy about it and sing with joy in your heart. Daniel 1:1-7 shows this is what happened to Daniel. Reading on we see how remarkably well Daniel coped despite living the rest of his life in captivity under the powerful rule of King Nebuchadnezzar. This is an incredibly interesting example for us to draw from and there is much wisdom to be gained.
As I sat there wrestling with thoughts about captors, captives, exile and exilic conditions, these words came pouring out of me and onto the page as we may also be in the position of needing to sing the song of deliverance.
Captivity, Exile And Deliverance!
How can I remove the words from my mind,
Your inspired expressions within Psalm 137...
Longing for Zion in a Foreign Land?
As I sit here comfortably like a queen,
Looking out of latticed windows to a tranquil scene,
Fresh breeze wafting through so dreamily,
Curtains blowing gently, air on face most welcoming,
Yet I cry real tears for those before me,
People I never knew but will one day soon,
And for those yet ahead who will go into captivity.
It must be done, I know it is rightfully so,
But for those who are left to sigh and cry,
We swallow hard with lumpy, dry throats,
No longer asking or wondering why,
Pleading with the world to change and repent...
Why don’t they listen to YOU!
Are they made of stone with splintered hearts?
False idols everywhere of pride and lust,
Can’t they turn aside and learn again,
To know the difference between lust and love, they must!
They say how can I sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?
Their hearts are heavy, their minds unwilling,
Full of grief, sadness, and woe,
They hung their harps on the green Willow,
As they wondered how they could go on.
But, yes — they will sing for their captors to show,
How determined they are for their love of God,
Who brought them out of slavery before and once more.
Where do we go from here?
Do we turn back like dogs without tails?
Oh no we will not, we will march on!
We will know a better place, a better land,
One for which You have planned and,
Where our citizenship is sealed.
Jesus the Christ is preparing a place,
As our Father has a home with many rooms,
If it were not so, You would have said!
Alas, your people have no continuing city here.
Looking for one with good foundations,
Where our Builder and Maker is God indeed!
Yea we will look for this city in Jerusalem,
Where our feet will rest in the city of our God,
And we will finally know eternal peace.
Everlasting peace living in perfect unity,
With God our Father and Jesus Christ our Saviour,
While we patiently wait for all to be resurrected.
Captivity will be a beastly thing of the past,
A faded distant memory of a brief time in history,
When the evil ruler of this world had his way,
Destroying so many in his wicked schemes.
No more will he be allowed to do as he wants,
Controlling airwaves, thoughts, and attitudes,
Killing humans because of jealousy and hate.
Fallen angel Lucifer is Satan, demonic and our enemy,
Attempted to overthrow the very throne of God,
Failed, thrown down to earth where he and the third,
Daily seek to undermine our faith and tempt us into sin.
No more lies, no more sin, and no more death,
Just purposeful direction without interference,
Inhabiting this vast, great created universe,
Travelling effortlessly, helping mankind to know You,
As we knew You while living in these end times,
Laughed at, scoffed at, and ridiculed, but now they know,
We were the first, pioneering firstfruits, the apple of Your eye!
One united God family living together forevermore,
Godspeed that day when all will know You and say,
Why did we not listen when we had them as captives?
Physical prisoners to torture and plunder,
But these could never be bought with money or fame,
For they knew nothing could separate them from their God,
His love living in their hearts and burning so brightly,
Until they breathed their last breath...it is done finally!
No longer in exile, your people will be free,
To live again, laugh and sing songs under the Terebinth tree,
Longing to see the Oaks of Mamre flourishing in...
The Promised Land, lit up by Your Presence,
Each under their own vine and fig to meditate,
How marvellous is our great God who sees all,
The good, the bad, the ugly and the sad,
All for a purpose to build godly character,
We will say...it was all worth it, yes indeed!
Even though we became tired and weary,
We felt sad at times and teary,
But we kept on going, knowing that,
The plan involved Philippians 1:6 and this,
Spurred us on to finish our race,
Which could only be done through Your Grace.
And so what the captives needed to learn, and what we must also learn is that those concerned must be ready to sing that song of deliverance and learn to practice it now so that the captors can hear about our wonderful almighty God, who will also be their God in the future. They will get a taste of who He is and the wonderful works He does as small seeds are planted in their minds, even as small as a mustard seed, but it will be enough for them to one day bow down and worship the one true God instead of their worthless idols. Difficult to do but not impossible as God’s people are being transformed by resisting their human nature and sacrificing their lives in order to achieve great exploits all under the direction and supervision of God the Almighty. Bring on the Kingdom for one and all!