This song has nothing to do with what the church is or is not doing, or being supportive of the military. This song is about spiritual warfare and the church. We are not to sit around and be pacifists but we are called to the Great Commission and that is spreading the good news, the Gospel!
This song has nothing to do with what the church is or is not doing, or being supportive of the military. This song is about spiritual warfare and the church. We are not to sit around and be pacifists but we are called to the Great Commission and that is spreading the good news, the Gospel!
“Blessed are the land-mines
stretched across the desert floor”
“Blessed are the land-mines
stretched across the desert floor”
These first two lines deal with the great commission, The Gospel being taken to the ends of the earth (the most remote places)
These first two lines deal with the great commission, The Gospel being taken to the ends of the earth (the most remote places)
“God, bless the hands that formed them
filled their shrapnel hearts with war”...
“God, bless the hands that formed them
filled their shrapnel hearts with war”
May God bless the soldiers spreading the Good News. Notice here, “filled their shrapnel hearts with war”. This line here is very important. Shrapnel to a soldier’s heart is death, but here he is alive! These are people that have been converted (all of those that follow Jesus), and are no longer dead to sin, but alive to Christ! This paints an image to me of Iron man, when Tony Stark is saved by a magnet holding the shards back from entering his heart and killing him.
“May you bless the companies
the goose that laid the golden egg
may they make a million more
blowing off a million legs”
The church is likened to companies here. May the fruit of their labors be blessed. May millions more be won to Christ!
“Blessed are the black-tongued ravens
substituting fear for reason”
These are people that preach the Gospel for their own gain, but blesses be that the Gospel is still preached. It is not the work of man that saves people, it is from God!
Phil 1: 15-18 "It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice"
Romans 10:17 - "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ."
"To hate war is to hate us
to love peace is to love treason."
Remember this is a spiritual war, To hate the work of the Church of Christ is to hate Christ.
1 Timothy 6:12-14 — “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ”
Matt 28:18 — “Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.’”
Matt 6:24 — “"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other”
“Beat your plowshares into swords
beat your pulpits, turn your tables
blessed are the hand-grenades
bless the church who rattles sabers”
I liken this whole song to “Onward Christian Soldiers”
Put on the Sword of the Spirit, Be ready to give an account!
1 Peter 3:15 "But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have."
(Ephesians 6: 10-19)
“This house, is burning
this poison is worming
This temple, will cave in
There's nothing here worth saving”
This is a reflection of the current situation: The house is on fire, you don’t pull people out of a burnt house after it’s destroyed nor do you wait for a victim that is poisoned to die before you provide an antidote. The time is now, the earth will be destroyed (“this temple will cave in”). Once that happens, Christ will come to judge, and then there truly will be no one worth saving!
“1. Nail the gold up to the altar
start="2">
like Ahab taunts his crew to war
blessed are the shareholders
lack of faith is for the poor
Hold your wallets to the sky
a temple built to soothe yourself”
I don’t know what this is called in literature, where all line 1’s share a common theme, and all line 2’s share a different theme.
Line 1’s: “Nail the gold up to the altar” and “Hold your wallets to the sky” deal with Give what you have to the Lord to further His Kingdom. IE: Tithe, your talent whatever. The shareholders are the Christians that will share in Christ’s inheritance. IE: Eternal Life.
Line 2’s: Fit together: (1 Kings 21: 17-29) Ahab was so wicked the prophet Elijah declared his entire family should be exterminated, but when Ahab repented God postponed the punishment until his death. “lack of faith is for the poor a temple built to soothe yourself”. If you build a temple unto yourself, you are not serving God. Since you are worshiping God, you will not be “shareholders” or inherit the Kingdom of Heaven and will surely end up like King Ahab.
“Blessed is the church who tries
to help you build your blessed wealth”
We are not to store up treasures on earth, like money, power, fame… but should be storing are treasures in heaven. (Matt 6:20 — “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”
I concur with churchpanda, the line is "if you love peace then you must love treason".
2nd line in the chorus is missing a word, should be "this poison still is worming"
Great song.
This song has nothing to do with what the church is or is not doing, or being supportive of the military. This song is about spiritual warfare and the church. We are not to sit around and be pacifists but we are called to the Great Commission and that is spreading the good news, the Gospel!
This song has nothing to do with what the church is or is not doing, or being supportive of the military. This song is about spiritual warfare and the church. We are not to sit around and be pacifists but we are called to the Great Commission and that is spreading the good news, the Gospel!
“Blessed are the land-mines stretched across the desert floor”
“Blessed are the land-mines stretched across the desert floor”
These first two lines deal with the great commission, The Gospel being taken to the ends of the earth (the most remote places)
These first two lines deal with the great commission, The Gospel being taken to the ends of the earth (the most remote places)
“God, bless the hands that formed them filled their shrapnel hearts with war”...
“God, bless the hands that formed them filled their shrapnel hearts with war”
May God bless the soldiers spreading the Good News. Notice here, “filled their shrapnel hearts with war”. This line here is very important. Shrapnel to a soldier’s heart is death, but here he is alive! These are people that have been converted (all of those that follow Jesus), and are no longer dead to sin, but alive to Christ! This paints an image to me of Iron man, when Tony Stark is saved by a magnet holding the shards back from entering his heart and killing him.
“May you bless the companies the goose that laid the golden egg may they make a million more blowing off a million legs”
The church is likened to companies here. May the fruit of their labors be blessed. May millions more be won to Christ!
“Blessed are the black-tongued ravens substituting fear for reason”
These are people that preach the Gospel for their own gain, but blesses be that the Gospel is still preached. It is not the work of man that saves people, it is from God!
Phil 1: 15-18 "It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice" Romans 10:17 - "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ."
"To hate war is to hate us to love peace is to love treason."
Remember this is a spiritual war, To hate the work of the Church of Christ is to hate Christ.
1 Timothy 6:12-14 — “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ”
Matt 28:18 — “Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.’”
Matt 6:24 — “"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other”
“Beat your plowshares into swords beat your pulpits, turn your tables blessed are the hand-grenades bless the church who rattles sabers”
I liken this whole song to “Onward Christian Soldiers” Put on the Sword of the Spirit, Be ready to give an account!
1 Peter 3:15 "But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have."
(Ephesians 6: 10-19)
“This house, is burning this poison is worming This temple, will cave in There's nothing here worth saving”
This is a reflection of the current situation: The house is on fire, you don’t pull people out of a burnt house after it’s destroyed nor do you wait for a victim that is poisoned to die before you provide an antidote. The time is now, the earth will be destroyed (“this temple will cave in”). Once that happens, Christ will come to judge, and then there truly will be no one worth saving!
“1. Nail the gold up to the altar
start="2">
I don’t know what this is called in literature, where all line 1’s share a common theme, and all line 2’s share a different theme.
Line 1’s: “Nail the gold up to the altar” and “Hold your wallets to the sky” deal with Give what you have to the Lord to further His Kingdom. IE: Tithe, your talent whatever. The shareholders are the Christians that will share in Christ’s inheritance. IE: Eternal Life.
Line 2’s: Fit together: (1 Kings 21: 17-29) Ahab was so wicked the prophet Elijah declared his entire family should be exterminated, but when Ahab repented God postponed the punishment until his death. “lack of faith is for the poor a temple built to soothe yourself”. If you build a temple unto yourself, you are not serving God. Since you are worshiping God, you will not be “shareholders” or inherit the Kingdom of Heaven and will surely end up like King Ahab.
“Blessed is the church who tries to help you build your blessed wealth”
We are not to store up treasures on earth, like money, power, fame… but should be storing are treasures in heaven. (Matt 6:20 — “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”