Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery -- Matt Boswell, Matt Papa, and Michael Bleeker

Matt Papa was writing a book a few years ago (around 2013), and was it just a coincidence that his friend Matt Boswell sent him an idea for a song that seemed to line up perfectly with his book’s theme? So, Papa asks you and me to consider the word ‘behold’, and think beyond just eyeballing a scene. What if that scenery actually changed you, transformed you? In the world of biology/zoology, butterflies are transformed creatures, and perhaps that’s one reason we marvel at them, in addition to their beauty and fragility. (See the picture of one here that a Chinese artist Xu Xi drew over 1,100 years ago, demonstrating his fascination with this transformed creature.) Butterflies don’t change because they stare at something, however. But, we can, according to what an ancient apostle/writer tells us (2 Corinthians 3:18), and it’s where Matt Papa and his two musical collaborators, Matt Boswell and Michael Bleeker, want to direct our attention. Matt Papa tells the story of “Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery” so well, that this blogger needs to say no more. Just see the link below to Matt’s own words, and enjoy. And, behold!

http://www.mattpapa.com/blog/2017/9/about-the-song-come-behold-the-wondrous-mystery

God Be With You -- Jeremiah E. Rankin

He was a learned minister, and he’d preached a lot of sermons, undoubtedly after studying for a time on each occasion before sharing his messages with believers. How do you think Jeremiah Rankin typically wished his hearers well, at the conclusion of a sermon in 1880? It would have been very common for him to do as his ancestor, the Apostle Paul (see a painting of him here), did many times as he departed from the presence of various peoples. “God Be with You” would have been one way to vocalize his thoughts and emotions, but there’s a more ordinary way to express these words, a phrase that Jeremiah and others in the 19^th Century would have said instead. But, without knowing the phrase’s origin, we can too glibly mutter these to our friends and family. Words do have meaning.

Jeremiah Rankin had said ‘good-bye’ by the time he was 52 innumerable times. Count the number of locations in which he had lived, multiplied by the number of people to whom he’d ministered or spoken, times the number of years he’d lived, and you might arrive at a number approximating the number of times he’d said ‘good-bye’. Born in New Hampshire, educated in Vermont and Massachusetts, Rankin was serving a church and Howard University in Washington, D.C. as he entered his early 50s. It’s said that he composed the eight verse-poem “God Be with You” as a result of discovering the true meaning of the parting words most people utter without thinking. Had he been studying one of the great apostle’s books, in which Paul likewise wished for God’s presence to be with new converts upon his departure (Philippians. 4:9; 2 Corinthians. 13:11, 14; Romans. 15:33; 16:20)? Rankin apparently composed the words for no particular occasion or people, but just wanted to underscore the meaning of the words, and to enhance the singing service at the church. Perhaps they needed a new song, and since Jeremiah had shown the ability to craft other hymn texts (he wrote at least a few dozen in his lifetime), it was not a surprise that “God Be with You” was the result. Would he have also spoken about the etymology of the phrase and emphasized for his hearers their true meaning, perhaps in a full-length sermon? His eight verses contained probably more than enough material for such an exposition. Protection was one repeated theme Jeremiah depicted in his poem. But, others emerge as well, like direction (v.1), sustenance (v.2), purpose (v.3), reminders (v.5), healing presence (v.6), saving power (v.7), and heavenly transport (v.8). He might have been a poet, but he was also a preacher!

What do I wish for someone as I depart from them? Does Jeremiah’s list cross my thoughts? Sometimes, I admit, I just want to be away from someone as I leave, so perhaps I should reconsider saying ‘good-bye’, or even just ‘bye’. After all, if I don’t really wish for God’s presence and influence to remain with him or her, I shouldn’t mouth such nice-sounding words. It’s an awesome thing to have Him near – no, inside – me. To wish that for someone else is a breathtaking thing. It doesn’t mean He leaves me, but yet He can join this acquaintance, friend, or loved one. So, what need does this person have that God can fill? Maybe it’s multiple needs that are in play. Jeremiah thought so, too.     

See more information on the song story in these sources: The Complete Book of Hymns – Inspiring Stories About 600 Hymns and Praise Songs by William J. Petersen and Ardythe Petersen, Tyndale House Publishers, 2006; Amazing Grace: 366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions by Kenneth W. Osbeck, Kregel Publications, 1990; 101 More Hymn Stories, by Kenneth W. Osbeck, Kregel Publications, 1985; Then Sings My Soul – 150 of the World’s Greatest Hymn Stories, Robert J. Morgan, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2003; and A Treasury of Hymn Stories – Brief Biographies of 120 Hymnwriters with Their Best Hymns, by Amos R. Wells, Baker Book House, 1945.

Also see this link, showing all eight original verses:

http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/g/b/e/gbewiyou.htm  

How Firm a Foundation -- Robert Keene?

This composer wanted to be anonymous – almost. He provided only one letter of his name to associate with the prose he recorded, and then his associate John Rippon published a collection that included this one called “How Firm a Foundation”. (How might this look, physically – like a basement under construction? [see picture])We can be sure this composer was a Bible reader or hearer, given what he wrote, and not from just a single passage of the scriptures, but in fact several. What made him write is at least partially apparent then, based upon what we know he must have been contemplating as he read. Much of his work sounds like it’s from God in first-person, giving us a clue as to why his own authorship was apparently deemphasized. He wanted the worshipper’s gaze to be directed vertically, not horizontally.

Robert Keene was a friend and associate of John Rippon in 18^th Century England, where his ministry of music and Rippon’s pastoring of the London-based Carter Lane Baptist Church coincided. It was there that Rippon collected and published a number of hymns (called Rippon’s Selections) in 1787. Among this volume’s mix of songs was “How Firm…”, with the letter ‘K’ printed in the spot normally reserved for the composer’s name. Other versions showed ‘Kn’ or ‘Keen’, lending historians a strong clue that Rippon’s own church’s music minister – Robert Keene – was in fact the song’s creator. What were Keene’s thoughts surrounding 1787 and the development of the hymn? One senses by reading the stanzas that Keene must have heard a lot of bible verses, or been reading them for himself, for at least four of the original seven verses are paraphrases of what God Himself promises to believers. Had the messages been Rippon’s delivered from the pulpit, straight from the books of Isaiah, 2 Corinthians, and Hebrews, that Keene heard and which were burned into his conscience? It’s not hard to imagine that Rippon and Keene, as servants of a church filled with people in all kinds of circumstances – difficult ones – would also be looking for messages of hope and encouragement to this body. The first verse’s ‘ye saints’ hint that this church’s members could have been the hymn’s earliest audience.  With the focus turned toward the audience, and most of the hymn’s poetry being recreations of the Holy One’s words, perhaps Keene concluded that his own name need not necessarily be attached to the song. ‘K’ was sufficient, and he was, after all, just like the other hearers of these seven verses – a mortal who was striving, with failings, to survive and ascend someday.

Was it an accident that Keene’s words drew promises from God across hundreds of years? From Isaiah to Paul and the Hebrews author, there were some seven or eight centuries of difference, for God to waver if He chose. It must have seemed like He had at times, frankly, for those who suffered in exile or worse. But notice what He says about His foundation. It’s certain, but not without ‘deep waters’, ‘fiery trials’, ‘old age’, and ‘foes’. For me, the first few times I have troubles, I shriek in pain and then I doubt Him. If I could have His eyes, how would this look over and over again? ‘Tell ‘em again’ He might say, each time the created cry out to the Creator. Sound familiar? That’s what we call ‘Bible’. Hmmm, so that’s why I have it.

The following website has all 7 verses for the song: http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/h/o/w/howfirm.htm

See more information on the song discussed above in A Treasury of Hymn Stories, by Amos R. Wells, Baker Book House Company, 1945; The Complete Book of Hymns – Inspiring Stories About 600 Hymns and Praise Songs by William J. Petersen and Ardythe Petersen, Tyndale House Publishers, 2006; Amazing Grace: 366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions by Kenneth W. Osbeck, Kregel Publications, 1990; 101 Hymn Stories, by Kenneth W. Osbeck, Kregel Publications, 1982;and Then Sings My Soul – 150 of the World’s Greatest Hymn Stories, Robert J. Morgan, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2003.

The Greatest Commands -- John, Paul, Moses, God

These composers had been exposed to something, or had become so much like what they wrote, that their words rang with an authenticity previously unheard. Consider the personal history of some of these guys, and you might have had reason to scoff if you’d heard them verbalize “The Greatest Commands” – to love, as if with a godly love. They didn’t really collaborate on the song, as far as we know, but their messages struck a common chord. A single source makes this possible, even for those of us who are multiple millennia beyond their era.

Let’s see how each of the writers arrived at the words he composed. John was the ‘beloved Apostle’, thus he wrote about behavior he’d experienced first-hand. No one might have said his expression of love was very winsome when he and his brother James walked with Jesus. They were the ones who thought they deserved more of His favor than the other Apostles (Matthew 20:20-23), and who’d wanted to call down fire on unfriendly Samaritans (Luke 9:51-54). Yeh, this was a son of thunder, not love, at that time. Yet, when he wrote as a much older man to a group that was attracted to Gnosticism, a false spiritualism, the wizened John told them the basics of true spiritualism – love (1 John 4:7-8). Love sacrificially. John must have seen a lot in that group that showed they’d twisted this love into something immoral. John’s was a message of correction. So was Paul’s, some thirty years before John’s ode to love.  This middle-aged Paul was the same guy who’d chased, persecuted, and had had Christians killed less than two decades earlier (Acts 8:1-3). Whatever happened to him, it must have been radical, right? The Corinthians (1 Corinthians 13) he addressed had lots of issues, not the least of which were squabbles among themselves, a debilitating environment for God-centered folks. Unity was impossible among such a people. Paul said God’s nature was the most perfect, a patient, resilient, trusting devotion (v. 7). But, perhaps the operative word in Paul’s thoughts is ‘all’. This Pharisee among Pharisees had all the answers, once. But the Love-God encompasses everything, not blowing up everything in His path, but swallowing it and transforming it. That rather echoes what preceded these two 1^st Century composers (John and Paul), when a people prepared to enter where God had led them. Moses gave them the words (Deuteronomy 6:4-5), but it was really God’s thoughts he mouthed, and which were repeated some 1,500 years later in the two apostles’ generation. Love Him with everything you have.

Could God be laughed off as insincere, too, in matters of love? After all, He’s the one who killed an army to preserve His chosen people (Exodus 14). A God of love, hah!  But, notice His patience, watch His plan develop, and see if you can fathom how He allowed Jesus to make Himself known, and then be killed. God might seem inscrutable, but for Jesus. He made me in His image, and He didn’t stay distant. Instead, He chose to be human like me. Conquer death, de-fang this most fundamental truth of my being. Love cancels out all the minus signs. Is that great or what!

There is no source for the song story, but for background on the song,  see the New International Version Study Bible, general editor Kenneth Barker, 1985, copyright The Zondervan Corporation, for notes on Deuteronomy chapter 6, verses 1-5, and other scriptures therein.