Salvation Belongs to Our God -- Adrian Howard and Pat Turner

A song whose composers saw a vision – that’s what you might guess had happened when “Salvation Belongs to Our God” was written in 1985. Or, perhaps it would be more accurate to say that these 20th Century composers - Adrian Howard and Pat Turner - were merely repeating a vision that they read from an inspired writer’s hand from two thousand years ago. But, wait a minute, for that might not be quite right either. That inspired guy, John, was actually repeating what he heard others saying in a vision of the future - Eternity - while he was on Patmos Island. The song title echoes what the beloved Apostle recorded that the multitude of saved souls sang in his vision (Revelation 7:10); and other words in the song are the response of the angels to the scene (Revelation 7:12). So, there’s actually many, many, even countless authors of this song.

We don’t know the circumstances that Adrian Howard and Pat Turner were experiencing as they put notes to the words in the song, but we can imagine what must have been some of their thoughts. They were pondering what heaven would be like, since the words they chose were undoubtedly those of Revelation. The second verse suggests Howard and Turner were declaring their allegiance to Him, and their intention to join loved ones already on the other side. When you read the prophetic words therein, what’s goin’ on with you? Has someone important to you passed on, crossing over the spiritual Jordan River? Or, is your own mortality becoming all too real? It can be a lonely episode, preparing to meet Him. If we can trust what we know of John’s experience, he too was alone when he heard this song, and was probably approaching his reward.

Musta been a jolt, don’t you think, to see and hear what John sensed? It’s hard to imagine or picture (though some have attempted – see the picture above). The multitude of people and legions of angels reassure me that the other side will be anything but lonely, however. Maybe that’s an essential part of the song – telling me that I’m not alone. This salvation He owns, He shares. Knowing the song’s background tells me that the saved can be certain of this fact. And, it’s also true for us mortals who voice the song's words here. So, when you hear these words of John now, think of yourself as one of the army of the saved, or perhaps among the angelic choir. It’s called ‘church’, the warm-up for the real thing.