Music: “Son of God” by Rend the Heavens

Rend the Heavens [ web | myspace ] is quickly becoming one of my favorite bands. Not just because I know the four band members a bit, or because they lead worship at our Saturday night church gathering. Actually started listening to them a short while before we met, and have found the deep, God-centered content of their songs to take me deeper into theology. I want to know more the God they sing to and about.

The band’s name Rend the Heavens comes from Isaiah 64:1:

"Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence"

It is an audacious prayer, asking to see and partake of God’s glory. Asking to participate with the Godhead is a deathwish, unless we are clothed with the righteousness of Jesus the Son. He had to come to us, and for that reason Christianity can never be rightly called a "religion" (as those are our attempts to gain God’s favor). He did it all. He is all.

Because God the Son has come, we can say that Love has come, with His eyes of fire, face of light, heart of love, throne of white, hands of pain and tears of blood. No description can do the One of infinite worth justice.

But to sing from the depths of our hearts and minds, is to echo the angelic chorus that Jesus Christ is everything, for all things come from Him, by Him, and exist for Him (Colossians 1:15-21). Some people probably think that Jesus fits into our tiny little lives, like the lucky rabbit feet us silly kids used to keep in our pockets. The opposite can only be true: we fit into His life and story, and nothing can contain His worth. As John’s Gospel notes in the epilogue, if we were to write down all the things He did while on earth it would fill all the books on the planet (John 21:25). And that was just three decades of earthly existence, and roughly three years of public ministry. He has forever been God, having no beginning and no end. Forever we will learn of the greatness of His worth and grace, never arriving at the end of exploring them (Eph. 2:7).

It is utterly amazing to me that God came as a Man. That He humbled Himself to our level, not striving for empty glory as we do, but rather emptying His glory to take the form of a willing servant, giving His life for us (Phil. 2:5-11). Does that not astonish you? If it doesn’t, then you’re not alive; even if you can feel the pulse in your arm, you’re still dead in your sins (Eph. 2:1-10). A heart and mind that can now seek God wants Him more. He came to purchase us back from sin, Satan and self, and with that comes a new identity and new affections. Since we’re His, we can seek Him. Since we are His, we want to seek Him. Come, enter in and enjoy God to the fullest. Forever we will sing of how great the Son is; let’s join in today. We have no idea what we’re missing.

Son of God (title track from their 2006 EP )

Love has come here
Lift up your hands, receive
Hope is free
Just believe
Eyes of fire, Face of light
Heart of love, Throne of white
Hands of pain, Tears of blood
Son of God

Love is in Your Eyes

Lift up my face to see
Hope is free
Just believe
Eyes of fire, Face of light
Heart of love, Throne of white
Hands of pain, Tears of blood
Son of God

Hallowed be Thy Name
Thy Kingdom come

Thy Will be done
Thy Kingdom come

You bore my pain, You wore my flesh
And in Your Eyes is nothing less

Than perfect Love, Tears of blood
Son of God