Humorous Rock Musical Portrayal of Jesus' Second Coming
The concept of expressing joy and praise through music, particularly in anticipation or celebration of God's redemptive acts, is deeply rooted in biblical tradition. While the Bible does not explicitly describe a "humorous rock musical portrayal of Jesus' Second Coming," it frequently calls for singing, joyful noise, and musical celebration in response to God's work [1, 3, 5].
The Psalms, for instance, repeatedly exhort believers to "sing unto the Lord" and "make a joyful noise" [1, 3]. This call to praise is often linked to the establishment of God's kingdom and the salvation he brings [1]. Matthew Henry, in his commentary on Psalm 98:4, interprets this as a call for all people to rejoice in the kingdom of Christ, expressing their joy through loud noises, singing "Hosannas" and "Hallelujahs" [1]. Similarly, John Gill notes that Christ is the proper subject of spiritual songs, and early Christians were known to sing hymns to Christ "as to a God" [3].
The "joyful sound" mentioned in Psalm 89:15 is understood by Matthew Henry to allude to the shout of a victorious army or the glad tidings of good news, which he connects to the gospel-Israel and the happiness of true believers [5]. This suggests that the message of salvation and God's ultimate triumph is inherently a cause for celebratory expression. The ministers of the word are even described as "sweet singers of Israel," whose proclamation of the Gospel is like "vocal music, harmonious and delightful" [6]. This "voice of love, grace, and mercy" is compared to a "very lovely song" [6].
The imagery of Christ as "the rock of salvation" [4] and the church's mutual affection with Christ, as described in the Song of Solomon [2], further underscore the deeply emotional and celebratory nature of the relationship between God and his people. The anticipation of Christ's return, therefore, would naturally evoke expressions of profound joy and worship, consistent with the biblical emphasis on musical praise and thanksgiving [7]. The prophet Isaiah also speaks of rejoicing with "holy joy" in the "clothing of the church with righteousness and salvation," which some interpret as a triumph in gospel grace [8].
Sources
- Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 98:4: The setting up of the kingdom of Christ is here represented as a matter of joy and praise. I. Let all the children of men rejoice in it, for they all have, or may have, benefit by it. Again and again we are here called upon by all ways and means possible to express our joy in it and give God praise for it: Make a joyful noise, as before, Psa 95:1, Psa 95:2. Make a loud noise, as those that are affected with those glad tidings and are desirous to affect others with them. Rejoice and sing praise, sing Hosannas (Mat 21:9), sing Hallelujahs, Rev 19:6. Let him be welco”
- Song of Solomon (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Song of Solomon 2 (introduction): INTRODUCTION TO SONG OF SOLOMON 2 Here begins a new colloquy between Christ and his church; in which they alternately set forth the excellencies of each other; and express their mutual affection for, and delight and pleasure they take in, each other's company. Christ seems to begin, in an account of himself and his own excellencies, and of the church in her present state, Sol 2:1; then she, in her turn, praises him, and commends him above all others relates some choice proofs she had had of his love to her, and of communion with him in his house”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 95:1: O come, let us sing unto the Lord,.... To Jehovah the Messiah, the Lord our righteousness; setting forth, in songs of praise, the glory of his person, the riches of his grace, and our thankfulness to him for spiritual mercies by him: Christ is to be the subject of our spiritual songs, and is the person to whose honour and glory they should be directed: in the New Testament we are instructed to sing unto the Lord, the Lord Christ, Eph 5:19, and this is what Pliny (a) tells Trajan, the Roman emperor, the Christians in his time did; they sung a hymn to Christ, as to a Go”
- Deuteronomy (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Deuteronomy 32:4: He is the rock,.... That is, Jehovah is the rock, whose name Moses proposed to publish; and our God, to whom the heavens and the earth are called upon to ascribe greatness, even Christ the rock of salvation: here begins the song; the first word in it is very emphatic; it has a letter in it larger than usual, to denote the greatness of this Person, and to make it observable; he is "this" or "that rock" (k), by way of eminence, that rock and stone of Israel, Jacob prophesied of, which was typified by the rock Moses had smitten in the wilderness, and which, no doubt”
- Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 89:15: The psalmist, having largely shown the blessedness of the God of Israel, here shows the blessedness of the Israel of God. As there is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, so, happy art thou, O Israel! there is none like unto thee, O people! especially as a type of the gospel-Israel, consisting of all true believers, whose happiness is here described. I. Glorious discoveries are made to them, and glad tidings of good brought to them; they hear, they know, the joyful sound, Psa 89:15. This may allude, 1. To the shout of a victorious army, the shout of a king, Num 23”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 68:25: The singers went before,.... The apostles and ministers of the word, the sweet singers of Israel, the charmers that charm so very wisely: the Gospel is a joyful sound; it is like vocal music, harmonious and delightful; it is as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, as Ezekiel's ministry was, Eze 33:32; it is a voice of love, grace, and mercy, of peace, pardon, and righteousness, and of eternal life and salvation by Christ; it is as music in the ears of sensible souls, when sounded forth, and sung out clearly and distinctly by the faithful ministers of”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 95:2: Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving,.... Come with the sacrifice of praise, there being no other in the days of the Messiah, all ceremonial sacrifices being put an end to when his sacrifice was offered up; so Arama observes, that the offering of thanksgiving shall remain, or be left in the days of the Messiah; come with this to Christ as a priest, to offer it by him to God his Father, to whom it is acceptable through him, and with this to himself for the great salvation he has wrought out: "to come before his presence", or "face" (b), supposes his being ”
- Isaiah (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Isaiah 61:10: Some make this the song of joy and praise to be sung by the prophet in the name of Jerusalem, congratulating her on the happy change of her circumstances in the accomplishment of the foregoing promises; others make it to be spoken by Christ in the name of the New Testament church triumphing in gospel grace. We may take in both, the former as a type of the latter. We are here taught to rejoice with holy joy, to God's honour, 1. In the beginning of this good work, the clothing of the church with righteousness and salvation, Isa 61:10. Upon this account I will great”