Jennie Riddle, author of "Revelation Song," tells the story of how the song was written.
I gave my life to Jesus back in 1988. There was a new song out at the time entitled, "I Hear Angels" by Garrit Gustafson. The lyrics read:
"I hear angels singing praises, I see men from every nation, bowing down before the throne… like the sound of many waters… like the rushing wind around us… multitudes join the song… and a symphony of praise arises… tears are wiped away from eyes as men from every tongue and tribe all sing…. Holy, holy… God almighty… who was, and is, and is to come…"
I remember looking up and around asking, "Where God? I want to see and hear that too!" Those prophetic words from Mr. Gustafson took residence within me, became the lullaby sung over each of my children, and fueled an earnest, decade long prayer to see multitudes gathered around the throne.
Back in 1999, I had just changed my 20,446th diaper (yes… I count… don't you? ), and began singing the aforementioned lullaby over my fourth son, Andrew, as we cuddled in our blue chair. My keyboard was broken down, and I simply didn't have the energy to set it up; it had been a really tough "mommy" day. The guitar (which I didn't really play) was accessible, my spaghetti dinner was begging to be cooked and screaming my name… but so was the Holy Spirit! I, again, began telling Him how much I wanted to SEE and HEAR all creation worshipping Him. The songs being sung by the Bride at that time were focusing on need. My heart longed to focus on something far greater than my need, knowing that all needs would be satisfied with just one glimpse of Him.
Therefore, I asked the Holy Spirit to help me write a song that painted Him; a song that the angels and creation were already singing, so that we could join in with One Voice, as One Bride, to One King. My heart recalled Ezekiel 1:26-28 and Revelation 4
"And then, as they stood with folded wings, there was a voice from above the dome over their heads. Above the dome there was something that looked like a throne, sky-blue like a sapphire, with a humanlike figure towering above the throne. From what I could see, from the waist up he looked like burnished bronze and from the waist down like a blazing fire. Brightness everywhere! The way a rainbow springs out of the sky on a rainy day—that's what it was like. It turned out to be the Glory of God! (Message)
"…a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. And He who sat there was[like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns[] of gold on their heads. And from the throne proceeded lightenings, thunderings, and voices… Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal… And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures… And they do not rest day or night, saying: ' Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!'…"
I put the baby down to play with his toys, picked up the guitar, and began to play four chords I had "discovered" the day before. Immersed in those scriptures, the Lord helped me paint what I was seeing through those passages," Clothed in rainbows of living color, flashes of lightening, rolls of thunder..." The melody stuck. It had the sound of heaven in it. The song wouldn't leave me and I sang it for weeks. I can still hear the Lord whispering to me that He would carry this song across the world. I remember thinking how cool it was going to be to have a couple of my missionary friends carry it to the natives in the bush to be sung around campfires. I had no idea…
Continue reading at her blog.
