The New Whippoorwill Song

If you grew up in an evangelical Sunday School, you may remember singing Jesus Loves Me and then singing Jesus Loves Me - “the new way”. The “new way” had a different tune and a few new words.

Every now and then, a popular evangelical song pops into my head that causes me to think to myself…”that needs some new words.”

We are in a very man-centered religious culture that likes to think of God in a way that man prefers. Man prefers a God who is more like himself than the God who said: “I am that I am”. Man by nature (sinful and rebellious) would prefer to bring some sort of acceptable sacrifice to God as Cain tried and failed. As Cain, man does not see his case as completely hopeless and worthy of death. At that point, the only hope for man is a substitute provided by God alone (the animal slain and coverings made for Adam and Eve, the lamb sacrificed by Abel, the lamb of God - Jesus).

Popular evangelical songs often reflect a man-centered view of God and salvation in such subtle ways. It is important to compare them with scripture. The danger in these songs is that the subtle doctrines of wolves are sneaked in to steal and to kill by turning men ever so slightly away from Christ the lamb of God as God’s provision for the salvation of His sheep. God’s rescue of man’s soul is to the praise of the glory of His grace alone.

Often, evangelical songs contain a theme which seems to say, “to the praise of the glory of my choice”, rather than “to the praise of the glory of His grace”. One such song that became popular among a certain sect of evangelicals is called “The Whippoorwill Song”. It is hard for me to read the words and even harder for me to type them here because of the blatant adding to scripture and twisting of scripture that is prevalent in the song. But it is popular and bolsters a subtle twist on the gospel that I think is deadly, steals from God His glory, and makes man to be in charge. In my opinion, it must be called heretical, and I hope to help those deceived by its lies see the truth of scripture and the glory of God in His salvation.

Here are the words:

Verse 1:

I set the boundaries of the ocean vast, (Ps 74)

Carved out the mountains from the distant past, (Job 28)

Molded a man from the miry clay, (Gen 2:7)

Breathed in him life, but he went astray. (Gen 3)

Chorus:

I own the cattle on a thousand hills; (Ps 50)

I write the music for the whippoorwills,

Control the planets with their rocks and rills,

But give you freedom to use your own will. (Man’s philosophy to excuse God for damning men)

Verse 2:

I hold the waters in my might hand, (Is 40)

Spread out the heavens with a single span, (Is 40)

Make all creation tremble at my voice, (Ps 18)

But my own sons come to Me by choice. (Pelagius, Erasmus, Arminius, Finney, Graham)

Chorus:

I own the cattle on a thousand hills;

I write the music for the whippoorwills,

Control the planets with their rocks and rills,

But give you freedom to use your own will. (Pelagius, Erasmus, Arminius, Finney, Graham)

Verse 3:

Even the oxen know the Master's stall, (Is 1)

And sheep will recognize the shepherd's call (John 10)

I could demand your love – I own you twice: (Pelagius, Erasmus, Arminius, Finney, Graham)

But only willing love is worth the price. (Pelagius, Erasmus, Arminius, Finney, Graham)

Coda:

And if you want me to, I'll make you whole; (Pelagius, Erasmus, Arminius, Finney, Graham)

I'll only do it though if you say so.

I'll never force you for I love you so;

I give you freedom; is it yes or no? (Man always says no - there is none that seeks after God)

I give you freedom; is it yes or no?

I give you freedom; is it yes or no?

It pains me greatly to type the words to the Coda. A little research on Pelagianism or Martin Luther vs. Erasmus, or the Synod of Dort will open your eyes to the battle against this heresy that has been fought many times. The Coda is an affront to God’s sovereignty!

Here is “The Whippoorwill Song - The New Way”. I hope you will take time to search the scriptures and see which is true. One way subtly glorifies man and makes salvation “synergistic” (look it up). The other way glorifies God alone and keeps salvation “monergistic” (look it up). I trust that my post here and “new” words will not just feel polemical but will ultimately lead to the help of those who struggle with assurance of salvation because they are looking to a “decision” they made rather than to Christ, the lamb of God.

Here is the “new” version:

Verse 1 (I kept it the same – the only fully Biblical verse of the original):

I set the boundaries of the ocean vast, (Ps 74)

Carved out the mountains fro the distant past, (Job 28)

Molded a man from the miry clay (Gen 2:7)

Breathed in him life, but he went astray (Gen 3)

Chorus:

I own the cattle on a thousand hills (Ps 50)

You twist my words, and your lies – they kill, (Ps 50)

Your only thoughts are to rob and steal (Gen 6, Rom 1, Jer 17)

My sheep hear my voice and come they will (John 10)

Verse 2:

I hold the waters in my mighty hand, (Is 40)

Spread out the heavens with a single span, (Is 40)

Make all creation tremble at my noise, (Ps 18)

My sheep will come when they hear my voice. (John 10)

Chorus:

I own the cattle on a thousand hills (Ps 50)

You twist my words, and your lies – they kill, (Ps 50)

Your only thoughts are to rob and steal (Gen 6, Rom 1, Jer 17)

My sheep hear my voice and come they will (John 10)

Verse 3:

Even the oxen know the Master's stall, (Is 1)

And sheep will recognize the shepherd's call (John 10)

You will not come though you have a choice (John 10)

Your will is bound, you'll not hear my voice (John 10, John 6)

Coda:

For my own name's sake, I will make you whole (Genesis 3:15 and following...through Revelation)

For by grace, life is given so,

That God be praised and all may know

I gave you freedom, though you said no

I gave you freedom, though you said no

I gave you freedom, though you said no

That Only 300 Should Boast

The Lord said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands, for Israel would become boastful, saying, ‘My own power has delivered me.’ Now therefore come, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is afraid and trembling, let him return and depart from Mount Gilead.’” So 22,000 people returned, but 10,000 remained.

— Judges 7:2-3

Then the Lord said to Gideon, “The people are still too many; bring them down to the water and I will test them for you there. Therefore it shall be that he of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go with you; but everyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.” So he brought the people down to the water. And the Lord said to Gideon, “You shall separate everyone who laps the water with his tongue as a dog laps, as well as everyone who kneels to drink.” Now the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was 300 men; but all the rest of the people kneeled to drink water. The Lord said to Gideon, “I will deliver you with the 300 men who lapped and will give the Midianites into your hands; so let all the other people go, each man to his home.”

— Judges 7:4-7

When they blew 300 trumpets, the Lord set the sword of one against another even throughout the whole army; and the army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the edge of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath.

— Judges 7:22

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

— Ephesians 2:1-9

I have often heard the story of Gideon preached in such a way as to lift up the men in the first passage I referenced who were not afraid. Then after the Lord whittled that group of 10,000 down to only 300 men, I have heard those men lifted up as the ones that God chose BECAUSE they had drunk the water in such a way as to demonstrate that they were choosable. 

Let it be known that if you have heard or interpreted that story in such a way, you have missed the point altogether - not only of the story but of the true gospel. The Lord here as in every OT story is keeping his promise in Genesis 3:15 that the seed of the woman would one day deliver the winning blow to Satan and his seed. This particular story highlights God rescuing more His chosen right out of the mire of their idolatry by His own power and for His own glory and he specifically said that Israel would not become "boastful". 

Yet, most evangelicals do with it just as the men of Israel did after the victory… They want just a little glory for man… just a little...perhaps their free will in not being afraid and then in drinking the water in a certain way was to be credited. For here is what they said to Gideon after the victory had been won:

Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, both you and your son, also your son’s son, for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian.” But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the Lord shall rule over you.”

— Judges 8:22-23

Man just wants a little credit. After all, didn't HE CHOOSE to OBEY? (Had they forgotten WHO appeared to Gideon while he was threshing wheat dead in traspasses and sins?) What a man that Gideon! Where did that boastful attitude and where does that boastful attitude lead? 

Yet Gideon said to them, “I would request of you, that each of you give me an earring from his spoil.” (For they had gold earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.) They said, “We will surely give them.” So they spread out a garment, and every one of them threw an earring there from his spoil. The weight of the gold earrings that he requested was 1,700 shekels of gold, besides the crescent ornaments and the pendants and the purple robes which were on the kings of Midian, and besides the neck bands that were on their camels’ necks. Gideon made it into an ephod, and placed it in his city, Ophrah, and all Israel played the harlot with it there, so that it became a snare to Gideon and his household.

— Judges 8:24-27

Now Gideon had seventy sons who were his direct descendants, for he had many wives. His concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he named him Abimelech.

— Judges 8:30-31

Then it came about, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the sons of Israel again played the harlot with the Baals, and made Baal-berith their god. Thus the sons of Israel did not remember the Lord their God, who had delivered them from the hands of all their enemies on every side; nor did they show kindness to the household of Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) in accord with all the good that he had done to Israel.

— Judges 8:33-35

If my concern for America today is related to an earthly kingdom and I am looking for a man, a movement, an earthly deliverer to save us (if even in the name of God and Christianity), I am missing the point of the true gospel demonstrated in Genesis and all through the Old Testament. I am ignorant of the salvation of God being all of God, all of grace, and all for his glory - that no man may boast (not even the 300). 

Gideon and his deliverance points us to the Savior, the ultimate deliverer who came to save His people from their sins. The judgment we are experiencing today is because we again have forgotten God who saved us from our sins and our idolatry and immorality and have thought subtly that our own American free-will brought about the blessings we enjoyed and ultimately worshipped. 

Let us turn again to our God to deliver us from our sin...OUR SIN! American Christians have played the harlot with the riches we have been given just as Israel did with the Ephod. We boast in our religious pride while blind to our idols. Our religion is “Your Best Life Now”. Turn us O Lord to the true deliverer of the Israel of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb who was slain before the foundation of the world, and the only one who is ever worthy of power, riches, wisdom, might, honor, glory and blessing!