Table of Contents
Until Then (#632)
The Lord has put this song on my mind and heart for the last few days. So, I’m finally writing an article about it. This section is called “Defending Lyrics,” and unfortunately, I cannot defend all of the ideas in this song! However, the main ideas remain beautiful.
Another Resource: SDA Hymnal #632 Until Then
First, yes, a heartache here is just a stepping stone toward Heaven! But the path to Heaven is not winding, but very straight! It is always upward, rocky, and treacherous! The winding trail is wide, smooth and goes downward, and only leads to destruction.
Until Then Verse 1 My heart can sing when I pause to remember, A heartache here is but a stepping stone. Along a trail, thats winding always upward, This troubled world, is not my final home. Refrain But until then, my heart will go on singing, Until then, with joy I’ll carry on, Until the day my eyes behold the city, Until the day God calls me home. Verse 2 The things of earth will dim and lose their value, If we recall they’re borrowed for awhile; And things of earth that cause the heart to tremble, Remembered there, will only bring a smile.
Verse 3 of the original lyrics was omitted from the SDA Hymnal because we strongly disagree with its content.
Verse 3
This weary world with all its toil and struggle,
May take it's toll of misery and strife;
The soul of man is like a waiting falcon,
When it's released it's destined for the skies.
Man does not have a soul, but he IS a living soul! When you die, you go to sleep. Nothing conscious leaves your body and goes somewhere else! The Bible does say that the “breath returns to God who gave it.” But this breath has no consciousness any more than electricity has consciousness.
For some reason, Wintley Phipps decided to include verse 3 in his performance. Don’t know the story behind that. However, in any case, I think his performance was of the highest quality.
The trials of this life are stepping stones because God intends to educate us to understand the sufferings of Jesus Christ through our own experiences in this life. This is a blessing, designed to draw us into a more intimate relationship with Jesus Christ as our Husband (see Ephesians 5).
The upward trail for a faithful follower of Christ is NOT winding!
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Matthew 7:13, 14 KJV
Satanists know this difference very well! They refer to their path as “the crooked path!” Their most basic instruction for new converts is to invite them to “join them on the crooked path!”
