Shalom Friends,
It was such an amazing experience writing and recording the
music to the REVIVE CD. There are a few things I think you might
be quite interested to know, especially after you have gotten a
chance to take a listen to the CD.
This album is a concept album. It lasts approximately one hour
and tells quite a story. The story is about the process that God
brings many of us through as we get closer and closer into the
"Light of His Presence." When we first come to God he saves us
from our sins and revives us. He takes the parts of our lives that
used to be dead and brings them back to life. Once this has
happens we are finally in a good position to give him some
praise and worship Ð to really "enter in." The goal of praising and
worshipping Him is to get into the closest fellowship possible
with the God Almighty. Hopefully the design of this REVIVE CD
will take you on a natural progression closer and closer into His
Love.
The first song on the album is "Prayer for Israel." As I was writing
the various songs, I noticed some themes reoccurring in several
different songs. For example, one of the main Scriptures we sing
in "Prayer for Israel" is that wonderful text from Jeremiah 31:7 that
says, "O LORD, save Your people, the remnant of Israel." This is
the same text we sang at the close of my first release, DRY
BONES. On the last track of DRY BONES, "Save Your People," the
Kol Simcha choir made of mostly first generation Messianic
Jewish Believers finishes off the album with this wonderful
melody "O LORD, save Your people, the remnant of Israel." The
thematic melody fades gradually into the distance. Now this new
album begins with a song that has a youth choir made of mostly
second generation Messianic Jewish Believers singing the
same line. I feel as though God is saying, "Just look at the way I
am saving the Jews increasingly from one generation to the next
during these last days!"
This same theme from Jeremiah 31:7 shows up again in the
climactic piece of the entire REVIVE CD, "Dwelling PlaceÑThe
Light of Your Presence." Here the theme is sung by a
congregational choir made up of wonderful musicians, both
family and friends. At the very end of this track, Rosa, my wife
sings the verse as a solo. I really feel that this message of the
salvation of the Jewish people is on the heart of God and it is
coming more and more into the forefront of the Body of the
Messiah with each day that passes as we get closer to the day of
Yeshua's return.
Another thing that is very important to the REVIVE CD is the title
track. I knew that this would be the name of the album well before
we began recording the project. The first words in the Revive
track say, "The LORD will roar from Zion and utter His voice from
Jerusalem." This Scripture comes from the book of Amos. And I
used to think (even until just recently) that this verse basically
meant that God is so strong and powerful that He is going to let
out a roar against our enemies so that we can be saved.
However, when I read the book of Amos more closely, it is
actually saying something quite different. The verse is saying
how God will let out a massive roar of judgment against his
people; even His very own people of Israel. When you take this
verse and place it together with the Scripture from Psalms of my
chorus, "Will You not revive us again, so that Your people may
rejoice in You, show us Your salvation." Really what this song is
saying is: Lord, we have sinned against You and deserve Your
judgment as a people, but be merciful toward us and save us we
pray. Please do not pour out the judgment we deserve, but
instead show us grace and save us even though we do not
deserve it.
This Revive track is such a powerful cry for mercy. Thank God for
His mercy and grace.
With all of the different sounds that are included in the REVIVE
CD and all of the amazing people who contributed, my prayer is
that you have an extraordinary listening experience. And I hope
that overall it gives one solid single message: The Revived Enter
His Dwelling.
If you have any specific questions about the music or the
Scriptural texts that the music comes from, please feel free to
contact me. I would be glad to share more with you.
God bless you,
Greg