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Thursday Crucifixion? Do these two reasons “nail” it?.Was Jesus crucified on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday?.What Do We Know about Judas? This Might Surprise You.
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What’s your Judas experience? The Pain of Betrayal.What is Maundy Thursday? The Basin & The Towel.Walking with Jesus – Tested by the Chief Priests and Elders.Ponder the Prophecies of Jesus’ Mission (video and downloadable file).Maundy Thursday until Easter Sunday (video).Hosanna - Palm Sunday (Jesus Wept) (video).Lent: 40 Titles for 40 Days (download our “40 Titles” for Lenten devotions).What is Lent? Should I Give Up Something? (video).But there is a version of this song with lyrics that magnify God and honor His name by proclaiming the work of Jesus in redeeming mankind from sin. While the music is hauntingly moving, and the word Hallelujah (which means “praise Yah”/ YHWH) is repeatedly proclaimed in the refrain (29 x), the song’s lyrics do not honor God. Rom 14:11 For it is written: “As I live, says the LORD, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.” Cohen’s Hallelujah is Not a God Honoring Song Luke 9:20 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered and said, “The Christ of God.”Īcts 4:12 “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”ĭoing one’s best ( “I did my best…”) will never be enough and “standing before God the lord of song with nothing… but a hallelujah” will count for nothing. Taking God’s name (“the name”) in vain is a sin, and it does matter if we know God and whose words we listen to (God or the world).Įxo 20:7 “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain. That David played, and it pleased the Lordīut you don’t really care for music, do you? “I’m not trying to alter the Jewish view of Jesus Christ.” The Jewish view of Jesus Christ is that He was simply Jesus a good man and prophet.His position IS Son of God and His position can be comprehended because God has given us the Holy Scriptures. When one comes to Christ, the Holy Spirit is received and Jesus has promised that the Holy Spirit will teach us all things. Cohen said, “His position cannot be comprehended.” That is not a true statement.However, there is a third consideration–He IS God. Many have said that Jesus was a liar because He claimed to be God or a lunatic because He thought He was God. Blessed are the meek’ has got to be a figure of unparalleled generosity, and insight, and madness ”. “Any guy who says ‘Blessed are the poor.Many have a “fondness of Jesus,” but only repenting and trusting in Jesus brings salvation and a relationship with Him.But to me, in spite of what I know about the history of legal Christianity, the figure of the man has touched me.” (emphasis added) Unpacking Cohen’s Words I’m not trying to alter the Jewish view of Jesus Christ. A generosity that would overthrow the world if it was embraced because nothing would weather that compassion. Blessed are the meek’ has got to be a figure of unparalleled generosity and insight and madness…A man who declared himself to stand among the thieves, the prostitutes and the homeless. He may be the most beautiful guy who walked the face of this earth. It’s unlikely Cohen would have written something “Christian.” He had an interest in Jesus, but simply considered him a universal figure, as indicated by his words: But is Cohen’s “Hallelujah” really biblical? Is ‘Hallelujah’ a Christian Song? One of his most popular songs is “Hallelujah” - a song with biblical references. I’m quite happy with the old one, with Judaism.” His real faith appears to have been obscured by the confusion of many differing beliefs.Ĭohen died in 2016, but his music lives on. Yet he also continued to consider himself Jewish, having said, “I’m not looking for a new religion. He even practiced Zen Buddhism and was ordained a Buddhist monk in 1996. However, in adulthood, Cohen moved away from his Judaic roots and pursued other religions. His great-grandfather was a rabbinical teacher and his maternal grandfather was a rabbi. His career flourished in the 1960s, which might also have been the beginning of his time of spiritual wandering. However, he was not a faithful adherent to the Jewish faith.Ī Canadian born and raised singer and songwriter, Cohen moved to the US in 1955. Leonard Cohen, as his name suggests, was ethnically Jewish. But is the song Hallelujah appropriate for church? What do we know about the song and the artist? Watch the Christian version of the song below. Leonard Cohen wrote the song “Hallelujah” with a beautiful melody that stirs the soul and warms the heart.
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