The Star-Spangled Banner
(Lyrics quoted from “The Star-Spangled Banner” by Francis Scott Key (text) and John Stafford Smith, attr. (music))
O say, can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
Christ is the banner that waves over His eternal kingdom. The Old Testament followers of God devotedly waited for the coming of their Messiah until the twilight’s last gleaming had faded and all that remained was Israel’s sin and God’s 400-year long silence. God and His prophets were silent for 400 years. In God’s timing, however, the early light of the dawn of salvation appeared and illuminated our banner - the work of Christ - for all to see. Now, we struggle against the world as it, seemingly, threatens to stamp out the light of Christ and plunge us through twilight into darkness once again. But we must bravely soldier forward with our shoulder to the plow. If we do not give up, we will reap a harvest of righteousness by the power and grace of God and, without a doubt, we will see the banner of Christ illuminated by a greater dawn - the dawn of His return.
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that Star-Spangled Banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
Though we face the rockets and bombs of sin being accepted in society and sin’s encroachment on our friends’, family’s, and even our own hearts, these are proof of a divine battle. And that battle is proof that the banner of Christ is still there and has never been and never will be conquered. The enemy is fighting because Someone is fighting against him. If God was not on His throne reigning by perfect righteousness and justice, there would be no battle. The enemy would be reigning! But praise the Lord, our Banner waves! Christ, with His crown of stars that represent those He saved and His broad stripes that are the wounds He suffered for our sake, stands ready to receive His kingdom!
O thus be it ever, when free men shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war’s desolation!
Blessed with vict’ry and peace, may the heav’n-rescued land
Praise the Pow’r that hath made and preserved us a nation!
God calls those He has freed to stand, for His sake, between their beloved heavenly home and the desolate world we live in. As citizens of heaven who dwell before God’s throne of grace, God has called us to be ambassadors for our King. God has blessed us with victory and peace by giving us the badge of salvation - the Holy Spirit. By His authority and power, we are to spread the glory of His Name abroad by praising our Savior for all to hear!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just;
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust!”
And the Star-Spangled Banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
When we trust in God, when we pledge allegiance to Christ, we are serving the only leader Who has perfect justice. When we become part of the body of believers, we become citizens of the only nation that will last for eternity. Because it was created, atoned for, and sanctified by the righteous right hand of God, nothing - absolutely nothing - can prevent Him from being victorious. The enemy can pervert human justice, but he has no power over the rulings of the All-Wise, Almighty God. Indeed, on the Day of the Lord, Christ, our banner, will wave in triumph over the land of those He freed - the home of those who have trusted in Him and have reaped the reward of dwelling in the house of the Lord forever.