How Bethel DESTROYED a Classic Hymn...

0:00 I came across something really interesting which was discussing how Bethl took the classic hymn It is well and turned it into an unbiblical song and that's what I'm going to talk about in this video. So we're going to have a look at the lyrics of the original and we're going to have a look at the lyrics of the Bethl song and we're going to compare the emphasis behind these. But first of all, I think it's important to talk about where this particular hymn came from because this is just so foundational to this discussion. This hymn was written by Horatio Spafford. He was a successful lawyer and real estate investor and he lost much of his real estate in the Great Chicago Fire in 1871. A year later, he lost his 4-year-old son to scarlet fever. And the

0:47 year following that in 1873 he planned a European holiday with his family to get away. He was delayed because of business. So the wife went across with four daughters. There was a collision at sea. Tragically this claimed the lives of all four daughters. The wife survived and she sent a message to him saying saved alone. You can see how much grief and suffering this man endured. And it was actually as he was going across to see his wife in the in the very spot where his daughters had died, he penned the hymn, It is well with my soul. So beautiful talking about the comfort of God. No matter what we go through, it is well with my soul because we have Christ. We have the eternal hope in Christ. And despite all of the tragedy

1:33 he endured, he could hang on to that and to say that it is well. It is okay. even though all of these things have happened to me which are incredibly tragic. So you can see how powerful and profound um that the motivation behind this particular hymn was. Um we're going to have a look at that particular hymn now. The lyrics of it we'll look at some of the lyrics of it. When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll, whatever my lot thou has taught me to say it is well, it is well with my soul. So you can see that he's saying here that no matter what happens around me, you've taught me to say, Lord God, it is well with my soul because I have you. Let's continue on. Though Satan shall buff it, though trials shall come, let this blessed assurance control that Christ hath

2:20 regarded my helpless estate and hath shed his own blood for my soul. So this is talking about trials. This is talking about things that are happening. But do you see what the focus is here? that despite all of this, what has God done for him that he's praising him for? That he has shed his blood for his soul. He is more focused on eternal matters and the sacrifice of Christ on the cross than the circumstances which are incredibly overwhelming in his life. We'll read one more. It says, "My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought, my sin, not in part but the whole, is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, oh my soul." And then it goes on to say, "It is well with my soul." It is well with my soul. It is well. It is well with my soul. So why is it well with his

3:08 soul? Because Christ died for him. And because he has that eternal hope and despite what happens in this life, nothing can take that away from him. And he has that comfort and that peace in God himself. It reminds me of a passage like Philippians 4 where Paul talks about um learning to be content in all circumstances no matter what's happening. And we know as Paul spoke about in other passages that he was overwhelmed, he was burdened um despared even of his own life. Yet he could have contentment in the midst of that. So now let's have a look at the Bethl version of this song. And you're going to see a really uh different emphasis and motivation behind these lyrics. You see this in much of the modern worship music these days especially from those

3:53 problematic groups uh from from churches which are problematic like Bethl and hill song and elevation and you'll see the focus is very different. So let's have a look at a couple of verses from this. So it starts off with grander earth has quakd before moved by the sound of his voice and seas that are shaken and stirred can be calmed and broken for my regard. So we can see straight away here that the focus here is on these seas which are shaken and stirred these circumstances which um the the writer is saying that they're believing God to to calm. Um so already the emphasis is different here. It's about God changing the circumstances rather than having God's peace and contentment even if the circumstances don't change. Let's continue on. It says far be it from me to not believe even

4:41 when my eyes can't see. and this mountain that's in front of me will be thrown into the midst of the sea. So we can see here that this person is believing for what? That God is going to fix their circumstances. That if I just believe enough, God is going to change my circumstances and then it will be okay because God has changed my circumstances. Now we can pray to God to change our circumstances and often times he will. But our hope should come in him regardless of our circumstances. Even if they don't change, it's not simply a matter of believing more and God will change our circumstances. Sometimes we have to endure suffering. And we need to find contentment in God in the midst of that. Because if we're putting our hope in circumstances which are always changing, we're not building our life on

5:27 the foundation. It's not going to be well with our soul. Because when those circumstances don't change, then we're going to be disappointed because our hope is in that. And through it all, through it all, my eyes are on you. Through it all, through it all, it is well. Through it all, through it all, my eyes are on you. And it is well. It is well. So why is it well? Through it. Well, it appears because they believe that God will answer and he will calm the wind and waves of the circumstances that are going on in that person's life. So let go my soul and trust in him. The waves and wind still know his name. So we can see here it's about trusting in God because the waves and the wind have to be calmed because Jesus calmed the waves and the wind in the Bahubble. Therefore, he has power to calm the

6:13 waves and the wind of my circumstances in my life. And that's what I'm putting my hope in. And everything's going to be okay because I'm trusting that God's going to do that. Do you see the complete difference between the emphasis of of these two songs? With a lot of this modern music, a lot of the focus is on me, me, me, and how can God uh help me, which God does help us at times, but the focus here is on me and my circumstances. Whereas in some of these hymns like it is well, the focus is on God and how he is sufficient despite what's happening in our circumstances. Um, completely different emphasis. So, we'd love to get your thoughts. Leave your comments below and I'll talk to you soon. God bless you friends.