Photo by Joshua Sortino
Elevation Worship is a popular group, taking the world by storm in our radios, congregations, and youth events. It’s hard to believe that they started in 2007! They released 17 albums and 8 EP’s, including Here as in Heaven (2016), There Is a Cloud (2017), and Graves into Gardens (2020).
Also, check out my other Elevation Worship reviews.
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1. What message does the song communicate?
To summarize, this song is about trusting in God through spiritually dry and wet seasons.
It begins with a spiritual desert. Sometimes we live in a dry, weary land, expecting to follow Jesus and bear fruit through uncertainty and doubt. Then, we hear the voice of God, represented as thunder, which begins the process of transition out of the dry land. We experience an experiential washing of the Holy Spirit, overwhelmed by His love.
One day, we will die in our mortal bodies, raised up in our spiritual bodies to eternal life with God.
I find it odd that it claims Christians receive the Holy Spirit after experiencing a desert. Don’t we already possess Him in our hearts? Why would we need to be filled again?
Score: 9/10
2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?
Almost all of it does, except the bit about receiving the Holy Spirit again at the end of Verse 2.
Lyrics posted with permission.*
[Verse 1]
Hear the word roaring as thunder
With a new future to tell
For the dry season is over
There is a cloud beginning to swell
The word of God is Scripture, which is profitable for many things and cuts deeper than any human sword (Hebrews 4:12 and 2 Timothy 3:16-17). It permeates within the dry seasons of believers, where we sometimes do not experience the Holy Spirit. That does not mean that He is not living within our hearts (Acts 6:5, Romans 8:9-11, 1 Corinthians 3:16, 1 Corinthians 6:16-19, Galatians 4:6, Ephesians 5:18, and 2 Timothy 1:14).
[Verse 2]
To the skies heavy with blessing
What is this blessing that God bestows upon us? It is experiencing the Holy Spirit once more.
Lift your eyes, offer your heart
We are commanded to “open our hearts” by surrendering to God (Isaiah 64:8, Matthew 10:38, Matthew 11:28-30, Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34-38, Mark 10:28, Luke 9:23, Luke 14:27, John 15:1-11, Romans 6:13, Romans 12:1-2, Galatians 2:20, Philippians 2:5-8, Hebrews 11:6, James 4:7-10, and 1 Peter 5:6).
Jesus Christ opened the heavens
Now we receive the Spirit of God
Christ promised His followers the Holy Spirit (John 14:15-31, John 15:26, and John 16:7-15) and must “go away” for Him to come (John 16:7), hinting at the cross. It is this way that Jesus “opened the heavens”, including the blessing therein. I find it odd that it says we received the Holy Spirit. Why would we need to receive again what we already possess? We could go the “experience” route as I do with line 1, but the text here says “receive the Spirit of God”, making it difficult to justify this interpretation.
[Chorus]
We receive Your rain
That is, we receive the experience of the Holy Spirit.
We receive Your rain
Repeats line 1.
[Verse 3]
Every seed buried in sorrow
You will call forth in its time
You are Lord, Lord of the harvest
Calling our hope now to arise
I thought that it might reference Psalm 126:5; However, the context of this passage is about restoring Israel’s captivity. Instead, I look to 1 Corinthians 15:35-49, which talks about the final resurrection in that the seed must die for its plant to grow, the seed being our fleshy bodies and the plant our spiritual bodies. This is the hope that we have in Christ Jesus: eternal life with God (Mark 10:29-30, John 3:15-16, John 3:36, John 4:14, John 5:24, John 5:39-40, John 6:27, John 6:40, John 10:28, John 17:3, John 20:31, Romans 5:21, Romans 6:22-23, Romans 8:18, 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, Galatians 6:8, 1 Timothy 1:16, 1 Timothy 6:12, 2 Timothy 2:11, Hebrews 5:9, 1 Peter 5:10, 1 John 2:23-27, 1 John 5:10-13, 1 John 5:20, Jude 1:20-21, Revelation 3:5, Revelation 7:16-17, and Revelation 21:3-4). That is when we, the wheat, will be harvested (Matthew 13:24-30).
[Bridge]
Like a flood, like a flood
We receive Your love when You come
That is, personal experience of being filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:5, Romans 8:9-11, 1 Corinthians 3:16, 1 Corinthians 6:16-19, Galatians 4:6, Ephesians 5:18, and 2 Timothy 1:14).
Like a flood, like a flood
We receive Your love when You come
Like a flood, like a flood
We receive Your love when You come
Like a flood, like a flood
We receive Your love!
Repeats lines 1 and 2.
[Verse 4]
And with great anticipation
We await the Promise to come
Everything that You have spoken
Will come to pass, let it be done!
That is, the promised Holy Spirit. See commentary on Verse 2.
[Outro]
Ohh-ohh-ohhh, ohh-ohhh, ohh-ohhh
Casper the friendly ghost.
Ohh-ohh-ohhh, ohh-ohhh, ohh-ohhh
Repeats line 1.
Score: 9/10
3. How would an outsider interpret the song?
This song is thick with Christianese language, making unbeliever interpretation elusive. They will probably think that it’s Christian because it mentions Jesus Christ, with the rest figurative language that requires deeper study.
Score: 4/10
4. What does this song glorify?
It glorifies God in that it acknowledges periods of dryness in the life of a Christian, the felt experience of God’s love washing over us when exiting the desert, and the hope we have of eternal life after we die, only slightly veiled with its claim that we require a second filling of the Holy Spirit.
Score: 9/10
Closing Comments
Elevation Worship’s There Is a Cloud is positive and uplifting. It acknowledges the existence of spiritual deserts, refreshed when the Holy Spirit quenches our thirsty souls, bringing God glory. I still don’t get why Elevation Worship claims that we require a second filling of the Holy Spirit. It’s not in the Bible. Unbelievers will likely not comprehend this song without deep research.
I’m on the fence about recommending it for corporate worship. It seems more inspirational than a praise and worship song.
Final Score: 8/10
Artist Info
Track: There Is a Cloud (listen to the song)
Artist: Elevation Worship
Album: There Is a Cloud
Genre: Contemporary Christian Music (CCM)
Release Year: 2017
Duration: 5:47
Agree? Disagree? Don’t be shy or have a cow! Calmly and politely state your case in a comment, below.
*Copyright © 2017 Music by Elevation Worship Publishing (BMI) (admin at EssentialMusicPublishing.com). All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Updates:
09/14/2021 – Per Artist Theology announcement, I expanded the red text to encourage others to study Elevation Worship’s theology.
03/24/2021 – Updated per repetition announcement.
08/12/2020 – I forgot how to count when I first wrote this introduction. Elevation Worship released eight EP’s, not nine. At least, as of this review. I also forgot the release year for their album There Is a Cloud.
Comments
Neal Cruco
I’ve always thought that lines 3-4 of Verse 1 were referring to the end of the drought that Elijah pronounced on Israel- in 1 Kings 18:1 and 18:41, Elijah tells Ahab that rain is coming after three years of total drought. Then Elijah prays for rain and sends his servant out seven times to look towards the sea- and in verse 44, his servant tells him that there is a little cloud rising from the sea, a cloud that soon brings a mighty rainstorm.
Vince Wright
Neal,
Thank you for your comment!
I considered 1 Kings 16-18 in the context of this song. The trouble is, the context of the drought in 1 Kings is a direct response to Ahab’s rebellion against God. Ahab provoked God with his idolatry (1 Kings 16:33), prompting God to bring the three-year drought (1 Kings 17:1). Israel suffered as a result. After the three years completed, God brings the rain back (1 Kings 18:1), Ahab still did not repent, calling Elijah a “troublemaker” (1 Kings 18:17). It doesn’t fit with the song’s message about spiritual deserts and floods.
I hope that makes sense.
-Vince Wright
Neal Cruco
Vince,
I agree that the context of 1 Kings 17-18 doesn’t fit with the song’s message. But I can’t not see those two lines of the song as an allusion to the drought in 1 Kings 17-18. An allusion taken out of its original context, yes, but an allusion nonetheless. (Not that it matters much to this review, of course.)
Vince Wright
Neal,
I understand your point now. Thanks!
-Vince Wright
racefangurl
The second filling probably refers to Pentecost type stuff. They probably believe in Pentecostal/Charismatic type tongues and gifts of the Spirit for today, like the disciples got from Pentecost.
Bluepegasus
I don’t interpret “now we receive the Spirit of God” as referring to a second or third infilling of the Spirit–i read that line more along the lines of because Jesus ascended and was seated at the right hand of the Father, we are now able to receive the Spirit. The Spirit according to Jesus would not begin its ministry until Jesus went away (Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. John 16:7) It’s an allusion to the Pentecost event happening during the Apostolic Age but also in the lives of all believers when they accept Christ.
I like the third stanza referring to the bodily resurrection as the seed that is planted in sorrow but is raised up in its time. It also works as referring to the fact that the Christian life is not always easy and sometimes we may feel as if we are being buried in sorrow, but just like Jesus will raise us when He comes, He can also resurrect our spiritual lives here and now when we go through a period of backsliding or a time of trial when we don’t feel as if He is there if we would only turn to Him. In fact oftentimes God will permit us to go through trials in order that we might grow spiritually and learn to seek Him hence we are “raised in our time.” The hope that is mentioned in the song that needs to arise in all of us–hope in the soon coming of the Lord and hope in his power in our lives today because as human beings we tend to forget and we can get discouraged.
Since the third stanza has made the connection to the future of the church and hope in the coming of Jesus, I see a further elaboration of that theme in the final stanza. “And with great anticipation we await the Promise to come.” That could mean two things–the Promise of his Second Coming (Behold he is coming in the clouds and every eye shall see Him- Rev 1:7–notice the song is coming back to the imagery of the cloud) and it could also mean the end time Promise of the Latter Rain (since the song is Holy Spirit centered) which will come upon the church with power shortly before the end of all things and will be one of the signs of His soon coming. (Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. James 5: 7-8). The Promise also brings the text from Joel to mind (And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Joel 2:28) The song ends with “let it be done” which is in essence an “amen” which is in itself very reminiscent of the book of Revelation. (Rev 1:7 and also Rev 22:20)
In summary i agree 100% with you that this song is very meaningful and speaks to you if you are a believer. It is heavy in biblical allusions and can function on multiple layers, however to someone who is unchurched it can be rather cryptic and will most likely need to be explained. I appreciate its lyrics. Jesus is our Hope and the giver of the Rain of refreshing. It brings to mind Acts 3: 19-21 which makes the connection between the personal experience of the believer and the soon coming of Christ [the time of restoring] (Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.) Thank you so much for this blog post on this song and thank you for allowing me to share these thoughts.