Photo by Aaron Burden
Hillsong is a conglomerate, behemoth Christian organization that needs no introduction. They are arguably the #1 producer of modern Christian music, with more Berean Test reviews than any other artist. Their discography and accolades collection is too large for me to reproduce here, in part, because they operate four organizations: Hillsong Worship, Hillsong United, Hillsong Young & Free, and Hillsong Kids.
Seasons is my 25th Hillsong review, including the Christmas song, Prince of Heaven.
Note to new users: This is a different kind of review site! Read About the Berean Test and Evaluation Criteria prior to reading this review.
1. What message does the song communicate?
It speaks of man’s present suffering, represented as the season of winter. It seems like it will never end! Yet, we recognize God’s promises of eternal life with Him. We trust Him through earth’s ups and downs. His love can be compared to the first light after days of darkness: perfect in His timing and warm to the touch, yet blinding when seen directly.
Our spiritual growth began in Bethlehem, with Christ’s birth. He lived so that He could die for us; His dead seed brought about spiritual life within us. Through this entire spiritual process from seed to full-grown tree, God controls the seasons within our lives. We trust that God knows best, receiving eternal life at the end of waiting; However, we’re not naturally patient, as Hillsong incorrectly stated.
This song follows a modified version of basic format. There is a short, one-sentence Pre-Chorus that appears before Chorus’ first two iterations. Also. the song ends with sections Tag and Verse 3 instead of the usual Chorus. There’s no repetition worth addressing.
Score: 9/10
2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?
Almost all of it is Biblical. I take exception with nature’s imparting patience on us.
Lyrics posted with permission.*
[Verse 1]
Like the frost on a rose
Winter comes for us all
Winter in this context represents trials and tribulation (Romans 5:3-5 and James 1:2-4). We all experience it, whether we’re Christians or not.
Oh how nature acquaints us
With the nature of patience
I’ve found the opposite to be true. We’re naturally impatient! Patience is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-24), not a fruit of nature.
Like a seed in the snow
I’ve been buried to grow
Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 15:35-49 that the seed buried is our mortal body. Our flesh must be buried to die so that our spiritual bodies come alive.
For Your promise is loyal
From seed to sequoia
Regardless of spiritual maturity, whether still a seed or fully-grown Giant Redwood Tree, God always keeps His promises (Joshua 21:45, Joshua 23:14, 1 Kings 8:56, Romans 4:21, 2 Corinthians 1:20, Hebrews 10:23, and 2 Peter 3:9).
[Pre-Chorus]
I know
The words in Chorus are Hillsong’s knowledge claim.
[Chorus]
Though the winter is long even richer
The harvest it brings
That is, though we perceive that trials and tribulations are lengthy, eternity with God is richer, fuller, and lengthier than our momentary light affliction (2 Corinthians 4:17).
Though my waiting prolongs even greater
Your promise for me like a seed
I believe that my season will come
Hillsong professes that they trust God through the process: one day, they will inherit eternal life (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).
[Verse 2]
Lord I think of Your love
Like the low winter sun
And as I gaze I am blinded
In the light of Your brightness
And like a fire to the snow
I’m renewed in Your warmth
Melt the ice of this wild soul
Till the barren is beautiful
God’s light outshines the darkness that Hillsong experiences (Psalm 107:10-16, Luke 1:79, John 1:1-13, John 12:46, Ephesians 5:8, Colossians 1:13, and 1 Peter 2:9). This glimmer brings Hillsong enough hope to persevere (James 1:12).
[Bridge]
I can see the promise
I can see the future
You’re the God of seasons
And I’m just in the winter
Hillsong recognizes that God is sovereign over all creation, including all the stages of our lives (Genesis 1:1, Deuteronomy 4:39, Deuteronomy 10:14, Joshua 2:11, Nehemiah 9:6, Psalm 29:10, Psalm 45:6, Psalm 50:7-15, Psalm 93:1-2, Psalm 115:3, Psalm 135:6, Isaiah 43:13, Isaiah 45:9-10, Isaiah 46:10, Lamentations 5:19, Daniel 4:35, Romans 9:19-21, Ephesians 1:11, Hebrews 1:8, James 4:15, Revelation 4:11, and Revelation 20:11).
If all I know of harvest
Is that it’s worth my patience
Then if You’re not done working
God I’m not done waiting
See Chorus, lines 3-5.
You can see my promise
Even in the winter
This is so because God knows all things (1 Kings 8:39, 1 Chronicles 28:9, Psalm 44:21, Psalm 139:4, Psalm 147:4-5, Isaiah 40:28, Matthew 10:30, John 16:30, John 21:17, Acts 1:24, Hebrews 4:13, and 1 John 3:20), including our feeble and faithless promises (Jeremiah 17:9).
Cause You’re the God of greatness
Even in a manger
Despite baby Jesus’ frail state, He is still the Son of God (Luke 1:31-35).
For all I know of seasons
Is that You take Your time
Though we may perceive God as slow about His promises, His timing is perfect (2 Peter 3:9).
You could have saved us in a second
Instead You sent a child
This was God’s plan of salvation from the foundation of the world, that He would become one of us and die for us (Genesis 3:15, Philippians 2:5-11, and
Revelation 13:8).
[Tag]
And when I finally see my tree
Still I believe there’s a season to come
That is, the new heaven and new earth that comes to fruition (Revelation 21:1-22:9).
[Verse 3]
Like a seed You were sown
For the sake of us all
From Bethlehem’s soil
Grew Calvary’s sequoia
References Jesus’ words in John 12:24, that He must die so that we could grow spiritually. These closing lines present the full range of Christ’s human life pre-resurrection, from His birth in Bethlehem (Luke 2:1-7) to His death at Calvary (or the Skull; Matthew 27:33, Mark 15:22, Luke 23:33, and John 19:17), where His seed fully matured to die and bear fruit.
Score: 9/10
3. How would an outsider interpret the song?
I am confident that most unbelievers will equate winter with hardship, seed with newness of life, that God is light and keeps His promises, and that somehow, all this has something to do with Jesus’ birth and death. I am less confident that they will connect seed with flesh’s death, sequoia with spiritual life, and the meaning behind Jesus’ dead seed.
Score: 6/10
4. What does this song glorify?
It glorifies God through its message to trust God through every season, especially winter. His glory is only slightly veiled when Hillsong states our natural patience.
Score: 9/10
Closing Comments
Hillsong Worship’s Seasons is decent. It presents seed/growth language that describes our flesh’s death and subsequent spiritual life. It began with Christ’s birth in Bethlehem and propagated when He died at Calvary, beginning new seedlings that would germinate within us. Through our present dark season, God is the light that brings hope, in this life and the one to come, bringing Him glory. Hillsong slightly errs when stating nature produces patience. Unbelievers will have a hard time making these connections with a vague sense that it’s appropriate for the Christmas season.
This song is inspirational, but not appropriate for corporate worship. I’m not opposed to this for Christmas Eve service.
Final Score: 8.5/10
Artist Info
Track: Seasons (listen to the song)
Artist: Hillsong Worship
Album: Christmas: The Peace Project
Genre: Christmas, Rock
Release Year: 2017
Duration: 4:35
Agree? Disagree? Don’t be shy or have a cow! Calmly and politely state your case in a comment, below.
*Copyright © 2017 Hillsong Music Publishing (APRA) (adm. in the US and Canada at CapitolCMGPublishing.com) All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Comments
worshipismorethanmusic
This lyrically has many references to Jesus, Lord, God which many of Hillsongs lyrics don’t. I have never heard the song, but from reading it – I am not a Hillsong fan, I am very pleasantly surprised.
Vince Wright
worshipismorethanmusic,
Thank you for your comments!
I can’t help but wonder why so many Christian worship songs omit the name of Jesus. It’s almost as if we’re ashamed to say it, much less sing it. Not that it affects my Berean Test reviews much (unless they are unclear), but there’s power in that name (Mark 16:17, Luke 10:17, Acts 3:6, Acts 3:12-16, Acts 4:30, Romans 10:13, and Philippians 2:9-11).
-Vince Wright
Richelle
Oh how nature acquaints us
With the nature of patience
I’m wondering if your interpretation of these lyrics might be a little off….? Is it possibly saying that we become acquainted with the very nature of what patience looks like through watching nature itself? Another way of looking at that would be God revealing patience and many other attributes of himself to us through the world around us. Seasons can be slow, the process of a seed falling into the snow and waiting for spring rains and sun can be slow, etc…. I think their lyrics are just a poetic way of saying that. Just my thoughts.
Vince Wright
Richelle,
Thank you for your comments!
I’m not sure if I 100% agree with that, but I see where you’re going with it. Do you have any Scripture that goes along with your view?
-Vince Wright
Adam
I agree with Richelle. I think it takes more mental gymnastics to read this line as “we are patient” than “nature reveals patience”. In the line before, the Rose would have to be patient and weather the frost of winter before it can bloom again; thus aquainting humans with what patience is. Nature also forces is to be patient; crops take time to grow before they can be harvested.
As for biblical support, Romans 1:20 states that God’s nature is made visible in creation, and God is certainly patient.
Tyler Wallace
na·ture
1. the phenomena of the physical world collectively, including plants, animals, the landscape, and other features and products of the earth, as opposed to humans or human creations.
2. the basic or inherent features of something, especially when seen as characteristic of it.
I highly believe you are interpreting this line wrong, especially since I pay a lot of attention to Hillsong’s writing, and especially Ben Hastings writing, who is the author of the song.
The first use of nature in the line is definition one, the second is definition two. Hastings is not saying that patience is natural. The line could be reworded to “O how nature acquaints us, with the “characteristics” of patience.” This would mean the exact same thing, but it isn’t nearly as poetic. He is saying that nature displays the characteristics of patience. It’s a line that represents the overall meaning of the song. Just like a seed that is planted takes time to grow, and just like God sent a child to die 33 years later, nature acquaints us with the nature of patience.
Vince Wright
Tyler,
Thank you for your comments!
If we accept your definitions, then what I’m reading is that nature itself acquaints us (or brings awareness to) the characteristics of patience within me. However, what I’ve noticed is that nature (not necessarily my nature, but nature around me) reveals that I’m impatient, not patient. I require the Holy Spirit to teach me how to become patient.
-Vince Wright
racefangurl
It does read as a Christmas song due to the Child, manger mention, Bethlehem reference and the wintery imagery all combined. So if the alternate interpretation a previous comment mentioned for the lyrics about nature and patience (nature shows us patience) prevails in a particular church especially, then the church can sing it during the Christmas season. But there’s just too much reference to Christmas type stuff to use it for anything outside that time of year.
Brad Jankins
I agree with the previous commenters that the song is intending to say “nature” (the natural world) acquaints us with the “nature” (characteristics) of patience.
I think of James 5:7-8 as excellent biblical support for this:
“…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.”
Chris Quinn
I do not think that what they mean by saying “I believe that my season will come” that, as you say, “They trust God through the process: one day, they will inherit eternal life.” For them, I do not think “eternal life” is what they have in mind, but for God to bring about a new season in their present life that’s better than the one they’re in. It’s somewhat in line of your criticism of “Way Maker” that it brings about a promise that is not necessarily there in Scripture.
My issue with the song is in its lyrical vagueness. Yes, many of the statements could be interpreted biblically, but for me, they’re so vague as to need too much explanation about the meaning.