Photo by Juli Kosolapova
American Contemporary Christian artist and Cody Carnes’ wife Kari Jobe is a former member of Gateway Worship, serving as a worship leader from 2003 to 2008 before pursuing a solo career.
She released six albums and one EP, including:
- Bethlehem (2007)
- Kari Jobe (2009)
- Where I Find You (2012)
- The Acoustic Sessions (Live) (EP, 2012)
- Majestic (2014)
- The Garden (2017)
- The Blessing (2020)
Jobe won seven GMA Dove awards, including:
- Spanish Language Album of the Year (Le Canto [Spanish version of Kari Jobe]) (2010)
- Special Events Album of the Year (Glory Revealed II: The Word of God in Worship) (2010, with Matt Maher)
- Recorded Music Packaging of the Year (The Garden) (2017)
Also, check out my reviews of Heal Our Land, The Cause of Christ, and Forever.
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?
“Heaven” is the light of truth that cuts through lies and deceit. The glory of “heaven” causes us to draw closer or away. We permit “Heaven” to overrun our hearts, resulting in transformed, healed, and joyful, people. We respond by singing and dancing to tell others how we feel about “Heaven”.
Who or what is “heaven”? It’s probably a deistic person, but Jobe isn’t clear who specifically this refers to. It could be the Christian God, but it could also be the god of Islam, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, or any other deity. It could be the Christian God, but it could also be the god of Islam, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, or any other deity.
Score: 7/10
2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?
Though I normally deduct two points when the subject is unclear, there’s enough here to say that it’s God but not specifically the Christian God. Therefore, I’ll deduct one point to assume “Heaven” is the Christian God.
Lyrics posted with permission.*
[Verse 1]
See the light breaking through
All the lies with the truth
Jesus is truth (John 14:6). His Word is like a double-edged sword that cuts through lies, piercing the heart (Hebrews 4:12).
Hear the sound of the wind
Let the roar of Heaven begin
Probably a reference to the Holy Spirit in Acts 2:2.
[Pre-Chorus]
Can’t stay silent, can’t stay still
When You show up in power, glory revealed
When the power of the glory is God is revealed to us, we cannot respond idly to it. We will either be transformed by it (2 Corinthians 3:18) or run away from it in vain (Psalm 139:7-12).
Can’t stay silent, can’t stay still
When I feel the fire, feel the ground shake
Repeats lines 1 and 2.
[Chorus]
Heaven invade
We surrender to God (Psalm 43:5, 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).
Heaven invade
Repeats line 1.
There’s freedom in this place
It is freedom in Christ (Psalm 119:45, Isaiah 58:6, Isaiah 61:1, John 3:16-21, John 8:31-36, John 10:10, Acts 13:38-39, Romans 6:1-23, Romans 8:1-4, Romans 8:20-21, 1 Corinthians 6:12, 1 Corinthians 7:21-23, 2 Corinthians 3:17, Galatians 2:4, Galatians 3:13, Galatians 3:22, Galatians 5:1, Galatians 5:13, Colossians 1:21-23, Hebrews 2:14-15, and 1 Peter 2:16 ).
Every heart awaken
Everything is changing now
Not literally “every” heart, but those who allowed God to invade. See commentary on line 1 and Pre-Chorus, lines 1 and 2.
Heaven invade
Repeats line 1.
[Verse 2]
Broken hеarts on the mend
All deprеssion must end
All the shame and the fear
Run away when You’re here
See commentary on Pre-Chorus, lines 1 and 2.
[Interlude (1)]
Heaven invade
There’s freedom in this place
Repeats Chorus, lines 1 and 3.
[Bridge]
My heart starts to race and I can’t contain
The feeling of joy, being in Your presence
Jobe is happy when she is close to God (Romans 15:13).
I can’t help but dance, can’t help but sing
And I don’t really care what anyone thinks
Jobe expresses this joy in dance and song regardless of the thoughts of others, similar to David in 2 Samuel 6:14-18.
My heart starts to race and I can’t contain
The feeling of joy, being in Your presence
I can’t help but dance, can’t help but sing
And I don’t really care what anyone thinks
Repeats lines 1-4.
[Interlude (2)]
And I don’t really care what anyone thinks
Repeats Bridge, line 4.
[Outro]
Heaven invade
There’s freedom in this place
Every heart awaken
Everything is changing now
Heaven invade
Essentially repeats Chorus, lines 3-6.
Score: 9/10
3. How would an outsider interpret the song?
They will think it’s about some sort of deity that, through our allowance, changes our lives for the better, prompting us to spread the good news about “Heaven” to others. As stated in section 1, this song isn’t clear on who or what “Heaven” is. We cannot expect unbelievers to fare better. It requires them to learn more about the artist or hear it in a church setting to understand the subject.
Score: 6/10
4. What does this song glorify?
While it glorifies “Heaven” as the reality whose illumination vanquishes untruth, glory causes us to respond, and power heals and transforms us, it does not glorify Him when Jobe is unclear on what she means by “Heaven”.
Score: 7/10
Closing Comments
Kari Jobe’s Heaven Invade is all about “Heaven”, whatever Jobe means by that. If we assume she means the Christian God, it tells us that God is Truth, who destroys lies, heals us, and makes us better people, which would bring Him glory. However, assuming “Heaven” is our God does not make it so. Unbelievers will probably think religious people worship and tell people about their deity, but further research is required to clarify it.
I cannot recommend this song for corporate worship.
Final Score: 7.5/10
Artist Info
Track: Heaven Invade (Live) (listen to the song)
Artist: Kari Jobe
Album: The Blessing (Live)
Genre: Pop
Release Year: 2020
Duration: 4:21
Agree? Disagree? Don’t be shy or have a cow! Calmly and politely state your case in a comment, below.
*Copyright © 2020 A L K D Music (BMI) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com in partnership with WatershedMusicPublishing.com) / TBCO Publishing (BMI) LOVEFUEL PUBLISHING (BMI) Worship Together Music (BMI) Kari Jobe Carnes Music (BMI) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com) All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Comments
Dave
This is a song of joy. At the same time, you have to be in a certain place in your walk with Christ for this to make sense. I think that if you look at this song on a stand alone basis, the Berean Test assessment is spot on. If you look at the song through the reference of 2 Samuel 6:14-23, the King David test, the song does have merit. Is that enough? The question is whether the average person encountering a worship team offering this song in worship would be able to find a holy worship experience. I think in the proper context this could make sense. but there is no way we can presume to know how or where the song would be used. Sometimes we face a paradox that defies reason, but still has merit. This would seem to be a song that fits that description.
Mel
No matter who or what you are writing or singing about, as a Christian artist, and follower of Christ, there should never be a question as to “who” or “what” you are proclaiming; leaving it ambiguous does not perfectly proclaim the gospel. I’ve loved Kari’s music for a long time now, but this song missed it – recommend a revision to leave no doubt. Too many songs are written today where the subject’s name can be easily replaced with other gods or persons. In today’s age, we must boldly proclaim the gospel and His name, otherwise we spread confusion to the lost.