On Jordan’s Stormy Banks

Oct 3

A dissenting clergyman in 18th century England wrote this beautiful vision of heaven. Or is it a vision of the sanctified life? On Jordan’s Stormy Banks remains a favourite for many – although the famous refrain was not in the original work by Samuel Stennett.

Introduction

Welcome back to Friday Classic Hymns. Do you know "On Jordan's Stormy Banks"? This is another one that's brand new to me. And so I've learnt it this last week, and it's a lovely song about heaven, the Promised Land that we are awaiting.

Share your comments below, your thoughts about the song. If you have any memories associated with the song, singing it at a particular church or at an event, share it below. Or if it means something to you, I'd love to share in your joy.

And as always, friends, if you like hymns, I think you'll enjoy my Friday Classic Hymn series. I've done over 100. Have a look at them. Let's bring the hymns back to life.

The Story Behind "On Jordan's Stormy Banks"

Let me tell you the history behind this classic. Samuel Stennett was born in Exeter in England, 1st of June, 1727, and he came from a long line of Baptist pastors. His father and grandfather were both in the ministry. At the age of ten, he moved to London. His father had become the minister of the Seventh Day Baptist Church over there. He went on to study at the Academy of Mile End, which was a nonconformist place. As Baptists, these were Christians who didn't conform to the Church of England, and so as a result, he didn't really get into the normal universities. Nonconformists were seen as real rebels against the Crown and against God. But of course they were just Christians of a different flavour. And so he studied and really did well at this nonconformist college. In fact, he received a doctorate of divinity at King's College and served as his father's assistant minister until his father died and he took over.

Despite being a dissenter, he actually was friends with King George the Third, and tried as best as he could to use his friendship with this important man to influence him, so that the dissenters didn't get looked down upon as much as they had been. So he had many political opportunities because of this friendship, but instead decided to focus on the ministry, and he wrote many hymns, a number of hymns, of which this is definitely the most popular.

He died in 1795, shortly after his wife died, and this song had been written a few years before, 1787, so he was already an older man when he wrote this. It was published in a very influential hymnal in 1787, and was originally titled "The Promised Land".

By the early 1800s, this hymn was published in American Methodist hymnals, and it became a really popular song amongst the Methodists in America. It has been published in American Methodist hymnals ever since then and is very popular. It was very popular in camp meetings in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Now, typical of the camp meetings in America of the late 1800s, a refrain or a chorus was put into the middle of this hymn, and so that chorus that we sing wasn't part of his original lyrics. It was added by a man named Rigdon McIntosh, and he really liked this little song. And so he put in this refrain so that it was used a lot in those camp meetings. This theme of crossing the River Jordan was a real favourite theme of the early hymn writers.

What Do The Lyrics of “On Jordan's Stormy Banks” Mean?

Let's take a look at the words that he wrote.

Verse one: "On Jordan's stormy banks I stand and cast a wishful eye to Canaan's fair and happy land, where my possessions lie." So he is positioning himself at the edge of the Jordan River, looking over to the Promised Land. And what we'll see is that for him this was a picture of heaven, the end of life. You're looking across the River Jordan to the Promised Land, which is heaven, casting a wishful longing to be in the Promised Land with Jesus God. And for him, Canaan is a fair and happy land, where his greatest possession, which I guess would be God Himself, lies.

What is your take on this imagery of Canaan being a symbol for the Promised Land? You see, in my denomination, the Church of the Nazarene, we believe that Canaan is the sanctified life. And you can see this in a lot of the songs I've released from the Canaan Melodies hymnal. Go and have a look at those. And you see how there's this theme of "I'm now living in Canaan. I've been sanctified, my heart has been cleansed." And so I now live in Canaan. There's still enemies around. There's still tension here as I walk in Canaan, but it is a place of holy living. Other people see Canaan as representative of heaven. What do you think? I'd love for you to share your thoughts below. He clearly thought that Canaan was heaven, a picture of heaven. And you can see this all throughout the song.

Verse two says, "O'er all the transporting rapturous scene that rises to my sight. Sweet fields arrayed in living green and rivers of delight." So over the river he sees in heaven this wonderful picture of life, a rapturous, wonderful scene of greenery and rivers. This is very reminiscent of the pictures painted in Revelation 22 of the river flowing from the throne of God, with trees on the banks. For him, this was the place he wanted to go, to be with his God.

Verse three: "There generous fruits that never fail on trees immortal grow." Again, a picture from Revelation 22 of the trees on the banks of the river of life. "There rocks and hills and brooks and vales with milk and honey flow." So this is more Old Testament imagery of Canaan - milk and honey and rocks and hills. This is the place that the Israelites were called to go and take possession of. And again, if you take this as the sanctified life, the life filled with the Spirit, we're here now, living in full obedience to God. Yes, there are rocks and there are hills that you're going to have to overcome. But he is with you to help you overcome them. And there's milk and honey, which is a representation of just provision and satisfaction of the soul.

Verse four: "All o'er those wide extended plains shines one eternal day. There God the Son forever reigns and scatters night away." Again, a picture from Revelation of the place where there's no more night, because the sun, the light of the Son of God, the light of Jesus, is light enough. He forever reigns and scatters night away because his light is so bright. Isn't it an amazing thought of Jesus truly being the light of the world?

Verse five: "No chilling winds, no poisonous breath can reach that healthful shore. Sickness and sorrow, pain and death are felt and feared no more." We know that heaven is a place where there's no more sickness, no more death, no more corruption, just peace. That's why we say "rest in peace". It's because we realise that people who are in heaven have utter peace, utter peace and joy. No chills, no wounds, no sickness or sorrow or sadness. And best, we all long for that place, don't we?

Then verse six says, "When shall I reach that happy place and be forever blessed? When shall I see my Father's face and in his bosom rest?" I know some versions don't put this in question form, but instead phrase it as "When I shall reach that happy place, I'll be forever blessed. When I shall see my Father's face, and in his bosom rest." But he originally had question marks there, basically saying, "When is it going to be? When am I going to be there?" You can see his anticipation to be in that place of joy and blessing and resting in his Father's arms. I suppose every Christian has this tension between "it's good to be here and alive on the earth. His Spirit is with me, and I've got good work to do," but "I'm looking forward to that place of non-stop rest and blessing in his arms."

And then verse seven, the last verse: "Filled with delight, my raptured soul would here no longer stay." When the time comes for him to cross over, he knows that he would have no more need for this earth, but he would be raptured. In other words, his soul would be so delighted to be gone, to be home with his God. "Though Jordan's waves around me roll, fearless I'd launch away." And so this is that crossing over. And it would probably be scary. Like you're feeling overwhelmed crossing the river. A lot of people fear the process of death, even though they know what's coming on the other side. They fear that process of death. And he's saying even though death will overwhelm me, "I'd fearlessly launch away" because I know the other side would be waiting.

What a powerful hymn. These days we don't usually sing all seven. I think we sing four in most hymnals, but I want to sing all seven. I'm going to do the refrain in the middle of every two, so that it's not as long.

What words spoke to you today? Did you need this message about the Promised Land that you're looking forward to as a person of faith?

Let me remind you, friends, that it's only those who have their faith in Christ that will reach this Promised Land. That was Jesus' claim - that there is a place that is hell. There is a place apart from God, eternally separated from God. And that is, in essence, the land promised to those who reject him. And so it's all fine and well to talk about this place we go where we are, but you only go there if your faith is in Christ.

I ask you today, have you put your faith in Christ? Do you believe in him and in his work on Calvary? His death on Calvary is the only basis of your salvation, not your own good works, not your own trying to be a good person, but your faith in Christ as your ticket, essentially, to the Promised Land. There's much more to it than that! Putting your faith in Christ gives you brand new life on earth as well -and you live a holy life, sanctified by his grace, once you place your faith in him as well. But the benefit is eternal life too.

Put your faith in him, my friends, so that you may be in the Promised Land! Do it today. Don't wait.

If you enjoy this content, my friends, head over to my Patreon. You can support the work I do, that’ll be deeply appreciated - and you'll get the piano part that I'm playing in the background here as a special thank you every week and the performance of the hymns.

God bless you and please sing with me as we celebrate the Promised Land together now.