God's Truth is Marching On

God's Truth is Marching On by Paul Camuti 01/31/2025

A few days or weeks ago, I forget as to whether it was at a church service or if it was during an event that I was watching on the television, the Battle Hymn of the Republic was sung. I can remember singing it at times during assemblies in elementary school. Of course I always related the hymn to the Civil War in which the Union Army used as their anthem. Being in elementary school I never paid much attention to the lyrics. I did love the rhythm, though.

Being a movie buff, I also heard it in several movies. Even as an adult I did not pay much attention to the lyrics because I loved the rhythm so much. Thinking about it, it was somewhat strange that I wouldn't pay much attention to the lyrics seeing how in the past I have written lyrics to some songs. I would also focus on the lyrics as much as the rhythm when I'd listen to rock 'n roll back in the day. I focus on the lyrics in praise and worship music.

When I recently heard the Battle Hymn of the Republic, although I once again got caught up in the rhythm, one line of the lyrics really hit me. The last line in the last stanza is, “While God is marching on.” When I heard that line, a flood of thoughts came rushing in like a torrent. I decided to look at the lyrics and they are truly amazing when you consider how the lyrics line up with what the Bible says about God and truth. I'm not going to put all the lyrics here, but I am going to put the most pertinent lyrics that really stirred me.

“Glory, glory, hallelujah! Glory, glory, hallelujah! Glory, glory, hallelujah! His truth is marching on. Let the Hero, born of woman, crush the serpent with His heel, Since God is marching on. Glory, glory hallelujah! Glory, glory, hallelujah! Glory, glory, hallelujah, Since God is marching on. In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea, With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me; As He died to make men holy, Let us die to make men free, While God is marching on. Glory, glory, hallelujah! Glory, glory, hallelujah, Glory, glory, hallelujah! While God is marching on.”

In chorus immediately following the first stanza, as we just read, it says “Glory, glory, hallelujah! His truth is marching on.” As most, if not all of us know, hallelujah means Praise the Lord. The hymn is declaring to us to Praise the Lord in relation to His truth marching on. The hallel part of hallelujah means to Praise by making a show, to boast, to be clamorously foolish to the Lord for His truth to be marching on. In other words, if we can go crazy and get excited over sporting events like the World Series or the Super Bowl, we should go crazy and get excited praising the Lord for Who He is and for His truth to be marching on.

This hymn also alludes to Jesus crushing satan's head with His heel which Jesus did at the cross. As this hymn alludes to, because Jesus crushed satan's head at the cross, God is marching on. Like the Word of God says in 1 John 3:8b, “The Son of God appeared for this purpose, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” Sounds to me like the serpent's head has been crushed. Some might say, “Well if the devil's head is crushed and destroyed the devil's works, how come so much evil is going on?” All I can say is that if God's Word doesn't apear to be happening according to what it says, the problem isn't God's Word. The problem is that we're not believing or being persuaded that God's Word is absolutely true. It has become convenient to blame it on the so called “the end times.”

Because Jesus destroyed the works of the devil, we should be making a show, boasting and acting clamorously foolish and excited that God is marching on. Because Jesus died to make us holy by making us free from sin, we are able to die to self, live for God to make others free. That is something else to Praise the Lord about-making a show, boasting and acting clamorously foolish, crazy and excited over what God has done through Jesus Christ. By His glory He transfigures you and me, as we yield to His Holy Spirit, Word, and embrace His glory.

I love that the hymn ends with While God is marching on. To hear some preachers and Christians it sounds more like the devil is marching on. The truth and the reality is, it is God Who is marching on. His truth is marching on because God is marching on.

This hymn is related to the fight to set the slaves free. Battle Hymn of the Republic is as relevent today as it was during the Civil War. There is a battle going on in which as Christians we have already been set free from the slavery of sin having become a new creation, but now the battle is that our souls-our mind, will and emotions, are being set free as we renew our minds by believing God's Word and allowing the Holy Spirit to transform us by His power and His Word. Here are some Scriptures regarding Father God, Jesus and truth.

Psalm 100:5, “For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endureth to all generations.” (His truth is marching on)!

Jeremiah 4:2, “And thou shalt swear, The Lord liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in Him, and in Him they shall glory.” (God is marching on)!

John 1:14, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

John 14:6, “Jesus saith unto him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by Me.'”

John 8:31-32, “Then Jesus said to those Jews which believed on Him, 'If ye continue in My word, then are ye My disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.'”

Despite all of the calamity that has been going on in the world and in America particularly, revival has been breaking out throughout America, especially on college and university campuses. Revivals are also beginning to break out in other nations around the world as well. Jesus sits upon His throne on the right hand of the Father. As several Scriptures show, His Kingdom, which began at the time of the Roman Empire, is an everlasting Kingdom which cannot be destroyed. King Jesus cannot be usurped, cannot be dethroned, nor can He be overthrown. Jesus not only has all authority in heaven, He has all authority on earth as well. Jesus Himself said as much in the Gospels. God's truth, and God Himself is marching on. We need believe and be persuaded about this truth like never before. Amen.

Love & God bless, Pastor Paul.