Immanuel’s Land

Immanuel’s Land

Moody’s transformation from businessman to Sunday school teacher, world evangelist, and spiritual giant could not be denied.

The sands of time are sinking, the dawn of heaven breaks,

The summer morn I’ve sighed for, the fair sweet morn awakes;

Dark, dark hath been the midnight, but dayspring is at hand,

And glory, glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.

THUS SANG the congregation through their tears on December 26, 1899, as they celebrated the homegoing of one of Christendom’s greatest evangelists, Dwight L. Moody. The glorious birth they had celebrated just a day before stood complemented, not eclipsed, by the death they mourned that day. As Moody’s favorite hymn rang throughout the church, “dayspring” truly was at hand, for at that moment Moody was beholding King Jesus.

The King there in his beauty without a veil is seen;

It were a well-spent journey though sev’n deaths lay between:

The Lamb with his fair army doth on Mount Zion stand,

And glory, glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.

Moody’s casket lay upon the shoulders of thirty-two young men, all of them from the Mount Hermon School for Boys, which Moody had founded. As they slowly moved to the front of the church, it was as if they helped their great teacher on the final steps of his “well-spent journey.” That pilgrimage began in 1856, when Moody’s enthusiastic initial profession of faith met some skepticism, and church leaders granted him probationary status for church membership. Moody would prove his Christian conviction many times over, however, and any skepticism quickly disappeared in the wake of his enormous spiritual influence. Moody’s transformation from businessman to Sunday school teacher, world evangelist, and spiritual giant could not be denied. At his funeral, Rev. Dr. A. T. Pierson estimated that Moody, by voice and pen, touched over one hundred million souls throughout his ministry.

O Christ, He is the fountain, the deep sweet well of love!

The streams on earth I’ve tasted, more deep I’ll drink above:

There to an ocean fullness His mercy doth expand,

And glory, glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.

Second Corinthians 5:8 says that to be away from these bodies is to “be at home with the Lord,” and God granted that grieving congregation an assuring grace that hour, as if to seal that very truth in their hearts. Moody’s body lay in view of the congregation as they sang, wept, and listened to the testimonies of his life and impact. His son remarked that his face looked peaceful, reflecting that deep satisfaction the Christian experiences after leaving the streams of earth for the oceans of paradise. Then, as if they all stood in heaven with Moody, the gray clouds outside the church broke for a moment, and a shaft of sunlight shot through the back of the church. The beam narrowed upon the casket, then slowly moved up to Moody’s face, illuminating it with pure, joyful radiance. Moody’s son wrote: “The sunshine touched no other object; the face only was illumined, and then, as though its mission had been accomplished, its token from the upper world assured, the sun set behind the distant hill.”

The bride eyes not her garment, but her dear bridegroom’s face;

I will not gaze at glory, but on my King of grace;

Not at the crown He giveth, but on his pierced hand:

The Lamb is all the glory of Immanuel’s land.

Reflection

What do you think your funeral will be like? How would you like it to be? Are you confidently looking forward to going to heaven? If you are not sure, make it your business to be sure before it’s your funeral!

Your eyes will see the king in all his splendor.

Isaiah 33:17