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New City

from Cities by Jonathon Roberts

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about

"New City" is a response to Revelation 21, 22:1-5:

…Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes.There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away… (excerpt)

This beautiful text has the new Jerusalem personified, beautiful and “coming down out of of heaven.” At the same time it’s also told from Adam and Eve’s point of view, remembering the garden and the “tree that had them damned” and feeling the relief of regret being washed away. We look through their eyes and see heaven for the first time; we are baffled and mystified by the big and small things we notice. We see Christ and feel the surrounding beauty of his love and this New City.

lyrics

Everything here is new
everything here is new
everything here is new
--I got new shoes, I got new shoes
--If you can call them that
--Yeah, the whole concept of shoes has been turned around

Everything I see is new
--And you look like a bride
fine as jasper, clear as crystal
Measured end to end, your brilliance counts to ten!
Your gates a perfect twelve
In parallel

Everything I see is new

Look He is here with all his people here,
No sun or moon need shine, for we are bathed in sourceless light
All the old has passed away, each stone and every street and train
Begins and ends right here again

And all the water here is free
and I am released from death

When I first saw you
My breath came in a gasp
the weight upon my heart
held it and fast

For all that I had done
Was taken far away
And all that I had lost
Returned to stay

The tree that had me damned
On this new city street
Was full of fruit that healed
More would grow each week

And now I see your face, i see your face
the darkened days are past
there’s no more need to hide
I’m forgiven at last

credits

from Cities, released February 22, 2017
Jonathon Roberts: vocals, piano, drum programming
Emily Clare Zempel: vocals
Ariana Rosen: violin
Kevin Gosa: soprano and alto saxophones
Meaghan Burke: cello
James Hall: trombone

Lyrics by Emily Clare Zempel
Music, additional lyrics, and production by Jonathon Roberts

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Jonathon Roberts Beacon, New York

Jonathon MT Roberts is a composer and performer inspired by biblical text with a background in classical, jazz and, pop. He collaborates with his wife Emily Clare Zempel for the Spark & Echo band and write off the beaten path music and theatre. Founder of Spark and Echo Arts. ... more

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