Josh Garrels – Farther Along

American folk artist Josh Garrels likes to sing about Christian themes in his style of music.  He became active in 2002 and released a respectable 14 albums, including:

• Stone Tree (2002)
• Underquiet (2003)
• Over Oceans (2006)
• Jacaranda (2008)
• Lost Animals (2009)
• Love & War & The Sea in Between (2011)
• Love & War: B-Sides & Remixes (2012)
• The Sea In Between DVD Soundtrack (2013)
• Home (2015)
• 2015 Sampler (2015)
• The Light Came Down (2016)
• Chrysaline (2019)
• Early Work Vol.1 (2020)
• Peace To All Who Enter Here (2020)

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1. What message does the song communicate?

Garrels has a few questions that he contemplates.  Why do the wicked live long while the good die young?  Why do we struggle to do the right thing?  Why do I give into the Devil’s snares?  Yet, Garrels knows that Jesus is the only way to salvation.  Christ’s blood will wash away Garrels’ sins.  His blessings are more than we could ask.  One day, everyone will prostrate themselves before Jesus, proclaiming Him Lord.

I’m not certain if Jesus cries for the righteous and the wicked from heaven.  At least, I don’t see any Scripture for it.

Score: 9/10

2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?

While the majority of lyrics align with the Bible, I found no Scripture to support that Jesus weeps over us while in heaven.

Lyrics posted with permission.*

[Chorus]

Farther along we’ll know all about it
Farther along we’ll understand why
So cheer up my brothers, live in the sunshine
We’ll understand this, all by and by

These are encouraging statements to those who are living in dark times, that God will answer the questions that exist within Verses 1 and 2.  At this time, we are to live in the light and allow that light to shine through us (Matthew 5:14-16, Ephesians 5:8, 1 Peter 2:9, 1 John 1:5-7, and 1 John 2:7-11).  God also provides some answers to these questions in Scripture.  The rest, we’ll find out when we arrive in God’s Kingdom (Mark 4:22, Luke 8:17, and Luke 12:2).

[Verse 1]

Tempted and tried, I wondered why
The good man dies, the bad man thrives

Jeremiah asked a similar question in Jeremiah 12:1-4.  A lot of people ask this question (especially unbelievers) because it compares what they perceive as “good people” to “bad people”, wondering why the good die young and the bad die old.

This begs a question: what does Garrels mean by “good”?  If he means “morally perfect”, then this is asking the wrong question.  The Bible teaches that none of us are good.  We’ve all broken God’s commandments, laws, or both (Psalm 14:1-3, Psalm 53:1-3, Job 15:14, Ecclesiastes 7:20, Jeremiah 17:9, Romans 3:10, Romans 3:23, and 1 John 1:8-10).  The only good person who died is Jesus, and we already know why He died.

If he means “righteous before God” or “worldly good”, then the Bible teaches that God knows when we will die and experience His judgment (Job 14:5, Psalm 139:16, Hebrews 9:27).  If the good die young and unregenerate sinner die old, then it was God’s will.

And Jesus cries because he loves em’ both

John 11:35 says that Jesus wept.  It was over the death of a “good man”, Lazarus, who perhaps died young, as well as the “bad man” who didn’t believe that He is the resurrection and the life (John 11:25-26).  However, I don’t see in Scripture that He weeps over us.  It seems to confuse Christ’s suffering with His exalted status, where He sits at the right hand of the Father (Matthew 22:44, Acts 2:33, Acts 7:55–56, Romans 8:34, Ephesians 1:20, Colossians 3:1, Hebrews 1:3, Hebrews 8:1, Hebrews 10:12, Hebrews 12:2, 1 Peter 3:22, and Revelation 3:21).  However, He shows His love through sacrifice (John 3:16, Romans 5:6-8, and 1 John 4:9-10).

We’re all castaways in need of rope
Hangin’ on by the last threads of our hope
In a house of mirrors full of smoke
Confusing illusions I’ve seen

That is, we’re all in desperate need of a Savior.  Apart from Jesus’ sacrifice, we’d all end up in hell, eternally separated from God (Matthew 18:8, Matthew 25:41, Matthew 25:46, Mark 9:43, Jude 1:7, Revelation 14:11, and Revelation 20:10).

Where did I go wrong, I sang along
To every chorus of the song
That the devil wrote like a piper at the gate
Leading mice and men down to their fate

Some will ask this question, depending on something other than the atoning blood of Christ to save them.  God will say to them “I never knew you” (Matthew 7:21-23).

But some will courageously escape
The seductive voice with a heart of faith
While walkin’ the line back home

Others will repent and place their faith in Jesus (Matthew 3:2, Matthew 4:17, Mark 1:15, Luke 24:47, Acts 2:36-38, Acts 3:19-21, Acts 20:21, and 2 Timothy 2:25-26), entering through the narrow gate (Matthew 7:13).

There’s so much more to life than we’ve been told
It’s full of beauty that will unfold
And shine like you struck gold my wayward son
That deadweight burden weighs a ton
Go down to the river and let it run
And wash away all the things you’ve done
Forgiveness, alright

While some believe that the natural is the only life that exists, others will run to Jesus, to bear upon Him their burdens and find rest (Matthew 11:28-30).

[Verse 2]

But still I get hard pressed on every side
Between the rock and a compromise
Like truth and a pack of lies fightin’ for my soul
And I’ve got no place left to go

Garrels describes spiritual warfare; his internal struggle between obeying God and sinning against Him (Matthew 4:1-11, Romans 7:14-25, Ephesians 6:12-17, and 2 Corinthians 10:3-5).

Cause I got changed by what I’ve been shown
There’s more glory than the world has known
Keeps me ramblin’ on

Garrels isn’t specific; However, I presume that Jesus revealed Himself to Garrels either through Scripture, personal revelation, another Christ-follower, or some combination of these three.  God’s glory is higher than all creation can comprehend (Job 11:7, Job 36:22-26, Ecclesiastes 3:11, and Romans 11:33-34).

Skipping like a calf loosed from its stall
I’m free to love once and for all

Garrels is freed from his bondage to sin (Romans 6:1-11, Romans 7:4-6, Galatians 2:19-20, 2 Timothy 2:11, and 1 Peter 2:24).  The skipping cows could be a reference to Malachi 4:2.

And even when I fall I’ll get back up

A righteous man gets up seven times after falling seven times (Proverbs 24:16).  If we sin, we have our advocate, Jesus, who continues to forgive us when we ask (1 John 2:1-2).

For the joy that overflows my cup
Heaven filled me with more than enough

This comes from Psalm 23:5, meaning that God gives us more than what we need.  Also, see Ephesians 3:20.

Broke down my levees and my bluffs
Let the flood wash me

That is, Garrels requests cleansing by the blood of Jesus (Ephesians 1:7, Hebrews 9:22, 1 Peter 1:2, and 1 Peter 1:18-19).

And one day when the sky rolls back on us
Some rejoice and the others fuss
Cause every knee must bow and tongue confess
The Son of God is forever blessed

After we all die, and regardless of our eternal destiny, every knee will bow and tongue confess that Jesus is Lord (Romans 14:11 and Philippians 2:10-11).

His is the Kingdom, and we’re the guests

Combines the first Lord’s prayer in Matthew 6:13 with Jesus’ parable of the great banquet in Luke 14:15-24.

So put your voice up to the test
Sing Lord, come soon

That is, let us be doers of the word, not merely hearers (Matthew 7:21-27, Matthew 12:50, Luke 6:46-48, Luke 11:28, John 13:17, Romans 2:13, James 1:22-25, James 2:14-20, and 1 John 2:3).

Score: 9/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

Unbelievers will know it’s Christian based on its many explicit references to Jesus, devil, faith, and heaven.  They will identify with the first question posed by Garrels, wondering why God allows what they perceive as innocents to suffer and die, knowing that Christians claim that Jesus loves everyone.  They too struggle to do the right thing and may understand that, through this song, Garrels is calling them to become a follower of Jesus.

Aside from what I’ve stated earlier about Jesus crying,  and despite Garrels’ heavy reliance on Christianese language, I can’t think of anything that unbelievers will misinterpret.

Score: 9/10

4. What does this song glorify?

Despite my failure to find Biblical support for Jesus’ crying for us in heaven, it glorifies God when we seek Him for answers and rely on Him to break through our struggle, freed from our former master.

Score: 9/10

Closing Comments

Josh Garrels’ Farther Along is overall good.  It presents a few burning inquiries that we’ve all asked at least once in our lives, a derivative of “why does God allow bad things to happen”.  It also touches on spiritual warfare, a soft Gospel message, and God’s blessings to believers, which bring God glory.  Unbelievers will find this easy to interpret similarly.  I couldn’t find a Bible verse that shows God weeps for us in heaven.  If you have one, I’m willing to consider an update for this review!

This song is inspirational, but doesn’t seem appropriate for corporate worship.

Final Score: 9/10

Artist Info

Track: Farther Along (listen to the song)

Artist: Josh Garrels

Album: Love & War & The Sea in Between

Genre: Folk

Release Year: 2011

Duration: 5:05

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*Copyright © 2011 Josh Garrels Small Voice LLC (ASCAP) (admin at EssentialMusicPublishing.com). All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Updates:

03/25/2021 – Updated per repetition announcement.