I recently watched a documentary called Ladies & Gentlemen … 50 Years of SNL Music that was part of the build-up to the SNL 50th Anniversary Special. One segment in the documentary was a video of Jack White’s musical performance on SNL on October 10, 2020. That show was the first live SNL show after the COVID pandemic began and SNL went virtual.
While I was never a big fan of Jack White or The White Stripes, and I’m not familiar with much of his work, I was blown away by his SNL performance. Originally, Morgan Wallen was scheduled to appear as the musical guest. But the week before his scheduled appearance, videos surfaced of Wallen breaking COVID protocol by partying unmasked in public, resulting in him being uninvited. And at the “last minute” (actually with 2 days’ notice), Lorne Michaels invited Jack White to be the replacement musical guest. For his first musical performance on the show, White presented a trilogy of songs: Ball and Biscuit / Don’t Hurt Yourself / Jesus Is Coming Soon.
White’s guitarmanship in this performance is incredible, full of passion and energy. But what most impressed and intrigued me was the part of his song trilogy Jesus Is Coming Soon. I was amazed that he came up with such a relevant lyric for the first SNL post-COVID live show. It was sheer genius; the lyrics were powerful and perfectly suited to the moment. I also found it intriguing that White connected the COVID pandemic to the Biblical teaching of God as Judge and to the coming Judgment Day.
As I researched the history of the song, I was surprised to learn that the lyrics for Jesus Is Coming Soon were not originally written by White. White used excerpts of lyrics from an earlier song. The original lyrics were written by Blind Willie Johnson describing the Spanish flu epidemic of 1918 as a warning from God of coming judgment to people who don’t turn from their evil ways. Johnson, a Christian and black Gospel blues artist, recorded the song in 1928 under the title Jesus (Is) Coming Soon. (If you’re not familiar with the story of Blind Willie Johnson, you should check it out.)
As demonstrated by Jack White’s SNL performance, the song still resonates with relevance today, and for those with ears to hear, the echoes of ancient truths and promises still reverberate through it. Reader, the Bible exhorts you to view the hardships and tragedies in your life as a lens focused on God and the salvation He offers you through a faith relationship with Jesus. In my opinion, if you don’t learn to appreciate the benefits of suffering hardships, you will become a frustrated, bitter, angry person.
‘Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty. Do not be like your ancestors, to whom … the Lord Almighty said: ‘Turn from your evil ways and your evil practices.’ But they would not listen or pay attention to me, declares the Lord. Where are your ancestors now? But did not my words and my decrees … overtake your ancestors? (Zechariah 1:3-6, edited)
A day of the Lord is coming … (Zechariah 14:1)
The wages of sin is death … (Romans 6:23)
Jesus Is Coming Soon lyrics (Blind Willie Johnson)
Well, we done told you, God’s done warned you
Jesus coming soon
We done told you, God’s done warned you
Jesus coming soon
In the year of 19 and 18
God sent a mighty disease
It killed many a thousand
On land and on the seas
Well, we done told you, God’s done warned you
Jesus coming soon
We done told you, God’s done warned you
Jesus coming soon
Great disease was mighty
And the people were sick everywhere
It was an epidemic
It floated through the air
We done told you, God’s done warned you
Jesus coming soon
We done told you, God’s done warned you
Jesus coming soon
The doctors they got troubled
And they didn’t know what to do
They gathered themselves together
They called it the Spanish flu
Well, we done told you, God’s done warned you
Jesus coming soon
We done told you, God’s done warned you
Jesus coming soon
Soldiers died on the battlefield
Died in the camps too
Well, the captain said to the lieutenant
“I don’t know what to do”
Well, we done told you, God’s done warned you
Jesus coming soon
We done told you, God’s done warned you
Jesus coming soon
Well, God is warning the nation
He’s a-warning them every way
To turn away from the evil
And seek the Lord and pray
Well, we done told you, God’s done warned you
Jesus coming soon
We done told you, our God’s done warned you
Jesus coming soon
Well, the nobles said to the people
“You better close your public schools
Until the events of death has ended
You better close your churches too”
We done told you, our God’s done warned you
Jesus coming soon
We done told you, our God’s done warned you
Jesus coming soon
Read the Book of Zachariah
Bible plainly say
Thousands of people, they did die
On account of their wicked ways
Leave a Reply