Hello everyone
I hope you are all well. I am deeply grateful to God for sharing with you a new piece of orchestral music called « The Repairer of The Breach ». Before I begin to tell its story, I’d like to thank you all for your support, love and kindness over the years — and a big thank you to those of you who have just discovered my YouTube channel. For those who are new to my work, the musical contemplations are essentially drawn from the Bible, and as you all come from different backgrounds, I’m going to try to present its message in a simple way!
The story of the music is rooted in two passages of the Bible. One from the prophet Ezekiel (written around 591 BC), and the other from the prophet Isaiah (written around 732 BC). The two passages — though written in two distinct times and places — complement each other perfectly. (Ezekiel was written in exile in Babylon, and Isaiah in Israel).
The phrase « to stand in the breach » is extremely profound and significant in Scriptures. God often uses it to illustrate how to avoid danger and sudden ruin. To avert disaster, and even Divine Judgement, God looks for men and women who therefore « stand in the breach ».
Judgement is not something that gives God pleasure nor joy. If God can avoid it, He will. What God really loves and desires is Mercy.
For if you see a breach somewhere and are able to fill it, it may well be that the wall or support on which it stands will not collapse.
God is looking for men and women who will stand before Him and plead for a cause, or a person, or a nation, consistently — taking the cause deeply to heart.
Ezekiel: "I sought among them a man to build a wall, to stand in the gap before me on behalf of the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found none" — (Book of Ezekiel chapter 22 verse 30.
This verse is key, and reveals the Personality of God. In this passage, God Himself says that one man is capable of stopping a massive ruin. One man or woman — by his or her intercession — can save thousands, even millions. You can be that person!
The other passage, from Isaiah, is brought in a different way. It explains how to stand in the gap effectively. I won’t quote the whole chapter, but I encourage you to read it. In this passage, God addresses the Jews, who were living in a state of great moral corruption, but who were nevertheless trying to return to God.
God explains to them that they were returning to Him, but in the wrong way. Because even when they did, they didn’t seem to get any answers. God told them that, in their efforts to return to him, they were not changing their ways.
God told them that, during their efforts and returns to him, they did not change their bad behaviour. They argued, hated each other and continued to be violent, so that their efforts were in vain.
God then gave them answers to their complaints and questions, explaining to them that, for their intercession to be effective and victorious, their inner being must be aligned with His own, that is, with the Good. If the man in question comes to Good, this is what God promises:
From Isaiah: "…. Your people will build on ancient ruins; you will raise up ancient foundations; you will be called the repairer of breaches, the one who restores paths, who makes the land habitable." — (Book of Isaiah, chapter 58, verse 12.)
Don’t hesitate to read and measure the weight of each word, absolutely heavy with blessing. (Survey of ancient foundations, making a land habitable).
If we want to make a personal application of this, it could be a country that is falling into ruin as a result of bad politics, a broken family, a person’s illness, and so on. It’s up to each of us to identify the gaps in our own lives, in the lives of others, and even in the lives of our nation, and to get to work. If someone wants you to believe that you are insignificant, you can be sure that they are wrong. As far as God is concerned, you can change the destiny of an entire nation. That’s how God loves you.
Once, just before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham met God and pleaded on behalf of these two — deeply corrupt — cities. Here’s what he had at heart for them:
"He (Abraham) came near and said, Are you really going to destroy the righteous with the guilty? Perhaps there are fifty righteous people in the city; are you going to destroy them too? Will you not forgive the city for the sake of the fifty righteous in its midst? You can't do that! You cannot treat the righteous and the guilty in the same way, and put the righteous to death with the wicked! Wouldn't you, who judge the whole earth, do what is right?
The Lord said to him, "If I find fifty righteous people in Sodom, I will pardon the whole city for their sake. Abraham said, "I am nothing but dust and ashes, yet I have dared to speak to my Lord. Perhaps five of the fifty righteous men will be missing. Are you going to destroy the whole city because of these five men?
God answered: No, I won't destroy it if I find forty-five righteous men in it. Abraham answered again, "Perhaps there will only be forty righteous people there?
And God said: I will not destroy it for the sake of those forty. Abraham continued: May my Lord not be angry if I insist. Perhaps there will only be thirty righteous?
And God said, "If I find thirty, I will not destroy the city. Abraham said: "Now I have dared to speak to my Lord. But perhaps there will only be twenty.
And God replied: "I will not destroy the city because of those twenty. Abraham said: "Do not let my Lord be angry, and I will speak one last time.
Perhaps there will only be ten righteous people there. And God said, "For the sake of those ten, I will not destroy Sodom. When he had finished speaking with Abraham, the Lord went away, and Abraham returned to his home." Book of Genesis, chapter 18 verse 23.
Here Abraham shows us how to be a model of mercy. He did everything in his power to prevent the destruction of these two cities. And God certainly took great pleasure in listening to him intercede for them. You can also be like Abraham. If you’re looking for a purpose in your life, above and beyond the ones you already have, this is it!
Be a breach repairer, setting clear goals with God, and even writing them down. If you don’t know the God of the Bible in a personal way, and you feel in your heart this desire, I encourage you to read this article : Are You Saved? which explains — according to Jesus Christ of Nazareth — how to be saved, and to know God.
Concerning the aesthetic construction of the piece. It is divided into two distinct movements. The first tends to illustrate the urgency, the distress of continually pleading before God for the cause that is dear to you. The first piano melody, from 0 to 31 seconds, is used to illustrate a »holy » anguish. An anguish that becomes an effective fuel for the prayer in question. At the first minute and second, the second movement is introduced, this time illustrating the prayer for mercy articulated in the form of sighs and lamentations. The double bass melody illustrates the man’s prayer, and is doubled by another violin representing the Spirit of God. Higher in octave, it serves to illustrate the gentleness and tenderness and the answering of prayer. The rest of the piece is thickened with percussion, a choir and then the sound of a clock, symbolising the precious value of time. It serves as a reminder not to put off such work.
Using the example of the prophet Ezekiel and his geopolitical context, the people (like Isaiah) were in a state of violent moral decay. God warns them that if they do not return to righteousness, He will bring the Kingdom of Babylon to destroy them, raze Solomon’s Temple to the ground and take them captive. The sad outcome is that the warning did come, but could have been avoided if a man had stood in the gap for the country. The clock serves to illustrate this urgency.
When I wrote the violin line, I wanted to have it recorded by a violinist where the emotion of his playing is palpable. I’m grateful to God that I was able to work with Radhi Chawaly a violinist from Tunisia. You can hear his violin interepreation at 1 minute 19, 3 minute 21, 3m38, etc.
How do you take a cause to heart before God? Set yourself some objectives. You may never have prayed in your life. Put an alarm clock on your phone so you don’t forget them, and start by praying small, intimate prayers with God. According to the Bible, prayer means talking to God, like talking to a dear friend. As I said earlier, write down precise prayers in a notebook so that you don’t forget them, and get to know God more and more by reading the Bible.
I love you all,
May God bless you!
Efisio Cross 