“The Son of God goes forth to war, a kingly crown to gain. His blood-red banner streams afar, who follows in His train?” – LSB 661:1
The hymn, The Son of God Goes Forth to War, honors Christian martyrs who died for their faith, and urges us to boldly follow their examples of faithfulness. The hymn begins with Jesus, the Son of God, going forth to war against the powers of sin, death, and hell. He leads us, His troops, with a blood-red banner, the banner of His blood shed for us on Calvary and the banner of His robe of righteousness washed white in His blood. As our King, He leads the charge against the enemy, and emboldens us for the fight.
The next two stanzas place various Christian martyrs before our eyes, beginning with St. Stephen, the first martyr in Acts. Stephen had confessed the truth of the law and gospel before crowds, and he was hated for it, such that he was stoned to death. Regardless, he made the words of Christ his own, and he forgave those who were killing him and prayed for their forgiveness. Stephen was courageous to speak up and confess the faith, and though he was killed for speaking and didn’t raise arms against anyone, he was still boldly fighting for the faith.
All of the apostles, save Judas, suffered for confessing Jesus before men. And all except for John were killed for their confession. Later saints likewise “met the tyrant’s brandished steel, the lion’s gory man; they bowed their necks their death to feel.” It doesn’t seem as though these people were valiant fighters of the faith since they were all killed for what they believed. Normally we think of the victors as those who were alive at the end of the war, yet, in this case the victors are those who conquered with Christ who defeated hell through His death and resurrection.
The hymn concludes by inviting all Christians to count themselves among these valiant martyrs. “A noble army, men and boys, the matron and the maid, around the Savior’s throne rejoice, in robes of light arrayed. They climbed the steep ascent of heaven through peril, toil, and pain. O God, to us may grace be given to follow in their train.” This is us, dear brothers and sisters! Let us follow in the train of faithful, confessing, Christians who have gone before. May God give us grace to fight the good fight of faith, and so finally receive Christ’s kingly crown and righteous robes, as we kneel before the Savior’s throne with words of rejoicing on our lips.
1 The Son of God goes forth to war
A kingly crown to gain.
His blood-red banner streams afar;
Who follows in His train?
Who best can drink His cup of woe,
Triumphant over pain,
Who patient bears his cross below—
He follows in His train.2 The martyr first, whose eagle eye
Could pierce beyond the grave,
Who saw his master in the sky
And called on Him to save.
Like Him, with pardon on His tongue
In midst of mortal pain,
He prayed for those who did the wrong—
Who follows in his train?3 A glorious band, the chosen few,
On whom the Spirit came,
Twelve valiant saints—their hope they knew
And mocked the cross and flame.
They met the tyrant’s brandished steel,
The lion’s gory mane;
They bowed their necks their death to feel—
Who follows in their train?4 A noble army, men and boys,
The matron and the maid,
Around the Savior’s throne rejoice,
In robes of light arrayed.
They climbed the steep ascent of heav’n
Through peril, toil, and pain.
O God, to us may grace be giv’n
To follow in their train!
Reginald Heber, 1783-1826