John the Revelator
Sam Moore Lyrics


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Who's that a-writin'? John the Revelator!
Who's that a-writin'? John the Revelator!
Who's that a-writin'? John the Revelator!

Hey, the book of the seven seals
What's John a-writin'? About the revelation?
Hey, book of the seven seals
Well, I who or who would I be, thousands cried of holy

Found the fountain, son of our bible God
Daughter of Zion, Judah the lion
He redeemeth and he bought us with blood
John the Revelator, great advocator

Gets'em on the battle of Zion
Lord, tellin' the story, risin' in glory
Cried, "Lord, don't you love"
Well, Moses to Moses, watchin' the flock

Saw the bush, well, he had to stop




God told Moses, "Pull off your shoes"
I let the flock go, well, you I choose

Overall Meaning

The song "John the Revelator" by Sam Moore is a gospel-blues track that tells the story of the biblical figure John, who wrote the Book of Revelation which reveals the end of the world. The lyrics begin with the repeated question "Who's that a-writin'? John the Revelator!" This line sets the tone for the song and emphasizes the importance of John's writing. The chorus is a continuation of this theme, emphasizing the book's importance with the repetition of "Hey, the book of the seven seals."


The verse then goes on to describe the book's content, specifically referencing the apocalyptic visions of the battle of Zion and the seven seals. The next line offers a powerful image of John writing thousands of copies of the Bible to spread the gospel. The verse then takes a turn, describing the redemption of humanity through Jesus Christ. The use of "Daughter of Zion, Judah the lion" is an allusion to the prophetic writings of the Old Testament that foretold the coming of a messiah from the tribe of Judah.


The next verse references the story of Moses and the burning bush, emphasizing that God chooses those who are faithful to him. The overall message of the song is that John was an important figure in history, and his writing is a significant part of the Christian faith.


Line by Line Meaning

Who's that a-writin'? John the Revelator!
Asking about the identity of the author of a certain text, which turns out to be John the Revelator.


Hey, the book of the seven seals
Referring to the book of Revelation or Apocalypse, which contains seven seals that need to be opened in order to reveal what will happen in the end times.


What's John a-writin'? About the revelation?
Wondering about the content of John's writing, which is a revelation or prophecy about the end of the world and the return of Jesus Christ.


Well, I who or who would I be, thousands cried of holy
Expressing the idea that only a holy person could reveal such important information, which is why many people consider John to be a prophet.


Found the fountain, son of our bible God
Acknowledging Jesus Christ as the source of salvation and eternal life, as described in the Bible.


Daughter of Zion, Judah the lion
Referring to the Jewish people or the nation of Israel, who are symbolized as a daughter or a lion in the Bible.


He redeemeth and he bought us with blood
Stating that Jesus Christ paid the price for our sins by shedding his blood on the cross, and thus redeemed or saved us from eternal damnation.


John the Revelator, great advocator
Praising John as a faithful witness or advocate of the truth, who courageously proclaimed the message of Revelation despite persecution and hardship.


Gets'em on the battle of Zion
Referring to the final battle between good and evil that will take place in Jerusalem or Zion, as described in the Bible.


Lord, tellin' the story, risin' in glory
Describing Jesus Christ as the one who will come back in glory to judge the living and the dead, and to reward the faithful with eternal life.


Cried, "Lord, don't you love"
Expressing the desire to be close to God and to experience his love and mercy, even in the midst of trials and tribulations.


Well, Moses to Moses, watchin' the flock
Alluding to the similarity between John the Revelator and Moses, another prophet who received divine revelation and led his people to freedom.


Saw the bush, well, he had to stop
Referring to the burning bush that Moses saw in the desert, which contained the voice of God and commanded him to free the Israelites from slavery.


God told Moses, "Pull off your shoes"
Reminding listeners of the moment when God revealed his name to Moses and instructed him to take off his shoes, as a sign of reverence and humility before his divine presence.


I let the flock go, well, you I choose
Imagining how John the Revelator might have felt when he was called by God to be a prophet, leaving behind his former life and discipleship to follow a higher calling.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Rusty Goodman

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Dan Slick

Revelation 15-16 Love the end of this when they go into a "Shout" This version gives me Holy Spirit goosebumps.

VesperTimShady

im not religious at all, but this is some great uplifting music, love the Blues Brothers movies too

James Alexander

when you listen to this compared to hymns you hear on songs of praise there's is no comparison this makes you want to praise god and you feel the energy and that's what it is all about most hymns just make me want to fall asleep

pa Millar

The best religious time I had was in a black baptist church. They celebrate religion and life, they don't talk about hell and despair constantly. Why can't we celebrate life and religion, I am agnostic.

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