Eduard Gerdes (1812- 1898) attended a church service which completely changed his life. He started to attend church meetings regularly. He also took part in evangelism and was trained as a Minister. The most famous song that he wrote, was: “Daar ruist langs de wolken.” As a child I knew this song very well, but it was only much later that I realised how wonderful this song summarises the evangelical message. There rustles a lovely name through the clouds, a name uniting heaven and earth. No name is so sweet and so dear to the heart. It is balm for our wounds and it heals all our pain! Know ye, know ye that name so sweet? It’s the name of my Saviour, who saves by his blood! He is worthy of the name, for He came down to save. He loved sinners so much that He died for their sake, granting them life by his saving grace. Grace gained with God through his atoning blood. Know ye, know ye not that Jesus can save us? Before Him all will humbly bow in the dust, and angels will joyfully sing his praise. O that we all before Jesus may stand. Then we will raise in jubilant tone: “Jesus, Jesus, thy name be honoured, For Thou art of men and of angels the Lord!”
The words “A lovely name rustles through the clouds” may sound strange. Nevertheless we notice that such poetic language is often used in the Bible, e.g.: “Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills sing for joy before The LORD (Ps. 98: 8,9). God Himself spoke from a cloud, while Jesus and three of His disciples were on a mountain: “While He was talking, a shining cloud came over them and a voice from the cloud said: ‘This is my own dear Son with whom I am pleased – listen to Him!'” (Matt. 17: 5). Jesus was taken away by a cloud after His resurrection. After saying this He was taken up to heaven as they watched Him and a cloud took Him from their sight (Acts 1: 9). Jesus will come again on clouds. “They shall see the Son of Man come on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matt. 24: 30).
Jesus will unite us with heaven and Gerdes sings about this name, Jesus. Our wounds and sorrows are healed by this Jesus. He then asks the most important question of all times: “Know ye, know ye that name so sweet?” Which name must be known to us? Gerdes answers: “It’s the name of My Saviour, who saves by His blood!” My Saviour is Jesus Christ, who died on the cross, thus paying for all mankind`s sins. He came to the earth to die for sinners. He came to save people on earth. Gerdes sing: “He loved sinners so much that He died for their sake. Grace gained with God through His atoning blood.” Jesus paid for our sins so that we can be reconciled with God and so that we can be with God forever.
We can also pray with Gerdes: Oh, that we all before Jesus may stand. Then we will raise in jubilant tone: “Jesus, Jesus, Thy name be honoured, for Thou art of men and of angels the Lord.” Amen.
