Soviet occupation in 1947

                        
For all of recorded history, Estonians have lived along the Baltic Sea. They were an independent nation until a series of foreign invaders conquered and subjugated them--Denmark, Germany's Teutonic Knights, Sweden, Russia, and the Soviet Union.  For over 770 years off and mostly on, someone else "owned" this ancient, European people. 

To throw off oppression, many nations have resorted to revolutions.  So often, these are filled with violence, bloodshed, and death.  Estonia's path to independence was different.  They resorted to song!

The roots of this revolution were found in the rich history of song in Estonia.  At the first song festival following Soviet occupation, in 1947, a tune was set to the lyrics of a 19th Century nationalistic poem, "Land of my Fathers, Land that I Love."  Somehow, it got past the censors and quickly became the anthem of freedom that Estonians sang throughout the country.  The song was banned by the USSR in the 1950s, but Estonians defiantly sung it until Soviet leadership acquiesced and allowed the song officially back into the program in the 1960s.  By the time Mikhail Gorbachev came to power, with his progressive programs like perestroika (economic restructuring) and glasnost (free speech), all the elements were in place for Estonia to intensify their protests and push for independence.  Organizers were wise enough to keep protests peaceful, and thus singing became the focal point of the revolution.

One incident symbolizes the power of song.  In 1969, at the 100th anniversary of the song festival, the Estonian choir started to sing the national hymn a second time despite Soviet orders to leave the stage.  When no one did, a military band was ordered to play to drown out the singers. Over 100,000 singers began to sing defiantly until the band was muted under the din of song.  Estonia literally sang themselves to sovereignty (Some of this information via singingrevolution.com).

God started a singing revolution in His church.  Under the Old Law, worship by the Jews involved the ornate, the outward, and the ostentatious from the colorful priestly garments, the opulent temple, the animal sacrifice, and the musical instruments, the harps, the lyres, and the loud-sounding cymbals (1 Chron. 16:5).  These physical, tactile  things were characteristic of the first covenant.  Yet, starting with God the everlasting Son coming by most humble means in the flesh, God instituted a religious revolution.  Priests were not set apart by special garments, but spiritual qualities.  Worship was held in homes and catacombs rather than an ornate building.  The blood of Christ meant the silencing of lambs, bulls, and rams, with the holy of holies and mercy seat now located in heaven (Heb. 9:1ff).  Oh, and in the place of flutes and trumpets Christ instituted a "singing revolution" unmatched in history.  His people, in worship, were instructed to communicate to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Col. 3:16; Eph. 5:19).  No musical instrument, whole band, or entire symphony can reach into the heart and teach like "the fruit of the lips."  Those of us who have been freed from oppression (cf. 2 Tim. 2:24-26) have reason to sing!  We keep singing because we are longing for the day when we are finally freed from the pain, trouble, and temptation of life (2 Cor. 4:16-5:4).  Time marches on, but the "revolution" is in full swing.  It is still reaching and touching hearts today.  Nothing more or less than Scripture specifies is called for or necessary, for God knows the heart of man and what best speaks to it. 

          Neal Pollard