I’m on day three of my celebration of the 40^th anniversary of the greatest musical ever written. Over the past two days, we’ve looked at the stories of Jean Valjean and Javert: how they each responded differently to God’s grace. Today, we expand our understanding of salvation beyond the individual and look at the bigger picture.

Do you hear the people sing?

Les Misérables is set in a time of social and political unrest. Although the French Revolution has come and gone, the plight of ordinary people is still one of poverty and injustice. Despite Jean Valjean’s best efforts to care for his workers, for Cossette, and for her beloved Marius, his demonstrations of God’s grace are a drop in the ocean. The “little people” are tiring of being downtrodden and forgotten.

The second act centres around the June rebellion of 1832—a futile barricading of Paris, protesting the re-establishment of the monarchy and the poverty of the populace. They rally behind a red-and-black flag:

Red—the blood of angry men!
Black—the dark of ages past!
Red—a world about to dawn!
Black—the night that ends at last!  

They assemble a ragtag army of rebels, who famously sing a song of angry men (read and/or listen). Note the drums of war and the call to fight:

Do you hear the people sing, singing a song of angry men?
It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again!
When the beating of your heart echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start when tomorrow comes!
Will you join in our crusade, who will be strong and stand with me?
Beyond the barricade Is there a world you long to see?
Then join in the fight that will give you the right to be free!
Do you hear the people sing? Singing a song of angry men?
It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again!
When the beating of your heart echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start when tomorrow comes!
Will you give all you can give so that our banner may advance?
Some will fall and some will live, will you stand up and take your chance?
The blood of the martyrs will water the meadows of France!
Do you hear the people sing? Singing a song of angry men?
It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again!
When the beating of your heart echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start when tomorrow comes!

A powerful sentiment. Yet it amounts to nothing. The rebellion is put down over two days. The world continues as it always has, much blood has been spilt, and nothing has changed for Les Misérables. The sword didn’t achieve what it had promised.

Yet something profound happens at the end. Jean Valjean dies peacefully in his bed, as Cossette’s mother welcomes him into eternity. And the entire (now mostly dead) cast assembles to sing again their revolutionary song. Except this time, the words have been changed. In the words of the apostle Paul, their minds are no longer set on earthly things. Their focus has changed, understanding that their citizenship is in heaven and they eagerly await a saviour from there (Phil 3:20). One who will indeed put everything right; who will bring peace; who will bring freedom. (Read and/or listen.)

Do you hear the people sing, lost in the valley of the night?
It is the music of a people who are climbing to the light!
For the wretched of the earth there is a flame that never dies,
Even the darkest nights will end, and the sun will rise!
They will live again in freedom in the garden of the Lord
They will walk behind the plowshare; they will put away the sword.
The chain will be broken and all men will have their reward!
Will you join in our crusade? Who will be strong and stand with me?
Somewhere beyond the barricade is there a world you long to see?
Do you hear the people sing? Say, do you hear the distant drums?
It is the future that they bring when tomorrow comes!

In a stroke of marketing genius and theological ignorance, QANTAS took out a full page in the Les Misérables programme to use the line “somewhere beyond the barricade is there a world you long to see?” to promote overseas travel. But by this point, I hope you’ll realise that it’s far more profound than that.

Echoing Isaiah chapter 2, the song looks forward to what God will do in establishing his reign on earth forever. Again, humanity will live in freedom in the Garden of Eden, as God acts in grace not just in the life of Jean Valjean, but for all God’s people.

When tomorrow comes.

Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!