Trailblazin Ministries

Azriel - Systematic Theology Volume 1

Written by G-Rich
Thursday, July 19, 2007

Album Overview

In all honesty, I wasn't too hyped up when I first decided to take this album. No one had taken it, and I couldn't really find any information on Azriel online. However, I was going on vacation and wanted to do a review while I was up north. As I put on my headphones and started the CD, I knew that I made a good decision in picking it up, and can't wait for Volume 2.

Azriel has a put out a great project that serves as a sort-of intro to the Christian faith and goes into various core beliefs. I was blown away by this guy's talent and knowledge of the Biblical text. Every song is packed with tons of references. For every topic, he provides you with plenty of verses you can use to dig in to what he's spittin'. The album hosts a variety of beats. It has an overall laid back tone with lots of piano, but a couple tracks pick it up and have interesting flows, like "He Is" and "Fall of Man." Throughout the album, you'll encounter unique styles and plenty of topics to keep your Bible open. If there was ever an album to give to a new believer or someone considering the Christian faith, this would be it. Or, for the seasoned believers, this album is good to sit down with and dig into the text. It's best digested slowly, track-by-track with time in between to check the Biblical references. For anyone doubting this album, I suggest you download this and dig in.

Spiritual Significance

As the title says, Azriel lays out Systematic Theology over beats. With Systematic Theology Volume 1, he gives a "systematic approach to studying God," his definition of Systematic Theology. He starts with the importance of the Bible, and how it is written for us to be used as a tool to live righteously on this earth (Psalm 19:8-12, Hebrews 4:12). Azriel then goes on to God and explains how he is triune, 3 equal separate parts in one God. He gives examples covering the three parts in John 1:18, 15:26, and 17:11. From here, Azriel goes into Jesus and the Holy Spirit on the next two tracks, giving basic beliefs about both of them, including salvation through Jesus and the guidance from the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:15-21, John 15:26). After he finishes the trinity, he moves onto the fall of man and our need for God (Luke 11:9-13). This section of the album reminded me of Flame's Our World Fallen. With the helplessness of man, Azriel also includes how God kept us although we were undeserving (Psalm 103:8-10). As we near the end of the album, Azriel brings the fact that God has chosen us and knows where our lives are going to go (Psalm 139:13-16). With the end of the album, Azriel gives a simple analogy of baking a cake that lays out the process of studying scripture. He shows hermeneutics as the cookbook, learning how to bake the cake, that is, interpreting God's word. He then compares exegesis to baking the cake, taking His word to heart and putting it in you. Then, expositing the text is serving the cake, putting it to work for others, and finally, application of the text, which is eating the cake, which means to use it in your life. This song was like "Context" of Flame's album Rewind (great song too). He challenges us to "eat the cake" and help others to do the same.

Overall, 2/3 of the album deal with faith essentials, and the last 1/3 deals with the doctrine of salvation (this is his layout of the album). This is a great album that leaves us with the question, "Are you eating the cake?"

Topics Covered

• "Intro"- A welcome to the project that defines the purpose of the album: to give us just enough to want more. "The tip of the iceberg."
• "Word of God"- How great the Bible is, its importance and the need to use it.
• "God Exists"- defines who God is, how he is triune. Also, he goes into the three parts of our One God.
• "Gimme Jesus"- Gives the basic Christian beliefs about Jesus, including salvation through Him.
• "He Is"- Defines the basic beliefs of the Holy Spirit, and how we should use this gift wisely.
• "Ya Kept Me"- God kept us although we didn't want him, and how He sent His Son to die for us and save us even though we were undeserving.
• "Fall of Man"- How man fell into sin, but Jesus died and saved us so that we could have eternal life.
• "Radical Corruption"- The helplessness of humans apart from God and our need to come to Him to gain strength to survive.
• "Election"- God had selected us as His own before we were born. He has already laid out our entire lives.
• "Spill Outro"- Definition of hermeneutics, exegesis, expositing, and application of scripture. (Nice analogy of baking a cake).

Key Tracks

Word of God, God Exists, Fall of Man, Spill Outro