How to Understand What the Old Hymns Teach About Christmas

What do the Hymns really teach?

Genesis 3:15; Exodus 12; Isaiah 9:6, 7; Isaiah 7:14; John 1:1-5, 14; Hebrews 11:3;
Matthew 2, Luke 2

Introduction:

To begin with, even when we deliberately set aside what the World thinks of Christmas, when we, as believers, think about Christmas, we pretty much focus on Luke 2. Clearly, the entire chapter speaks of the actual birth of the Messiah, and what immediately followed. Furthermore, sometimes we mix in things that actually occurred a little later—the coming of the Magi, and the flight into Egypt, to escape the slaughter of the innocent babies in Bethlehem.

And, sadly, sometimes, when we were young, we mocked some of the early hymns, because we didn’t understand them. I remember as a child, singing, “We three kings of orient are, trying to smoke a rubber cigar: It was loaded, it exploded…Silent night!” (Very funny, to an irreverent pre-teen.)

**What do the Hymns Really Say?**

But let’s think about some of the scriptures that gave rise to those hymns.

To begin with, why did the hymnist assume there were three wise men? The ones he called kings? Undoubtedly, it was because the scripture named three gifts, in Matthew chapter 2. The magi came to worship the newborn Messiah, whom they recognized as King of the Jews. Obviously, they knew something about him that no others had guessed, yet: Those gifts, (gold, and frankincense and myrrh,) were prophetic in nature.

**The Hymnist spelled out that prophecy, in the rest of the hymn.**

Firstly, the Gold revealed His royal birth: “Born a king on Bethlehem’s plain, gold I bring to crown him again! King forever, ceasing never, over us all to reign!”

Second, The Myrrh also was prophetic, speaking of His ministry as the eternal sacrifice, that was to be given once for all. It predicted the death of the Lord: “Myrrh, have I; its bitter perfume breathes a life of gathering gloom: suffering, sighing, bleeding, dying, sealed in the stone-cold tomb!”

Finally, the Frankincense predicted His priesthood and deity. “Frankincense to offer, have I: King, and God and Sacrifice! Aleluia! Aleleuia! Worship Him, God on High!”

Not so funny, after all. And, historically, it turns out that these wise men from the east were most likely the descendants of the prophet Daniel’s disciples. He had predicted the coming King, the Messiah. Though, as far as we know, he said nothing about a star, they had combined what they knew from Daniel’s teaching with the arrival of this supernatural star. They correctly discerned that the Messiah had been born. And they took their journey on the basis of that faith. That is not only “not funny:” that is pretty amazing! Would you have taken a long journey on that evidence?

What about Charles Wesley’s Hymns?

We sing “Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” and we feel good about the Lyrics. Where did they come from, though? Charles became a born-again believer, in 1738, when he was 31 years old. His older brother, John was born again a few days later.

Charles began a Bible Study, at their college, trying to methodically study and teach the Bible, but not long afterward, John took it over. John and Charles made a powerful team: John preached sound doctrine, turning people’s hearts to Christ, and Charles wrote powerful hymns teaching the same doctrines in musical form, so that the teachings could be repeated and stick in people’s minds.

During their ministry together, they “salted down” all of England with the Gospel, so that while the French Revolution was raging in France, just across the channel, England was having its collective heart drawn into a strong relationship with God. During that time Charles wrote about 7,000 hymns. We still sing some of them today. “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” was written when Charles was experiencing his second Christmas as a born-again believer. He was eighteen months old in the Lord.

What had John preached? I can only guess at that, but the doctrines in the hymn are very clear:

The Beginning

Christ by highest heaven Adored; Christ the Everlasting Lord

Before the Creation, Jesus, Creator God, the Son, was worshipped by angels. And yet, he was already the designated sacrifice for a world that had not yet been created. Revelation 13:8 says that He was “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”

Rise, the Woman’s Conquering Seed, Bruise in us the Serpent’s Head

Historically, the first promise of that Savior came in Genesis 3:15, where God promised that the Seed of the Woman would crush the Serpent’s head. And Revelation 20:2 identifies just which serpent He meant: there he is called “that old Serpent, and the Devil, and Satan.”

Come, Desire of Nations, Come

Not all nations have looked forward to the coming Messiah, but believers have done so throughout History. Job pre-existed Israel, but he said, “I know that my Redeemer liveth, and at the latter day He will stand upon the Earth, and I shall see him with my own eyes!” (Job 19:25) That is referring to the second coming of the Messiah! After Job’s resurrection. But Jesus physically became our redeemer during His earthly ministry. Job looked forward through time as a prophet, and called out the death and the resurrection and the return of Jesus, his Redeemer!

Fulfillment Begins

Late in time, behold Him come, offspring of the Virgin’s Womb!

From Human perspective, it seemed late: they had been waiting over 4,000 years since the original promise. But Romans 5:6 says He was right on time! It was at the perfect time, according to God’s Timetable! Furthermore, the Virgin Birth was not an “extra detail:” it was an absolute necessity. Jesus is the only one in History who was literally “the Seed of the Woman!” Obviously, all the rest of us are the Seed of a man and a woman.

Further, if Joseph had been Jesus’s father, Jesus was automatically disqualified from being king anyway, because there was a curse on one of Joseph’s great grandfathers: Jeremiah 22:24-30 said that no offspring of Coniah (also called Jeconiah, and in Matthew 1:11, Jechonias) would ever reign in Jerusalem again. But Jesus was the King!

Veiled in Flesh the Godhead See: Hail the incarnate Deity!

In Genesis 1:1, we saw God speak the World into existence. In Hebrews 11:3, we see it confirmed that the World was created by the Word of God. And, in John 1:1-5, 14, we see that that Word not only was the Creator, but that He (the Word) was made flesh, and that He in fact was Jesus. And Colossians 2:9 says that “in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead, bodily!” I am not required to understand that fact: I am only required to accept it by faith, and to proclaim it in obedience to the God who gave it.

Pleased as Man, with Men to dwell; Jesus our Emmanuel

Philippians 2:5-8, which we discussed earlier, tells how Jesus chose to become a human. But it was not a surprise. Isaiah 7:14 told us in advance that “the Virgin shall be with Child and shall bear a Son, and shall call His name Emmanuel.” That prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus.

Mild, He lays His Glory By: Born that Man no more may die,

Philippians 2:5-8 also tells how He emptied Himself of His prerogatives as God the Son, and became a human for the express purpose of dying for our sins.

Born to raise the Sons of Earth, born to give them second birth!

He said he came to offer His life a ransom for many. He told Nicodemus “Ye must be born again.” He also told him that “whosoever believeth” in Him would not perish but have everlasting life. And in Ephesians 2:6, it says that He has already raised us up as believers, to sit with Him in the throne…that we are already there with Him.

**How to Receive Him**

Hail the Heaven-Born Prince of Peace!

Isaiah 9:6, 7 called Him the Prince of Peace…(don’t forget that it also identified Him as the Mighty God, and the Everlasting Father!) But this line of the hymn is a command: it says, “Hail Him!” it means “Salute Him” as the Prince of Peace: Greet Him as Who He really is! Accept Him as your Savior and Master! Receive Him as your Redeemer and God!

Hail the Sun of Righteousness, Risen with Healing in His Wings!

Malachi 4:2 says, “but unto you who fear my Name, shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with Healing in His wings.” That is a direct quote of the prophecy!

The Result of Faith

Light and Life to all He brings

John 1:4 says that “In him was life and the life was the light of men” These are direct quotes from God’s Word! These are not the hymn-writer’s “imagination running wild!”

Come Desire of Nations, Come: Fix in us thy humble home.

In John 14:16-23, and other places, Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would immediately and permanently indwell whoever received Him as Savior. In fact, He said that, in the person of the Holy Spirit, the entire Godhead would dwell in each believer.

Adam’s Likeness now efface; Fix thine image in its place!

God has recreated us in the image of Christ. We now have two natures. Our new nature is sinless and created in true righteousness. God will eliminate our old Sin nature at death, and it will never plague us again.

Second Adam, from above, Reinstate us in thy love!

In 1^st Corinthians 15:45-47 spells out that Jesus is the head of a new race. He is called the second Man, and the Last Adam. 1^st Corinthians 15:22 says that we are either in Adam or in Christ. That is “positional truth.” If your position is still in Adam, you are still spiritually dead. If you are in Christ, you are eternally alive in Him.

Our Marching Orders:

Joyful all Ye Nations Rise! Join the Triumph of the Skies!

We are saved to serve! How? Every one of us is called to be an ambassador of Christ. And all the nations that have rejoiced in the Savior, have also rejoiced in Missions, at least for a time. That is how we Join the triumph of the Skies. We proclaim His birth…and His death, burial, and resurrection. We can offer the Hope and Joy of Christmas every day of the Year.

With th’ Angelic Host Proclaim, Christ is Born in Bethlehem

Proclaim! That is our job! It should be our passion and our joy to share the faith! In John 4:34, Jesus said, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work!” In that context, He was talking about Evangelism! That is the Work he wants done!

The Results of the Gospel

Peace on Earth, and Mercy Mild; God and Sinner Reconciled.

We can experience the Heavenly peace God offered in Bethlehem on an individual basis. Romans 5:1 says, “being justified by faith, we have peace with God.” Obviously, if enough people possess that peace with God, they tend to also have peace between one another, as we do, here in our little church. However, the only lasting peace for the whole Earth will come when Jesus is eternally reigning on the new Earth.

Hark! The herald Angels Sing! Glory to the Newborn King!

Finally, the word, “Hark!” means listen! God calls us to hear: to give heed to the message, and to realize that we have a very temporary privilege of serving with Jesus: To Work with Him, taking the light and joy of His Gospel to the world we live in. This is our one opportunity to serve!

In Conclusion, what are we going to do about it? If we say, “Happy Birthday Jesus! But I’m not going to do what you asked!” it seems a pretty shabby response. Let’s change that into a pattern of reverence and obedience, and share His joy and peace with those around us… We can say, “Happy Birthday, Jesus! I bring myself as an offering to You!”

We all have that gift to bring.

Lord Jesus, fill us with Your love and transform us to be like You in every way. Raise us up as your soldiers and servants. Teach us to live for your Glory.

December 9, 2023December 9, 2023

“O Holy Night!” Why we Still Celebrate the Birth of Christ

O Holy Night! Why do we Celebrate the Birth of Christ?

O holy night, the stars are brightly shining, It is the night of the dear Saviour’s birth;
Long lay the world in sin and error pining, ‘Till he appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope! The weary world rejoices, For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn;Fall on your knees, Oh hear the angel voices!
O night divine! O night when Christ was born.

Introduction:

Many people ask, “Why do we celebrate the Birth of the Messiah, when His death and resurrection are what are important?”

That is a reasonable question. Unfortunately, others question the truth of (or the relevance of) the Virgin Birth, saying “It really doesn’t matter whether that is true or not!”

Sadly, many of those people claim that all the “supernatural” occurrences in the Bible are mythological at best, and fraudulent at worst. Even worse, they usually deny the existence of true Prophecy, saying, “Daniel could not have known about these things so, obviously, the book is a much later forgery, falsely claiming Daniel as the author.”

Of course, the problem with all of these ideas is, they start with the assumption that the Bible is not the literal Word of God…and that there is no such thing as true prophecy, because “You can’t know things that have not yet happened!”

But, What Does God Say About Prophecy?

God says, in Isaiah 46:9, 10,“Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:”

God demonstrates repeatedly His ability to foretell the future (with 100% accuracy.) He predicted events occurring anywhere between “the next few minutes” to thousands of years future. And, that unique ability is part of the “Credentials of the Creator.” God does not waste time convincing the Human race that He exists. But God does take the trouble to demonstrate Who He is, and What He is like. He wants us to know Him, but on His terms.

The Earliest Promise of a Savior

God made the first promise of a Savior in Genesis 3:15, immediately after the human race fell into sin. We were spiritually separated from God, and we were dead in sin. But He promised us the Coming Redeemer. We sing a Christmas hymn, “O Holy Night.” Placide Cappeau wrote the original French words in 1843. He eventually entitled it, “Cantique de Noël.”

We sing, “O Night divine, O Night when Christ was born!” But, in the original French, it was “Noel! Noel! (He is Born!) Voici le Redempteur!” (There He is! The Redeemer!”)

The English translator chose to “skirt” the issue of our needing a redeemer. (I do not know why.) He addresses only the Holiness of the Messiah, and what effect He would have upon the World. (All of which is Good…but without specifically redeeming sinners, none of that “Good Effect” can happen!) I don’t know why he avoided that point. But, happily, the French author recognized that the Promise of the Ages, the promise of our redemption, was beginning to be fulfilled in that Holy Birth!

God promised the coming Redeemer in Genesis 3:15. But He included the fact that the Redeemer would be “The Seed of the Woman.” No one else in history has literally fulfilled that promise! Therefore, the Virgin Birth was a critical part of the fulfillment! Isaiah 7:14 confirms it, saying “The Virgin shall be with Child and shall bear a Son, and shall call His Name Emmanuel.” (“God with us!”)

Worshipping the Son of God

Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming; With glowing hearts by his cradle we stand:
So, led by light of a star sweetly gleaming, Here come the wise men from Orient land,
The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger, In all our trials born to be our friend;
He knows our need, To our weakness no stranger! Behold your King! Before Him lowly bend! Behold your King! your King! before him bend!

Both authors encourage us to hear the worship of the angels, and to join them in worshipping the infant Savior. Several Christian leaders have told me that “We aren’t supposed to worship Jesus.” That is very odd, because in Hebrews 1:6 it says, “…and, again, when He bringeth in the First-begotten into the World, He saith, and let all the angels of God worship Him!”

So… they are evidently saying, “All the Angels of God are commanded to worship Jesus—God the Son—but we are not supposed to do so!” (How strange!) Jesus did receive worship from humans on several occasions during His earthly ministry… and He did not turn them away! When someone tells me to not worship Jesus, I have to wonder about their motive!

These lyrics correctly tell us to Worship the Redeemer, as did the wise men and the angels!

**But, Why is His Birth so Important?**

Jesus came to redeem us: to do so, He had to shed His Blood…to lay down His life. He had to fulfill the prophecies of His torture and the shame that was piled on Him: He had to specifically suffer death by crucifixion, as described in the Old Testament (Psalm 22, for example.) But, he couldn’t do it without having a fully human body!

Part of the “Law of the Kinsman Redeemer” was that the Redeemer had to be a near relative (we will be studying this law in the next few weeks in the Wednesday evening Bible Study, in the Book of Ruth.) If Jesus had failed to become Human and live His life out as an ordinary man, he could not be the Redeemer! He would not have been related to us!

How Did Jesus Become our “Near Relative?“

Hebrews 10:5-7 says, “⁵Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: ⁶In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. ⁷Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.

When did He say this? When He came into the World! The Virgin Birth was specifically how God the Father provided a fully Human but undefiled body for Jesus to offer at the Cross!

And He Was Free, Himself!

You see, the second point of the Law of the Kinsman Redeemer was that the Redeemer could not be a slave, himself. Jesus was never a slave to Sin, as all of the rest of us are, by birth! He alone had the Virgin Birth, and was born uncontaminated! (“A Body thou hast prepared for me!)

Thus, He Had the Price of Our Redemption

He chose to become a near relative; He demonstrated that He was not a slave to Sin,, Himself, and He had the price of our redemption! Therefore, when we consider that the Savior’s birth was the beginning of the ultimate fulfillment of ALL the promises regarding the redemption of Lost Sinners, then Yes, the Birth of Christ seems very important!

**So, Who Is He Going To Be, As an Adult?**

This Child was born in Bethlehem. (By the way, that was also spelled out, 700 years in advance! See Micah 5:2) And, he must be someone really special! But how was he to be “special?” Did He have Super-human capabilities? Or was He visibly something special?

No! Isaiah 53:2 says “…He has no form nor comeliness and when we shall see Him there is no beauty that we should desire Him.”

Those who watched him growing up were unimpressed, except on a few rare occasions when He showed His wisdom (Luke 2:46, 47.) Their conclusion was that He was “Just a man! Just a Carpenter!” (Mark 6:3)

But, What had God predicted about Him?

Isaiah 9:6, 7 says, “⁶For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

⁷Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Breaking down the List:

Notice the things we are told in this passage, about the Child who would be born; the Son, who was promised to be given:

He is born to us as a Child, and given to us as the Son!
The Government shall be upon His Shoulder (He will be the ultimate Ruler!)
His name shall be called:
- Wonderful, Counsellor,
- The Mighty God!
- The Everlasting Father!
- The Prince of Peace!
There will be NO END of His Rule, nor of His Peace!
This Child will reestablish the throne of David in Jerusalem, and
He himself will reign from there!
- He will forever reign with Judgment and Justice
The Zeal of the LORD of Hosts will perform this!

Who is the LORD of Hosts?

One of the Names that appears in the Old Testament is “The LORD of Hosts” (sometimes translated as “Jehovah Sabaoth,” or “Lord Sabaoth.” As many are aware, the four-consonant “tetragrammaton” in the Old Testament is the personal name of the Creator. And yet, He frequently appeared in Person. When He did so, He was recognized as God in the Flesh.

But, John 1:18 says that “No man hath seen God at any time: the only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him.” So, in passages like Genesis 18, who were people talking to? Abraham not only saw the LORD, but talked with Him, fed him lunch, and argued with Him face-to-face. So, who was he talking to?

By the given facts, we have to confess that the Person with whom Abraham (and others) spoke was God the Son…the only member of the Godhead who ever shows up visibly, and in Human form.

When the Lord of Hosts showed up in the Old Testament, it was Jesus! And, it says that His Zeal would be what would perform all that is in Isaiah 9:7. To me, that is Mind-boggling!

What Effect will He have on His People?

So, we move on to see what effect He has on those who place their trust in Him:

Truly He taught us to love one another; His law is Love and His gospel is Peace;
Chains shall he break, for the slave is our brother, And in his name all oppression shall cease,
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful Chorus raise we; Let all within us praise his Holy name!

Christ is the Lord, O praise His Name Forever! His pow’r and glory, evermore proclaim!
His pow’r and glory, evermore proclaim!

Don’t Circumvent the Cross!

In the English lyrics the fact of the Redemption is passed over and the effect is stressed. Many world religions seek the effect of thepresence of God, without coming to Him on His terms. Cain wanted to bring a worship offering, in Genesis 4, without bringing the sin-offering first. He saw no need for the Blood! He was circumventing the Cross, as so many religions do today.

Jesus became our Redeemer by willingly bringing the required Price of our redemption. The Kinsman Redeemer had to have the “price of redemption (in our case, it was Jesus’s sinless life, laid down for our redemption.) And he had to be willing to pay that price. In the Book of Ruth, we saw that the nearest relative (who was unnamed) had the first three requirements:

Whoever he was, he was a near relative,
He was free, himself,
He had the price of redemption (money, in that example,)

But he was not willing! Boaz had all three of the first requirements, and he also had the fourth: He was willing! So, Boaz stands as an Old Testament figure of the Messiah…our Redeemer!

Jesus came to die! He willingly laid down His life for our redemption! In John 10:17, 18, He says, “No man takes my life from me: I lay it down of my own will, and I will take it up again!”

The Effects are still valid!

He taught us to Love One another!
His Law is Love.
His Gospel is Peace
He sets the Prisoners free…we are no longer slaves to Sin.
He frees us from the tyranny and oppression of satanic attack in our lives as believers.
And, yes, we sing songs of grateful praise!

Fortunately, despite the lack of the doctrine of Redemption in the English lyrics, this hymn still is teaching good doctrine, and it thrills our hearts to sing it. But it is especially good to know that the original French writer understood the core issue: This Child is the Redeemer!

Lord Jesus, awaken in us the Spirit of Worship and Praise. Raise us up as Your servants, and let us Praise Your Name, as the song says! Make us fearless witnesses for your Glory, to proclaim your salvation and redemption to those You came to save.