By Rick Combs
As we approach Christmas Day, this season has always been the highlight of the year for me. I love the Christmas tree brilliantly lite with lights and all the decorations. My wife Judy is a master at decorating our home inside and out. It gives such a feel of Christmas.
What I love most about Christmas are the carols that express our Savior the King coming to earth. The music is beautiful. As I ponder these songs, I am struck with the words that oft times correlate with the Christmas story in the scriptures; particularly the gospel of Luke. Due to tradition, we usually miss the real message of Christmas.
Here are two examples:
Joy To The World
Joy to the world the Lord is come
Let earth receive her King!
The message in this well-known carol is; the Lord has been born and the earth is receiving her King. What do kings do. They rule in their kingdom. We see this truth in the Christmas story as the angel appeared unto Mary in Luke 1:31-33 and said “And, behold, you shall conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”
Jesus shall be called the Son of the Highest which expresses His deity. He will sit on the throne of David and reign over the house of Jacob (Israel). Jesus’ Kingdom will last forever! When we sing this Christmas carol, we are heralding the King of the earth being born.
Hark The Herald Angels Sing
Hark the herald angels sing, glory to the newborn King
Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled.
All the angels of heaven are celebrating the arrival of earth’s newborn King. Finally, there will be peace on earth and mercy throughout the world. Jesus, because of His mercy will reconcile God and sinners through His sacrifice on the cross. Luke 2:13-14 gives us the miraculous scene in the fields where the shepherds were tending their flock; “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men”.
Finally, peace and mercy reigning! Peace through His reign and mercy through the cross. There will be good will toward all citizens of the earth. No more war, hate, corruption, or tyrants. King Jesus will be on His Throne.
I have given you only two of the many Christmas carols which correlate with the wonderful news of the King taking on flesh and being born to rule the world in truth and grace. I encourage you to carefully read the words of some of your other favorite carols. Then look at the Christmas story in the gospels to see the similarities.
I would like to conclude with one of my all-time favorite Christmas scriptures:
Isaiah 9:6-7 “For 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, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of 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 justice and with righteousness from this time forth even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this”.
And so we wait for the Second Coming of the King who will one day conquer all of our enemies and bring justice, righteousness, and peace to all the earth. God has now brought reconciliation to God and man through the cross of Jesus Christ. All we have to do is believe. Then, He will one day bring reconciliation to all the earth… forever!
Merry Christmas!