Denver Seminary

2 DECEMBER HARK! THE HERALD ANGELS SING Revelation 5:11-13 Angels play a key role in the Gospels' account of the bir th of Christ. Par ticularly in Luke, angels emerge at crucial points in the stor y of Christ's bir th. The presence of angels suggests that this is no ordinar y bir th. It is an angel that makes its first appearance to Zechariah in Luke 1:11-20 to announce the bir th of John the Baptist. The same angel then appears to Mar y to announce that she will give bir th to Jesus, the Messiah (1:26-35). But perhaps the most well-known angelic appearance is the heavenly host of angels that appear to the shepherds to proclaim the bir th of the Messiah and to sing in praise because of God's provision of salvation (2:8-14). The angelic choir and their outburst of praise is reflected in the stanza from one of our cherished Christmas carols. Hark! the herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King: Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!" Joyful, all ye nations, rise, Join the triumph of the skies; With th'angelic hosts proclaim, "Christ is born in Bethlehem!" The first par t of this stanza is a call for us to listen (Hark!) to what the angels say, or better, what they sing. Even the angels in heaven break out in praise and worship when confronted with the significance of Christ's bir th. The content of their song is that a king, a Messiah, has been born. With the bir th of Christ the long-awaited promises of a coming king in the line of David (Isaiah 9) are fulfilled. This child will be the conduit for God's peace and mercy toward the world and toward humanity. It is through this child that God would accomplish reconciliation, a restoration of peaceful and right relationship with humanity. Because of what this child will accomplish, the angels cannot help but burst for th in praise. But the second par t of the stanza calls on us to join with the angels in singing in worship and praise because of what Christ's bir th signifies. The last line, "Christ is born in Bethlehem," is more than just a nice historical detail. All of God's plan for salvation hinges on the bir th of the Messiah who will bring salvation and reconciliation to a chaotic world. This Christmas, as we reflect on the bir th of Christ, how can we help but be moved to worship? And when we do, we are par t of a larger chorus, because we join the angels in heaven who worship God and His Son with ceaseless praise (Revelation 5). Dave Mathewson, PhD, Associate Professor of New Testament Hark! The Herald Angels Sing Lyrics by Charles Wesley (1739), composed by Felix Mendelssohn (1840)

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