Hark the Herald Angels - Part 1

A few days ago I introduced Hark, the Harold Angels Sing as our hymn of the month. I chose this hymn for December because I wanted to connect what the lyrics say to what Scripture says and hopefully in the process edify my own soul as well as to encourage anyone who might read this.

So let’s begin by thinking about the line “Glory to the Newborn King”. As we know from reading Matthew 2:2, the wise men from the east came to Jerusalem inquiring as to where the king of the Jews was to be born. They knew from the signs they had seen in the heavens that such a king was to be born about this time. The officials immediately went to Scripture and found a prophecy in Micah 5:2 which reads, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the one to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.” That announcement had been made roughly 700 years prior to the birth of Christ, yet these men were able to go to this prophecy to accurately tell the wise men where they should look.

During approximately the same time period as Micah, God used Isaiah the prophet to write, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice.” This prophecy can be found in Isaiah 9:6-7. It too was written about 700 years before the events actually took place.

Then just prior to Mary’s pregnancy, the angel Gabriel had come to Mary and among other things he told her about her son, he said, “the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.”

When Jesus’ birth came, the angels announced this special event by glorifying God in the highest. After all these years God had fulfilled the promises He had made and sent His son, who among other things would be a king whose kingdom, once established, would never end. Let’s not get lost in all of the hubbub of Christmas and miss the opportunity to bring God glory for the newborn king.