Christmas carols are one of my favorite Christmas traditions. My family, friends, and I would often go to the nursing home with our off-pitch voices, sugar-free candy, and reindeer ears to sing Christmas carols to the residents. It was a time to spread joy to those who could not be at home during the Christmas season and might not see much family.
We see worshipful singing throughout the Bible, like the song of Moses in Exodus 15, the Christmas stories in the Gospels, and the book of Revelation. At Christmas and in Revelation, we see that angels are involved in the singing. In Luke 2:8–14, the angels herald the first coming of the Savior of the world to the shepherds, giving glory to God.
In Revelation 15, we once again see the angels gathering to sing and give glory to God. They are now singing not of Jesus being born, but of his final victory over evil and sin! When we sing worship songs, both at Christmas and throughout the year, we are joining in with the angels, who have praised God throughout the history of the world and will do so at the second coming also.
We also see in this song that “all the nations will come and worship [God], for [his] righteous acts have been revealed.” In the Christmas story, we see a snapshot of this future reality through the visit of the wise men. These Gentile men from a foreign nation traveled to Bethlehem, the city of David, to worship Jesus as king (Matthew 2:1–2). We know that one day, every nation will gather around the throne and worship King Jesus (Revelation 7:9), and so, in the words of the classic Christmas carol, we call to the whole world to “come to Bethlehem and see him whose birth the angels sing. Come adore on bended knee Christ the Lord, the newborn King!”
As we celebrate this Christmas, we can rest in the knowledge that the rescue that Jesus began at the first Christmas will be completed. It is a fact that we can rest in and let it guide our hope and joy this Christmas season!
Respond
Sing a Christmas carol today. Sing with family or friends, or maybe with your small group or neighbors. (Bonus: Sing “Angels We Have Heard on High.”) Participate in the worship of the King with the angels today.