Don’t you just love Christmas with all the colored lights, joyous songs, presents and pageantry that surround the announcement of the Messiah’s birth? The advent of the Savior’s birth is all too wonderful to be contained in a single newspaper headline or placed inside great volumes only to be lost in dusty, deserted library basements.
As December rolls around, many of us unpack colorful nativity scenes depicting the baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph and three wise men bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. However, if the truth be told, the wise men probably did not come until much later and the advent most likely arrived in September or October.
Regardless of tradition’s inaccuracies let us all enjoy the many heartwarming sights and sounds of Christmas! Songs of joy announcing the Savior’s birth fill the air sending waves of warmth that command the hairs on our arms to stand at attention. Multi-colored lights adorn our homes reminding us of the great Light that God graciously sent. The birth of the Messiah is the fulfillment of the Old Covenant which ushers in a new season of grace and mercy for the entire world to behold.
All around the globe Christmas will be celebrated by many nations. Songs of joy will be sung from the mountains of Nepal to the shores of Hawaii. In all Christendom there is nothing more joyous to celebrate then “Immanuel” or the fact that God tabernacle with us!
Great songs often originate from either a time of joy or sorrow. It is out of joy that Elisabeth, Mary and Zacharias burst out in song when confronted with the reality that the birth of the Messiah is near, literally nine months away.
When Mary, the mother of Jesus, is told by the angel Gabriel that she is about to conceive a child, she breaks into songs of joy and praise to God. “For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with His arm;” sings Mary in Luke 1:46 NKJV.
Elisabeth, upon hearing Mary’s greeting, sings “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.”
But of all the songs of Advent, the one that is most interesting to me is the song of Elizabeth’s husband Zacharias. Luke 1:68- 79.
In this song we discover a clear picture of the Messiah which has been painted with water colored pastels of Old Testament prophecy.
Zacharias sings: God has both visited and redeemed His people, the Immanuel prophecy located in Isaiah 7:14 NKJV. He goes on to sing that God has provided a “horn” of salvation which is both a picture of strength but more importantly reminds us that the sacrifices in the Temple were tied to horns cast on the top of the brazen altar; Jesus would one day be nailed to a cross. He also declares that the Messiah would be from the house of David which can be found in Isaiah 11:1-2, the root of Jesse. At the end of Zacharias’ song he reminds us that the birth of the Messiah would fulfill God’s promise to bless all the nations of the world through Abraham’s seed, Genesis 12:1, 2. The last few verses of the song declare that it would be through the tender mercy of God that He would give His own Son. Through the “Dayspring” from on high a great Light would be given to all those who sit in darkness, Isaiah 9:2 and Malachi 4:2.
These are amazing prophecies of the Messiah’s birth that draws men to salvation, strengthens our faith and brings comfort to tired souls; however the pinnacle of all prophecy of the Messiah’s birth is found in Isaiah.
“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 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 from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.” Isaiah 9:6, 7 NKJV.
May the Joy of this Christmas season, with all of its songs, lights and celebrations find at its epicenter a baby wrapped in swaddling cloth and lying in a manger.
