The Coming Christmas
By Tom Gilbreath
Many of our most beloved carols not only look back on the Lord’s first coming, but ahead to His promised return.
“Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King.” The Lord has come. It is history. The Lord of the universe was born as a human being in the city of Bethlehem. That happened. But earth did not receive her King. John 1:10 says, “He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.”
The story of Christmas has more to come.
We celebrate the sacred and glorious moment recorded in John 1:14. “And the Word became flesh.” Galatians 4:4-5 says, “When the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.”
At His first advent, the long-awaited Messiah bore our griefs and carried our sorrows. He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities (Isaiah 53:4-5). In response to such love, we worship and adore Him. We celebrate His birth because we celebrate Him.
But the story is not over. He left the world with the promise to return. Angels appeared at His birth, and they also appeared after He ascended. They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11).
During His years of ministry, Jesus often spoke of His coming death and resurrection. Even though He taught it consistently, the actual events caught His followers by surprise. He also taught that He would come again to complete the ancient prophecies given about Him. May His return take none of us by surprise.
The carol, “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” says, “Joyful all ye nations rise, join the triumph of the skies.” All nations? Not yet. But the story is not over.
Handel gave melody to the words of Isaiah 9:6. “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.” The Child was born and the Son given. And one day soon, all government will rest on the shoulders of the Prince of Peace. We sing it at Christmas now, celebrating a Christmas yet to come.
In 1865, William Dix wrote, “What Child is This?” He answered, “This, this is Christ the King!” Revelation 17:14 and 19:16 call Him, the “King of kings.” Yet in His first coming, He sat on no throne, held no royal scepter.
Today, we have the privilege of enthroning Him in our hearts. And we look forward to the day, “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11).
