O Come, All Ye Faithful: Hymns of Adoration

I really enjoyed this lovely book! A book about Christmas hymns/carols. They always bring such beauty and joy to the Christmas season.

This book includes these 12 beloved Christmas carols:

O Come, All Ye Faithful
Once in Royal David's City
Angels We Have Heard on High
Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus
What Child is This?
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
O Little Town of Bethlehem
Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silent
Silent Night! Holy Night!
Hark! the Herald Angels Sing
Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming
Angels, from the Realms of Glory

Each chapter is in 3 sections:

At the Heart of the Hymn - A personal reflection on the hymn by either Joni Eareckson Tada, Robert Wolgemuth or Bobbie Wolgemuth

In the Light of the Word - Biblical bases of the hymn by John MacArthur

From Out of the Past - a brief history of the writer of the hymn and how the hymn came to be by either Joni Eareckson Tada, Robert Wolgemuth or Bobbie Wolgemuth

Each section, of each chapter, was only a page or two, which made it an easy and enjoyable read for the Christmas season.

I thought I'd share from the chapter on the Christmas hymn, What Child is This?

In the first section, at the heart of the hymn, Joni Eareckson Tada, reflects on the Christmas story in the carol, 'What Child is This?'

She says here:

"'What child is this?' A child, demurely divine. Wholly Spirit. But also a child made from dust, flesh, bone, and blood. One hundred percent God...one hundred percent man. We are amazed that God the Son would become a man, but equally astounding is that a man or woman can become a son or daughter of God. The Nativity is a holy story, but also human...

...a young bride goes into labor, a new husband nervously attends, and while music and feasting continue behind the warm walls of the inn, yards away the Son of God quietly slips into history. Human history. 

'What child is this?' He is God, warm and alive, close and sweet as an infant's breath."

That long ago night in Bethlehem, 'The Son of God quietly slipped into history.' 

And He asks of us all, who do you say that I am?

In the second section, in the light of the Word, John MacArthur, reflects on the biblical meaning of this carol.

He says here:

"This traditional English carol asks one of the most important questions ever to confront the human mind. 'What think ye of Christ? whose son is he?' (Matthew 22:42). Who is the baby 'on Mary's lap...sleeping? Who is this One 'whom angels greet with anthems sweet, while shepherds watch are keeping'? "

He later talks of the second stanza of the carol, which carries the beauty of the gospel message. It goes like this:

Why lies He in such mean estate,
Where ox and donkeys are feeding?
Good Christians, fear, for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.
Nails, spears shall pierce him through,
The cross he bore for me, for you.
Hail, hail the Word made flesh,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.

He first quotes from the carol here:

"Why lies he in such mean (lowly) estate, where ox and ass are feeding?"

Then goes on:

"He had set aside His heavenly glory."

'He made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.' Philippians 2:7 

Moreover,

'Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even death of the cross.' Philippians 2:8

"In other words, unlike every other king, He deliberately came in the most abject humility, and with a purpose that at first glance seems unbefitting one of such eternal glory. He became flesh so that 'nails, spear, shall pierce him through.'

The hymn pictures Him already undertaking His priestly work as He lay in the manger: 'Good Christian, fear; for sinners here the silent Word is pleading.' That accords well with the truth of  Hebrews 7:25: 'Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them."

Finally, in the third section, Bobbie Wolgemuth tells a bit about the writer, William Chatterton, (1837-1898) who wrote this carol:

"William was a prolific writer as a young twenty-something man. His hymns, however, were not born from 'gladness.' In his early twenties William became bedridden with a serious illness. Confined to bed, instead of his days being filled with activity and personal contacts, the lad struggled with depression.

It was this experience that led him to meet God in a deeper way and to pen some of his most artistic poetry. Being himself laid to rest, William knew it was for his own benefit that the 'silent Word' was pleading. This brought hope to William's young heart and gave him renewed delight as he wrote 'Joy, joy, for Christ is born, the babe, the son of Mary."

Then she shares about the tune to this wonderful carol:

"The tune adapted to 'What Child is This?' was the traditional 'Greensleeves,' which dates back to the sixteenth century. Although its authorship is sometimes attributed to Henry VII of England, it is probably an ancient Italian dance melody. Traveling bands of entertainers that moved throughout the countryside and various towns used the common melody. Variations of the tune were adapted in several countries all over Europe."

The chapter ends with these words from Bobbie Wolgemuth:

"The babe was Jesus Christ, born of the Virgin Mary, and He was and is incarnate God! May our 'loving hearts enthrone him'!"

Here is the carol in full:

What child is this, who, laid to rest,
On Mary's lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing:
Haste, haste to bring Him laud,
The babe, the son of Mary.

Why lies He in such mean estate,
Where ox and donkeys are feeding?
Good Christians, fear, for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.
Nails, spears shall pierce him through,
the cross he bore for me, for you.
Hail, hail the Word made flesh,
the Babe, the Son of Mary.

So bring him incense, gold, and myrrh,
Come, peasant, king, to own him.
The King of kings salvation brings,
Let loving hearts enthrone him.
Raise, raise a song on high,
The virgin sings her lullaby
Joy, joy for Christ is born,
The babe, the Son of Mary.

I highly recommend this book for Christmas reading! May your Christmas be filled with the love and peace of God, and may His joy fill your hearts.




Buy it HERE on Amazon