It’s that time of year again – the time to argue about whether “Die Hard” is, or is not, a Christmas movie. Everyone has an opinion, but every year, we see more Christmas decorations featuring Bruce Willis delivering his “Ho-ho-hos” at the Nakatomi Building, and the myth grows.

Likewise, the Christmas/Not Christmas debate reaches into music. For example, “Jingle Bells” and “Frosty the Snowman” often appear on Yuletide play lists, although their connection to Christmas is just winter weather. ”Good King Wenceslaus” saw a poor man gathering wood for a fire in a blizzard and brought him in to feed and warm him. The only Christmas connection is being nice in bad weather.

Traditional religious carols are less debatable. Bethlehem is obviously a holiday topic, as is the Christmas Star, and the Herald Angels. Perhaps the most classic carol is “Joy to the World,” with its tune providing an instantly recognizable Christmas vibe. A squad of clarion trumpets playing just the first eight notes sets an immediate Christmas context for a movie scene. This stalwart favorite was originally a poem by English preacher and hymnist Isaac Watts. It was later set to a tune written by Mr. “Messiah” Handel. 

If asked to name a Christmas carol, many would immediately name “Joy to the Word.” But they would technically be wrong. Mr. Watts wrote his poem to embody the promise of Jesus – but not his birth. Instead, the words refer to the Second Coming of Jesus: when he returns, not as a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, but in triumph at the End of Days, as the promised King of Kings.

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King!
Let every heart prepare Him room,
and heav’n and nature sing,
and heav’n and nature sing,
and heav’n, and heav’n and nature sing.

Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ,
while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat the sounding joy,
repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
far as the curse is found,
far as the curse is found,
far as, far as the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
and makes the nations prove
the glories of His righteousness
and wonders of His love,
and wonders of His love,
and wonders, wonders of His love.

The Jewish people spent hundreds of years before Christ’s birth looking forward to the promise of the Messiah – the one who would rule the earth and set everything right. That promise is still to come – the time when the curse of the fall finally will be lifted, and Heaven and Nature sing of the wonders of the Return of the King.

#Maranatha