I’ve always liked this Christmas hymn. The first verse “It came upon the midnight clear . . .” tells of the angels proclaiming the birth of the Messiah and the purpose of the Messiah, peace to all from God. The second verse “Still through the cloven skies they come . . .” reminds us that the heavenly mission of proclaiming the good news of forgiveness and peace with God continues by heavenly forces to reach the lost of this world. Verse 3 “And ye, beneath life’s crushing load . . .” encourages us to believe and follow Christ and we will be rewarded with the promised eternal life. Verse 4 “For lo, the days are hastening on . . .” reminds us that time keeps circling on until the day the Lord brings it all to an end and ushers in eternity on the new earth. The whole hymn tells us of the plan and working of God and encourages us to remember why Christ came – the real meaning of Christmas. If you do not know all the verses, look them up in a hymn book, google the song or listen more closely to recordings of it. It is both beautiful and majestic in sound but also, most importantly, in meaning.
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