GLORY TO GOD!
Glory to God in the highest,
on earth peace and goodwill toward men. LUKE 2: 14.
God’s angels descend into the fields of Bethlehem, singing to one another, singing to mankind, singing to their God!
And listen! The first words that come from their lips are Gloria in excelsis, "Glory to God in the highest!" Remarkable! That which we typically leave until last during the Christmas celebration is, for them, the first. We would all begin by speaking of the Child, of the blessed night, of the shepherds, of the manger, and of the beloved virgin mother. For us, the feeling, the emotional pull, and the beauty of the scene would take centre stage; and only at the very end, as a conclusion, might we also sing a "Glory to God!" But those holy angels do the exact opposite.
For them, it is "God first!"—even at Christmas. The manger, the swaddling cloths, the Child—all of that comes later.
And the angels could do no differently! For they stand day and night before God's throne. They are not like us, who struggle at times to lift our souls before the holy presence of God. For them, God is everything—at Christmas and always. Year after year, century after century, their ceaseless cry is Glory to God! They descended from God's throne, so how could they fail to glorify the exalted and magnificent God, the eternal Fountain of love?
These kind angels had gazed for ages into the profound mystery of salvation and atonement. They knew that the earth was full of godless men, none righteous, not even one. And they had wondered how their holy, righteous God could justify such ungodly sinners. Over time, they had caught glimpses of God's salvation plan but had never fully grasped its depths. Sometimes, they were allowed to take part in God's preparatory works. They were sent to Abraham and to countless other servants of God. But above all, they had been witnesses through the ages to the tender, holy majesty of God, who in His omnipotence and compassion was paving the way for the incarnation of the Word.
And now, in Bethlehem, the angels could only begin with God, singing of Him who had prepared, accomplished, and now revealed this glorious moment of salvation. So their song begins with Glory to God!—not to overshadow the Child, but because the greatness of the Child can only be seen in the radiance of God's glory. In this Child, everything converges on the will of the One who sent Him. As Jesus Himself would one day declare: "I do not seek my own glory, but the glory of Him who sent me."
This Sender—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—is the Inspirer of the prophets, the Sender of the Messiah, and the Author of salvation. He must be the One most glorified on Christmas by Israel of old, by the Church of all ages, and by us and our children. He, who so loved the world that He did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us, must be the focus of our praise.
And now, these angels descend to Bethlehem, these holy beings, pure and refined, and the atmosphere of godlessness on earth strikes them. Oh, this dreadful world! This fearsome humanity! For ages, the compassionate and unfathomable God had been striving in His divine love to prepare salvation for this world, and yet the cold world had ignored Him, blind to His works, without a song for His glory, living as if there were no God in heaven, even daring to blaspheme and curse Him.
Descending to earth and hearing no song for the Holy One, the angels themselves begin to sing. They sing, perhaps as precentors for others. The night is so still—there is no voice, no sound! And then, from their angelic lips, the song arises: Glory to God in the highest! A psalm of adoration ascends to Him who desires to be glorified, rising from earth to heaven.
They sing without calculation, without effort, simply because glorifying God is their very nature. Yet their song has become the song of the Church, resounding each Christmas, pushing back against the world’s forgetfulness of God, stirring the faithful to remember Him. Their song pleads with us: “Oh, it is well that you sing of the manger, the shepherds, and the Child—but above all, Church of the Son of God, never forget to give Him glory. Teach your children to lift their hearts in praise to the Creator and Redeemer of all things!”
To think that God exists for us would be a blasphemous thought. No, we exist for Him and for Him alone. The purpose of our being, our lives, and the lives of our loved ones is all summed up in this one eternal truth: “To glorify God and His holy name!”
If this becomes the fruit of your Christmas celebration, then it is good. But if it does not, it counts for nothing. Indeed, who knows whether it might even become sin—a sin that no gifts or carols could conceal. For, oh, if there is one day when we, who carry death within us, are deeply obligated to honour our holy God, is it not when Emmanuel comes?
Therefore, banish from Christ’s Church any trivialization of the sacred! Do not misuse the holiest and tenderest event the earth has ever witnessed to create "a delightful evening" or lose yourself in sentimental fantasies. That is what the unbelievers and blasphemers of God’s divinity already do. No, before God, keep the holy things holy, or you forfeit the blessing.
Oh, we do not begrudge our children their joy or the poor their comfort. We want to join you in celebrating the tenderness and beauty of the Christmas scenes. Indeed, the angels also sang of peace on earth and goodwill toward men. But let us hold firmly to this truth: Keep the first thing first! Let Glory to God in the highest! always lead and remain the highest note of our celebration.
The Messiah did not come to provide charming scenes. The Word became flesh to wage war against sin, the world, and the devil. His mission was to accomplish God’s eternal purpose, to justify sinners, sanctify the ungodly, and save the lost. It was for the salvation of God’s elect.
God, the only wise and holy One, is to be praised for eternity. He is Love, so immense in height, depth, breadth, and length that it surpasses all understanding.
And now, this divine love chose to place the Child in the manger as the starting point for the Lord’s salvation to arise. Satan, on the other hand, sought to destroy that Child. See how he drove Herod with hatred and murderous intent to slaughter the innocent, all in an attempt to destroy the Child and nullify the manger.
So, everything surrounding the manger is of utmost seriousness—a struggle between life and death, between God and Satan, between the omnipotence of eternal Love and the forces of hell.
Therefore, it is fitting for Christ’s Church, for God’s children, to keep the sacred things of Christmas within the inner courts of worship.
Here lies the mystery of godliness, so profound and great: God is at work! All is from Him! And so, to Him, your God, be glory in the highest heavens!
Sing this psalm yourself from the depths of your soul, and teach your loved ones to do the same.
No comments:
Post a Comment