Harkening the Heralds: Objectives

HARK! the Herald Angels sing

Glory to the new-born King!

Peace on Earth, and Mercy mild,

God and Sinners reconcil'd.

So begins the opening lines of George Whitefield's 1758 adaptation of Charles Wesley’s 1739 Hymn for Christmas-Day, which is surely the king of all carols. And for one which renders sublime theology into sublime verse, it remains surprisingly popular among the godless folk who make up the majority of twenty-first-century Britain. Each line is awash with scriptural allusion, quotation and principle.

The first line begins with the invitation to harken, which means to hear, heed or pay attention. It desires that we regard the words which those angels spoke and sung to the shepherds on the hills about Bethlehem. Rather than engaging in some syrupy sentiment about world peace and global happiness, they served as heralds -forerunners, announcers, couriers- ahead of a great King’s coming. The overarching objective was not to just enlighten our dark, wintry nights or encourage a spirit of generosity among relations, but the reconciliation between God and man, between Judge and sinner, between the generous Host of heaven and the hell-deserving hosts of earth.

Harken!

Image by Lumpi from Pixabay