Harkening the Heralds: Punctuality

Christ by highest Heav'n ador'd,

Christ the everlasting Lord;

Late in Time behold-him come,

Offspring of the Virgin's Womb.

The second stanza begins with a section which is barely altered between the 1739, 1758 and modern versions of the carol. It describes the Lord Jesus' pre-incarnate majesty: adored, worshipped and glorified by the splendid heavenly community of angels. Leaving that behind, He was born of Mary the virgin as a humble man, conceived of the Holy Spirit, not a husband’s will.

But what of this supposed lateness? Can God ever be late? The apostle wrote:

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. (Gal 4:4-5, NKJV)

God’s timing is always perfect. To all those who waited and longed for redemption, however, from Mother Eve to elderly Anna, this was a long and tedious wait, an ancient promise which most did not see fulfilled. Yet God keeps His promises, and the long-promised Deliverer duly came. Much as some consider His return a long and weary wait, while the scoffers sarcastically ask “Where is the promise of His coming?”, He will surely come. What might seem late, or last-minute or a rush is perfectly punctual in the economy of God. ‘Late in Time behold-him come’ refers to the long wait, not the missing of deadlines. The only deadline liable to be missed is the one by which we must get right with our God through Jesus Christ. The clock ticks, the ward prepares a bed, the undertaker readies...

Harken!

Image by Stefan Keller from Pixabay