A Christmas Carol Message: “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”

We don’t often incorporate the word herald in our daily conversations. Yet we sing about herald angels each Christmas. Why are the angels in the biblical Christmas account referred to as “herald” angels in the carol, “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”?

A herald is one who delivers a message. And the angels in the account of Jesus’s birth had a history-making message to deliver to a group of shepherds. In Luke 2:8-14, the gospel writer included the following pronouncements:

Don’t be afraid.

• Why? Because this majestic group of angels brought good news!

In the town of David a Savior has been born to you.

• Who is this Savior? He is the Messiah, the Lord.

There will be a sign.

• How will they know? They will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.

And the point of all this?

• To glorify God in heaven as salvation brings the offer of peace to humanity.

A Radical Message

The radical importance of this message is highlighted throughout the lyrics of “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.”

• “The newborn King” will make it possible for “God and sinners to be reconciled.” Through Jesus, God “has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves” (Col. 1:13 NIV).
• “Incarnate Deity” is the Second Person of the Godhead “veiled in flesh.” God dwelled with humanity as a human: Jesus, fully God and fully man. Jesus temporarily laid aside His glory so we could receive the eternal gift of salvation.

  The apostle Paul noted in Philippians 2:6-8 that Jesus, “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!”

• The birth of the “Prince of Peace,” prophesied by the prophet in Isaiah 9:6, would accomplish what no other person on earth could do. As Paul wrote in Romans 5:10, “For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!”

As with many of the Christmas carols we’ve already explored, this beloved carol doesn’t only rejoice in the birth of a child. The true joy is rooted in what this child would accomplish: reconciliation between holy God and sinful humanity!

Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King:

peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!”

Joyful, all ye nations, rise, join the triumph of the skies;

with th’angelic hosts proclaim, “Christ is born in Bethlehem!”

Christ, by highest heaven adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord,

late in time behold him come, offspring of the Virgin’s womb:

veiled in flesh the Godhead see; hail th’incarnate Deity,

pleased with us in flesh to dwell, Jesus, our Immanuel.

Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness!

Light and life to all he brings, risen with healing in his wings.

Mild he lays his glory by, born that we no more may die,

born to raise us from the earth, born to give us second birth.

Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!