Joy to the World

Are you familiar with the popular Christmas song, “Joy to the World”? The lyrics include earth receiving her king, sins and sorrows not growing, and Christ ruling the world with truth and grace. But, as is often the case, we sometimes sing words and we’re not deeply thinking about the context. Case in point is “Joy to the World.” Although it is thought of as a song about Christ’s birth, it’s really a song about His second coming. Second coming? What’s that? Just like the Bible prophesied Jesus’s first coming as a baby who would one day die for our sins; the Bible also records Jesus coming again to earth, but this time as reigning King. It is then we will no longer have sin and sorrow and Christ will rule with truth and grace. Yes, we will continue to gladly sing, “Joy to the World,” at Christmas, but now with deeper meaning and anticipation of Christ’s second coming, also.