Every time God does something new, there’s a burst of song.

It begins at the very beginning, the first new thing. Tolkien and Lewis were right: God sang the world into existence by His Word and Spirit-melody.

At the Red Sea, Israel sang the song of Moses (Exod 15:1-18). Deborah composed a song after Israel’s victory over Sisera (Judg 5:1-31), Hannah sang at the birth of Samuel (1 Sam 2:1-10), and Israel’s monarchy began in song.

No event was more musical than the birth of Jesus. The opening chapters of Luke are like a real-life musical.

Mary sings when she visits Elizabeth (Luke 1:46-55), and Zecharias sings at the birth of his son, John (Luke 1:67-79). When Mary and Joseph take Jesus to the temple, Simeon starts singing (Luke 2:27-32).

The shepherds are treated to a heavenly concert (Luke 2:8-14), a fitting welcome to the newborn King. Just as He joins heaven and earth in Himself, so the angelic choir fills earth with heavenly praise. After the shepherds see Jesus, they echo the angelic celebration (Luke 2:20).

Musically, the only moment that rivals Christmas is the ascension of Jesus. Heaven is an everlasting musical, but when the Lamb ascends from earth to heaven, heaven is filled with unprecedented rejoicing (Rev 5:1-14).

At the last day, everything will join in song, and song will resound through the cosmos. One day, Psalm 148 will become fact.

When we sing, we anticipate the climax of history, for the world ends neither with bang nor whimper but with the joyful song of a wedding feast.

Spend Advent and Christmas singing. Sing at church. Sing at home. Sing while you’re working, sing while you’re driving. Sing heartily. Sing loud. Sing with vigor. Sing until you’re filled with the Spirit’s joy.

‘Tis the season for song.

Blessings,
Pastor Leithart