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ADVENT - WAITING WITH JOY (2 OF 4)

by Jordan Easley

Scripture: Luke 2:10, Luke 2:15-20
This content is part of a series.


Advent - Waiting with Joy (2 of 4)
Series: Advent
Jordan Easley
Luke 2:10, 15-20


If I were to ask you: What’s your favorite Christmas song? ...what would you say? *Say it out loud. (Away in a Manger... Silent Night... O Holy Night... Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer... Joy to the world...)

That’s one of my favorites as well. But did you know that... when Isaac Watts originally wrote the song, ‘‘Joy to the World,’’ in the year 1719... he wasn’t thinking about Christmas at all. That’s hard to believe, right?

Today, Joy to the World has been named by many: The most published Christmas song in North America. You can buy Christmas cards and stickers, sweatshirts and wrapping paper... all with the words, Joy to the World... and yet, the song wasn’t even written, as a Christmas song.

When you read the words to this song closely, you’ll start to notice that it says nothing about the birth of Jesus... it’s primary focus in on the second coming of Jesus.

Isaac Watts penned the words of this song... while reading the second half of [Psalm 98]. These were the words that inspired him that day.


Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth:

Make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.

With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the Lord, the King.

Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together.

Before the Lord; for He cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall He judge the world, and the people with equity.

As he read God’s word... he began to imagine this image of the whole world bursting into song... as the Lord comes to judge the earth. So, with that image in his mind, Watts wrote the four verses of ‘‘Joy to the World.’’

Joy to the world, the Lord is come, Let earth receive her King;

Let every heart prepare Him room, and Heaven and nature sing...

Joy to the world! The Savior reigns; Let me ...

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