Christmas Hymn: "See Amid the Winter Snow"

I am always on the hunt for a Christmas hymn, carol, or song that I’ve never heard before. I especially gravitate towards songs that flesh out the narrative of the Nativity.

Today’s Christmas hymns is entitled “See Amid the Winter Snow.” The words were written by Edward Caswall in 1858.

The tune has remained much the same, today. You can read the lyrics below and then listen to a modern recording by Fernando Ortega:


See Amid the Winter Snow

1. See, amid the winter’s snow,
born for us on earth below,
see the tender Lamb appears,
promised from eternal years.

Refrain:
Hail! Thou ever-blessed morn!
Hail, redemption’s happy dawn!
Sing through all Jerusalem,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem.”

2. Lo, within a manger lies
He who built the starry skies;
He, who throned in height sublime,
sits amid the cherubim!

Refrain

3. Say, ye holy shepherds, say,
what your joyful news today;
wherefore have ye left your sheep
on the lonely mountain steep?

Refrain

4. Sacred Infant, all divine,
what a tender love was Thine;
thus to come from highest bliss
down to such a world as this!

Refrain

5. “As we watched at dead of night,
lo, we saw a wondrous light;
angels singing ‘Peace on earth’
told us of the Savior’s birth.”

Refrain

Advent Waiting and Hanukkah Miracles

As a Jewish believer in Jesus, one of the most meaningful things I do each year is observe Advent. It is a practice in remembrance and reflection, drawing from the most ancient stories that point towards a future Hope. One such story is celebrated during the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. It is a wonderful celebration of a miraculous time in Jewish history. Like so much of Israel’s past (both included and excluded from canonized Scripture), the story of the Maccabees is a foretaste of the Messiah’s victory—a victory over sin and death.

Hanukkah celebrates the Maccabees successful guerilla warfare against their Selucid-Greek oppressors and an oil miracle that allowed the Jewish people to rededicate the Lord’s Temple with a fully functioning menorah.

When Jesus walked on earth, he traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate Hanukkah—the Feast of Dedication. The events are recorded in John 10 and only two chapters earlier, Jesus declares Himself the Light of the World. With all this talk of light and re-dedication (in Jewish tradition eight is a number symbolizing newness), those around Jesus asked him,
“How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” John 10:24b

Thinking back to the miracles enabling them to celebrate the Feast of Dedication, the people pictured an Anointed Savior like Judah Maccabees, someone who could be victorious against the Romans like the Maccabees were against the Seleucid.

But Jesus did not come for that kind of fighting. He came armed with Truth and Light, delivering the ultimate of miracles: newness of life, not just for the Jews, but for all.

In modern times we have the benefit of looking back in commemoration with rose-tinted glasses. We see the glory and triumph, the need for celebration. But in the middle of the first Hanukkah and first Christmas—life was hard. Harder than hard.

A few years ago I quoted from a Desiring God article entitled, "Christmas Doesn’t Ignore Your Pain." In it, David Mathis writes,

“. . . Christmas does not ignore our pain. When we open the pages of Scripture and turn to that first Christmas, we find, without doubt, that all was not merry and bright. The new glimpses of merriness that do emerge fall against the backdrop of misery and disorder. Those first rays of brightness shone in a land of deep darkness. . .

More significant than Joseph’s or Mary’s pain is the pain and sin and suffering and ruin for which Jesus came. The angel declared to Joseph, “You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

. . . If God’s people, not to mention the nations, weren’t needy — desperately so — there would have been no Christmas. Christ did not come to put on a show or make a cameo in history. He came to bring life to the dead, to rescue the perishing, to heal the sick, to destroy the works of the devil. For centuries, misery and darkness had been compounding. Only in coming to such a depraved and disfigured world would his arrival signal hope for any real merriment and brightness."

The story of Hanukkah took place in the middle of what we now call the 400 years of silence. The Jewish people were living oppressed, and they didn’t know if God was even there anymore. There were no prophets to give them a word from the Lord. But God heard the prayers of His people and He never stopped laying the groundwork for an ultimate Deliverer. In the fullness of time, God sent His son to be born in lowly, dirty circumstances. To show us a way out of the darkness. And to make all things new.


Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, shehecheyanu v'kiy'manu v'higiyanu laz'man hazeh.

Blessed are You, oh Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has given us life, sustained us, and brought us to this season.

Wonderful Counselor, Light of the World

"Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path."
- Psalm 119:105

Today I want to explore the wonderful counseling of Jesus as the Light of the World. If you’ve ever read the beginning of John’s Gospel, you probably know where I’m going with this. Jesus as the Word will come in Week 3 with the theme of Everlasting Father. So let us suspend the circular understanding of this of name of Jesus and simply look at the guiding characteristics of Light.

It is no secret that the Apostle John enjoyed writing and he was good a describing Jesus in a poetic and timeless way. In John 1:4-9 he writes,

“In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.”
-John 1:4-9

Recording his time with Jesus on earth, John equates Jesus’ whole person and ministry as embodied Light. He brings the Light up again in chapter 3 and again in chapters 8 and 9, quoting Jesus’ own astounding words, “I am the Light of the World.”

Asheritah Ciuciu reflects on this in her book, Unwrapping the Names of Jesus. On pages 32 and 33, she says,

“Jesus illuminates our lives with His brilliance, shining into every nook and cranny. Even the revelation of hidden sin is a gift, like the fortunate early diagnosis of a disease or cancer. He reveals not only our sin but also all that is beautiful surrounding us. He awakens our souls to see the history of redemption and the wonderful works of God all around us. As David says, ‘In your light we see light’ (Psalm 36:9).”

After reading this I began thinking about light in the Nativity story. Apart from the brightness of the angels, the biggest source of light was the star that hung over Bethlehem. Matthew is the only Gospel writer who mentions the Star of Bethlehem, as it came to be known. And for someone who often referred to the Old Testament as proof of Jesus’ prophecy fulfillments, Matthew doesn’t even refer to a passage in the book in Numbers which many believe is a prophecy about both Jesus and the star:

“I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near.
A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel.
- Numbers 24:17

Rev. Dr.  Eugen J. Pentiuc writes extensively about the connections between Numbers 24 and Matthew 2 on the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America website blog. In an article entitled, "The Star of Bethlehem or the Star of Jacob? A Forgotten Prophecy," he writes,

"Balaam's prophecy contains three key words:

1.    The prophet speaks of a ‘star’ (kokab) emerging from Jacob. As the “star” in ancient Near East was used to designate a god or a deified king, the focus of this prophecy seemingly falls on a descendant of Jacob who would have divine qualities. The verb used here to describe the star’s movement is darak “to tread, to walk, to travel.”

We might add that the three “wise men, magi, astrologers” (magoi), in the New Testament application of Balaam’s prophecy, speak of a “star” (aster) that “had appeared” (phainomenou) in the “east” (anatole) (Matthew 2:1–2, 7, 9). This matches quite neatly with the place of Balaam’s prophecy, namely, the eastern side of the Jordan River.

2.    The prophet Balaam mentions a “scepter” (shebet), which commonly signifies royal authority, as in Genesis 49:10.
 
3.    The son of Beor emphasizes that both star and scepter, or god and king, emerge via a human agent, specifically the patriarch Jacob (also called Israel). This means that the one who is both divine and royal will also be human. Thus, the one prophesied by Balaam will be at the same time God, king and human being. Read in the context of the gospel account . . . this was seen prophetically in the gifts offered by the magi to the infant Jesus at his birth. According to Matthew 2:11, the three magi brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Each gift was telling Jesus’ fate on earth from a particular viewpoint: Gold indicated that he would be a king; frankincense that he would be a God; and myrrh that he would die, emphasizing his humanity.”

This is all very fascinating. But the most fascinating thing is the uniqueness of the prophecy’s spokesperson, a non-Hebrew prophet named Balaam. This is paralleled with the non-Jewish Magi who discover a special star shining in the East. Two pagan groups concerned with understanding the movements of people on earth and the heavens above—both chosen by God to deliver news about the “time and circumstances of the Messiah’s birth.”

How else is this possible, except for Jesus as the guiding Light? 

In C.S. Lewis’ The Silver Chair, this rich theological truth is encapsulated in Aslan’s words:
“You would not have called to me unless I had been calling to you,"—an echo of Jesus’ words in John 15:16: “You did not choose me, but I chose you.”

Jesus, the Light of the World, is the God who illuminated His own story so that He could show us the way. This Advent, as we light each candle, string each strand of twinkle lights, and stand awestruck by the festive lights sparkling against the darkness, let us remember why Light is such an important part of Christmas celebrations and worship. Jesus illuminates our need for Him just as the Star of Bethlehem signified the coming of a new King, the only one who could really bring Salvation and Grace, Truth and Might.

Wonderful Counselor, Guided by the Spirit

The Holy Spirit is often referred to as a counselor. With the Holy Spirit and Jesus (The Wonderful Counselor) as two parts of the Trinity, it is no wonder they have a close working relationship. Yet, prior to the Pentecost narrative in Acts 2—where the believers in Jerusalem are given the Holy Spirit—we tend to overlook references to the Spirit’s work. As we explore the Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah, it is fascinating to see references to the Spirit’s presence, again and again:

Isaiah 11:1-2:
There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,
    and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.
And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him,
    the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
    the Spirit of counsel and might,
    the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.

Isaiah 42:1-4:
“Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
    my chosen one in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
    and he will bring justice to the nations.
He will not shout or cry out,
    or raise his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed he will not break,
    and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;
    he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice on earth.
    In his teaching the islands will put their hope.”

Isaiah 61: 1-4
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
    because the LORD has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
    he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
    and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor,
    and the day of vengeance of our God;
    to comfort all who mourn;
to grant to those who mourn in Zion—
    to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
    the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
    the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.
They shall build up the ancient ruins;
    they shall raise up the former devastations;
they shall repair the ruined cities,
    the devastations of many generations.

These passages are full of images of the Messiah as a compassion, wise, and just guide. A Wonderful Counselor indeed!

The great mystery of the Incarnation is that Jesus is both fully human and fully God. We see throughout the Gospel accounts that Jesus needed to set aside private time to pray and be refreshed by the fullness of the Trinity. When Jesus was born as a baby, he took on all the characteristics of human form and mind. Every ounce of Jesus’s Wonderful Counselor-ness while He was here on Earth came from his intimate communion with the Holy Spirit.

Over the summer I was listening to the She Reads Truth podcast during their Genealogy of Jesus series. I knew there would be some rich nuggets of truth for the Advent season, and I was not disappointed.

The podcast hosts reflect on the genealogy of Jesus, looking closely at the character of Mary:

“As we zoom in on these people and the lineage of Jesus . . . God is very overtly working. The Holy Spirit is working. He has been a part of this whole story. . . The Spirit isn’t just present when he’s named. He’s the spirit of God, He is present. The Spirit comes in power on specific people, in specific places, but He is always working. Miraculous things that overturn the laws of nature occur, and yet they still operate within the ordinary. The conception [of Jesus] is one of the most astounding miracles in all of history. And also, Jesus grows in Mary’s body. The incarnation happens in this very tender way, in the intimate womb of a woman. Supernatural and very human. As human as it gets.”

As Jesus grew in knowledge and stature, He was guided not only by the practical direction of His earthly parents, but by the God who set the stars and planets on their courses and governs the movement of ocean tides and river currents. For all the mystery of the Incarnation, one thing is clear:

We needed a guide. A perfect counselor with divine power and intimate human understanding to show us the way.


 

Wonderful Counselor, the Lord with You

But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish.
In the former time he brought into contempt
the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea,
the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
The people who walked in darkness
    have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
    on them has light shone. . .

For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
    and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace
    there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
    to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
    from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.
- Isaiah 9:1-2, 6-7 

Today is the first Sunday of Advent. Today I light the candle of Jesus as our Wonderful Counselor.

This passage above is part of a full oracle given by the prophet Isaiah. It was a message delivered during a dark period in Israel’s history with both contemporary and future foretellings. With their enemies growing in strength, the people of God could not tell if the Lord was for them, against them, or if He had abandoned them to their fears. So Isaiah speaks into their desperation, prophesying about a grim future of defeat, exile, and return. But amid his bleak forecasts, Isaiah also delivers a sign from God.

Writers at the Zondervan Academic blog reflect on Isaiah 9:6, saying,

“Included [are] two prophetic visions of a child who would represent God’s presence, embody his characteristics, and bear the responsibility of governing his people.

Two chapters before Isaiah says “For unto us a child is born,” he prophesied the birth child whose name would signify the presence of God: 'Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.' (Isaiah 7:14)”

In Luke’s gospel, we read of the Angel Gabriel visiting a young woman named Mary. His words echo that promise given seven centuries before. However, it is not just the angel’s description of this child — “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” (Luke 1:32-33)—that channel Isaiah’s prophetic words.

We all know that angels begin their messages with proclamations of “Fear not!” or “Do not be afraid!”, yet before that reassurance, Gabriel says something important we often miss. I don’t know why I’ve never noticed it before. He says, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” (Luke 1:28b).

In her book, Awaiting the Manger, Ocieanna Fleiss explores the “whispers of Advent in the Old Testament.” Reflecting on how Eve may have responded to God’s promise following the first sin in the Garden. She says,

“Only God could repair the broken fellowship, and we first glimpse his rescue plan in these words he spoke to the serpent, ‘I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel’ (Genesis 3:15).

In these puzzling words, we find the whisper of a promise. Someday—tomorrow? Next week? Far in the future? Adam and Eve didn’t know when, but they did know that through his suffering, he would free them from the doom of hopeless wandering. They would walk with their Father once again.

But that was all they knew.

‘Send him soon,’ I imagine Eve prayed as she left the garden. ‘Yes, soon Lord.’

Millenia passed, and then, to a daughter of Eve an angel came. This angel was unlike those who wielded the flaming swords blocking entrance to the Father’s presence—instead, this angel announced the way to be with God again. 'Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you' (Luke 1:28). Did you see that? The Immanuel promise was right there in the greeting. 'The Lord is with you.' Finally! Finally, he would arrive—the one who would crush the serpent’s head, endure the fiery sword, and usher us into sweet fellowship once again.”

I recently learned that the Hebrew word for waiting, qāvâ (you can read more on the Blue Letter Bible website), has a meaning rooted in being intertwined. It holds connotations of endurance and strength like a length of twisted rope.

From the beginning in the Garden of Eden, God intended beautiful and complete communion with His creation. But then sin entered the world and a rift was made. We read above about the Lord’s promise regarding the serpent’s offspring and the woman’s offspring. But God went on to reveal a new reality full of painful child bearing, imbalanced partnerships between men and women, and hard labor for daily sustenance. From then on, Adam and Eve and all their descendants have been plagued by having to wait. Yet God never abandoned His people. Every step from the Garden to the Manger, and from the Manger to the Cross has been full of God’s new plan to mend, and heal, and make whole that which was lost.

After Malachi’s last prophecy, Israel spent 400 years of thinking God was finished making and keeping promises. Yet He was just getting started with the biggest Answer history had ever seen. The Angel Gabriel is sent to a small village called Nazareth and God leads him to a young woman named Mary. Just like her ancestor David, she is favored. God has sought her out. All of Israel’s waiting has not been in vain.

This Immanuel is indeed a Wonderful Counselor, sent by the Father to show His people the way of Light and Life.

Welcome to Advent

Dear friends (and those who may have stumbled upon this blog),

If you've joined me for any of the past fourteen years, then you are probably familiar with Advent. If you are a new reader, this will serve as an introduction:

In latin the word "adventus" means "coming." Within the context of western Christianity, Advent is the season of four weeks leading up to Christmas—the celebration of Christ's birth. It is a time of joyful expectation and preparation. The four weeks are marked by the four Sundays, on which the candles of the Advent wreath are lit.

The first candle is traditionally the candle of Hope, followed by Peace, Love, and Joy. However, with so many church traditions comes a variety of names for each candle. Usually, they are organized around characters or themes as a way to unfold the story and direct attention to the celebrations and worship in the season. So, the sequence might be Prophets, Bethlehem, Shepherds, Angels; Expectation, Annunciation, Proclamation, Fulfillment; or Prophets, John the Baptist, Mary, the Magi.

Last year, I borrowed four themes from writer Jessica Herberger and explored the themes of Wait, Anticipate, Prepare, and Celebrate. Thinking about from where we glean Advent themes, I began reflecting on the names we call Jesus. Names like Good Shepherd and Emmanuel clearly resonate within the Nativity story. But what if I took my exploration a step farther? Of course, there is nothing new under the sun and I quickly found Advent writers who had tackled this exact topic. There are so many relevant names to reflect on, so I am letting Isaiah 9:6 be my guide. This year, my four Advent candles will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. Within each week, I will incorporate other names as well, as subcategories of Christ’s character.

The way the four Sundays of Advent fall this year, week four will land on Christmas Eve. I want to give “Prince of Peace” it’s due exploration, so I hope you will join me for the remainder of the Christmas week.

A second caveat: the traditional candles of Advent represent a rough chronology of the Nativity story and the prophecies leading up to Jesus’ birth. My use of the four names in Isaiah 9 will make that a little less possible. My hope is that you are familiar enough with the Christmas story to follow my jumps through the Advent narrative.

For four short weeks every year, we stop and see—with amazing clarity—God’s miraculous hand shaping the trajectory of human history. I have a hard time seeing this kind of perspective in daily life. Even with God’s sustaining grace, I am so often numb to the repercussions of Christ’s advent in my own life. This blog is an attempt to peel back the layers of those truths and meditate on the everlasting love God showed when he sent us His son. And as we do that together, may our hearts be directed towards the greater Advent still to come.

Let us enter this season with expectation, ever blessed by those who have paved the way. I’m glad you have chosen to join me on the journey!

 

Into the Mess

“To practice Advent is to lean into an almost cosmic ache: our deep, wordless desire for things to be made right and the incompleteness we find in the meantime.” –Tish Harrison Warren

Enter Isaiah chapter 9:

But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.

The people who walked in darkness
    have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
    on them has light shone.
You have multiplied the nation;
    you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
    as with joy at the harvest,
    as they are glad when they divide the spoil.
For the yoke of his burden,
    and the staff for his shoulder,
    the rod of his oppressor,
    you have broken as on the day of Midian.
For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult
    and every garment rolled in blood
    will be burned as fuel for the fire.
For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon[d] his shoulder,
    and his name shall be called[e]
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace
    there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
    to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
    from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

If anyone knew darkness, it was David’s ancestor Ruth. Things in her life went from bad to worse, yet her (and Naomi’s) story is woven with strands of light that can only be acknowledged as God moving in the midst of their suffering.

In her book, The Meaning is in the Waiting, Paula Gooder comments on this passage of Isaiah: “Isaiah knew that the disaster awaiting Judah—a disaster largely of their own making—had to be faced in the knowledge that woven into it and beyond it were signs of hope” (p. 62).

Graciously, Ruth and Naomi saw hope in their own lifetime. They were saved through the lovingkindness of a kinsman redeemer—their deepest needs fulfilled because of Boaz’ commitment to his covenant. Does that sound familiar? Indeed, Boaz is one of many Old Testament characters pointing the way to Christ.

God sent His son to step into the mess with us; into the burdens, the fears, the wastelands. He didn’t sweep it away or start the world over again as with the flood. He sent a redeemer. To make right the cosmic ache the world had known since sin entered Eden.

Gooder continues, “As is so often the case, Jesus fulfills these ancient prophecies in a surprising way, and it is through weaving light into the shade of our present world that he evokes wonder by the wisdom of his counsel (Wonderful Counselor), shows the power of God in the world (Mighty God), cares eternally just like a parent (Everlasting Father), and is the source of all well-being for God's people (Prince of Peace).”

Jesus daily fulfills Isaiah’s prophecy by embodying these attributes, but so often we cannot see them. It is blinding work living in a despairing world. Advent is about readjusting our eyes in the darkness so we can see more clearly. The prophets can show us the way. They knew a thing or two about hoping and waiting for God in the dark.

A Foreshadowing of the Coming Messiah.

This is one of the most beautiful foreshadowings of the coming Messiah. 

Isaiah 9: 1-7

  

But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.

The people who walked in darkness
    have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
    on them has light shone.

You have multiplied the nation;
    you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
    as with joy at the harvest,
    as they are glad when they divide the spoil.

For the yoke of his burden,
    and the staff for his shoulder,
    the rod of his oppressor,
    you have broken as on the day of Midian.

For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult
    and every garment rolled in blood
    will be burned as fuel for the fire.

 For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
    and his name shall be called 

 

Of the increase of his government and of peace
    there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
    to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
    from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.