"Lo! He comes with clouds descending, once for ev'ry sinner slain; Thousand thousand saints attending swell the triumph of His train: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! Christ the Lord returns to reign." (verse 1)
Advent is a time, not only to celebrate the coming of Christ as a baby in a manger, but to glory in His coming as our triumphant Savior. At this time in history, the people of God had been waiting for generations and generations for the Savior that God had promised. We read the countless promises in these verses:
Genesis 49:10 The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his.
Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Jeremiah 23:5-6 'The days are coming," declares the Lord, "when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The LORD Our Righteous Savior."
Zechariah 9:9 Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
Those early believers thought that this Savior would be someone to lead them in a kind of holy war against those who oppressed them. Though they did not receive an earthly king that would raise up an army to defeat the godless leaders, what they got was so much more powerful and lasting. Christ has claimed the victory and no one has dominion over Him and His people.
This hymn is not a gentle lullaby of a loving mother to her dear child. This is the heavenly host proclaiming the victorious gift of an everlasting Father. This is the battle cry sung by every sinful man to the defeated foe.
"Yea, amen, let all adore Thee, high on Thine eternal throne; Savior, take the pow'r and glory, claim the kingdom as Thine own. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! Thou shalt reign, and Thou alone!" (verse 4)
"Lo, He Comes with Clouds Descending"
Text by Charles Wesley
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