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Advent Devotional - December 20, 2014

“Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace! /
 Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
 / Light and life to all He brings
 / Risen with healing in His wings”

-Hark the Herald Angels Sing

“But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings” (Malachi 4:2).

Malachi, the prophet whose book is the last of the Old Testament, wrote these words to a people weary from exile and captivity. But these words are a promise, that for the people of God, good news was in store. And that good news would involve a visitation of God to His people. In other places in the Old Testament, the rising of the sun is used as a metaphor for God coming to His people (see Isaiah 60:1-2).

The writer of “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” is utilizing this image, and even this verse from Malachi. Like many others in Christian history have done, our songwriter attributes this prophecy to the coming of Christ. Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, as the light of the world, is indeed the One whose visitation Malachi foretells. Continuing with the metaphor, Malachi, and our songwriter, are not saying that Jesus Christ has wings. No, the image is that of the sun that rises, whose rays spread out like wings and cover the earth. This poetic imagery is all pointing to the truth that the apostle John uncovers for us in his gospel. There, in John 8:12, Jesus claims, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” In the person of Christ, light and life and healing are brought to a dark and dead and sin-diseased world.

The rising sun is a welcome sight after a long a weary night. And that very sun lifts our eyes to the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who has come into the world, bringing light, life, and healing to those of us who dwelt in darkness. So indeed, for this hope bestowed upon us, let us “Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness!”