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Advent: Joy to the World

It’s that time of year again! Now that Thanksgiving is over, people will begin decorating for Christmas and getting the old Christmas music out again. Of course, right along with Christmas, many Christians observe Advent as a part of their calendar as well.

The word Advent comes from the Latin adventus, which means “coming”.

The celebration of Advent has been a part of church traditions around the globe for centuries. The Advent season is a time of preparation that begins four Sundays before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve. You may find subtle differences in how this looks depending on what church tradition you are considering, but the core of it is almost always the same.

The main purpose is to remember two things. First, we rejoice at the coming of Christ as a baby over two thousand years ago. The reason for this first coming of Christ was so He could die on a cross to pay the sin penalty of all who would place their faith in Him. So, we see His birth, Christmas, as something to celebrate and be thankful for. After all, if we didn’t have His coming, we wouldn’t have His death and resurrection.

The second thing recognized during Advent is the hope all Christians have; Jesus is coming again! We look forward to the blessed day when we will see Him coming in the clouds. Luke recorded it this way in Acts 1:11,“…This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” As the people of God, we should be longing for the day when we will see Him, our blessed Hope.

Joy to the World


One Advent hymn sung during this time is Joy to the World by Isaac Watts. Often, we think of this hymn in terms of Christ’s coming at Christmas. However, it is really his second coming that is best highlighted. In His presence there will no longer be sin and sorrow, He will totally rule the world and all of heaven and nature will sing of His glories. Amen, Lord Jesus. Quickly come.

Joy to the world the Lord is come
Let earth receive her King
Let ev'ry heart prepare Him room
And heav'n and nature sing
And heav'n and nature sing
And heav'n and heav'n and nature sing
Joy to the earth the Savior reigns

Let men their songs employ
While fields and floods
Rocks hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat repeat the sounding joy

No more let sins and sorrows grow
Nor thorns infest the ground
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found
Far as the curse is found
Far as far as the curse is found

He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of His love
And wonders of His love
And wonders wonders of His love