Light Has Come: The Advent Message of “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”Sample

Verse 3: The Purpose of His Coming

The final verse focuses on why Christ came: “Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness! Light and life to all He brings, ris’n with healing in His wings.”

These names and images draw from Isaiah 9:6 and Malachi 4:2. Jesus is both the peaceful ruler and the righteous healer. He doesn’t just offer encouragement—He brings healing, light, and life to a dark and broken world. This stanza is a gentle invitation to receive restoration.

Then the verse takes a deeply humbling turn, “Mild He lays His glory by.” This echoes Philippians 2:6–7 (ESV), Jesus “did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself.” He set aside the privileges of divinity, not His identity, and entered our world as one of us.

The final lines bring the gospel into full focus, “Born that man no more may die, born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth.”

These three statements are a miniature gospel:

• He came to conquer death.
• He came to offer resurrection.
• He came to give us new spiritual life—rebirth. (See John 3:3 and 1 Peter 1:3)

These aren’t just poetic words. They are an invitation. What Christ accomplished at Christmas leads straight to the cross, the empty tomb, and the new birth available to all who trust Him.

Conclusion: Singing the Gospel

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing is more than a holiday favorite—it’s a theological treasure chest. Sadly, its depth is easy to miss when we treat it as background music while we wrap presents or wait in line at the coffee shop.

But this hymn is a masterwork of worship. It invites us to marvel at the incarnation, rejoice in reconciliation, and cling to resurrection hope. In less than 100 words per stanza, it offers a clearer gospel presentation than many sermons.

So next time you hear this carol—whether in church, on the radio, or at the store—pause. Listen. Worship. Let it remind you of the good news that changed the world: God with us. Peace on earth. A Savior born.