December 25Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord — Luke 2:10, 11.
Although we cannot agree that this is the proper day for celebrating the birth of our dear Redeemer, but must insist that it was about October first (Studies, Vol. 2, p. 54), nevertheless, since He did not intimate His desire that we should celebrate His birthday, it is quite immaterial upon what day that event, of so great importance to all, is celebrated. Upon this day, so generally celebrated, we may properly enough join with all whose hearts are in the attitude of love and appreciation toward God and toward the Savior. The habit of giving little remembrances one to another at this time of year seems to us specially appropriate. God is the Giver of every good and perfect gift. He is continually giving; and we are continually receiving from Him; but among all His gifts the One of greatest importance to us is the Gift of His Son to be our Redeemer—Z '03, 457 (R 3289). The good tidings of great joy for all people announce blessings consisting of a number of things, i.e., the forgiveness of sins, resulting in the awakening of all the dead; an accurate knowledge of the Truth; the race being placed amid conditions inconducive to sin and error, and conducive to truth and righteousness; a favorable influence Christward operating on all; bringing every knee to bowing to, and every mouth to confession of, His Lordship; the offer of the holy Spirit to all and the privileges of the Highway of Holiness for all. These are the blessings that the Oath-bound Covenant assures "the seed" that it will administer to mankind. The Ransom-price, a perfect human being, had to exist before it could be given as the basis of all these blessings. Therefore the human birth of Him who was to be both Lord and Christ had to take place. And it having taken place the Angel could in announcing it as an embryonic event tell of the blessed growth that had its roots in the birth of the Babe of Bethlehem, and its fruit in man's restitution—P '30, 184. Parallel passages: Gen. 12:3; Psa. 22:27-29; Isa. 9:6; 29:18, 24; 35:5, 6, 10; Luke 2:30-32, 34; John 1:9; 12:32; Rom. 14:9; Phil. 2:9-11. Hymns: 342, 345, 347, 246, 144, 16, 15. Poems of Dawn, 259: Coming By and By. Tower Reading: Z '15, 376 (R 3700). Questions: Has the Gospel been good tidings to me this week? Why? How? How did it influence my conduct? |
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COMING BY AND BY
A BETTER day is coming, a morning promised
long,
When truth and right, with holy might, shall over-
throw the wrong;
When Christ the Lord will listen to every plaintive
sigh,
And stretch His hand o'er sea and land, with justice
by and by.
The boast of haughty tyrants no more shall fill the
air,
But age and youth shall love the truth and speed it
everywhere.
No more from want and sorrow shall come the hopeless cry
But war shall cease, and perfect peace will flourish
by and by.
The tidal wave is coming, the Year of Jubilee;
With shout and song it sweeps along, like billows of
the sea,
The jubilee of nations shall ring through earth and
sky;
The dawn of grace draws on apace—'tis coming
by and by.
O! for that glorious dawning we watch and wait and
pray,
Till o'er the height the morning light shall drive the
gloom away;
And when the heavenly glory shall flood the earth
and sky,
We'll bless the Lord for all His works and praise
Him by and by.
A BETTER day is coming, a morning promised
long,
When truth and right, with holy might, shall over-
throw the wrong;
When Christ the Lord will listen to every plaintive
sigh,
And stretch His hand o'er sea and land, with justice
by and by.
The boast of haughty tyrants no more shall fill the
air,
But age and youth shall love the truth and speed it
everywhere.
No more from want and sorrow shall come the hopeless cry
But war shall cease, and perfect peace will flourish
by and by.
The tidal wave is coming, the Year of Jubilee;
With shout and song it sweeps along, like billows of
the sea,
The jubilee of nations shall ring through earth and
sky;
The dawn of grace draws on apace—'tis coming
by and by.
O! for that glorious dawning we watch and wait and
pray,
Till o'er the height the morning light shall drive the
gloom away;
And when the heavenly glory shall flood the earth
and sky,
We'll bless the Lord for all His works and praise
Him by and by.
