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E which testifieth these things saith, "Surely I come quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. (Revelations 22:20)
This is a beautiful Advent hymn that reminds us of the very meaning of the Advent Season – the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in glory and majesty. John Brownlie (1859-1925) is the author and the tune in the 1940 Hymnal is St. Stephens. Though many false claims of the very moment of His return have been proffered by lucre-seeking false prophets, the time of His coming remains the sole discretion of God the Father.
The King shall come when morning dawns
The King shall come when morning dawns
And light triumphant breaks,
When beauty gilds the eastern hills
And life to joy awakes.
Not as of old a little child,
To bear and fight and die,
But crowned with glory like the sun
That lights the morning sky.
Oh, brighter than the rising morn
When Christ, victorious rose
And left the lonesome place of death
Despite the rage of foes.
Oh, brighter than that glorious morn
Shall dawn upon our race
The day when Christ in splendor comes
And we shall see His face.
The King shall come when morning dawns
And light and beauty brings.
Hail, Christ the Lord! Your people pray:
Come quickly, King of kings!
1 The King shall come when morning dawns And light triumphant breaks, When beauty gilds the eastern hills And life to joy awakes. What an amazing dawn that will be when the Light of His coming breaks on the eastern horizon. His first coming was heralded by a brilliant star that swept the skies from east to west, but that star appeared as a passive guide to the Magi. His second coming will be witnessed by every eye on earth. 27 "For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." (Matthew 24:27)
2 Not as of old a little child, To bear and fight and die, But crowned with glory like the sun That lights the morning sky.Our Lord first came as a little baby lain in a wooden trough in a barnyard in Bethlehem. There was nothing of particular earthly glory in His birth even if the Heavens rejoiced in song as the Angel Host over the hills of little Bethlehem. The most beautiful choir ever sang, not the king in the palace at Jerusalem, but to the poor shepherds “keeping watch over their flocks by night.” How these lowly and simple shepherds were honored above all others! And, yes, the sky was lit up with the brilliant light of that Heavenly Host. “And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.” (Luke 2:9)
3 Oh, brighter than the rising morn When Christ, victorious rose And left the lonesome place of death Despite the rage of foes. The baby Jesus was born on a cold dark night in Bethlehem, and He likewise rose from the tomb in the midst of the night of darkness preceding the sunrise on Sunday morning. The brilliant light of day always follows in the trail of our Lord’s coming. The soldiers at His tomb were struck down at His resurrection. The Scribes and Pharisees were enraged at the possibility of His resurrection from the dead, so much so that they bribed the Roman guard to bear false witness concerning the event.
4 Oh, brighter than that glorious morn Shall dawn upon our race The day when Christ in splendor comes And we shall see His face. As a Shepherd Child He came unto us more than two thousand years ago, but shall return in great power and glory art the last trump. All eyes shall behold Him, and every knee shall bow before Him. “11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Revelation 19:11-16)
5 The King shall come when morning dawns And light and beauty brings. Hail, Christ the Lord! Your people pray: Come quickly, King of kings! God is Love, and God is Light. Where our Lord is there can be not darkness for His Light disperse the darkness as an impotent shadow. Why have we not believed His Word of the New Testament, nor even that of the ancient Law and the Prophets. His whole Word tells us of Him. “13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:13-14)
Let us with joy repeat the prayer of John the Revelator:
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OR I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. 20 He which testifieth these things saith, "Surely I come quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. 21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. (Revelation 22:18-21)
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