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“Zion hears the watchmen singing, / And all her heart with joy is springing; / She wakes, she rises from her gloom. / For her Lord comes down all glorious, / The strong in grace, in truth victorious; / Her star is ris’n, her light is come. / Now come, Thou Blessed One, / Lord Jesus, God’s own Son, / Hail! Hosanna! We enter all / The wedding hall / To eat the Supper at Thy call.”
The people of God were living as exiles in Babylon. Jerusalem and the temple on Mount Zion were in ruins. The exiles lost all hope of rescue until the prophet Isaiah announced good news to “the captive daughter of Zion.” Isaiah tells them to put on beautiful clothing and arise from the dust. God was coming to take His people home! The watchmen will see the Lord “eye to eye,” that is, face to face. There is no doubt about it! “The voice of your watchmen—they lift up their voice; together they sing for joy; for eye to eye they see the return of the LORD to Zion. … and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God” (Isaiah 52:8, 10b).
Even though Christmas is still quite a few weeks away, our hymn borrows words and themes from the prophet Isaiah and turns our attention to our Lord’s Advent, to His coming. There is no need to move our Christmas decorating schedule to October. The hymn does not celebrate Jesus’ first Advent, His birth in Bethlehem. In the words of this hymn we rejoice in Jesus’ second Advent, His return on the Last Day. The day is coming when we will leave this earthly exile and rise bodily from the dust of death. Jesus is coming to take us home!
It may be too soon to decorate for Christmas, but it is never too soon to think about Jesus’ return. We are always busy, not with decorating, but in serving our Lord through our witness and works of love. We have the story of Jesus’ first Advent to share with others, the good news of His life, death, and resurrection. We pray that in the power of the Holy Spirit many people will come to believe in Jesus and join us in eagerly awaiting His return. While we witness, we wait like watchmen standing guard on a city wall, longing for the day when we will see Jesus “eye to eye.” Soon we will celebrate the treasured story of Jesus’ first Advent in Bethlehem and, as we rejoice in His birth, we look forward to His second Advent. It is time to wake up and rise from gloom. Jesus is coming!
WE PRAY: Jesus, I long for the day of Your return. Come, Lord Jesus! Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler. It is based on the hymn, “Wake, Awake, for Night is Flying,” which is number 516 in the Lutheran Service Book.
Reflection Questions:
- If you were among the Jews exiled to Babylon, what do you think your reaction would be to Isaiah’s message of God’s return to Zion?
- October is not too early to be mindful of—and renewed by—recalling how God came to us in Christ at Christmas. Is there some new way you can celebrate Advent this year?
- What determines whether you’re patient or content with God’s timing in your life?
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