The Earth’s Reply

“Glorious now behold him arise
King and God and Sacrifice
Alleluia Alleluia
Earth to heav’n replies”

With the closing verse of the song “We Three Kings” the three previous refrains are encapsulated. We are called to behold Jesus, who is our King (gold), our God (frankincense), and a Sacrifice for us (myrrh). But, as the song tells us, our response to Jesus should not only be to behold his works. We are also called to praise him, just as all the earth does.

This Christmas season, when we see little baby Jesus in the nativity scenes in our homes or in our churches, we must remember the many ways he goes beyond the manger. When we behold baby Jesus, we behold Christ’s sacrifice, a sacrifice which could only be accomplished because he is both fully God and fully man, King and judge over all. Through these roles of Christ, he will bring salvation and wipe away all the sin and corruption of this earth. With the recognition of the salvation to come through Christ’s birth, comes a recognition of what his life and death on the cross will mean for all the earth. In its place will come a new heaven and a new earth, as Revelation 21:1 tells us:

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.”

The song “We Three Kings” then rightly closes with the earth’s response of praise to the birth of Jesus Christ. The birth of Christ is a new beginning for all of creation. We and all the earth have been given the greatest hope. So this upcoming Christmas Day, as we gather with friends and family to eat, talk, argue, squabble, laugh, and celebrate, let everything you do be tinged with praise for God. For He is the sole provider of all the goodness, hope, and joy of this holiday season, and we owe our all to Him.