Day 5 — Angels We Have Heard On High

Despite what is often depicted in books and on television, angels are not little, fat babies with bows and arrows in their hands. They are not soft and gentle with long, flowing blond hair. The only angels we read about in the Bible are big, strong warriors whose presence often startled those they encountered. They are real, and they are powerful. 

Most people probably aren’t thinking about that when they’re singing the Christmas carol “Angels We Have Heard On High,” but they should! Angels show up when God has something important for them to do. In the case of Jesus’ birth, it was to announce His coming and stand guard over Him. That’s why when Jesus was facing death, He reminded His disciples that He could call on God for the help of angels any time He needed them (Matthew 26:53).

Angels are an intricate part of carrying out God’s plan. That’s likely what the unknown author of the French carol was thinking when he wrote it. The song was first published in 1855, then translated into English in 1862, and has gone on to become one of the most loved Christmas carols of all time. 

“Angels We Have Heard On High” focuses on the angels announcing the birth of Jesus to the shepherds. You’re probably already humming the tune!

Come to Bethlehem and see Him whose birth the angels sing

Come, adore on bended knee

Christ the Lord, the newborn King

And then…

Glo-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-ria in excelsis Deo, which means “glory to God in the highest” in Latin. 

This, of course, referring to Luke 2:13-14 when “suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!’” (NKJV).

This Christmas, remember that angels are still among us and here to protect you, your loved ones and the preaching of the Word of God. It’s not an exaggeration to say that every one of us, or someone we know, is facing some kind of problem today—some kind of trouble we can’t escape without the help of God. 

For one person, that trouble may be a disease that medical science can’t cure. For another, it may be financial problems or a family crisis. But no matter what kind of wall the devil has backed you up against, you can count on one thing: God has promised to deliver you.  

That’s right. The Word says the afflictions of the righteous are many, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. One way He does this is by giving His angels charge over you. He charges them to protect you…to keep you…to minister to you…to deliver you.

You see, when you are dealing with the angels, things like bars, chains, doors and fences don’t make any difference. The angels know what to do. The chains fell off Peter’s hands when he was in prison with two soldiers guarding him, and he walked out without any problem (Acts 12). Anything holding you back from deliverance is no match for God’s army of angels. Hallelujah!