Recently I wrote about some Advent resources that you and your family could use as Christmas Day draws near. One of my favorite Christmas albums is on that list. Sovereign Grace’s Prepare Him Room is an amazing album with a mix of favorite Christmas hymns along with new compositions that fit the same mood and content as those classics. I especially enjoy the way that the songs—new and old—connect the promise and fulfillment of Scripture with the overall goal of the Incarnation, namely, the salvation of mankind to the glory of God.
There are so many eloquent and moving songs on that album, but I wanted to highlight one that I always find to be particularly beautiful. “There Blooms a Rose in Bethlehem” is a magnificent song that is subtle in sound yet powerful in message. The sound of the song matches the content in such a perfect manner. It is almost haunting in its beauty. It is delicate and lovely. It is tender yet triumphant. It is gently and lowly like the Savior of mankind. As with the other songs on the album there is a great effort to show the movement from prophecy to fulfillment to salvation. But in addition, this song brings out the future hope of resurrection that we have in Christ.
The first verse introduces the imagery of a rose—that tender and beautiful flower—which is to be born in the line of Jesse (King David’s father) and foretold by Isaiah to be born of a virgin as the Savior of mankind. Verse two shows the fulfillment of those promises in the birth of Jesus announced to the shepherds by the hosts of heaven in the brightness of heaven’s glory. This verse concludes with the line:
In manger slept the Holy One
In flesh, the Son of God
But the last verse is really where the imagery of the rose comes to fruition and delivers that memorable and powerful insight of how promise, fulfillment, salvation, and future hope all come together. In the Incarnation, life, death, and resurrection of Christ is the bloom of the true and magnificent Rose. God Himself has come. The blooming of this Rose rids the world of the hopelessness that comes from sin and death brought upon the world by our rebellion. While Jesus had to die to accomplish our salvation, He would not see decay. Rather, He would raise triumphantly from the grave in full bloom so that He might grant to those who believe in Him that same hope of life, light, hope and glory. Indeed,
So those who place their faith in Him
Shall blossom from the grave
What a powerful picture of life overcoming death. What a poignant image of resurrection. What a Savior we have in Jesus the Christ who is Immanuel!
Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased. - Luke 2:14
I hope that this song blesses you this Christmas as it does me.
