Behold Him

“Behold the King has come
Divinity Incarnate
Creator of the world
Breathing our air
 
Behold what Light has come
And the dark cannot contain it
The Savior of the world is finally here
 
Oh come let us adore him
For He alone is worthy
Christ the Lord”
 

--Phil Wickham, ‘Behold”

The Greek word in the New Testament which is translated “behold” calls the listener to pay special attention to what will follow the speaker’s command. Several times the command is given by an angel to emphasize the importance of the message he brings. There are two Bible verses that use the word behold which stand out to me. The first is Luke 2:10 which says: “And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” The second is John 1:29 which states: “The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” In the first verse, an angel is announcing to Bethlehem shepherds the good news of Christ’s birth. In the second verse, John the Baptist declares Jesus’s identity as that of a sacrificial lamb who has come to atone for all mankind.

In his song “Behold,” Phil Wickham captures this juxtaposition of Jesus as the babe in the manger and the Suffering Servant on the cross. His Christmas song incorporates elements of my Mom’s favorite carol “Oh Come All Ye Faithful” which is a call to worship the Christ-child. For several months, God has been cultivating in me a greater appreciation for Who He is and has been calling me to a deeper experience of worship. For all these reasons, today my heart has sung joyfully and with adoration to “the King of the angels, the Word of the Father, Christ the Lord.”