Come, Thou long expected Jesus,
Born to set Thy people free.
In about 1745, hymn-writer and revivalist Charles Wesley wrote this great hymn. And greatness is an appropriate word for Wesley’s craft, because he sure didn’t waste many words!
Come, Thou long expected Jesus: In the first line of this hymn, Wesley introduces the main character of our faith – Jesus. And in this season of Advent, he describes a key trait to consider: Jesus is the “long expected” one. He is the “long expected” Messiah, the one promised and anticipated by Israel for at least a thousand years. And what should we say when we contemplate our Messiah? “Come!” Come to me. Come to us. Come and transform this sin-battered world.
Born to set Thy people free: And when the Son of God comes, what will it be like? Well, he won’t just “come,” like some ghost or spirit, mysteriously appearing. This won’t be a “typical” theophany, like the Father Almighty speaking from a burning bush or a whirlwind. No. In the incarnation, Jesus’ coming will be personal … and in-person. He will be “born”! He’ll “humble himself,” as Philippians 2 tells us, and come in “human form,” which to God means coming as a “slave.” And when he “comes,” what do we expect him to do? He will come to set us, “[his] people,” “free.” Freedom! That’s the purpose of his coming.
From our fears and sins release us: This is a factual statement. This is the role of the Savior. He will “release us” “from our fears and sins.” Yes, factual statement. And yet … Wesley skillfully renders this also as a prayer. We’re singing, “[Dear Jesus,] from our fears and sins release us.”
And the prayer continues: “Let us find our rest in Thee.” Rest is an important role of the Messiah. Jesus will invite people – see Matthew 11 – to “come to me, all who are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”
Israel's strength and consolation: Jesus will tell us that he came first for the Jews, God’s chosen people. He is indeed, “Israel’s strength.” He is “Israel’s … consol[ing assurance].”
But it’s bigger than that! When Wesley coaches us to sing, Hope of all the earth Thou art. He’s really inviting us to know and proclaim that Jesus is more than just “Israel’s strength.” He’s the “hope of all the earth.”
And still bigger than that … He’s the Dear Desire of every nation. He’s the Joy of every longing heart.
Wait? Does “every nation” truly “desire” Jesus? Does “every … heart” truly “long[ ]” for him? The answer is “no” … and “yes!”
Whether we’re conscious of it or not, what every heart truly and ultimately longs for is Jesus. We’re incomplete without him … because without him, sin and death ultimately reign. But with him, there is “joy” and “hope,” forgiveness and “release.” With Jesus, there’s “strength” and “rest” and “consolation.”
Did you know you were singing all of that? Did you know you were praying all of that when singing this song?
In Christ’s Love,
a guy who took 600 words
to explain Wesley’s 40!
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