“Savior of the Nations, Come” is one of the oldest hymns used in the Advent/Christmas season. It dates back to the fourth century A.D. in the works of Ambrose, and in later years Martin Luther (1523).

This song tells the story of the virgin birth. Mary’s honest question about how it would be possible for her to give birth is explained by the angel in Luke 1:35: “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.” The child born to Mary would therefore be called “the Son of God.”

The song also includes the theme we reflected on yesterday from Philippians 2. “Christ laid down his majesty, passed through dark Gethsemane.” The Son of God, the promised Messiah, laid aside the glory of heaven to become a human being, to live among us in this world, and to submit to death on a cross to save us from sin.

Then he rose from the dead and ascended to rule in ­heaven. “Though he left his Father’s home, Christ now sits on God’s own throne.” This echoes the theme of exaltation in Philippians 2 and what the angel prophesied: “The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David . . . his kingdom will never end.”

So in this song we proclaim, with believers down through the ages, “Come, Lord Jesus, Savior of the nations!”