Joy to the World :: By Joe Hawkins

Published on: by RR10 Category:General Articles

Joy to the world; the Lord is come;
Let Earth receive her King;
Let ev’ry heart prepare Him room,
And heav’n and nature sing.

Though often sung at Christmas, Joy to the World is not merely a song of Bethlehem’s manger — it is a declaration of the King’s return. Isaac Watts penned it from Psalm 98, not as a reflection on Christ’s first advent, but His second — the day when Heaven and nature truly will sing in harmony again.

This opening verse is an invitation and a warning: “Let every heart prepare Him room.” The King is coming, and He will not be ignored. The first time He came, there was no room in the inn. The next time He comes, there will be no room for rebellion. The joy Watts describes is the joy of a restored creation — the long-awaited fulfillment of prophecy when Emmanuel will reign in righteousness from Jerusalem (Isaiah 11:1-10).

Even now, the redeemed echo heaven’s chorus — hearts preparing room for Christ, voices proclaiming His coming kingdom. The song calls us to worship in anticipation, to live ready for the moment when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Joy to the Earth, the Savior reigns;
Our mortal songs employ,
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains,
Repeat the sounding joy.

This is the sound of creation’s renewal. Nature itself groans under the weight of sin, waiting for liberation (Romans 8:22). But the day is coming when the curse will be lifted, and all of creation will join the redeemed in worship. The same world that once crucified its Creator will resound with the praise of its Redeemer.

Nature sings a song the world tries to silence. Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God.” Even the rocks cry out in anticipation (Luke 19:40). And while the world often sings of despair, chaos, and confusion, the redeemed are invited to join the chorus of joy—not because circumstances are easy, but because our King is alive.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found.

Here lies the heart of the hymn’s prophetic power. Watts reminds us that Jesus came not only to forgive sin but to reverse the curse. From Eden’s fall to the world’s decay, every thorn and sorrow bears witness to humanity’s rebellion. Yet Christ’s victory will extend “far as the curse is found.” There is no corner of creation His redemption will not touch.

In that day, sin’s power will be broken, Satan’s dominion ended, and death destroyed. The very ground that once produced thorns will blossom again under His blessing (Isaiah 35:1). What began at the cross will culminate in the restoration of all things (Acts 3:21).

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love.

The Babe of Bethlehem is the King of Glory, and He will rule not by force of arms but by the power of truth and grace. The nations will “prove” — that is, they will experience and testify to — the justice and mercy of His rule.

The “glories of His righteousness” speak of His perfect governance during the Millennium — a reign marked by holiness, peace, and equity. The “wonders of His love” point to the heart of God revealed through Christ: love that conquers hate, grace that triumphs over judgment.

And at the heart of it all is love—wondrous love. A love that stooped low, stretched wide on a cross, and rose in triumph. A love that will one day flood the world in holiness, justice, and joy.

Joy to the World – Isaac Watts

About Prophecy Recon

Prophecy Recon is a watchman ministry dedicated to analyzing Bible prophecy and current events through a strategic, battlefield perspective. Just as military reconnaissance gathers intelligence on enemy movements, we equip believers with critical insight into the spiritual war unfolding around us. Stay informed, stay vigilant, and stand firm because the battle is real, but victory belongs to the Lord.

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Your Most Important Choice :: By Dale V. Nobbman

Published on: by RR10 Category:Dale V. Nobbman, General Articles

Every person in this life, who has reached the age of accountability, must make a multitude of choices during his or her lifetime.  The most important choice you will ever make is whether you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior or not.  There is no middle ground; you either choose one or the other path to take. If you do not stand with Jesus Christ, then you are against Jesus Christ.  When it comes to salvation, there is no wishy-washy alternative way to enter into God’s Heaven.

You can choose to take the narrow path of Faith, Hope, and Love in Jesus Christ, or else you can choose the dangerous wide road through this life, represented by Lions, and Tigers, and Bears, oh my!  (borrowing a famous line from the movie Wizard of Oz.)  If you take the wide road, which is sadly and unfortunately trod by a majority of people in this life, it will lead to your destruction and eternal separation from the God who created you, and Jesus Christ who saved us from all our sins by means of His shed blood, when He died for us on a cruel Roman cross.  Jesus is the Lamb of God (John 1:36). You merely need to believe Jesus endured that for you.

Belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God is the only way for us to be made righteous in the sight of God the Father and thereby allow us to gain eternal life in God’s heaven with Jesus when our earthly life ends.  We will then live eternally in our glorious, resurrected bodies fit for heaven and made possible by Jesus’s resurrection from the dead and His victory over death.  Jesus himself told us, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  No one comes to the Father, except through Me” (John 14:6).

Remember the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans song ‘Faith, Hope, and Charity’?  They sang, “faith, hope and charity (love), that’s the way to live successfully. How do I know? The Bible tells me so” (1 Corinthians 13:13). It is important to read the Word of God to learn all the truths and promises God and Jesus left for us to discover in the Holy Bible. It provides us with words of wisdom to help lead us down the ‘straight and narrow path’ in this life (Proverbs 3:6).

Becoming a believer in Jesus Christ (a Christian) does not mean an easier life on earth.  Most likely just the opposite.  Being a Christian cannot help us escape the evil and chaos in this world because Satan goes about like a ‘roaring lion’ seeking to devour all the people he can, and Christians are his favorite targets (1 Peter 5:8). However, being a Christian certainly helps us know and rest in “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).

I penned the following poem, which has helped me know the ‘peace of God.’

God is in control; He’s got things well in hand. He’s doing all that is best for His eternal plan.  God is in control; I pray for His Will to be done. I put my trust in Him, God the Three in One. (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit)

I also penned these words to a song I wrote.

Give your heart to Jesus; give Him all of your heart today. Give your heart to Jesus; He will wash your sins away.  Trust Jesus as your Savior; He is the Life, the Truth, and the Way. Give your heart to Jesus; give Him all of your heart today.  Jesus knows your darkest secrets; He still loves you anyway. Ask Jesus to be your Savior, and He will wash your sins away.  Give your heart to Jesus; He will hear you when you pray, “Forgive my sins, Lord Jesus; I give you all of my heart today.

Romans 10:9-10 states, “if you confess with your mouth “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with your heart, you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved.”

My prayer is that you will give your heart to Jesus today and confess Jesus as your Savior!  You will never regret doing so, once you experience the liberating feelings of God’s ‘mercy and grace’ in your life.