Title: Angels We Have Heard on High
Speaker: Rev. Jason Van Bemmel
Series: Advent Devotionals 2025
Date: December 15, 2025
Bible: Luke 2:8-15
Welcome to Week 3 of our Advent Devotionals on Scripture and Carols! Today, Pastor Jason Van Bemmel from Forest Hill Presbyterian Church shifts our focus to the joyful announcement of Jesus' birth with the classic carol, "Angels We Have Heard on High".
In this devotional, we look beyond the "tinsel halos" of children's nativity plays to rediscover the true, terrifying glory of the heavenly host that appeared to the shepherds. We also explore the fascinating history of this carol, which originated as an 18th-century French folk song, Les Anges dans nos campagnes.
In this video, we cover:
Scripture: A reading of Luke 2:8–15 and the angels' message of good news.
Fear vs. Joy: Why the shepherds were filled with "great fear" and how the angel addressed it.
Lost in Translation: The theological difference between "good will to men" and the more accurate "peace among those with whom He is pleased".
The Conqueror: How the original French lyrics dramatically describe Jesus as a "Conqueror" and "Liberator" rather than just a baby in a manger.
The Chorus: The meaning of the Latin refrain, Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Join us as we prepare our hearts to sing "Glory to God in the Highest" and trust in the Savior who came to conquer sin and death.