As we move toward Easter, the Sunday’s hymns will teach us something about the work of Christ on the cross. Have you noticed how many of these doctrinally centered hymns have been written by either Isaac Watts or Charles Wesley? Well, today’s hymn is another one from Charles Wesley, focusing our hearts on two particular aspects of Christ’s atoning work: Christ was both our sacrifice and our priest.
…[Christ] has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. (Hebrews 9:26, ESV)
Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. (Hebrews 2:17, ESV)
O Thou, Before the World Began
O Thou, before the world began,
Ordained a sacrifice for man,
And by th’eternal Spirit made
An Offering for the sinner’s stead;
Our everlasting Priest art Thou,
Pleading Thy death for sinners now.Thy offering still continues new
Before the righteous Father’s view;
Thyself the Lamb for ever slain,
Thy priesthood doth unchanged remain;
Thy years, O God, can never fail,
Nor Thy blest work within the veil.O that our faith may never move,
But stand unshaken as Thy love!
Sure evidence of things unseen,
Now let it pass the years between,
And view Thee bleeding on the tree,
My Lord, my God, who dies for me.
More on Christ’s work as priest:
More on Christ as sacrifice:
Other hymns, worship songs, etc. posted today: