The Message of the Bells

This is first in a series of five about the messages that God sends to us through the Christmas Season.  I sincerely hope you read all five because it will give you an in-depth look at why we do the things we do during this wondrous season.

The Message of the Bells

“On that day even the harness bells of the horses will be inscribed with these words:
 HOLY TO THE LORD.”     Zachariah 14:20 (NLT)

With the Christmas season comes the ringing of bells, from music blaring from speakers everyplace you go to the Salvation Army ringing their bells on every corner.  Some people don’t like it, but I love to hear the bells ringing.  If you think about it, bells are telling you a story.  Why don’t you sit back and relax and listen to what they are telling you.

For some people the bells are saying, “Christmas is coming, Christmas is coming”!  To others they might sound like, “Buy presents; buy presents” and others may hear, “Spend more money; spend more money”.  Children listen to the bells and they hear, “Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus”.  What a variety of stories the bells tell.

We can all agree that the bells are announcing a coming event.  As Christians there is only one story they ring out and one thing they announce and that is “Jesus is coming; Jesus is coming”.  Traditionally the bells are rung to tell of the Christ Child’s birth and continue today.  However, there are many different kinds of bells and the message that they tell.

Church bells came into use as early as 400 AD and gradually over the years became a tradition for most Christian faiths.  Today church bells ring to call people to worship; at times they ring for funerals and especially at Christmas to remind people of the coming of the Savior.  Other bells give out the message that there is a fire or other drastic problems. In Victorian times, it was very fashionable to go carol singing with small hand bells to play the tune of the carol. Sometimes there would only be the bells and no singing! Hand bell ringing is still popular today and bells are rung during Christmas holidays to announce the arrival of the season.

Little bells attached to the door of a store, send the message that someone has entered their shop.  Of course there are the hand bells that ring out full harmonious songs.  Others join in with orchestras and choirs around the world.  Listen to the stories these bells are telling us to proclaim the birth of Christ.

Many Christmas carols proclaim bell ringing: “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”, “Ring Out Wild Bells”,  “The Carol of the Bells”, and “The Coventry Carol”.  Then it flows into the secular songs: “Silver Bells”, “Jingle Bells”, “Ring out the Old” and “Jingle Bell Rock”.  I’m sure there are many more. 

One of my favorite Christmas Carols is “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”.

“I heard the bells on Christmas Day, Their old familiar Carols play,

And wild and sweet the words repeat; of peace on earth, good will to men.

I thought as now this day had come, the belfries of all Christendom.

 

Had rung so long, the unbroken song of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head; “There is no peace on earth,” I said,

“For hate is strong and mocks the song, of Peace on earth, good will to men.”

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep; “God is not dead, nor does He sleep;

The wrong shall fail, the right prevail; with peace on earth, goodwill to men.

”Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: God is not dead; nor doth he sleep!

The Wrong shall fail, the Right prevail, with peace on earth, good-will to men!”

The words to the above song is written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in 1864 during the Civil War.  Today, we live with wars on every side of us.  Here in our own country men are trying to determine who is on the right side and who is on the left.  Around the world people are being killed and families destroyed.  This poem is as true now as when it was written. 

As in the days of Zechariah, let our hearts be inscribed with the words, “Holy to the Lord!”  The message of the Bells is still “Holy to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords”, because “Jesus is Coming!”