The Eschatological Hope in The Old Christian Hymns

One of the fascinating things I have observed when singing old Christian hymns be it in my personal devotion, family worship, or corporate worship is the eschatological hope in most of them. Eschatological hope is a theological term that refers to the fulfilment of God’s promise to make all things new in the new heaven and new earth which includes no more sin, no more death, no more sorrow, no more pain, and no more tears but a sweet dwelling in the presence of God forever. It is amazing to notice that most of the old Christian hymns, especially, in their last verse are filled with such hope.

But sadly, this eschatological hope is often missing in the lives of many Christians today. If you allow me to get a bit personal, when was the last time you had a lengthy discussion with a fellow Christian on heaven or your glorification? Could it be that we have bought into the lie that “Christians can be so heavenly minded that they are of no earthly good.” However, the truth is that we are of no earthly good until we are heavenly minded. C.S. Lewis was right when he observed that history testifies that it is those Christians who thought most of the next life that did the most for the present life. When Christians cease to think of the other world, they often become so ineffective in this world.

Therefore, in the next months, Lord willing, I would like us to spur one another toward more reflection of the biblical truths of heaven as contained in the Christian hymns of the past. Obviously, I won’t be able to cover every hymn as there are many of them. My approach is to focus more on the well-known hymns. I pray that this will be a great encouragement for us to be more heavenly minded like those Christians gone before us as we also wait for our blessed hope the appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13). Apostle John writes about our Lord’s second coming in Revelation 22:20: “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus Christ.” Christ’s coming is closer now than when these hymns were written.