In 1875, the religious world was blessed with the hymn written by Philip P. Bliss. It is one that can easily be sung with both a great smile and a tear in the eye. The words should cause a great stir of different emotions as they are pondered for all the reasons we can sing, Hallelujah! What a Savior! Consider the five stanzas and the great reminders they provide for our wonderful Savior.
Stanza one: “Man of Sorrows,” what a name for the Son of God who came. Ruined sinners to reclaim! Hallelujah! What a Savior! Isaiah 53:3 tells us that the Suffering Servant (our Savior) would be a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with grief. Certainly, Jesus was a joy to be around and brought so much happiness to the lives of the multitudes who followed Him. However, Jesus knew unimaginable suffering and pain. He came not as the conquering King destined to rule on an earthly throne with all the splendor that entails – no, He came to reclaim sinners. He came to redeem (buy back) us from our sin with His blood (Ephesians 1:7). Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Stanza two: Bearing shame and scoffing rude, in my place condemned He stood, sealed my pardon with His blood; Hallelujah! What a Savior! The creation mocked the Creator in whose image they are made. Sadly, it was in my place condemned He stood. There was no other way for me to saved apart from His cross. Though guilty of sin, in Jesus was can find pardon. In His blood we find justification (Romans 3:20-26; 1 Corinthians 6:11). God cannot overlook sin and cannot justify the guilty. The penalty for sin had to be paid and Jesus did with His blood. Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Stanza three: Guilty, vile and helpless we; spotless Lamb of God was He; “Full atonement!” can it be? Hallelujah! What a Savior! Don’t you love the expression Full Atonement? The holiest of all days to Jews living under the Law of Moses was the Day of Atonement. The day when a lamb was sacrificed for their sin and another symbolically carried their guilt into the barren wilderness. They kept this day every year. In Jesus, we can find FULL atonement (Hebrews 10:12). We can find FULL ‘at-one-ment’ with God through our Savior! Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Stanza four: Lifted up was He to die, “It is finished!” was His cry; now in heav’n exalted high, Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Jesus repeatedly announced that He had come to die. He would be lifted up and would draw all men to Himself (John 12:32-33). While saying His hour had not yet come in the beginning of His ministry, in the end He could cry, “It is finished!” God’s grace provided what our works could not provide. Though lifted up in this life to die, Jesus is now exalted on high with a name above every name (Philippians 2:9-11). Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Stanza five: When He comes, our glorious King, all His ransomed home to bring, then anew this song we’ll sing, Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Jesus is coming back! Many places have Him making this promise (John 14:1-6 as an example). Christians today can know hope and peace because of Jesus and His cross. We stand in awe of the thought of being in the presence of Jesus and singing the words over and over Hallelujah! What a Savior! However, if those words will be sung in His presence, then – they must be appreciated now!
-Adam Orr
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