So God Imparts to Human Hearts
The Blessings of His Heaven

In 1865, while on a sabbatical from his church in Philadelphia. Rev. Phillips Brooks sat through a Christmas Eve service in Bethlehem itself.  Rev. Brooks had been extremely active during the recently ended Civil War and his congregation sent him on a tour of the Holy Land for rest. Brooks was extremely moved by the Christmas Eve service and that emotion stuck with him for several years after his return.

In 1868 he penned a poem for children that reminded them that something so important (i.e., the birth of the Savior) occurred in a place so small and seemingly insignificant. Rev. Brooks gave the poem to the director of music in his church (the famed Church of the Holy Trinity on Rittenhouse Square) in Philadelphia and asked him to produce a tune for the words. The tune was intended to be simple and singable, but memorable and emotional. “O Little Town of Bethlehem” remains a popular Christmas carol for young and old alike every Christmas season.  

I would like to focus on two lines from verse 3,

“So God imparts to human hearts

The blessings of His heaven”

Now, before we go all “universalistic” believing that every single person received the blessing of heaven imparted to them at Christ’s birth, let’s pause and ask some important questions:

First, is this lyric biblical? (the place every student of the Word must begin)

Second, what were these blessings?

Third,  how did God impart these blessings?

Fourth, who is included in these blessings?

In brief, yes this is a biblical concept if understood with the proper specificity and doctrine. Paul addressed this very concept in 1 Corinthians 2 when he taught the centrality “Christ crucified” required for gospel ministry. 

“For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” (1 Cor. 2:1)

From there he expounded what the cross purchased for the “spiritual person.” He said, “We impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” (1 Cor. 2:7-8) So, clearly the “human hearts” is not a blanket statement of universal acceptance or even reception. Had the Pharisees and Sadducees received this hidden wisdom, they would have never crucified Jesus. So, what is that wisdom? And how does it connect with the blessings of heaven?

“But as it is written, ‘What eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him’­— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.” (1 Cor. 2:9-10)

Our picture is growing ever clearer. There are blessings from heaven are undiscernible to the natural eye. Apart from the discerning work of the Spirit, no one would receive them because they are too wonderful for a created being to understand, especially a sinning created being. 

This is a divine “imparting.” So, how does God impart those blessings? Paul answers that question as well. “Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.” (1 Cor. 2:12-13)

The blessings of heaven are provided through the “Crucified Christ”, the Gospel. The Gospel is imparted to those who need it, sinners. Sinners receive the Gospel because of the discerning work of the Spirit. The Spirit imparts heavenly wisdom which motivated the redeemed sinners to share the blessings of heaven anew. 

Are you imparting the blessings of heaven that have been imparted to you  during this Christmas season? Though Rev. Brooks intended this poem to be for children, the implications are for every redeemed sinner! 

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