The Advent of Our God

“The Advent of Our God” is a classic Advent hymn by Charles Coffin, originally written in Latin as Adventus nostri and later translated into English. Coffin, a French hymn writer and educator, composed the hymn to prepare the church for the Advent season, focusing both on the first coming of Christ in humility and His promised return in glory. The hymn reflects the historic Christian understanding of Advent as a season of expectation, repentance, and joyful hope.

The hymn opens with a call to prepare the way of the Lord, drawing directly from the prophetic voice of Isaiah and its fulfillment in the ministry of John the Baptist. This summons is not merely external, but deeply spiritual, urging believers to ready their hearts for the coming of Christ. The imagery aligns closely with the biblical command to make straight paths for the Lord and to welcome Him with reverence and obedience (Isaiah 40:3-5; Matthew 3:1-3, KJV).

A central strength of the hymn is its balanced theology of Christ’s two advents. While it remembers the incarnation, when Christ came in lowliness to redeem, it also looks ahead to His return as Judge and King. Coffin carefully weaves together warning and comfort, reminding believers that the coming Christ brings both salvation and accountability. This dual emphasis reflects Christ’s own teaching that His coming will be marked by cosmic signs and final redemption for those who look up in faith (Luke 21:25-28, KJV).

The hymn also exhorts the church to holy living in light of Christ’s return. The expectation of Advent is not passive waiting, but active preparation marked by faith, repentance, and love. The assurance that Christ will come with reward in His hand encourages perseverance and spiritual watchfulness (Revelation 22:12, KJV). In this way, the hymn serves as both proclamation and exhortation.

“The Advent of Our God” endures as a rich and doctrinally sound hymn for the Advent season. It teaches the church to look backward with gratitude, inward with repentance, and forward with confident hope, rejoicing in the certainty that the Lord who came will surely come again.