Garry looked at the plaintive carol ‘O Come, O Come, Emmanuel’ (which you can listen to here) this morning. A very old carol whose English translation was by John Mason Neale in 1851, this is a typical Advent carol with its haunting minor key tune which perfectly matches the sense of mourning and lament for our sin. It is a carol which references the Old Testament frequently and thus is highly Christological.
The use of the name ‘Emmanuel’ refers back to Isaiah 7:10-14 and is one of the names by which Jesus is known (see Matt 1:22-23). The prophecy in Isaiah (like so many) has a double fulfilment, in the immediate present (a sign to Ahaz that God would deliver him from his attacker) and in the future. The idea of people neeing to be ransomed is also a theme developed in the New Testament (see Matt 20:28, 1 Tim 2:5-6, Heb 9:15). The nation Israel had many occasions to mourn (especially when in exile), and the idea of people ‘in lonely exile’ is relevant also to us, for all God’s people do not belong on earth ultimately (see Heb 11:13-16, 1 Pet 2:11-12). Our time here is brief; we have a heavenly home and should focus on that. The first verse concludes with the living hope and the call for celebration which is a part of each verse:
‘Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.’
Verse 2 looks at the old way of living through the law and reminds us that Jesus will come again ‘in cloud and majesty and awe’ (see also Rev 1:5-7). In verse 3, talks of ‘Thou Rod of Jesse’ (a reference to Is 11:1) and reminds us of the purpose of Jesus’s coming (‘free Thine own from Satan’s tyranny/ from depths of hell Thy people save and give them victory o’er the grave.’) Heb 2:14-15 reminds us that the purpose of Jesus’s coming was to break the power of him who holds the power of death and free those who have been held in slavery by their fear of death. Death should hold no fear for us, for, as John reminds us, perfect love has the power to drive out all fear. (1 John 4:16-18) Fear is a terrible weapon used against people, but Jesus can liberate us from all fear, and as the New Testament makes clear, His resurrection shows He has dealt decisively with death. (Rom 6:4-5, 1 Cor 15:20-22, 1 Thess 4:13-18)
Other titles for Jesus are referenced in the remaining veses, including ‘Dayspring‘ (the old word for ‘dawn’ or ‘morning’, reminding us that Jesus is light), the ‘Key of David’ (one who has authority, see Rev 3:7, Luke 1:32). The carol helps us to see Jesus in many different lights and with its continued prayer ‘O come, Emmanuel‘, we are reminded of the closing prayer of John in Rev 22:20: ‘Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.’ Every Advent we look not only back at the birth of Jesus but we look forward to His return.
